Latest California Healthline Stories
California Mandates Reporting of Drug-Resistant Infections
Under new requirements announced yesterday, health care facilities must report severe cases of staph infections that are resistant to antibiotics but only in cases where the infection was contracted outside of a hospital or nursing home. San Francisco Chronicle et al.
Health Care News From the Campaign Trail for the Week of Feb. 15
This week, Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) and Barack Obama (D-Ill.) touted their health care proposals as part of larger economic packages, and officials from the Service Employees International Union indicated they likely would endorse Obama today.
CVS Caremark Settles Lawsuit With 28 States, D.C.
In the settlement, CVS Caremark will pay $38.5 million to Washington, D.C., and 28 states, including $3.4 million to California. The deal settles allegations that the pharmacy benefit manager used deceptive business practices to convince physicians to prescribe patients certain drugs that increased the company’s profits. Chicago Tribune et al.
L.A. County Supervisors Line Up Against Plan To Shutter County Clinics
A majority of Los Angeles County supervisors are opposing a plan by county health officials to close 11 county health clinics and contract with private, not-for-profit clinics, a move supervisors and advocates say could hinder access to health care services. Los Angeles Times.
Legislature Set To Vote on Medi-Cal Reimbursement Cuts
The Legislature is expected to approve a package of spending cuts including a 10% cut to Medi-Cal reimbursements beginning July 1. The spending cuts have drawn opposition from patient advocates and other interest groups. Sacramento Bee et al.
Lawmaker Pressures FDA Chief To Step Down
House Energy and Commerce Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee Chair Bart Stupak said that FDA has mishandled drug safety issues, including the recall of the blood thinner heparin, and that FDA Commissioner Andrew von Eschenbach and other key officials should resign. AP/Los Angeles Times, CongressDaily.
Kaiser Reports Q4 Loss, While Molina Earnings Rise
Kaiser Permanente reported a fourth-quarter loss of $233 million, but an annual net profit of $2.2 billion, an increase from last year. Meanwhile, Molina Healthcare posted increased earnings for the fourth quarter and the full year. Sacramento Business Journal, Los Angeles Business.