Latest California Healthline Stories
Los Angeles Times Examines Trend of Marrying for Health Insurance Coverage
The Los Angeles Times on Monday examined how some people are getting married to gain coverage under their husband’s or wife’s health insurance plans.
New York Times Examines Drug Makers’ Payments to Doctors for Prescribing Their Products
The New York Times on Sunday examined the “shadowy system of financial lures that pharmaceutical companies have used to persuade physicians to favor their drugs,” including payments to doctors by Schering-Plough for prescribing its medicines.
Tri-City Healthcare District Approves FY 2004-2005 Budget
Directors of the Tri-City Healthcare District on Thursday unanimously passed a $234 million budget for fiscal year 2004-2005, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.
USA Today Profiles Blue Shield of California CEO Bruce Bodaken
USA Today on Monday profiled Bruce Bodaken, president, chair and CEO of not-for-profit Blue Shield of California, and looked at his “controversial” proposal for creating a universal health care system.
Senate Finance Committee Meets To Discuss Differences in Cost Estimates for New Medicare Law
The Senate Finance Committee on Thursday met with actuaries from HHS and the Congressional Budget Office to discuss the “debacle over differing cost estimates” for the new Medicare law, CongressDaily reports.
In the May revision of his fiscal year 2004-2005 state budget, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) called for the elimination of some funding cuts to health and human services programs that he had proposed in January, but restoration of funding to such programs now “hinges” on whether the Legislature can resolve disagreements over restructuring local government and selling pension obligation bonds, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
The San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday renewed a contract with Tenet Healthcare’s Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center in San Luis Obispo and Twin Cities Community Hospital in Templeton to continue providing medical care to prison inmates and low-income residents, the San Luis Obispo Tribune reports.
Northern California CalPERS HMO Members Will See High Rate Hikes Because of Regional Pricing Plan
A new regional pricing plan that the CalPERS board voted to adopt last month will mean that HMO premium rate increases for employees of local governments in Northern California will be about twice as high as the average premium rate increases to be paid by state employees, the Sacramento Bee reports.
Medical Marijuana Measure Qualifies for Nov. 2 Berkeley Ballot
The Alliance of Berkeley Patients, a group of cannabis club operators, on Tuesday announced that it had qualified for the Nov. 2 city ballot a measure intended to increase access to cannabis for patients who use marijuana for medical purposes, the Oakland Tribune reports.
Increased Health Insurance Costs Affect Worker Compensation, Bureau of Labor Statistics Says
Health insurance costs are “swallowing up more of employers’ total spending on compensation to workers,” according to new numbers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Boston Globe reports.