Latest California Healthline Stories
Program Aims To Offer Affordable Insurance to Early Retirees
The Retiree Health Access program only will be able to help a small portion of the approximately 800,000 early retirees without health insurance. However, the program could impact national discussions about health care reform. New York Times.
Federal Agency Posts Hospitals’ Cardiac Death Rates Online
The U.S. government in the 1990s stopped publicizing hospitals’ mortality rates for heart attack and heart failure patients after criticism that the data did not account for patients’ prior health. CMS hopes to avoid similar criticism with the new adjusted data. Baltimore Sun et al.
Former Lawmaker Targets Public Retirees’ Benefits
A proposed ballot initiative by former Assembly member Keith Richman would adopt new Social Security age requirements for public employees seeking retiree health care benefits. Sacramento Bee.
Judge Says Drug Makers Engaged in Illegal Medication Pricing
Three pharmaceutical firms were convicted of selling medications to physicians at a significant discount and encouraging them to seek full reimbursement from insurers. All three companies have said they might appeal the decision. Dow Jones/Boston Globe et al.
Defense Secretary Pledges To Fix Mental Health System
Robert Gates said it would be difficult to adopt a proposal to provide troops with 30 days of rest for every 90 days of active service, but said he supports a plan to remove a question regarding mental health treatment from a military personnel survey. AP/Houston Chronicle.