Latest California Healthline Stories
California Healthline Highlights Recent Hospital News
San Bernardino County supervisors approve funding for hospital expansion; Contra Costa County facility could lose eligibility to participate in Medicare, Medicaid
November Ballot Measures Could Be ‘Far-Reaching’
A proposed initiative that would fund health care services by increasing the state tobacco tax is one of several measures seeking to qualify for the November statewide ballot that could result in “a big-money political shootout,” Dan Walters writes. Sacramento Bee.
Personal Health Accounts Help Reform Medicaid
Sen. Tom Coburn and Regina Herzlinger write that the benefits of personal health accounts in Medicaid “will be enormous” as health care costs “remain low, government outlays stable and state finances healthy.” Wall Street Journal.
Tenet Agrees To Settle Alvarado Case
Tenet Healthcare agreed to sell or close Alvarado Hospital Medical Center in San Diego and pay $21 million to settle physician kickback allegations. Los Angeles Times et al.
Narcotics were diverted at facilities in Riverside County in the past six months, leading the Department of Health Services to investigate the situation. Riverside Press-Enterprise.
House To Consider Health Care Proposals
The House Republican leadership is planning to bring legislation addressing health care information technology, health savings account and other health care issues to the floor next month. The Hill.