Latest California Healthline Stories
El Dorado County Redesigns Public Health Department
Department leaders are trying to streamline operations to help the county address a budget deficit of more than $14 million. The plan calls for staff cuts and narrowing the agency’s work to focus on preventing and treating chronic and communicable diseases. Sacramento Bee.
Ballot Measure Would Rework HMO, Health Plan Oversight
Health insurers have voiced skepticism of a California ballot initiative being drafted that among other things would transfer oversight of HMOs from the Department of Managed Health Care to the Department of Insurance. Supporters hope to qualify the measure for the ballot in 2010. Capitol Weekly.
California TB Rate Drops, But Some Counties See Jump in Reported Cases
Public health officials warn that funding cuts for tuberculosis services could undermine progress the state has made in identifying and treating the disease early. State funding has dropped by about 14% in recent years. Los Angeles Daily News et al.
Senate, House OK Budget Reconciliation Plans
The spending proposals lay the groundwork for subsequent legislation to fund the federal government. Democrats say their plan rejects almost $200 billion in cuts to Medicare and Medicaid that President Bush has proposed. AP/Houston Chronicle.
Medicare Agrees To Pay Hospitals To Settle Suit Over Indigent Care
More than 650 hospitals will share the $666 million settlement over a lawsuit that dates from the 1980s. The case centered on a CMS rule that affected federal payments to hospitals for treating indigent patients. The rule was revoked in 1997. Wall Street Journal.
Health Care Stakeholders Rehash Key Issues in California Health Reform
In a recent roundtable discussion on the Health Affairs Blog, four health care stakeholders mulled the reasons behind the recent failure of health care reform legislation backed by Gov. Schwarzenegger and Democratic Assembly Speaker Fabian Núñez. Health Affairs Blog.
Stem Cell Agency OKs Pay Hike, Legal Action on Operating Costs
Salaries for the president and chair of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine can go as high as $508,750 annually under a measure the agency’s oversight board approved Wednesday. The board also approved legal action against the owners of the building where its headquarters are located if a dispute over operating expenses is not resolved. Sacramento Bee, San Francisco Chronicle.