Latest California Healthline Stories
HHS Will Redistribute $660 Million to States With SCHIP Spending Gaps
HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson on Tuesday said he would use his statutory authority to reallocate $660 million in unspent federal funds to states that have SCHIP program budget shortfalls after $1.1 billion in such funds reverts to the U.S. Treasury on Friday, CQ Today reports.
Health care advocates on Tuesday criticized the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors for reductions in spending for medical services in recent years after supervisors found that the county has an unexpected surplus of more than $300 million for fiscal year 2004-2005, the AP/Fresno Bee reports.
American Indian Tribe Seeks To Establish Hospital in Place of San Jose Medical Center
Michigan-based investor group AR Associates is considering buying San Jose Medical Center from HCA Healthcare and converting it to a hospital for American Indians, the San Jose Mercury News reports.
9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Upholds State Use of Tobacco Taxes for Antismoking Advertisements
A three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday ruled 2-1 to uphold the state’s right to use tax revenues from wholesale cigarette sales for antismoking advertisements that tobacco companies R.J. Reynolds and Lorillard Tobacco claimed violated their First Amendment rights and “stigmatized” their industry, Bloomberg/Los Angeles Times reports.
Justice Department To Appeal Decisions Against Federal Ban on So-Called ‘Partial-Birth’ Abortions
The Department of Justice on Monday informed the 8th and 2nd U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeals that it plans to appeal Nebraska and New York district court rulings, respectively, that struck down a federal ban on so-called “partial-birth” abortion, DOJ spokesperson John Nowacki said Tuesday, the Omaha World-Herald reports.
Nursing Home Costs Increased 6.1% Between 2003-2004, Survey Finds
Nationwide, the cost of nursing-home care is increasing at twice the rate of the consumer price index, although “significant” regional differences in price persist, according to a new survey by MetLife, the Wall Street Journal reports.
Legislative Hearing Will Address Health Care in State Prisons
One in five of California’s prison doctors has been disciplined by the state Medical Board or sued for medical malpractice — almost five times the rate for other doctors in the state, according to documents obtained by the Los Angeles Times and scheduled to be discussed by state legislators in a hearing on Wednesday.
Some Hospitals in Alameda County Do Not Offer Professional Translation Services, Survey Finds
Only four of 13 hospitals surveyed in Alameda County employ professional interpreters, although 37% of county residents speak a language other than English at home, according to a report released Thursday by the Alameda County Board of Supervisors, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
CMS To Expand Medicare Coverage for Implantable Defibrillators
CMS officials on Tuesday issued a proposed rule that would expand Medicare coverage for implantable cardioverter defibrillators, a move that would increase the number of eligible beneficiaries by one-third, to about 500,000, the New York Times reports.
Christian Science Monitor Profiles ‘Pay-or-Play’ Health Insurance Mandates for Employers
The Christian Science Monitor on Wednesday examined the increasing popularity of “controversial” state health care proposals that are based on “pay-or-play” mandates for employers.