Latest California Healthline Stories
Rodham Clinton Addresses Latino Health Care Issues at National Council of La Raza Convention
Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) on Monday told attendees at the convention of the National Council of La Raza — the nation’s largest Latino civil rights organization — that she wanted to work to ensure that Latino families had health insurance to help address health care issues such as asthma and lead poisoning, the Washington Post reports.
San Diego County Property Owners Approve New Fee To Address West Nile Virus
San Diego County property owners have approved a mail-in ballot measure for a new vector-control fee that is expected to generate $7.3 million annually to help address West Nile virus and other diseases carried by vectors, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.
Senate Votes To Confirm Nomination of Crawford as New FDA Commissioner
The Senate on Monday voted 78-16 to confirm the nomination of acting FDA Commissioner Lester Crawford as permanent commissioner of the agency after months of delay, the New York Times reports.
IOM Report Recommends Revisions to FDA Medical Device Monitoring System
FDA lacks an effective system for monitoring the safety of medical devices for adults and children alike, according to a report issued on Monday by an Institute of Medicine panel, the Newark Star-Ledger reports.
San Diego County Employees Pension Proposal Could Affect Medical Benefits
The San Diego County Employees’ Retirement Association is considering establishing new pension guidelines on how to allocate excess earnings, which would eliminate the county’s contribution to health care for about 8,000 retirees, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.
PhRMA President Discusses Prescription Drug Ballot Measures With Legislators, Governor
Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America President Billy Tauzin last week in Sacramento met privately with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) and Democratic legislators to discuss propositions on the Nov. 8 special election ballot that would create prescription drug discount programs, the AP/Contra Costa Times reports.
Palomar College Proposes Expanding Nurse Training Program
Palomar College in San Marcos last week presented a proposal to the Palomar Community College District Board to create a weekend and evening nurse training program, the North County Times reports.
Consumer Groups Wary of Increasing Number of Insurance Mergers in California
The San Diego Union-Tribune on Sunday examined consumer advocates’ opposition to health insurance company mergers — particularly in California, where the effects are “pronounced.”
Companies Likely To Shift More Health Care Costs to Employees
More than three-fourths of large U.S. companies next year likely will require employees to pay more for health insurance and about one-fourth likely will reduce wage increases for employees because of increased health care costs, according to a survey released on Monday by PricewaterhouseCoopers, the AP/Detroit Free Press reports.
Republican Representatives Warned of VA Health Care Deficit Last Year
Former Chair of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee Christopher Smith (R-N.J.) and several Republicans warned House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) and Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas) last year that the government would have a budget deficit of at least $750 million for veterans’ health care programs in fiscal year 2006, the AP/Richmond Post-Dispatch reports.