Latest California Healthline Stories
Democratic Presidential Candidates Discuss Health Care, Other Issues at Debate in Baltimore
The Democratic candidates for president last night in Baltimore conducted a 90-minute debate that “rambled over a wide spectrum of … issues,” including health care, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Joint Legislative Committee Approves Bill Requiring Employer-Sponsored Health Coverage
As expected, a joint Assembly-Senate committee late last night approved a bill (SB 2) that would require California employers to provide health insurance to employees or pay into a state fund that would provide such coverage, the Sacramento Bee reports.
Davis Administration Orders State Agencies To Identify Ways To Reduce Budgets by 20%
Gov. Gray Davis’ (D) administration on Friday ordered all state agencies to identify ways to reduce their budgets by 20% next year to help offset part of an expected $7.9 billion deficit in the fiscal year 2004-2005 budget, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
Critics Question Legality of Bustamante’s Contribution to Proposition 54 Opposition Effort
Republicans and other critics allege that gubernatorial candidate Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante’s (D) $3.8 million transfer of funds from an unrestricted campaign committee to a newly created campaign to defeat Proposition 54 violates an untested state campaign finance rule, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Workers’ Compensation Panel Approves Reform Measures
Late last night, a special six-member Assembly-Senate conference committee passed reform measures that are “widely expected” to pass both chambers and be signed by Gov. Gray Davis (D), the Los Angeles Times reports.
Medicare Conferees Reach Agreement on Pharmacy Discount Cards
Members of the conference committee charged with reconciling the House and Senate Medicare bills (HR 1 and S 1) yesterday reached agreement on a proposal to provide Medicare beneficiaries with drug discount cards in the two years before a Medicare prescription drug benefit would take effect, the New York Times reports.
FDA Unveils Web Site To Provide Women With Information on Hormone Replacement Therapy
The FDA on Tuesday unveiled an educational campaign on the HHS National Women’s Health Information Center’s Web site to raise awareness of the risks associated with hormone replacement therapy and to put those risks into an accurate context, the Washington Post reports.
Hearing Begins in License Revocation Case of Physician Who Recommended Marijuana to 7,500 Patients
A hearing began last week over whether the Medical Board of California should revoke the license of Dr. Tod Mikuriya, a Berkeley physician who has recommended medical marijuana to 7,500 patients, for failure to conduct adequate medical examinations and maintain medical records, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
Wall Street Journal Examines Cost Increases in Employer-Sponsored Family Health Benefits
The Wall Street Journal today looks at efforts by some companies to curb double-digit health care cost increases by “sharply” raising premium rates for employers’ dependent health coverage, adopting incentives to encourage employees’ spouses to leave their health plans and refusing to cover spouses who work for companies with similar health plans.
San Francisco Chronicle Opinion Pieces Address Employer-Paid Health Care Bill
The San Francisco Chronicle today published two opinion pieces on a bill (SB 2) that would mandate employer-sponsored health care in California.