Latest California Healthline Stories
Senate Approves Bill To Promote Use of Health Care IT Applications
The Senate on Friday passed a bill (S 1418) that would promote the use of health care information technology to help prevent medical errors and reduce costs, CQ Today reports.
Deputy Attorney General Asks Judge To Dismiss Lawsuits Against Stem Cell Agency
Deputy Attorney General Tamar Pachter on Thursday asked an Alameda County Superior Court judge to dismiss two lawsuits that seek to invalidate sections of Proposition 71, which voters approved in November 2004 to fund stem cell research, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
California Healthline Highlights Recent Hospital News
Strike ends at California Pacific Medical Center; Proposed tax increase to fund Blythe hospital fails
Overall U.S. Incidence of HIV Stable; Racial Differences Still Exist
HIV incidence in the U.S. “flattened” in 2004, falling from 22.8 new cases per 100,000 people in 2001 to 20.7 per 100,000 last year, but blacks and Hispanics are still more likely to be newly diagnosed with HIV than whites, according to CDC data from 33 states published on Friday in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, the Atlanta-Journal Constitution reports.
PacifiCare Shareholders Approve Acquisition by UnitedHealth
A proposed acquisition of PacifiCare Health Systems by UnitedHealth Group on Thursday “cleared a major hurdle” after PacifiCare shareholders approved the agreement, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Effects of End of Life Care Project in Sacramento Area Examined
The Sacramento Bee on Thursday examined the influence of the Extreme Care, Human Options project on end-of-life care in the Sacramento region.
San Diego County Income Limits for Medical Care Violate State Law, Judge Says
San Diego County must stop using income limits that disqualify low-income residents for last-resort medical care at no cost because the limits violate state law, Judge Ronald Styn said in a tentative decision on Thursday, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.
House Leaders ‘Cautiously Optimistic’ on Budget Reconciliation Bill
House Republican leaders are “cautiously optimistic” that the House budget reconciliation bill (HR 4241) will win approval as soon as Thursday, the AP/Las Vegas Sun reports.
Hospital Resumes Discussion on Six-County Adolescent Mental Health Ward
Kaweah Delta Hospital board members on Friday will discuss opening an inpatient adolescent mental health ward in cooperation with six counties in the Central Valley, the Fresno Bee reports.
CMA Calls for Flu Vaccine Distribution System Reform
The California Medical Association on Tuesday called for changes to the flu vaccine distribution process to ensure doctors who treat high-risk patients receive their supplies before larger commercial providers, the Sacramento Bee reports.