Latest California Healthline Stories
Los Angeles County Office of the Public Guardian Program Needs Staff, Funding Increases, Audit Finds
The Los Angeles County Office of the Public Guardian requires additional staff and funding to reduce backlogs and improve morale in its probate conservatorship program for people with mental or physical illnesses, according to an audit released Wednesday, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Hospital Settles Overtime Lawsuit For $4.75 Million
Los Robles Hospital & Medical Center in Thousand Oaks will pay $4.75 million to 1,116 current and former employees to settle a lawsuit in which the employees alleged the hospital did not properly compensate them for overtime and skipped breaks, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Some Bay Area Hospitals Might Decline Federal Funding for Treating Undocumented Immigrants
Hospitals in the San Francisco Bay Area say they might not accept an offer from the federal government for funds to partially reimburse the cost of treating undocumented immigrants, citing the potentially “onerous” reporting requirements and the possibility that patients will be deterred from seeking care, the Oakland Tribune reports.
CMS Will Not Consider Applications for Specialty Hospitals During Review
CMS until the end of the year will not review any new applications for Medicare reimbursement of specialty hospitals while the agency considers possible changes to payment rules, CMS Administrator Mark McClellan said Thursday at a House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health hearing, the Wall Street Journal reports.
New Campaign To Educate Potential Participants in Clinical Trials
The Partnership for Human Research Protection, a group co-founded by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, on Thursday launched a nationwide campaign to educate potential clinical trial participants about the medical research process, the AP/Los Angeles Times reports.
Rep. Dingell Reintroduces Patients’ Bill of Rights Legislation
Rep. John Dingell (D-Mich.) and other Democratic legislators have introduced a new patients’ bill of rights measure that would allow health plan members to sue their insurers in disputes over coverage of health care services, CQ HealthBeat reports.
Proposed Legislation Addresses Funding, Operations for Emergency Departments
Sens. Richard Alarcon (D-Van Nuys) and Gloria Romero (D-Los Angeles) with four other lawmakers on Wednesday discussed legislation to increase federal funding for emergency department physicians, the Los Angeles Daily News reports.
Federal Officials Discuss Recommending Universal Flu Vaccination
The U.S. government within the next five years could begin recommending flu shots for all U.S. residents, some public health advocates said at the National Influenza Vaccine Summit, an annual meeting of manufacturers, distributors and providers sponsored by CDC and the American Medical Association, the AP/Las Vegas Sun reports.
President’s Council on Bioethics Report Examines Issue of Stem Cell Research
As expected, the President’s Council on Bioethics on Thursday released a report outlining possible ways to move forward with embryonic stem cell research without “upsetting ethical concerns” by describing methods for producing stem cells without destroying human embryos, Reuters reports.
State Releases HMO Guide for Seniors
The Office of the Patient Advocate on Thursday announced the release of its “California’s HMO Guide for Seniors,” intended to help the state’s 1.3 million seniors understand how managed care plans operate, the Sacramento Bee reports.