Latest California Healthline Stories
Health Net of California To Offer Tiered Hospital Plan Next Month
Health Net of California next month will become the third large health insurer in the state to offer a tiered hospital plan that will require members to pay higher out-of-pocket costs at more expensive hospitals, the Sacramento Bee reports.
Nurses at San Ramon Medical Center Vote To Join California Nurses Association
Nurses at the San Ramon Regional Medical Center on Thursday voted 119-93 to join the California Nurses Association, the Contra Costa Times reports.
San Diego Task Force Issues Guidelines for Medical Marijuana Use
The San Diego Medical Cannabis Task Force has announced guidelines that would allow individuals with chronic illnesses and a recommendation from a physician to possess as much as three pounds of marijuana and cultivate as many as 72 marijuana plants for their personal use, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.
St. Louis Post-Dispatch Series Looks at Patient Neglect in Nursing Homes Nationwide
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch on Sunday began a weeklong series of articles examining the “quiet epidemic” of nursing home patients who die from neglect traced to their caregivers.
UnitedHealth To Reimburse Some Seniors for Rx Drugs Purchased Abroad
UnitedHealth Group, the largest health insurer in the United States, sent a letter to 97,000 individuals who purchased health plans with a prescription drug benefit through AARP stating that it will reimburse them for prescriptions filled in Canada and other foreign countries, the AP/Miami Herald reports.
Judge Rules Three Generic Drug Makers Violated AstraZeneca’s Patent for Prilosec
A federal judge on Friday ruled that three generic drug makers have infringed on AstraZeneca’s patent for its ulcer treatment Prilosec and cannot market their own versions of the medication, Dow Jones/Wall Street Journal reports.
California Endowment, California HealthCare Foundation To Award Grants for Care of Chronically Ill
The California Endowment and the California HealthCare Foundation yesterday announced the launch of a five-year, $10 million program to make “cost-effective, comprehensive and coordinated” health care available to uninsured state residents with chronic illnesses.
San Jose Mercury News Looks at Difficulties in Choosing an Insurer in Santa Clara County
The San Jose Mercury News today examines the challenges of selecting a health insurer in Santa Clara County.
Law Standardizing Nursing Program Curriculum Draws Criticism
A bill (AB 2314) recently signed into law that requires standardization of requirements for nursing programs at California State University campuses and community colleges by September 2005 is drawing criticism from some in the academic community, the Sacramento Bee reports.
Health Care Costs To Rise 15% for Large Companies in 2003, Survey Says
Large companies will spend an average 15% more on the cost of health coverage for employees next year, according to a study released yesterday by Hewitt Associates, the AP/New York Times reports.