Latest California Healthline Stories
Democrats Push for Stricter Rules on Medicare Marketing
Democratic lawmakers want to prohibit door-to-door sales of Medicare Advantage and ban insurers from using call centers to seek out sales leads. CMS officials say the changes are unnecessary because the tactics are already prohibited. AP/San Jose Mercury News.
DEA Proposal Would Allow More Electronic Prescribing
The Drug Enforcement Administration’s plan would allow electronic prescriptions of pain medications and antidepressants. Current rules prohibit e-prescribing of controlled substances, which some say discourages doctors from adopting the technology. CongressDaily.
Senate To Work With FDA To Craft Generic Biotech Rules
Sen. Charles Schumer and FDA Commissioner Andrew von Eschenbach agreed to revise Schumer’s existing bill that would give FDA authority to regulate generic versions of biotechnology drugs. FDA user fees and patent protection are sticking points on the legislation. CongressDaily.
S.F. Supervisors Mull Cuts to Retiree Health Liability
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors is considering a plan, backed by Mayor Gavin Newsom and labor unions, to scale back retiree health care benefits for future workers in an effort to reduce a $4.2 billion liability. The board’s approval would place the plan on the June 3 ballot. San Francisco Chronicle.
Newer Diagnostic Tests Can Help Cut Hospital Infections
A new wave of diagnostic tests can identify antibiotic-resistant bacteria in hours rather than days. The new tests require a larger financial investment from hospitals, but insurers often cover the test if they have FDA approval. Wall Street Journal.
FDA Will Not Seek Authority To Approve Generic Biotechs
FDA said a misunderstanding led to earlier statements that the agency was drafting a proposal to Congress to seek authority to approve generic biotechnology medications. Officials said that no actual proposal exists but that FDA remains interested in the idea. CongressDaily.
Lawmakers Critical of Health Spending Cuts in Bush Budget Request
At a Senate Budget Committee hearing, some lawmakers dismissed President Bush’s proposed reductions in entitlement programs as unrealistic. White House Budget Chief Jim Nussle challenged Democrats to offer their own ideas for curbing rapid growth and spending. CQ Today et al.
Report Leaves UCSF Medical School Debate Unresolved
A report on the financial status of the dean’s office at the UC-San Francisco School of Medicine recommends that the school improve its accounting methods. The former dean says the report substantiates financial irregularities at the school, while the administration says it validates the school’s financial health. San Francisco Chronicle, Los Angeles Times.
Drug Advertising Can Alter Doctor-Patient Relationships
Direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription drugs has turned medications into “just another gotta-have-it consumer product,” David Lazarus writes in his Los Angeles Times column. Critics of the ads say doctors feel pressured to respond to patients’ demands for heavily advertised drugs. Los Angeles Times.
L.A. County Hospital Could Lose CMS Funding for Lapses in Care
After an inspection last week by state inspectors on behalf of CMS, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center is expected to receive a citation that could result in a loss of federal funding if the county does not submit a corrective action plan to reduce overcrowding and treatment delays. The citation is the latest of several among hospitals in Los Angeles County. Los Angeles Times.