Latest California Healthline Stories
Medicare Bill Includes Last-Minute Provisions for Legislators’ Home States
California Rep. Bill Thomas included a measure to provide funds for a vaccine for a soil-borne fungus, while other lawmakers added measures relating to enrollment in Medicare drug plans and CMS payments for hospice care. New York Times.
Public Agencies To Report Future Retiree Benefit Costs
The new rule is intended to help government entities plan for future retiree health benefit costs, which are expected to increase because of longer life expectancy rates and rising health care costs. NBC11.com.
Legislation ‘Latest Example’ of Linking Physician Payments, Quality
Medicare officials maintain that the bill would collect information that would be useful for expanding pay-for-performance systems in the future, including measures that would penalize physicians for providing low-quality care. Chicago Tribune.
Tobacco-Related Measures Proposed
Legislators introduced several anti-smoking measures, including bills that would increase the tobacco tax, ban smoking in cars when children are present, and ban smoking in state parks and beaches. Contra Costa Times.
Insurers To Provide Personal Health Records
About 70 million U.S. residents currently have access to personal health records through payers, but the data are not standardized and vary between companies, according to some health insurer organizations. Healthcare IT News et al.
FDA Reviewing Fewer Drug Advertisements
A government report found that FDA lacks an effective system to track and review the more than 10,000 DTC prescription drug ads and Web sites reported to the agency annually. AP/Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
County Seeks Repayment of Physician Expenses
Kern County physicians are refuting charges made in a recent audit report that accused them of overcharging the county. Members of the county board of supervisors have debated what the contract with the physicians was intended to cover. Bakersfield Californian.