Latest California Healthline Stories
House Democrats Propose New Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Bill
A group of 18 moderate House Democrats yesterday proposed a Medicare prescription drug benefit that would be added to the existing program and would only apply to beneficiaries with low incomes or high drug costs, the New York Times reports.
Frist Announces Delay on Senate Bill on Medical Malpractice Liability
Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) yesterday said that a Senate version of the medical malpractice liability bill passed in the House last month will not likely reach the floor for debate until later this spring, CongressDaily/AM reports.
Tenet, Lockyer Agree To Settle Lawsuit Over Closure of Daniel Freeman Hospital
Tenet Healthcare, the nation’s second-largest hospital chain, yesterday agreed to settle a lawsuit filed by Attorney General Bill Lockyer (D) that blocked Tenet from closing the Daniel Freeman Marina Hospital in Marina del Rey, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Smallpox Compensation Plan Funding Included in FY 2003 Supplemental Plan Approved by House Committee
The House Appropriations Committee yesterday approved on a 59-0 vote a $77.9 billion fiscal year 2003 supplemental appropriations plan, which would fund the war against Iraq and homeland security issues, including the smallpox vaccine compensation program that failed to pass the full House on Monday, the AP/Philadelphia Inquirer reports.
Philip Morris Expected To Request Lower Illinois Bond Payment
Philip Morris today is expected to file a court motion seeking to reduce a $12 billion bond that an Illinois state court said the tobacco company must pay to appeal a recent court decision, the New York Times reports.
Los Angeles County Health Director Outlines Financial Problems in Health System
Service reductions and additional funds have improved the financial condition of the Los Angeles County public health system, but without “significant changes,” the system could face multimillion-dollar budget deficits within the next few years, county Department of Health Services Director Thomas Garthwaite yesterday told the county Board of Supervisors, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Fewer ‘Best Value’ HMOs Available for Medicare Beneficiaries in California, Report Finds
Medicare beneficiaries in California HMOs in 2003 pay more for coverage but receive fewer benefits than in the past, according to a report released today by the California HealthCare Foundation and Consumers Union, the AP/Fresno Bee reports.
Grassley, Bush Meet To Discuss Medicare Geographic Reimbursement ‘Inequities’
Senate Finance Committee Chair Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) yesterday met with President Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney and other members of the administration to discuss so-called geographic “inequities” in Medicare payments to providers, the Des Moines Register reports.
Sonoma County Supervisors Vote To End Program That Helps Medi-Cal Beneficiaries Find Physicians
The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors yesterday approved a plan to end by June 30 a program that helps low-income county residents find physicians who will treat them, the Santa Rosa Press Democrat reports.
State Investigators Find ‘Lapses’ at San Ramon Hospital, CNA Says
San Ramon-based San Ramon Regional Medical Center, a 123-bed hospital owned by Tenet Healthcare, has been cited by state investigators for several patient care violations, including the use of outdated drugs and failing to provide an appropriate number of surgeons for major operations, according to the California Nurses Association, the Los Angeles Times reports.