Latest California Healthline Stories
California Releases Performance Data for Cardiac Surgeons
The report is the first to detail mortality rates for individual California heart surgeons. New York has seen death rates for heart bypass procedures drop since launching a similar initiative. San Diego Union-Tribune.
Democratic Health Care Reform Plan Up for Vote
The Assembly already has approved the proposal, which differs from Gov. Schwarzenegger’s plan in that it wouldn’t require all Californians to buy health insurance. The full Senate is expected to take up the bill after today’s vote. San Francisco Chronicle.
Employers Shift Costs, Responsibility to Workers
Several employers have begun offering high-deductible health plans under which employees could offset the cost of the deductible by meeting specific health standards. The new policies are among the first to set a financial price for achieving actual results. USA Today.
‘Proceduralists’ Help Reduce Hospital Complication Rates
The use of physicians who specialize in procedural services has helped Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles reduce complication rates for medical procedures to less than 1%. The national average is 2% to 5%. Wall Street Journal.
Bipartisan Deal Seeks Tobacco Tax Increase for Kids’ Insurance
Members of a U.S. Senate committee announced details of a reauthorization agreement for the State Children's Health Insurance Program, the cost of which comes in at about $20 billion below earlier estimates. President Bush's advisers likely will recommend a veto. CQ Today et al.
California Regulators Schedule Hearing on Blue Cross Allegations
The Department of Managed Health Care has received more than 1,600 complaints from policyholders, physicians and hospitals about Blue Cross of California since 2004 when state officials approved the merger of its parent company with Indiana-based Anthem. Los Angeles Times.
Studies Find Drop in Employee Health Insurance in California
Authors of two studies maintain that rising health care costs are pushing businesses to either stop offering coverage to workers or raise premiums to unaffordable levels. Meanwhile, the overall rate of uninsured Californians is slowly declining, a trend that researchers attributed to increased enrollment in government-funded programs. Los Angeles Times et al.
President Touts Health Care Goals in Domestic Agenda
The State Children's Health Insurance Program, health savings accounts and health care IT were among the issues President Bush discussed in an appearance at the Cleveland Clinic. Washington Post et al.
Tobacco Tax Measure Seeks To Reduce Rising Health Care Costs
The California Legislature is considering a bill that would increase the state tobacco tax by $1.90 to generate revenue to help insurers cover smoking-cessation programs. California voters rejected a larger tobacco tax increase in the November 2006 election. Contra Costa Times.
Ex-Surgeon General Says He Was Silenced on Key Health Issues
Dr. Richard Carmona said the Bush administration censored his speeches and prevented him from discussing politically-charged health issues. Two other former surgeons general said that politics also had interfered when they served in the position. Wall Street Journal et al.