Latest California Healthline Stories
Health Insurance Tax Credit Plan Attracts Scant Support
Congress has paid little attention to a Bush administration proposal that would provide tax deductions to purchase health insurance, a sign that Democrats are uneager to work with Bush on one of their party’s key issues. Washington Post.
California Hospital News Roundup for Jan. 25, 2008
San Francisco officials mull future of St. Luke’s Hospital, while Sutter Health announces plans to deploy an electronic health record system in its Santa Rosa facility
Recent Studies Renew Debate Over Drug Approval Process
Lawmakers are investigating the approval of the cholesterol medication Vytorin after studies raised questions about the effectiveness of the treatment. Recent research on Vytorin and other drugs is reigniting debate over the type of data drug makers can submit in seeking FDA approval. Wall Street Journal.
Analyst’s Report Raises Questions About Passage of Health Reform Plan
Stakeholders in the health care reform debate want to know more about the financial risks of implementing an overhaul plan by Gov. Schwarzenegger and Democratic leaders. The Senate Health Committee will vote on the plan Monday. KQED’s “The California Report” et al.
Labor Department Reacts to Concerns About Leave Abuse
Proposed regulations from the Department of Labor would require employees to request leave in advance under the Family and Medical Leave Act. Employers had raised concerns that some workers were abusing the law, which allows unpaid leave for serious illnesses or care of family members. New York Times.
Health Care Election News for the Week of Jan. 25, 2008
Health care figures heavily in Democratic debate in South Carolina, while columnists criticize Sen. Hillary Clinton’s work on health care reform in the 1990s and Sen. John McCain’s recent criticism of pharmaceutical companies.