Latest California Healthline Stories
Physicians’ Organizations Help Underwrite Lawsuit Against Ventura Hospital
The California Medical Association and the American Medical Association have donated more than $100,000 to physicians at Community Memorial Hospital in Ventura to underwrite a lawsuit against the facility, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Senate Democrats Introduce Alternative Medical Liability Legislation
Senate Democrats and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) yesterday introduced a medical malpractice bill that would assist providers with their malpractice premiums and remove the insurance industry’s antitrust exemption, the New York Times reports.
Rural Designation Under Medicare Hurts Sonoma County’s Health Care System, Editorial States
The federal government should acknowledge the high cost of living in rural areas such as Sonoma County and raise the Medicare reimbursement rates for those areas, the Santa Rosa Press Democrat states in an editorial today.
Orange County Register Examines Bill To Provide Care Managers to Some Seniors
The Orange County Register on Sunday looked at a bill (AB 43) currently before the Legislature intended to help Medi-Cal beneficiaries take advantage of services offered by not-for-profit organizations and the government.
FDA To Require Trans Fatty Acid Amounts on Food Labels
The FDA today is expected to announce that it will begin requiring manufacturers of packaged foods to list the amount of trans fatty acids on nutrition labels along with existing information on total fat content and saturated fat, the Boston Globe reports.
Senate Democrats Lay Out Conditions for Passage of Medicare Legislation
In a letter to President Bush yesterday, 37 Senate Democrats laid out several conditions for their support for any Medicare reform legislation that emerges from the conference committee tasked with reconciling the separate bills (HR 1 and S 1) approved last month by the House and Senate, the New York Times reports.
Senate Republicans’ Budget Proposals Include Medi-Cal Cuts
Senate Republicans yesterday offered a “flurry of proposals” to help offset the state’s anticipated $38 billion budget deficit for fiscal year 2003-2004, including requiring Medi-Cal beneficiaries to pay copayments for some medical care, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
Growing Health Care Costs May Force Employer Coverage Revisions
Increased health care costs may prompt small and midsize employers to begin to require employees to cover a percentage of their health insurance costs, rather than make set copayments for physician visits and prescription drugs, USA Today reports.
State Lawmakers To Form Conference Committee To Address Workers’ Compensation Bills
State lawmakers plan to form a conference committee to discuss the 20 bills introduced in the Assembly and Senate this legislative session to address the increased cost of the state workers’ compensation program, Sen. Richard Alarcon (D-Los Angeles) said yesterday, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
Settlement Between Physicians and Cigna Expected in September in Illinois Suit
Attorneys for Cigna and about 700,000 physicians on Tuesday said that by September the two sides hope to reach agreement on a revised settlement of a class-action lawsuit filed against the health insurer in Illinois, the AP/Long Island Newsday reports.