Morning Breakouts

Latest California Healthline Stories

California Voters Want Roberts To Share Their Views on Abortion, Poll Finds

About 40% of California voters think it is “very important” for Supreme Court chief justice nominee John Roberts to share their own views on abortion, according to a Field Poll released Monday, the Sacramento Bee reports.

HHS Uses Electronic Health Records Systems To Help Hurricane Katrina Evacuees

HHS officials are using electronic health records systems to compile and monitor prescription and treatment histories for Hurricane Katrina evacuees, HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt said Monday, the AP/Las Vegas Sun reports.

Frist Outlines Medicaid, Hurricane-Related Legislative Priorities

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) on Monday said that Congress should not cut back on Medicaid services to reach the Bush administration’s goal of reducing Medicaid spending growth by $10 billion over five years, the Palm Beach Post reports.

Senate Approves Bill To Limit Cold Medication Sales To Combat Meth Production

The Senate on Friday passed legislation (S 103) that would limit sales of over-the-counter cold medications that contain pseudoephedrine, an ingredient used in the manufacture of methamphetamine, the AP/Modesto Bee reports.

Overweight Employees Cost More Annually, Study Finds

Obese employees each cost an additional $460 to $2,500 annually in medical expenditures and work absences compared with normal-weight workers, according to a new report published in the September/October issue of the American Journal of Health Promotion, USA Today reports.

HHSA Official To Serve as Temporary State Finance Director

Michael Genest, undersecretary of the Health and Human Services Agency, temporarily will serve as state finance director while current Finance Director Tom Campbell takes a two-month leave of absence to campaign for Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s (R) ballot measures, the Sacramento Bee reports.