Latest California Healthline Stories
Lawmakers Must Do More To Address Medicare Marketing
While the Bush administration should be commended for its “welcome new regulations” to address “deceptive, hard-sell tactics” used by private insurers to market Medicare Advantage plans, the White House and Congress need to go further to address Medicare marketing abuses, according to an editorial. New York Times.
Janitors Go On Strike Over Salary, Health Care Benefits
On Tuesday, hundreds of janitors at some of Silicon Valley’s largest technology companies went on strike over a contract dispute. The janitors are demanding salary increases and better health care benefits. Organizers say the strike will continue through the week. San Jose Mercury News.
Hospitals Launch Efforts To Tackle Implant Device Costs
Some hospitals are trying to leverage their purchasing power to obtain group discounts on implant devices, a move that could disrupt the longtime relationships between manufacturing companies and physicians. East Bay Business Times.
Hospitals Weigh Retrofit vs. Rebuild for Earthquake Safety
Some hospital owners are finding it makes more sense to build new hospitals from scratch rather than to retrofit existing facilities to meet state earthquake safety standards. New engineering technologies can help hospitals not only withstand earthquakes but remain operational. KQED’s “The California Report.”
California’s Food Stamp Rules Need To Be Changed
About one-third of California’s working poor families receive food stamps, compared with nearly 60% nationally, according to an editorial. It states, “In a year when the governor is proposing massive cuts in health and welfare services to the poor, changing food stamp rules would bring in hundreds of millions of additional federal dollars to low-income families.” San Jose Mercury News.
Major California Health Systems Refinance Bonds To Avoid Interest Hikes
An analyst said that interest rates for a specific type of bond used by some California hospitals increased from 2.5% in 2007 to 11% earlier this year. Hospitals have flocked to other types of bonds to fund construction needed to meet seismic safety rules. San Francisco Business Times.
Anthem Blue Cross Launches Online Cost Comparison Tool
On Monday, Anthem Blue Cross, formerly Blue Cross of California, announced that it is launching an online comparison tool that will provide members with cost information for about 40 different medical procedures. East Bay Business Times.
San Joaquin County Report Measures Access, Quality of Health Care
The 231-page report found that a lack of health insurance is the primary reason why county residents do not have a usual source of medical care or receive adequate preventive care such as flu shots, blood-pressure monitoring or mammograms. Stockton Record.
California Insurance Regulator Touts Value of Personal Health Records
State officials said that personal health records available through Aetna, Blue Shield, Kaiser Permanente and other insurers are secure and should be more frequently used by California consumers. The Department of Insurance says PHRs also can help consumers deal with claims. Sacramento Bee.
Google Kicks Off Public Access to Online Health Record Service
Google Health will let users store medical information, laboratory test results and other health care data online and permit users to decide whether to share the information with health care providers. The project has been in development for about 18 months. New York Times et al.