Latest California Healthline Stories
State Medicaid Programs Pay Higher Prescription Drug Prices, GAO Report Finds
State Medicaid programs pay more for prescription drugs than many companies, hospitals and the Department of Veterans Affairs, according to a Government Accountability Office report released on Wednesday, the AP/Las Vegas Sun reports.
UC Unveils Biomedical Institute
The University of California on Monday launched the California Institute for Quantitative Biomedical Research, or QB3, which is intended to facilitate collaboration between UC scientists and private companies to commercialize products more quickly, Knight Ridder/Contra Costa Times reports.
Private-Equity Firms Are Leaders in Hospital Acquisitions
Dow Jones/Wall Street Journal on Wednesday examined how rural and not-for-profit hospitals have become “hot properties” in the private-equity market, with at least two large ventures being formed this year to buy and operate hospitals.
Sonoma County Considers Shifting Medi-Cal Recipients to HMO Plans, Launching Healthy Kids Program
The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday voted to create a task force of hospital, community clinic and physician group representatives to determine whether the county can shift 47,000 low-income Medi-Cal beneficiaries into a managed care plan, the Santa Rosa Press Democrat reports.
Computer Problem With Medicare Drug Plan Finder Fixed
CMS said it has addressed problems related to inaccurate information in the Medicare Drug Plan Finder, USA Today reports.
Officials to Request Additional Funding for Inspections of Care Facilities; Inspections Increase
Officials for the administration of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) on Wednesday said they will seek additional funding in the fiscal year 2006-2007 budget to increase inspections at care centers for the elderly and disabled, foster homes and day care centers, the Sacramento Bee reports.
Government Anticipates 8M Flu Vaccine Doses by February
The U.S. government’s stockpile of an experimental vaccine for pandemic influenza is expected to reach nearly eight million doses by February, and officials hope to be able to stretch the supply to cover more than one-third of the U.S. population, federal health officials said Tuesday, the Washington Post reports.
Insurers Use Surgical Videos To Educate Patients, Reduce Costs
Some health insurers and employers are using animated and live-action surgery graphics and videos as part of a patient education effort, the Wall Street Journal reports.
Mental Health Drugs Exempted From Provision of House Budget Measure
The House budget bill (HR 4241), which was approved earlier this month, includes a measure that would exempt mental health drugs from a provision for states to create Medicaid preferred drug lists designed to control costs, the Washington Post reports.
Majority of MDs To Recommend HPV Vaccine for Children
While a majority of pediatricians intends to recommend vaccination for human papillomavirus for children as young as nine years old, some are concerned over parents’ roles in encouraging education on sexually transmitted diseases, according to two surveys, the Wall Street Journal reports.