Latest California Healthline Stories
Workers’ Comp Insurer Demotes Top Attorney
State Compensation Insurance Fund says the demotion is not directly related to an ongoing investigation that uncovered poor accounting and mismanagement of funds. Los Angeles Times, Sacramento Bee.
Risk of Chronic Disease Higher for L.A. County Minority Women
New research from Los Angeles County officials found that diabetes and obesity rates for women jumped from 1995 to 2005 and that the increases were most substantial among minority women. The county is working to improve access to health care and boost enrollment in health insurance plans. Los Angeles Times.
AARP, Disease Advocates Backing Universal Coverage
AARP and four national disease advocacy groups are joining forces to mount a campaign to pressure presidential candidates to offer proposals for expanding coverage to all U.S. residents. However, the campaign will not endorse specific candidates or proposals. Nashua Telegraph.
San Diego County Health Care Benefit Rules Overturned
Attorneys representing low-income residents in San Diego County argued that the county’s eligibility threshold for a health care benefit was unrealistic in such a high-priced county. The county could appeal the ruling to the state Supreme Court. San Diego Union-Tribune.
UC Campuses Face Shortage of Mental Health Resources
The University of California Board of Regents this year voted to use half of a student fee increase on mental health services, but the new funding will allow the university to hire only a fraction of the number of psychologists recommended in a report. Los Angeles Times.
Payments to Fresno Hospital Under Federal Investigation
Fresno County officials last year helped Community Medical Centers leverage additional federal matching funds for Medi-Cal patients. But now CMS is questioning the deal, and the hospital could lose a total of $54 million in state and federal funds. Fresno Bee.
War Spending Measure With Kids’ Insurance Funding Set To Pass
Thirteen states would share about $650 million to address budget deficits for the State Children’s Health Insurance Program under the measure to provide supplemental funding for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. President Bush is expected to sign the measure. Washington Times et al.