Latest California Healthline Stories
Health Care News From the Campaign Trail for the Week of April 11
Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton announced a plan to boost funding for breast cancer research. Elizabeth Edwards declined to endorse a candidate but indicated support for Clinton’s health care plan, while Teresa Heinz Kerry lined up behind Sen. Barack Obama’s health proposal.
Report Finds Gap in Life Spans Based on Income
More affluent Bay Area residents typically have longer lives than lower-income residents, according to a new report by the Bay Area Regional Health Inequities Initiative. The report focuses on social factors that contribute to health outcomes. Contra Costa Times.
El Dorado County Makes Cuts to Public Health Department
Last week, the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors voted to cut 14 positions in the public health department and eliminate personal health care services such as family planning, pregnancy testing and breast exams. The cuts are aimed at reducing costs and boosting communicable disease prevention and treatment. Sacramento Bee.
California Hospital News Roundup for the Week of April 11, 2008
Contra Costa Regional Medical Center officials are considering closing its psychiatric unit as part of county budget cuts. In Sonoma Valley, voters rejected a $45 million bond measure that would have financed renovations to Sonoma Valley Hospital and a new medical center.
Maximus Gets $208M Deal for Medi-Cal Enrollment
The California Department of Health Care Services has awarded a three-year and nine-month, $208.4 million contract to Maximus to continue to provide enrollment broker services for Medi-Cal beneficiaries. The contract includes three one-year options, which could bring the contract’s total value to $411 million. Washington Business Journal.
UCLA Medical Center Has History of Privacy Breaches
The UCLA Medical Center has known since at least 1995 that unauthorized employees were accessing the medical records of high-profile patients, including Tom Cruise and Mariah Carey, as well as looking into one another’s records, according to records and interviews. Los Angeles Times.
California Bill Seeks Cap on Health Insurers’ Administrative Spending
A bill by Senate Health Committee Chair Sheila Kuehl would require health insurers to spend 85% of premiums on patient care, with the remaining 15% going to administrative costs and profits. The California Medical Association is supporting the bill. KPCC’s “KPCC News.”