Latest California Healthline Stories
Bausch & Lomb Permanently Halts Sales of Solution
The company permanently ended worldwide sales of its ReNu with MoistureLoc contact lens solution, which has been linked to fungal eye infections. Wall Street Journal et al.
Kaiser Permanente To Offer HSAs
Kaiser Permanente plans to offer health savings account plans in California within the year. Deposits to HSAs are subject to state income tax in California but are exempt from federal income tax. Oakland Tribune.
Legislature Approves Emergency Medicare Drug Coverage
Gov. Schwarzenegger is expected to sign a bill that would extend California’s emergency drug coverage for some Medicare beneficiaries through January 2007. AP/Contra Costa Times.
Mental Health Agency Ordered To Repay County
San Diego County ordered a not-for-profit mental health care agency to repay more than $80,000 after an investigation revealed questionable billing practices. San Diego Union-Tribune.
State Analyst Questions Emergency Preparedness Proposal
The state Legislative Analyst recommended that the Legislature spend $132 million less on emergency preparedness efforts than Gov. Schwarzenegger proposed in his revised May budget. Los Angeles Times et al.
Proposal for New Medical School Submitted
A University of California Board of Regents committee will review UC-Riverside’s proposal to open a new medical school, which would begin enrolling students in 2012. Riverside Press-Enterprise, Los Angeles Times.
Small Businesses Offering More High-Deductible Plans
An increasing percentage of small businesses are offering insurance plans with deductibles of $1,000 or more for individual coverage and $2,000 or more for family coverage because of increasing insurance costs. Chicago Tribune.
CMS Predicts 90% Coverage Under Medicare Drug Benefit
A surge in enrollment before the May 15 deadline for enrolling in the Medicare prescription drug benefit could mean that more than 90% of Medicare beneficiaries will have prescription drug coverage in the first year of the program, CMS Administrator Mark McClellan said. CQ HealthBeat et al.
Judge Rules Against State in Labeling Case
Manufacturers do not have to place warning labels on canned tuna because mercury levels present in the fish occur naturally and federal guidelines offer adequate protection, a Superior Court judge ruled. San Diego Union-Tribune et al.
Medi-Cal Contract Expiration Deadline Extended
Community Medical Centers in Fresno has extended a deadline to negotiate Medi-Cal reimbursement rates after the hospital system said it would not renew its current contract. Fresno Bee.