Latest California Healthline Stories
UCI Transplant Programs on Probation
The national network that oversees organ transplants placed the University of California-Irvine Medical Center on probation, which will allow the hospital to continue its transplant programs as long as it meets certain conditions. Los Angeles Times.
County Sales Tax Increase Challenged
Opponents of a June ballot measure to raise the Santa Clara County sales tax by a half cent filed a lawsuit claiming the placement of the proposed tax increase on the June ballot violates state rules regarding general elections. Part of the tax could be used to fund health and emergency services. San Jose Mercury News.
Computer Security at HHS Inadequate, GAO Says
Medical and financial information collected by Medicare, Medicaid and other HHS programs is vulnerable to theft or disclosure, a report finds. USA Today.
Additional Safety Information for Some ADHD Drugs Needed
An FDA advisory committee said drugmakers should inform patients and physicians of the potential psychiatric and cardiovascular risks among children who take attention deficit hyperactivity disorder medications. Wall Street Journal, et al.
Lawsuit Says U.S. Budget Reconciliation Law Is Unconstitutional
Public Citizen alleges that the 2006 budget reconciliation law is unconstitutional because the House did not approve the version — including a restriction on Medicare funding — that President Bush signed. CQ HealthBeat, et al.
State Requests Dismissal of Medical Marijuana Lawsuits
The California attorney general’s office filed motions to dismiss lawsuits filed by two counties challenging the state’s medical marijuana laws. North County Times, AP/Modesto Bee.
Alleged ‘Patient Dumping’ Documented
The Los Angeles city attorney’s office is investigating an incident of alleged patient dumping by a Kaiser Permanente hospital after a video camera recorded a woman wandering the streets after being discharged from the hospital. Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Daily News.
Percentage of Physicians Offering Charity Care Decreasing
The percentage of doctors providing charity care decreased in all specialties from 2000 to 2004, according to a study. Wall Street Journal, et al.
Need for Workers’ Compensation Reform Debated
Critics of workers’ compensations reforms adopted in 2004 called on the Schwarzenegger administration to change the formula for calculating permanent disability benefits for injured workers, but the governor said he would not reevaluate the law until the summer. AP/Contra Costa Times, et al.
Bush Budget Plan Could Affect Quality of Nursing Home Care
Medicare spending reductions included in President Bush’s proposal would affect the wages of nursing home employees and would limit planned technological advances, the president of the American Health Care Association says. CQ HealthBeat.