Latest California Healthline Stories
About 60% of U.S. Adults Have Hypertension, Pre-Hypertension, New Studies Find
About 60% of U.S. adults have hypertension or pre-hypertension based on new guidelines issued last year by the federal government, according to several new studies, Scripps Howard/Washington Times reports.
If SB 2 is upheld on the Nov. 2 statewide ballot, a long-standing “stalemate” between politicians who advocate mandating employer-sponsored health coverage and the business community could be overcome, the Contra Costa Times reports.
Kerry Uses Bible Themes To Address Health Care Positions in Campaign Stop
Democratic presidential nominee Sen. John Kerry (Mass.) on Sunday presented a “broad vision of social justice, including care for the poor and those without health insurance” that is “at the root of his religion and would guide his presidency,” the Washington Times reports.
More Doctors Ask Patients To Pay Surcharges To Help Cover Malpractice Insurance Costs
The Los Angeles Times on Monday examined the “small but growing number” of physicians who have begun to require patients to pay surcharges to help cover the cost of malpractice insurance premiums.
State Releases Workers’ Compensation Regulations for Medical Provider Networks
The Division of Workers’ Compensation on Friday issued new regulations authorized by a law (SB 899) to reform the state workers’ compensation insurance system enacted in April that will govern the creation and operation of new “HMO-like medical provider networks” and “reverse long-standing practices” that generally allowed workers to choose any doctor, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
States To Vote on Several Health-Related Ballot Initiatives in November
Residents of several states on Nov. 2 will vote on ballot issues that deal with a variety of health care issues, such as funding for embryonic stem cell research, the Wall Street Journal reports.
State Residents Show Limited Support for Ballot Measure To Fund Emergency Care
California voters “appear to be lukewarm” about supporting Proposition 67, a measure on the Nov. 2 statewide ballot that would impose a 3% surcharge on telephone bills to fund emergency care for the uninsured, according to some experts, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Cancer Conference in Sacramento Examines Effect of U.S. Lifestyles on Asian-American Immigrants
Cancer remains the leading cause of death among some Asian Americans today, but fewer develop the disease or die from it than in the past, according to research presented Friday and Saturday at the fifth annual Asian-American Network for Cancer Awareness, Research and Training in Sacramento, the Sacramento Bee reports.
Advertisement Analyses Focus on Stem Cell Research, Employer-Sponsored Health Care
Several advertisements focused on propositions 71 and 72 — measures on the Nov. 2 statewide ballot to fund stem cell research and retain or reject a law (SB 2) that would require employers to provide health insurance to workers, respectively — began running recently.
Congressional Investigation Into Flu Vaccine Shortage Continues, FDA Requests More Time
FDA Acting Commissioner Lester Crawford on Wednesday said FDA officials need more time to provide the documents requested last week by House Committee on Government Reform Chair Tom Davis (R-Va.) and ranking member Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) related to problems at Chiron’s Liverpool facility, the Los Angeles Times reports.