Latest California Healthline Stories
Study Finds Obese Diabetics Benefit From Surgery
A study in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that 73% of patients who underwent bariatric surgery experienced complete remission of their diabetes, compared with 13% of those who received conventional treatment. Surgery patients lost more weight than other therapies, the authors said. New York Times et al.
White House Threatens Veto of Indian Health Legislation
The White House issued a policy statement saying President Bush would veto a bill to reauthorize funding for Indian Health Service if certain changes were not made. Senate Indian Affairs Committee Chair Byron Dorgan said he would support some changes to the bill but needs more time to finish the measure. AP/New York Times et al.
S.F. Restaurant Owners Continue Push Against Employer Contributions
San Francisco restaurateurs say the employer contributions under the city’s health access program will add to paperwork and costs. A federal judge is letting the provision take effect while the case is on appeal. NPR’s “Morning Edition.”
Employee Wellness Programs Face Opposition From Unions
Labor unions in California, including the California Nurses Association, argue that employee wellness programs should not levy financial penalties for workers who do not participate. Unions also cite privacy concerns over the risk assessment surveys that participants must fill out. East Bay Business Times.
California Pharmacy Board Mulls Delay to Drug Tracking Rules
The Legislature has approved a bill requiring all medications in California to be tracked electronically, recording every entity that comes in contact with the drugs from the wholesaler to the pharmacist. Rules to implement the law have been delayed once already. San Francisco Chronicle.
Health Net Expands Nursing Outreach Service to Members
Health Net’s outreach service is tripling the number of calls that nurses initiate to patients to inquire about a doctor’s visit and other information. In the past, the nurses mostly answered questions about illnesses or upcoming procedures. East Bay Business Times.
Participation in Wal-Mart Health Plans Reaches 50%
Wal-Mart announced that more than half of its employees are enrolled in health plans sponsored by the company, while about 7% of employees are uninsured. Wal-Mart revised its plan offerings last year after criticism that its benefits were unaffordable. New York Times et al.
California Hospitals’ Discount, Charity Care Policies Posted Online
Provisions of a 2006 law on hospital pricing also required the state to set up a Web site to let consumers compare hospitals’ charity care and discount policies. More than 80% of hospitals already have submitted data. Sacramento Business Journal, San Francisco Chronicle.
Senate Passes Defense Bill With Veterans’ Health Funds
The Senate approved a revised version of a $696 billion fiscal year 2008 defense authorization bill, and President Bush is expected to sign the measure. The bill includes improvements for health care for veterans. CQ Today et al.
Analyst Raises Possibility of Steep Costs for Health Care Reform
A report by the Legislative Analyst’s Office found that the health care reform plan by Gov. Schwarzenegger and Democratic leaders could end up costing the state billions of dollars more than projected if the rate of medical inflation and the price of insurance subsidies exceed estimates. Meanwhile, the Senate Health Committee could be one vote shy of passing the bill. Sacramento Bee et al.