Latest California Healthline Stories
Health Care Costs Account for More Than 10% of Income in 50M Households
The study also found that respondents ages 55 to 64, those with low incomes, women, those who lived outside of metropolitan areas, those with chronic medical conditions and those with individual health insurance were more likely to spend more on health care. Scripps Howard/Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
Court Approves Sutter Health Billing Settlement
A plaintiffs’ attorney said the settlement is worth at least $275 million, but Sutter likely will write off most of the money owed by the uninsured patients rather than make actual monetary payments. Uninsured patients included in the settlement will be entitled to refunds of their hospital bills. Sacramento Bee.
Hospitals Seek Alternate Solutions to Nurse Staffing
Hospitals are working to deploy nursing staff more efficiently in the face of more states considering mandatory nurse-to-patient ratios. California was the first state in the U.S. to adopt such rules. Wall Street Journal.
Proposed HPV Vaccination Requirement Draws Criticism
If passed, the bill would become the state’s only immunization requirement aimed at preventing a virus contracted through sexual contact. The virus has been linked to cervical cancer. Riverside Press-Enterprise.
Orange County Provides Additional Funds for Trauma Care
Supervisors opted to allocate the money from the county general fund rather than increase base fines for driving violations, as permitted under a new state law. County officials said the link between traffic violations and trauma care was inadequate. Los Angeles Times.
Patient Assistance Programs Offer Limited Help
Some health care advocates have voiced concerns that the limited assistance available to low-income Medicare beneficiaries who have reached the doughnut hole through drug makers’ patient assistance programs restricts beneficiaries’ access to necessary medications. New Orleans Times-Picayune.
Judge Gives Deadline To Ease Prison Overcrowding
A federal judge delayed until June 2007 a request by inmate rights lawyers to appoint a three-judge panel to recommend options that include a population cap and early release of inmates because of effects on mental health care for inmates. Federal law permits early releases if the panel determines that “all options have been exhausted.” AP/San Diego Union-Tribune et al.
Proposal Calls for Mandatory Coverage for Workers, Dependents
The plan by Senate President Pro Tempore Don Perata would require employer and employee contributions and extend coverage to two-thirds of the state’s uninsured population. Gov. Schwarzenegger said the proposal would help further the debate on health care reform in the state, although Republican legislators said they likely would oppose it. Ventura County Star et al.
Hospital Discharges Figure in Plans To Address Homelessness
Providing more services to patients discharged from hospitals is one strategy under consideration in both Los Angeles and Ventura counties for addressing homelessness. Ventura County is in the process of soliciting feedback on its draft plan for the homeless. Los Angeles Times.
States Unprepared for Emergencies
Half of the states met seven or more of the 10 measures of preparedness for a public health emergency, such as a bioterror attack or a pandemic flu outbreak. Forty-six states scored higher than California. McClatchy/Arizona Republic et al.