Latest California Healthline Stories
California Healthline Highlights Recent County News
Contra Costa, Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino and San Diego counties this week acted on health care-related matters. Summaries appear below.
Stem Cell Researcher Fabricated Evidence in Earlier Article
South Korean stem cell researcher Hwang Woo Suk fabricated evidence in all of his published articles on human cloning, but his work on dog cloning appears valid, according to the final report of an investigative committee at Seoul National University, the Los Angeles Times reports.
California Researchers to Study Stem Cells, Might Apply for Proposition 71 Funds
Researchers at several California universities and a private company have announced plans to study the cloning of human embryonic stem cells and said they might seek Proposition 71 funds when they become available, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.
Medicare, Medicaid Could Have Negative Implications for Federal Budget
The Christian Science Monitor on Tuesday examined how some experts have raised concerns that Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security might represent a “fiscal time bomb” for the U.S. and that large “tax hikes and benefit cuts may be needed” to address the issue.
Mendocino County Receives Grant To Fund Children’s Health Insurance Coverage
The Mendocino County Children’s Health Initiative recently was awarded a $150,000 grant from the California HealthCare Foundation, the Ukiah Daily Journal reports.
San Francisco Small Businesses Vote Against Employer Insurance Mandate
The San Francisco Small Business Commission on Monday voted to oppose a proposal that would require San Francisco businesses with 20 or more employees to provide health benefits to workers, the San Francisco Examiner reports.
Community College District Considers Imposing Health Fee on Previously Exempt Students
The State Center Community College District is considering a proposal to impose a health fee on students receiving financial aid after changes to a state law eliminated an automatic waiver of the fee for those students, the Fresno Bee reports.
Health Care Spending Growth Slows as Proportion of GDP Hits High
U.S. health care spending increased 7.9% in 2004 to nearly $1.9 trillion, outpacing inflation and wage growth and amounting to a record 16% of the nation’s gross domestic product, according to an annual CMS report published in the January/February issue of Health Affairs, the Miami Herald reports.
Judge Sees Progress in Reform of Prison Health Care System
The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation has made progress in improving the prison health care system, including efforts to increase staff, a federal judge said on Monday, the Sacramento Bee reports.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) on Tuesday will unveil a $116-billion budget proposal for fiscal year 2006-2007 that includes $72.2 million to increase enrollment in Medi-Cal and Healthy Families, the Sacramento Bee reports.