Latest California Healthline Stories
Merck yesterday offered to pay $42.5 million to settle “long-running” class-action lawsuits alleging that its pharmacy benefit manager subsidiary Medco Health Solutions, the nation’s second largest PBM, overcharged clients, the New York Times reports.
Several Hospital Systems Statewide Plan Expansions, Renovations
Several hospitals and health systems across the state announced plans over the past week to expand or renovate their facilities.
FDA Issues Import Restrictions on 10 ‘Risky’ Rx Drugs
In an attempt to reduce unmonitored use of “particularly risky” prescription drugs, the FDA yesterday placed import restrictions on 10 medications and warned consumers not to purchase them via the Internet, the Wall Street Journal reports.
OTC Claritin Could Lead to Higher Out-Of-Pocket Costs for Other Allergy Drugs
Although the allergy medicine Claritin’s shift to over-the-counter status this week will eventually drive down the cost of the drug, the move also could affect the cost of “whole variety of other allergy drugs” as many health plans raise copayments for such medicines, the Wall Street Journal reports.
Investor’s Business Daily Profiles New Electronic Prescription Network
Investor’s Business Daily yesterday profiled SureScripts, which plans to launch a new electronic prescription network that connects physicians and pharmacists.
Health Care Crisis Now Crosses Class Lines, San Francisco Chronicle Columnist Says
California, which was once “admired as a laboratory for managed health care,” now faces a health care system “on the verge of collapse — not only for the poor, but for the middle class and wealthy as well,” San Francisco Chronicle columnist Ruth Rosen writes.
Bush To Outline New Health Care Initiatives in State of the Union Address
As part of a political strategy to indicate concern for domestic issues, President Bush is expected to highlight new health care initiatives during his State of the Union address next month, USA Today reports.
Council Withdraws Accreditation of King-Drew Medical Center Diagnostic Radiology Program
Los Angeles County officials yesterday said that the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education has withdrawn the accreditation of a diagnostic radiology program at Martin Luther King-Drew Medical Center, a move that may “hamper the hospital’s ability to serve patients, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Former Vice President Gore Discusses Single-Payer Health Care System Proposal
Former Vice President Al Gore, a potential Democratic presidential candidate in 2004, Sunday discussed his proposal for a single-payer health care system on ABC’s “This Week.”
Contra Costa Times Examines Health Services Department Regulator’s Potential Conflicts of Interest
The Contra Costa Times yesterday examined the controversy surrounding Department of Health Services Deputy Director Brenda Klutz’s recusals from oversight of more than 70 hospitals and seven nursing homes because of potential conflicts of interest.