Latest California Healthline Stories
Compromise Proposals Drafted To Maintain Some Services at King/Drew Medical Center Trauma Unit
Opponents of the proposed closure of the Martin Luther King Jr./Drew Medical Center trauma unit on Monday drafted compromise proposals to keep the unit open in advance of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors’ scheduled vote on the proposal Tuesday, the Los Angeles Times reports.
The New York Times on Tuesday examined some of the allocations for health-related and other federal agencies and programs under the $388 billion, fiscal year 2005 omnibus appropriations bill that Congress approved on Saturday.
Alameda County Health Director David Kears on Monday announced his recommendations for distributing about $20 million in discretionary funds from the proceeds of a county sales tax increase to fund health services for uninsured and low-income residents, the Contra Costa Times reports.
The California Nurses Association on Monday launched a radio advertising campaign criticizing a plan by the administration of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) to delay implementation of some nurse staffing rules scheduled to take effect in 2005, the Sacramento Bee reports.
An internal CDC investigation has determined that a “widely quoted” agency study saying that obesity is “gaining fast on tobacco as the leading cause of preventable death and could soon become No. 1,” inflated the annual obesity-related death toll by “tens of thousands” because of “statistical errors,” the Wall Street Journal reports.
FDA Approves Radio Frequency Identification Tags To Help Prevent Incorrect Surgeries
FDA on Friday approved radio frequency identification tags that will contain patient information to help ensure that physicians perform the correct surgeries on the correct patients, the AP/Denver Post reports.
Hotel Operators End Lockout, Contract Negotiations Continue
About 4,000 San Francisco hotel employees have agreed to end an eight-week labor lockout and return to work Tuesday in a contract dispute involving health benefits, the AP/New York Times reports.
Health Insurance Cost Increases for Employers Slowed in 2004, Survey Finds
Companies’ per-worker health insurance costs in 2004 rose 7.5% — the smallest rate of growth since 1999, according to an annual report released Monday by Mercer Human Resource Consulting, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports.
Kerry Announces Plan To Introduce Legislation To Insure All Children
Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) on Friday announced plans to introduce legislation to expand health coverage to all U.S. children when the Senate reconvenes in 2005, a “scaled-back version” of his health care proposal during the presidential campaign, the Washington Post reports.
Congress Approves $388 Billion Appropriations Bill for FY 2005
Congress on Saturday night approved a $388 billion, fiscal year 2005 omnibus appropriations bill that includes funds for HHS and other federal departments, as well as many federal agencies, the Los Angeles Times reports.