Latest California Healthline Stories
Most Seniors Have Some Prescription Drug Coverage
Enrollment rates in the Medicare prescription drug benefit were lowest among healthy seniors, low-income seniors, widows, unmarried female seniors and seniors with low education levels, according to a study. Miami Herald et al.
U.S. Surgeon General Leaves Post
Richard Carmona, the 17th U.S. surgeon general, ended his four-year term, with no official announcement from HHS. AP/Houston Chronicle.
California Builds Antiviral Stockpile
California is stockpiling enough antiviral medication to treat about 25% of its population in the event of an avian flu pandemic. Ventura County Star.
Funding Could Be Cut for Fresno State Program
Federal funding could be eliminated for a program that helps students pursue careers in health care as the area faces a shortage of health professionals. California State University-Fresno operates one such program. Fresno Bee.
UK Works To Forge Ties With Stem Cell Institute
British biotechnology experts who visited the state with British Prime Minister Tony Blair said they are trying to form a relationship with California’s stem cell agency. Separately, the agency has indicated that it is not in discussions to pay royalties or licensing fees on some patents on technology used in stem cell research. San Francisco Chronicle et al.
Medicare Beneficiaries Reaching Coverage ‘Doughnut Hole’
Three newspapers on Sunday examined how some Medicare beneficiaries have reached the so-called “doughnut hole,” or coverage gap in the Medicare prescription drug benefit. Baltimore Sun et al.
Retail Clinics Plan Expansions
New retail health care clinics are in the works for Citrus Heights, Folsom, Fresno, Sacramento and other Central Valley communities. Sacramento Bee.
More Retirees Seeing Health Benefits Cut
Some U.S. companies, including GM and Ford, maintain that they cannot afford to compete with domestic and foreign competitors who do not incur full health care benefit costs. AP/Philadelphia Inquirer.
Some Counties Cut Mental Health Budgets
Several counties are cutting mental health budgets for core programs this fiscal year, even as the state begins to distribute the proceeds of a state income tax increase to fund new mental health programs. San Francisco Chronicle.
Businesses Join Program To Promote Worker Health
The Fresno Unified School District and Fresno Business Council are among the members of a program that aims to promote preventive care to reduce health costs and chronic diseases in the region. Fresno Bee.