Latest California Healthline Stories
New Volunteer Program Focused on Assisted Suicide
Volunteers in the new End-of-Life Consultation program, including clergy, monitor patients as they use terminal doses of prescription drugs. The program neither provides nor administers the medication but will advise patients against violent suicide. MediaNews/San Jose Mercury News, Sacramento Bee.
Republicans Can ‘Win’ on Health Care, Rove Writes
Republican presidential candidates should offer “bold,” market-based proposals to compete with the Democrats on health care reform, former Bush adviser Karl Rove writes in an opinion piece. Wall Street Journal.
Insurers Scale Back Coverage of Costly Experimental Drugs
Relatively few patients use so-called “specialty drugs,” but the treatments are one of the fastest-growing expenditures in health care. To control costs, some insurers are cutting coverage for off-label use of the drugs, which can cost thousands of dollars. Wall Street Journal.
Fresno County Reports Highest Chlamydia Rates
Almost 5,300 cases of chlamydia were reported in Fresno County in 2006, which is an increase from 4,900 cases reported in 2005, according to estimates from the Department of Health Care Services. The county has received state and federal funds to help curb its high rates. Fresno Bee.
State To Raise Salaries for 6,500 Mental Health Workers
The new salaries will be more competitive with similar jobs at state prisons, where court-ordered raises last year resulted in staff vacancies at state mental hospitals and other facilities. The wage increase is expected to cost taxpayers more than $60 million annually. Sacramento Bee.
San Francisco Health Access Program Expands Citywide
The city aims to cover all 82,000 uninsured residents under the Healthy San Francisco Program without regard to medical history, immigration status or employment. Another expansion is set for November. San Francisco Chronicle.
Mayo Clinic Offers Proposal for Universal Health Care
The proposal includes a coverage mandate and calls for moving away from the current employer-sponsored coverage model toward a system based on portable, individual coverage. CQ HealthBeat et al.
California Names New Head of State Stem Cell Agency
Alan Trounson expects to begin work as head of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine in December. The Australian scientist is renowned for his work with stem cell research techniques and in vitro fertilization. San Francisco Chronicle et al.
Thompson Stumps for Cuts To Entitlement Programs
Some political analysts are questioning presidential candidate and former Sen. Fred Thompson’s strategy of highlighting the need for reducing the cost of Medicaid and Medicare. New York Times.
House, Senate Near Agreement To Expand Kids’ Health Insurance
The compromise State Children’s Health Insurance Program bill would boost federal funding by $35 billion over five years through an increase in the tobacco tax. President Bush has threatened a veto, and lawmakers most likely lack the votes for an override. New York Times et al.