Latest California Healthline Stories
Health Care Reform News Around the Nation for the Week of Feb. 19
Rhode Island Lt. Gov. Elizabeth Roberts proposed a health care reform plan that would require most state residents to obtain health insurance. Meanwhile, officials in South Carolina and New York looked to cuts in health care programs to trim state budgets.
FDA Seeks To Relax Limits on Off-Label Rx Drug Marketing
On Friday, FDA released a proposal that would let drug and device makers provide physicians with medical journal articles about off-label product uses. The agency abandoned a requirement that drug and device makers first provide the studies to FDA or promise to seek approval of the discussed use. New York Times.
Closing Los Angles County Clinics Could Threaten Care
An editorial maintains that Los Angeles County’s health care budget deficit “promises a continuing meltdown of the county’s health network,” and the proposal to cut 11 of 12 county health clinics and six comprehensive care centers must “be off the table.” Los Angeles Times.
Blue Cross of California Move Comes Under Fire
Two editorials criticized a Blue Cross of California program that asked doctors to identify pre-existing conditions that patients might have omitted from insurance applications. Blue Cross terminated the program last week. Sacramento Bee, Oakland Tribune.
Investigators Target Health Insurers Over Practices
Lisa Girion of the Los Angeles Times discussed investigations in Los Angeles and New York into health insurance companies’ policies on canceling coverage and pricing. Both investigations mark rare examples of involvement by law enforcement officials in the regulation of the health insurance industry. NPR’s “Day To Day.”
Schwarzenegger OKs Medi-Cal Cuts for Health Care Providers
More than $500 million in reductions to Medi-Cal provider reimbursement rates are slated to begin July 1, although lawmakers hope to reinstate the higher reimbursement rates in the fiscal year 2008-2009 state budget. Proposals to eliminate some optional services to Medi-Cal beneficiaries remain under consideration. Sacramento Bee et al.
Many Voter-Approved Programs Spared From California Budget Cuts
California’s First 5 program for early childhood health care and education services is exempt from budget cuts underway in Sacramento because its funding formula was written into the state constitution. At least one lawmaker wants to redistribute First 5’s unspent funds. Los Angeles Times.
San Francisco Businesses Gear Up for Universal Health Access Program
By April 30, businesses with employees in San Francisco will have to prove that they meet the city’s universal health access program’s spending requirements for health benefits or pay into a city fund. Legal challenges to the program continue. San Francisco Chronicle.
Study: Private Insurance Boosts Early Cancer Diagnosis
U.S. residents with private insurance are more likely than Medicaid beneficiaries or those who are uninsured to receive early cancer diagnoses, according to a new American Cancer Society study. The correlation between insurance and cancer diagnosis was particularly noticeable in colon, breast and prostate cancer. Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Bush Calls for Raising Some Beneficiaries’ Medicare Drug Premiums
A new policy proposal released by the Bush administration seeks to increase premiums for the Medicare drug benefit for higher-income beneficiaries, while also overhauling medical malpractice laws and expanding use of electronic health records. The Hill et al.