Latest California Healthline Stories
Medicaid Providers Owe More Than $1B in Federal Taxes, GAO Finds
The Government Accountability Office found that more than 30,000 Medicaid providers in California and six other states failed to pay more than $1 billion in federal taxes in 2006, mostly in payroll taxes that were withheld but never paid to the government. USA Today et al.
U.S. Budget Chief: Inefficient Care Drives Health Cost Growth
A Congressional Budget Office report found that over the next 75 years, combined spending for Medicare and Medicaid will grow from 4% of the gross domestic product to 19%. CBO Director Peter Orszag said medical tests and treatments of “dubious value” are driving cost growth, adding that policymakers need to focus more on the quality and effectiveness of care. Reuters et al.
Sacramento Hospitals Lauded for Organ Donations Rates
Four Sacramento hospitals were among 392 facilities recognized nationwide for meeting federal goals in organ donations. The rates are based on the percentage of potential donors who actually donate their organs. Sacramento Bee.
State Could Reassess Seismic Risks of All Hospital Facilities
California officials are considering new rules that would use new software to measure the seismic risk of hospitals using new factors. The regulations could postpone the deadline for hundreds of California hospitals to complete renovations or build new facilities. Ventura County Star et al.
Aetna Agrees to Changes in Physician Ranking Methods
Under the deal with New York state attorney general Andrew Cuomo, Aetna will disclose to consumers how performance quality and cost-efficiency affect whether a doctor is included in its preferred provider network. Cuomo reached a similar agreement with Cigna in October. Wall Street Journal et al.
President Bush Vetoes Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Bill
The president signed a Defense spending bill but vetoed the fiscal year 2008 Labor-HHS-Education appropriations bill because it exceeded his request for discretionary spending by about $10 billion. House Democrats will try to override the veto on Thursday. New York Times et al.
Grassley: No Kids’ Health Agreement by Holiday Recess
Senate Finance Committee ranking member Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) said negotiations over a revised State Children’s Health Insurance Program bill will not lead to an agreement before the Thanksgiving recess. Proof-of-citizenship requirements are among the sticking points. CQ Today et al.
Edwards Announces Proposal To Expand Paid Family Leave
Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards proposed providing eight weeks of paid family leave to all workers by 2014 and providing states with funding to implement the plan. The Edwards campaign also released a new ad touting his plan to expand health insurance coverage. AP/San Francisco Chronicle et al.
Dental School at UCLA Rocked by Controversy
A dozen UCLA dental students are being investigated for allegedly cheating on a licensing exam, and the campus newspaper published a report accusing the school of relaxing the admissions criteria for a prestigious residency program for the children and relatives of large donors. Los Angeles Times.
Democrats Court Republicans To Override Veto of Spending Bill
Democrats are trying to rally enough support from moderate Republicans to override an expected presidential veto of the fiscal year 2008 Labor-HHS-Education appropriations bill. Some health-related spending likely will be cut from the bill if the override attempt fails. CongressDaily et al.