Latest California Healthline Stories
Senate GOP Revises Medicaid Change in Kids’ Health Bill
To quell Republicans’ concerns that provisions in the State Children’s Health Insurance Program bill would lead to expanded Medicaid enrollment, Senate GOP lawmakers proposed reducing matching funds for states that enroll Medicaid families with incomes above 300% of the poverty level. CongressDaily.
California Universities Could Lose Grants From Stem Cell Agency
A board of the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine could reject grant applications from four universities because of an apparent discrepancy between guidelines for the funding applications and the agency’s conflict-of-interest rules. San Francisco Chronicle.
Former UnitedHealth CEO Agrees To Settle Lawsuit
To settle Securities and Exchange Commission allegations that he backdated stock options, former UnitedHealth Chair and CEO William McGuire will give up gains of $11 million, pay a $7 million civil fine and reimburse UnitedHealth about $448 million in retirement and executive savings benefits. USA Today et al.
Report Cites Staffing Concerns in California Disaster Response Plan
The first-ever report measuring California’s emergency preparedness found that despite overall strides since Sept. 11, 2001, local health departments “have a thin line of public health staff” to adequately manage the response to a natural disaster or other emergency. Sacramento Bee.
Class-Action Suit Takes on Physician Fees for Care in EDs
Two uninsured patients filed a lawsuit alleging that doctors overcharged them for treatment in hospital emergency departments and that they paid more than insured patients. The case could affect how much uninsured patients are billed for ED care at 55 hospitals in California. San Jose Mercury News.
White House, Lawmakers Confer on Spending Bills
Congressional leaders said that a meeting with White House budget advisers did not result in any deal on spending levels for the 2008 Labor-HHS-Education appropriations bill or the 11 other unapproved spending bills but that talks would continue. The House plans to vote Dec. 11 on a budget package that includes all 12 bills. CongressDaily et al.
California Hospital News Roundup for December 7, 2007
Nurses plan to strike at 13 Sutter Health hospitals, while a state board orders Rady Children’s Hospital to pay $2.8 million to workers for violating rules on employee break times. Meanwhile, Sutter Roseville Medical Center became the latest hospital to cancel a contract with Medi-Cal.
Senator Pledges To Back Single-Payer Health System
Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown for 14 years has pledged to carry an individual health insurance policy until lawmakers guarantee access to health care for all U.S. residents. Brown, who supports a single-payer system, said he stands by his decision but did not anticipate that health reform would take so long. Washington Post.