Latest California Healthline Stories
Hospital Executives Give Health Insurers Poor Ratings in New Survey
UnitedHealth Group, WellPoint and Cigna received the worst ratings from hospital executives, while Aetna received the best score. A California Hospital Association spokesperson said the survey confirmed what the group has had heard from its member hospitals. Los Angeles Times.
Rise of Health Savings Accounts Spurs Debate
Proponents tout health savings accounts a private-market solution to rising health care costs and the growing number of uninsured. However, critics say HSAs target healthy patients, leaving insurance pools with sicker patients and therefore higher premiums. Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
San Diego County Officials Defend Health Care Benefit Program
County attorney John Sansone said new eligibility rules for the County Medical Services program ensure that needy residents receive “appropriate benefits.” Critics have asked the court to order the county to rework the program’s eligibility rules once again. San Diego Union-Tribune.
Prison Health Receiver Says Fixing System Will Be Costly
California prison medical receiver Clark Kelso on Wednesday said that it would be expensive to provide constitutionally required care to inmates but that he would work to obtain the resources necessary to fix the system. Sacramento Bee.
Resistant Staph Moves From Hospitals to Communities
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, a drug-resistant bacterial infection commonly found in hospitals, has become increasingly prevalent in non-health care settings. Chip Chambers of San Francisco General Hospital said community-acquired MRSA has risen at alarming rates since the mid-1990s, with 10% to 20% fatality rates. ABC’s “Nightline.”
Debate Swirls Over Plan To Cut Beds at Los Angeles County Hospital
Los Angeles County+USC Medical Center plans to cut 70 beds when it moves to a smaller facility this summer. Critics say the county needs to show that it has met conditions of a 2005 settlement for closing hospital beds before it can proceed. Los Angeles Daily Journal.
Mental Health Parity Measure Wins Approval in U.S. House
The legislation faces steep opposition in part because it would require health plans to cover all mental illnesses, unlike a bill approved by the Senate. Mental health advocates warn that the bill could undermine existing laws in California and other states by letting employers drop mental health coverage that the state laws require them to provide. AP Contra Costa Times et al.
Retiring Couples Need $225,000 for Medical Costs
A couple that retires in 2008 will need about $225,000 to cover their medical costs in retirement, according to a new Fidelity Investments study. That figure is up 4.7% from the 2007 estimate of $215,000. AP/Boston Globe.
House Committee Approves Democrats’ Budget Plan
In a 22-16 vote, the House Budget Committee passed a $3 trillion fiscal year budget plan. The proposal includes a number of Medicare provisions, a $50 billion increase in the State Children’s Health Insurance Program and a plan for electronic-prescribing legislation. The Senate Budget Committee will vote on a similar budget proposal today. AP/Houston Chronicle, CongressDaily.
Restaurant Owners Argue Against Mandatory Paid Sick Leave in California
Assembly member Fiona Ma says her bill to require paid sick leave statewide will keep sick employees from coming to work and spreading illnesses, but business groups argue that it would hurt smaller employers. KPCC’s “Patt Morrison.”