Latest California Healthline Stories
Court Mulls Shielding Drug Makers From Lawsuits
On Monday the Supreme Court heard arguments in the first of two lawsuits that could determine whether drug makers will receive protections similar to those given to medical device makers. Last week the court issued a ruling banning most lawsuits against medical device makers. New York Times.
Individual Mandate a Focus of Debate on Health Care
Much of the health care debate between Democratic presidential candidates Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama has centered on the usefulness of an individual mandate in expanding health insurance coverage, as Clinton proposes. A health care adviser to both candidates explains that the role of employers in the Clinton and Obama health care proposals is more noteworthy. Los Angeles Times.
Physician Shortages in Rural Areas Raise Concerns
A national shortage of surgeons and family practice physicians is affecting hospitals across the country, while the shortage of surgeons is a “particular threat” to the health care of the 54 million U.S. residents who live in rural areas. Several physician groups are pushing changes designed to offset the impact of the doctor shortage. USA Today.
Kaiser Permanente Rolls Out EHR System at 10 Hospitals in California
Ten of Kaiser Permanente’s 30 California hospitals have completed inpatient installations of its HealthConnect electronic health record system. The facilities are evenly distributed between Kaiser’s Northern and Southern California regions. San Francisco Business Times.
Fewer Pharmacies in Sonoma County Needle Exchange
Sonoma County has distributed about 70,000 clean syringes since it launched its needle-exchange program in 2006, but four of the six pharmacies in the initiative have dropped out because of high needle disposal costs. Santa Rosa Press Democrat.
States Urging Residents To Purchase Long-Term Care Insurance
Faced with rising Medicaid costs, California and other states are touting the value of long-term care insurance in hopes of reducing their future costs for nursing home services and other long-term care. Medicaid paid more than $100 billion for such care in 2007. Wall Street Journal.
Bill Targets Conflicts of Interest at California Stem Cell Agency
Allegations of conflict of interest have rattled the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine since it was launched. The bill by two leaders in the California Senate seeks a review of the agency’s governance structure. San Diego Union-Tribune, San Francisco Examiner.
U.S. Projects Health Care Spending To Double by 2017
A new CMS report expects increased demand for health care services and higher costs to drive American health care spending beyond $4 trillion in 2017. Government spending will account for almost half of that, in large part because of a jump in the number of people becoming eligible for Medicare beginning in 2011. Washington Post et al.
California, Others States Settle in Anti-trust Suit
California, 33 states and Washington, D.C., have reached a settlement in an anti-trust lawsuit they filed against Barr Pharmaceuticals over a deal the company made to prevent a cheaper, generic version of the oral contraceptive Ovcon from reaching the market. Barr will pay the states $5.9 million, including $500,000 in statutory penalties and attorney fees to California, and will not enter noncompetition agreements with companies that sell brand-name drugs. East Bay Business Times.
Experts: Better Post-Hospital Care Coordination Needed
Efforts to address problems discharging elderly patients from the hospital back into their homes or nursing facilities have been hindered by strained hospital budgets, weak state regulations, overwhelmed hospital discharge planners and Medicare’s failure to pay for better post-hospital care coordination, according to experts. Sacramento Bee.