Latest California Healthline Stories
San Jose Mercury News Looks at Issues Facing Incoming Insurance Commissioner
The San Jose Mercury News on Saturday examined the “plate full of problems” facing Insurance Commissioner-elect John Garamendi (D), including “skyrocketing” health insurance costs and the rising number of uninsured California residents.
Most Backpack Injuries in Children Not Result of Weight, Study Finds
Children have a higher risk of injury from “tripping over backpacks or being hit with them” than from “using the bags to lug around heavy school supplies,” according to a study in the January issue of Pediatrics.
Health Care Lobbyists Propose Plans in Preparation for Davis Budget Proposal
Gov. Gray Davis (D) plans to release his proposed fiscal year 2003-2004 budget on Friday, and lobbyists in a number of industries, such as health care, have proposed plans to help cover the state’s estimated $34.8 billion budget deficit and avoid reductions for their organizations, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Without offering specific endorsements, health insurance industry officials are “welcoming” President Bush’s unreleased plan to reform Medicare, the New York Times reports.
Mercury News Editorial Recommends Mandatory Medical Error Reporting
Although U.S. doctors are “very aware of the prevalence of medical errors” — according to a recent survey, 35% say they or family members have experienced such mistakes, often with serious consequences — physicians themselves remain the “biggest roadblock to reducing” serious medical mistakes, according to a San Jose Mercury News editorial.
Lower-Income California Residents Wait Longer for Emergency Room Care, Study Finds
California residents who seek emergency room care wait an average of 56 minutes, and 42% wait longer than 60 minutes to visit a physician or nurse, according to a study published last week in the Annals of Emergency Medicine, the Los Angeles Daily News reports.
Kaiser Permanente Implements New Payment System for Health Insurance Brokers
HMO Kaiser Permanente on Jan. 1 implemented a new system that will reduce payments to health insurance brokers, a “well-paid, low-profile group that’s generally escaped cost-cutting so far,” the Sacramento Business Journal reports.
Sonoma County Hospitals May Form Alliance To Increase Competitiveness
Two of Sonoma County’s smallest hospitals are proposing an alliance between four publicly owned hospitals in the community in an effort to increase their competitiveness and save money, the Santa Rosa Press Democrat reports.
PBS Series Explores Implications of Genetic Testing for Medical Privacy
PBS stations nationwide starting this week will air a three-part discussion series titled “Our Genes/Our Choices,” which will explore the issues involved in genetic research, including its implications for medical privacy, reproduction and the law.
Sen. Edwards Forms Exploratory Committee for Possible Presidential Run
Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.) yesterday announced plans to form an exploratory committee to raise funds for a possible presidential campaign, the New York Times reports.