Latest California Healthline Stories
Chair of Doctors’ Group Touts Overhaul of Medicare
The increasing gap between the cost of treating patients and Medicare reimbursements makes it more difficult for doctors to participate in the program, a situation that could limit access to health care, according to Cecil Wilson. Chicago Tribune.
Medicare Seeks Limits on Anemia Drugs for Cancer Patients
Federal administrators for Medicare announced the proposal to seek to rein in the program’s spending on the medications. The announcement calls for new limits on when anemia treatments will be covered and says the drugs are unnecessary for 13 conditions. Wall Street Journal et al.
Sale of Chrysler Tied to Cost of Retiree Health Care Benefits, Pensions
Health care and pension liabilities for the U.S. automaker are estimated at $19 billion. The autoworkers’ union backs the sale, despite expectations that the company’s new owner will push to renegotiate benefits. Washington Post et al.
Oregon Study Finds Snags in New Medicaid Sign-Up Rules
About 1% of Oregon residents applying for Medicaid were denied because they couldn’t satisfy federal requirements that they show proof of citizenship, despite other members of the household providing the needed documents in more than half of cases. Oregonian.
Kuehl: Single-Payer Health Care the ‘Right Answer’ in California
State Sen. Sheila Kuehl says she won’t give up on her bill to create a single-payer health care system in the state and will use the 2008 elections to stump for the measure. Gov. Schwarzenegger remains convinced that better options are on the table. San Francisco Chronicle.
Bill Seeks To Lower Dropout Rate Among Nursing Schools
Dropout rates at many California nursing schools have increased since California in the 1990s instituted the lottery system for admitting nursing applicants to community colleges. Stockton Record.
Analysts See More Financial Gains for Health Insurers
Insurers are clamping down on increasing health care costs at the same time that they work to expand their businesses in Medicare and other government health care plans, despite concerns that Congress might push to scale back payments to insurers. Wall Street Journal.
Lawmakers, Local Leaders Weigh in on Health Reform
Assembly Speaker Fabian Núñez told a crowd in Fresno that he “ultimately” supports a single-payer, state-run health care system but believes that his own proposal faces a better chance of winning approval from the Legislature and Gov. Schwarzenegger. Fresno Bee, Santa Cruz Sentinel.
Funding Up for Some Health Care Programs in Revised Budget Plan
The big debate over Gov. Schwarzenegger’s updated budget proposal for the next fiscal year centers on suggested cuts to social services programs and early repayment of debt. Democrats oppose the plan, despite more state dollars for the State Children’s Health Insurance Program and Medi-Cal. San Francisco Chronicle et al.
Oklahoma Faults Humana in Marketing of Medicare Plans
The state insurance commissioner has ordered the insurer to overhaul its marketing practices for Medicare health plans, charging that Humana did not provide adequate oversight of its agents when it moved into the new market for private health plans under Medicare. New York Times.