Latest California Healthline Stories
Judge Rejects Lawsuit Against Medical Marijuana Law
Three counties sued the state claiming that state law permitting marijuana use for medical purposes should be pre-empted by federal law. Marijuana remains illegal under federal law. AP/San Jose Mercury News et al.
California Healthline Highlights Recent Hospital News
Bay Area facility believes it will retain Medicare funding; construction begins on medical office building in Sacramento.
Illinois Proposal Would Require Health Care Coverage
All residents, including undocumented immigrants, would be required to maintain health insurance coverage or face penalties under a proposal. Eligibility for Medicaid would be expanded, and subsidies would be available for low-income families. Chicago Tribune.
Stem Cell Agency Approves Rules; President Resigns
Temporary guidelines that the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine approved will be replaced in about nine months by permanent regulations after a public approval process. Zach Hall, the institute’s president, also announced yesterday that he will resign within the next six months. San Francisco Chronicle et al.
Medical School Proposal Will Expand Telemedicine
The expansion plans include a videoconferencing network, the addition of more rural physicians and increasing medical school enrollment. Redding Record Searchlight, Woodland Daily Democrat.
Senate Approves FDA Commissioner
Andrew von Eschenbach will permanently head FDA, after several senators dropped holds they had placed on his nomination for issues including reimportation and emergency contraception. Washington Post et al.
Congress To Vote on Medicare Physician Payments
The bill would maintain the current level of Medicare physician reimbursements and would provide an increase in reimbursements to physicians who agree to report data on certain quality-of-care measures. The bill does not include a provision that would have redistributed to states unspent SCHIP funds. CongressDaily et al.