Latest California Healthline Stories
Community Medical Centers Submits Improvement Plan to CMS for Fresno Facility
Community Medical Centers on Friday submitted to CMS a plan to address the not-for-profit hospital chain’s “long-term failure” to meet standards for nursing services at its downtown Fresno facility, the Fresno Bee reports.
HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt Signs Medicaid Commission Charter
HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt on Tuesday signed a charter for the Medicaid study commission, according to a notice to be published soon in the Federal Register, the New York Times reports.
The Department of Health Services on Tuesday announced that it plans to award Blue Cross of California a contract to serve Medi-Cal beneficiaries in Riverside and San Bernardino counties, the Riverside Press-Enterprise reports.
Newsom Budget Proposal Could Call for Reduced Public Health Services
Public health and other public services in San Francisco could be reduced by $30 million to $40 million under Mayor Gavin Newsom’s (D) fiscal year 2006 budget, despite a one-time influx of about $40 million, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
Sens. Chuck Grassley, Max Baucus Introduce Bill To Extend Moratorium on New Specialty Hospitals
Senate Finance Committee Chair Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and ranking member Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) on Wednesday introduced a bill that would extend a moratorium on the construction of new specialty hospitals, The Hill reports.
Concord Nursing Home Receives Citation, Fine Related to Patient Death
The Department of Health Services on Tuesday announced a “AA” citation and a $100,000 fine against Bayberry Care Center in Concord stemming from a December 2003 patient death, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) on Wednesday announced that they will work together to promote legislation to spur the adoption of electronic record-keeping applications by the health care industry, the AP/Las Vegas Sun reports.
Some Legislators, Health Care Advocates Call for Revisions to Governor’s Budget Proposal
Democratic lawmakers are calling on Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) to “abandon” some health-related provisions of his fiscal year 2005-2006 state budget proposal in his May revision, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Sen. Orrin Hatch Supports Bill To Ease Restrictions on Federal Funding for Stem Cell Research
Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) on Wednesday joined a group of House Republicans to support a bill (HR 810) that would loosen federal restrictions on human embryonic stem cell research and predicted that Congress will pass the legislation, the Salt Lake Tribune reports.
Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Data Will Help Determine Risks, Benefits of Medications
The data that the federal government will collect as part of the new Medicare prescription drug benefit will help FDA, health care providers and others determine the risks and benefits of medications prescribed to beneficiaries, CMS Administrator Mark McClellan said on Wednesday at a meeting of the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association, CQ HealthBeat reports.