Latest California Healthline Stories
GAO Review Recommends Management Structure Revisions at CDC
The General Accounting Office on Friday recommended that CDC officials consider revisions to the management structure of the agency to allow continued progress on non-emergency public health programs when emergencies, such as anthrax or SARS outbreaks, arise, the AP/Las Vegas Sun reports.
California Healthline Rounds Up Recent Coverage on Budget Proposal’s Health-Related Provisions
California Healthline highlights recent coverage of the potential impact of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s (R) proposed fiscal year 2004-2005 budget.
Schwarzenegger Faces Growing Pressure From Lawmakers on Reimportation of Prescription Drugs
Pressure on Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) to “clear the way for California residents to import cheaper drugs from Canada” is “mounting,” as three state lawmakers introduce or prepare to introduce bills intended to make it easier to reimport lower-cost, U.S.-made prescription drugs from Canada, the Orange County Register reports.
Democrats, Republicans Prepare for Referendum on Workers’ Compensation Reform
As Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s (R) March 1 deadline for the Legislature to approve legislation to reform the state workers’ compensation system nears, “battle lines are being drawn around the increasing likelihood” that reform plans will appear on the November statewide ballot, the Sacramento Bee reports.
Los Angeles County Responds to CMS Report Criticizing Quality of Care at King/Drew Medical Center
Lawyers for the Los Angeles County-owned Martin Luther King Jr./Drew Medical Center on Friday released a “lengthy” response to a “blistering” CMS report on problems at the hospital, insisting the facility had taken “swift and decisive action” to correct the problems, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Bush Administration Explains Medicare Cost Estimate Discrepancies
Bush administration officials had “indications for months” that the new Medicare law (HR 1) would cost “considerably more” than the nearly $400 billion over 10 years estimated by the Congressional Budget Office, according to sources familiar with the issue and internal documents, the Washington Post reports.
FDA Committee To Examine Potential Link Between SSRIs, Suicide Risk in Children
An FDA committee on Monday plans to hold a public hearing to examine a potential link between increased risk of suicide and the use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors to treat depression in children, the Washington Post reports.
East County Medical Group To Close in February
East County Medical Group, East Contra Costa County’s main physician group, has announced that it will officially dissolve on Feb. 29 because of the loss of a major contract last month and ongoing financial difficulties, the Contra Costa Times reports.
Consumer Advocacy Groups Concerned About Status of HMO Regulations
Consumer advocacy groups on Thursday expressed concern that an executive order by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) might rescind regulations that provided “significant protections” to HMO patients, the Los Angeles Times reports.
FDA Cites Fewer Misleading Prescription Drug Advertisements, Rep. Henry Waxman Says
The FDA in recent years has allowed more misleading prescription drug advertisements to air “unchallenged” and has taken fewer enforcement actions against pharmaceutical companies that “repeatedly overpromise” the benefits of their medications, Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) said on Thursday, the AP/Richmond Times-Dispatch reports.