Morning Breakouts

Latest California Healthline Stories

State Lawsuit Challenging Federal Appropriations Bill Provision Related to Abortion Services Can Proceed

A lawsuit alleging that a provision in a federal appropriations bill would prevent California from enforcing state laws guaranteeing women’s access to abortion services in emergencies or lose federal funding can proceed, a federal judge ruled on Monday, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Budget Deficit Could Reach $2.6B in Fiscal Year 2006

The Bush administration on Tuesday acknowledged that the budget deficit for Department of Veterans Affairs health care programs could reach at least $2.6 billion in fiscal year 2006 and said that “it had vastly underestimated the number of service personnel returning from Iraq and Afghanistan seeking medical treatment” through the programs, the Washington Post reports.

Senators Introduce Revised Version of Bill To Restrict Sales of Products With Methamphetamine Ingredient

Sponsors of a Senate bill that would restrict the sale of cold and allergy medicines containing pseudoephedrine, which is used to make methamphetamine, introduced a revised version of the measure Tuesday that provides exceptions for some retailers that lack a pharmacy, the AP/Las Vegas Sun reports.

House Committee Considers Bill To Allow Purchase of Health Insurance in Any State

Rep. John Shadegg (R-Ariz.) on Tuesday spoke at a House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee hearing in support of a bill (HR 2355) he is sponsoring that would allow U.S. residents to purchase health insurance in any state, CQ HealthBeat reports.

Federal Investigation of Redding Physicians Examined

The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s case against two former Redding physicians suspected of performing hundreds of unnecessary heart procedures to defraud Medicare “appears to have stalled,” the Sacramento Bee reports.

DOJ Investigates Abuse Allegations at Atascadero State Hospital

The U.S. Department of Justice is investigating allegations of patient abuse at Atascadero State Hospital, a facility near San Luis Obispo that houses and treats convicted sexually violent predators and criminally insane prisoners, the AP/Contra Costa Times reports.