Latest California Healthline Stories
Senate Approves Ban on So-Called ‘Partial-Birth’ Abortion
The Senate on Tuesday voted 64-34 to approve a bill (S 3) that would ban so-called “partial-birth” abortion, the Washington Post reports.
Santa Paula City Council To File Complaint Against Memorial Hospital To Keep It Open
In an effort to “force trustees” of Santa Paula Memorial Hospital to complete a merger with the Ventura County health system, the Santa Paula City Council on Monday voted unanimously to file a complaint with the state attorney general, the Los Angeles Times reports.
California HealthCare Foundation Releases Reports on Electronic Medical Records
The California HealthCare Foundation on Tuesday released three publications on electronic medical records.
Washington Post Series Examines Prescription Drug Supply Safety Issues
The Washington Post on Wednesday continued a five-day series titled “Pharmaceutical Roulette” that focuses on prescription drug safety issues in the United States.
Rising Costs ‘Breaking Down’ U.S. Health Care System, Opinion Piece States
Recent labor contract negotiations that have centered around health benefits, three consecutive years of double-digit premium increases and a growing number of uninsured individuals indicates that the U.S. “health care system is breaking down,” Los Angeles Times reporter Ronald Brownstein writes in an opinion piece.
25% of Employed Uninsured Work at Large Firms, Commonwealth Fund Study Finds
About one-quarter of the nation’s uninsured, or 9.6 million people, are employees or dependents of employees at large firms with more than 500 workers, according to a study released Tuesday by the Commonwealth Fund, the Wall Street Journal reports.
San Francisco Public Health Officials Allocate Funds To Fight Methamphetamine Addiction
San Francisco public health officials on Tuesday announced that they have allocated $425,000 to combat methamphetamine use among gay men as part of an effort to prevent the spread of HIV, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
Prison Care for Mental Illness Lacking, Report Finds
Lack of access to mental health services, the closing of mental health institutions, limited funding and disorganization within prison systems have led to a high rate of mentally ill people in prison, according to a report released Wednesday by Human Rights Watch, the Chicago Tribune reports.
Medicare Conferees Release More Details About Prescription Drug Benefit
As negotiators working to reconcile the House and Senate Medicare bills (HR 1 and S 1) continue their discussions, more details about the proposed prescription drug benefit have emerged, the Wall Street Journal reports.
Sonoma Valley Hospitals Spend $50 Million To Treat Uninsured
Sonoma County’s eight hospitals spent more than $50 million last year to care for uninsured or underinsured patients, the Santa Rosa Press Democrat reports.