Latest California Healthline Stories
New York-based Bristol-Myers Squibb on Tuesday announced a self-imposed ban on direct-to-consumer advertisements for 12 months after a new drug enters the market, USA Today reports.
CalPERS Committee Recommends HMO Premium Increases Averaging 8.7%
The CalPERS health committee on Tuesday proposed premium increases for its three HMO plans averaging 8.7% and a 9.5% increase in premiums for its PPO plan for its 2006 contracts, the Contra Costa Times reports.
Democrats To Vote Wednesday on FY 2005-2006 State Budget Proposal
Democratic legislators are expected to bring to a vote on Wednesday a fiscal year 2005-2006 state budget proposal that does not include some funding cuts to health care or social services programs advocated by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R), the Los Angeles Times reports.
New York Times Examines California’s Effort To Regulate Medical Marijuana Usage
The New York Times on Wednesday examined California’s efforts to deal with “excesses” of the medical marijuana law’s “success” as city officials, dispensary owners and medical marijuana advocates began “questioning how much of the drug was enough” even before last week’s U.S. Supreme Court decision.
Governors To Testify Before Congressional Committees on Proposals for Medicaid Reform
Virginia Gov. Mark Warner (D), chair of the National Governors Association, and Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee (R), NGA vice chair, on Wednesday are scheduled to testify before the Senate Finance and House Energy and Commerce committees on NGA’s proposals to overhaul Medicaid and cut $10 billion in program funding, CongressDaily reports.
Department of Justice in May Supported $130B Penalty in Lawsuit Against Tobacco Companies
Senior Department of Justice officials in a May 12 court filing argued that a $130 billion, 25-year smoking-cessation program was an appropriate legal penalty in the government’s civil racketeering lawsuit against several large U.S. tobacco companies, the Washington Post reports.
Medi-Cal Costs Increasing Faster Than Revenue, Study Finds
Medi-Cal costs are expected to increase by 8.5% per year over the next several years, outpacing a 6% annual growth in revenue, according to a Public Policy Institute of California study released on Tuesday, the Sacramento Bee reports.
House Members Propose Measure To Help Prevent Federal Prosecution of Medical Marijuana Users
Reps. Maurice Hinchey (D-N.Y.) and Dana Rohrabacher (R-Calif.) on Tuesday proposed an amendment to the fiscal year 2006 Science, State, Justice and Commerce Appropriations bill that would prevent the Department of Justice from using federal funds to prosecute medical marijuana users in states that authorize its use, CQ HealthBeat reports.
CMS Pursuing Expanded Coverage of Many Prescription Drugs Under New Medicare Benefit
Medicare officials are pushing insurers seeking to offer prescription drug coverage under Medicare to “offer a surprisingly generous array of prescription drug choices,” pharmaceutical industry executives have said, the New York Times reports.
NIH Director Zerhouni Says Conflict-of-Interest Rules Must Balance Agency Needs
NIH must balance the need to maintain public confidence with the need to recruit top researchers in the implementation of new conflict-of-interest rules, agency Director Elias Zerhouni said on Tuesday at a Kaiser Family Foundation forum in Washington, D.C., CQ HealthBeat reports.