Latest California Healthline Stories
Grants Help Fund Enrollment Increases at California Nursing Schools
Mt. San Jacinto College will use a $1.49 million grant awarded last week to increase enrollment in its nursing program by 24 students annually, the Riverside Press-Enterprise reports.
More than 22% of U.S. Adults Obese, Study Finds
About 22.7% of U.S. adults were obese — or had a body mass index of 30 or more — between 2002 and 2004, compared with 22% between 2001 and 2003, according to a study released on Tuesday by Trust for America’s Health, the AP/Las Vegas Sun reports.
New Yorker Examines Issue of the Uninsured, U.S. Health Care System
The Aug. 29 issue of the New Yorker looks at the U.S. health care system and the uninsured and discusses recent research on the situation, such as the book, “Uninsured in America.”
Health Care Groups Among Not-For-Profit Contributors to Schwarzenegger
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) has accepted more than $3 million in contributions from not-for-profit groups, including some with ties to health care organizations or other groups that might have interests in issues before the state, the Los Angeles Times reports.
WSJ Examines Evaluations of Clinical Trials by Health Insurers, Others
The Wall Street Journal on Wednesday examined research by insurers, state Medicaid programs and not-for-profit groups to evaluate clinical trials for prescription drugs and identify any “marketing spin” included in studies published in medical journals.
Schwarzenegger, Feinstein Urge Congressional Action on Stem Cell Research Legislation
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) and Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) on Tuesday at the University of California-Los Angeles David Geffen School of Medicine urged Congress to approve legislation that would encourage stem cell research and oppose a bill that would limit a stem cell research technique, which they said could affect research funded under Proposition 71, the Sacramento Bee reports.
Latino Advocacy Group To Investigate Hospital Billing, Treatment Practices
Consejo de Latinos Unidos, a Latino advocacy group, on Monday announced plans to examine hospital charges and medical treatment for uninsured patients in the Sacramento area, the Sacramento Bee reports.
JCAHO To Lead International Effort To Reduce Medical Errors
World Health Organization officials on Tuesday announced that the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, which inspects the safety of hospitals, and its affiliate, the Joint Commission International, will head an international effort to reduce medical errors, USA Today reports.
Health Plan Option Will Use Cost, Quality Rankings for Specialists
Aetna in January will begin offering large, self-insured employers in Northern California and the Central Valley a network option that ranks specialists based on cost and quality indicators, the East Bay Business Times reports.
Leavitt, Others Hold Events To Promote Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit
HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt on Tuesday at events in New Orleans and Baton Rouge, La., asked Medicare beneficiaries to enroll in the new prescription drug benefit as part of a nationwide campaign to promote the program, the New Orleans Times-Picayune reports.