Latest California Healthline Stories
Senate Finance Committee Approves Nomination of EPA Administrator Mike Leavitt as HHS Secretary
The Senate Finance Committee on Tuesday unanimously approved the nomination of Mike Leavitt as HHS secretary, and the full Senate confirmation vote is expected soon, CongressDaily reports.
State Bioterrorism Preparedness Debated
The Sacramento Bee on Monday examined California’s preparedness for a potential bioterrorist attack following the recent release of a report by Trust for America’s Health that rated the state’s preparedness against such an attack a five on a scale of zero to 10.
A subcommittee of the Independent Citizens Oversight Committee, the board created by Proposition 71 to establish the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, on Monday moved to limit conflicts of interest on ICOC by requiring members with existing ties to institutions whose employees are being recruited for president of CIRM to recuse themselves from voting, the San Francisco Examiner reports.
Medical Board Auditor Cites Problems, Recommends Changes
The Medical Board of California should transfer the responsibilities of its investigative staff to the Office of the Attorney General and increase physician licensing fees, according to a board audit discussed at a Senate oversight committee hearing Tuesday, the Orange County Register reports.
Sen. John Kerry Announces Bill To Provide Health Insurance to All U.S. Children
Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) on Tuesday unveiled his plan to provide health insurance coverage to all U.S. children by repealing tax cuts for high-income residents and expanding Medicaid and SCHIP programs, the Boston Globe reports.
Report Finds Decreased Smoking Rates Since 1988 State Cigarette Tax Increase
Smoking in the state has “plummeted” since 1988, when voters passed a measure increasing state taxes on cigarettes by 25 cents per pack to help fund antismoking campaigns, according to a report released Tuesday by the Health and Human Services Agency, the Los Angeles Times reports.
U.S. Appeals Court Panel Reinstates Obesity Lawsuit Against McDonald’s
A three-judge panel from a U.S. appeals court on Tuesday reinstated a lawsuit against McDonald’s alleging that the fast-food chain hides the health risks of its products, the Chicago Tribune reports.
Editorial, Opinion Piece Address Democratic Efforts To Expand Health Coverage
Two newspapers recently published an editorial and an opinion piece addressing some Democratic lawmakers’ proposals to expand health coverage.
Sen. Dayton Proposes Bill To Allow Prescription Drug Price Negotiation in Medicare
Sen. Mark Dayton (D-Minn.) on Monday announced that he will become “one of his party’s standard-bearers” in an effort to revise the new Medicare law with legislation to allow CMS to negotiate directly with pharmaceutical companies for discounts on prescription drug prices, a practice banned under the law, the AP/Duluth News Tribune reports.
Pelosi Calls for Changes to Restrictions on Federal Funding for Stem Cell Research
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on Monday called on President Bush to expand the number of stem cell lines eligible for federal grants, following the release of a study indicating that federally approved lines are unsuitable for use in humans, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.