Latest California Healthline Stories
Health Care Industry Rejects HHS Electronic Medical Records Proposal
Medical industry leaders last week voted against an HHS-commissioned draft proposal to develop a national electronic health records system, the Wall Street Journal reports.
FDA Confiscates Prescription Drugs at Illinois-Based Repackager Because of Alleged Label Violations
FDA officials yesterday announced that they seized prescription drugs from an Illinois-based repackager and distributor because the companies did not meet U.S. manufacturing and labeling requirements, the Wall Street Journal reports.
Legislature Passes Workers’ Compensation Package
The Legislature on Friday passed a “sweeping overhaul” of the state’s workers’ compensation program designed to reduce the program’s medical costs by 20% to 30%, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Legislature Passes Employer-Sponsored Coverage Bill
The Legislature late Friday passed a “landmark health bill” (SB 2) that would require some employers to either purchase health insurance for employees or pay into a state fund that would provide such coverage, the Sacramento Bee reports.
Four Health Plans To Offer Coupons for Generic Prescription Drugs
Four of the largest health plans in the state this week plan to launch a financial incentive program to prompt members to use lower-cost generic prescription drugs rather than brand-name medications to treat arthritis, depression, high blood pressure, and other chronic medical conditions, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Los Angeles County Department of Health Services Likely To Face Budget Deficit, State Audit Finds
The Los Angeles County Department of Health Services will likely face a budget deficit of $841 million by 2007, despite a surplus of $185 million this year, a report released on Thursday by the California State Auditor’s office found, the Los Angeles Daily News reports.
Six Sacramento-Area Counties Consider Regional Health Plan for Young Children
Officials in the six counties in the Sacramento area may partner to establish the first regional health plan in the state for young children who do not qualify for Medi-Cal or Healthy Families, the Sacramento Bee reports.
Elderly Women Most Commonly Hospitalized Following Accidents, Study Finds
Women ages 65 and older have replaced men under age 40 as the most likely group to be hospitalized after an accidental injury, according to a study published last week in Injury Prevention, the Washington Post reports.
House Defeats Democrats’ Proposal on Instructing Medicare Conferees
The House on Wednesday voted 220-189 along party lines against a measure that would have called for negotiators attempting to reconcile the House and Senate Medicare bills (HR 1 and S 1) to reject the House-passed competition provision and adopt a government-run “fallback” drug plan, CongressDaily reports.
California Healthline Rounds Up Health-Related Bills Approved by the Legislature
California Healthline today rounds up health-related bills recently approved by the Legislature before adjourning.