Latest California Healthline Stories
Second-Hand Smoke Action Prompts Regulations in San Diego County
Anti-smoking groups in San Diego County are pushing for new regulations to ban smoking at trolley stops and on beaches and restaurant patios after the California Air Resources Board last week designated second-hand smoke as a toxic air contaminant, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.
House Narrowly Approves Budget Reconciliation Bill
The House on Wednesday voted 216-214 to approve the fiscal year 2006 budget reconciliation bill (S 1932), which contains more than $39 billion in cuts, including $6.4 billion from Medicare and $4.8 billion from Medicaid, the New York Times reports.
San Francisco Businesses Cautiously Optimistic Over Newsom’s Plan
San Francisco businesses are “cautiously optimistic” that Mayor Gavin Newsom’s (D) proposal to provide basic health services to uninsured city residents could affordably expand access to care, the San Francisco Examiner reports.
President Bush Reiterates Health Care Proposals in Tennessee Speech
President Bush on Wednesday “took his upbeat message on the road” and reiterated his health care proposals in a “reprise” of his State of the Union address in Nashville, Tenn., the New York Times reports.
November 2005 Special Election Spending Sets Record
The total amount of money raised for the special election in November 2005 — which included three health-related ballot initiatives — totaled about $303.9 million, according to campaign finance documents, the AP/Los Angeles Daily News reports.
Children on Medicaid More Likely To Be Treated for Severe Obesity
About 1,115 of every 100,000 children who are covered by Medicaid are treated for obesity annually, compared with 195 of every 100,000 children who are covered by private health insurance plans, according to a study by Thomson Medstat, the AP/Newark Star-Ledger reports.
Migden To Introduce Health Insurance Mandate for Large Employers
Sen. Carole Migden (D-San Francisco) plans to introduce legislation that would require businesses with more than 10,000 employees to spend at least 8% of their total wages on health care benefits, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
California, Four Other States To File Lawsuit To Block ‘Clawback’ Provision
California and four other states plan to file a lawsuit against the federal government that would seek to block CMS from billing states for the cost of prescription drugs for dual eligibles, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Board of Equalization Votes to Eliminate Sales Tax for Botox, Other Rx Drugs
The Board of Equalization on Tuesday voted to remove sales taxes from prescription drugs and medical devices administered or implanted by a doctor, the Sacramento Bee reports.
Senate Approves Bill on State High-Risk Pools
The Senate on Wednesday approved by voice vote a bill (HR 4519) sponsored by Rep. John Shadegg (R-Ariz.) that reauthorizes grants to state-run health insurance pools for high-risk residents, CQ Today reports.