Latest California Healthline Stories
HHS Secretary Thompson Says Public Health System Is ‘Stronger Than Ever’
HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson on Friday said that in the past year the U.S. public health system has become “stronger than ever” and has improved relations with the media, although “there is room for improvement,” the Associated Press reports.
Federal Officials To Announce National Smallpox Vaccination Plan Today
Federal officials today will introduce a “blueprint for state and local health officials” across the country detailing guidelines for inoculating every U.S. citizen “within five days” of a smallpox outbreak, the Washington Post reports.
Government, Private Sector Should Address Obesity Issue, Sen. Frist Writes
The rate of obesity in the United States has reached “epidemic proportions,” and the federal government and private sector should provide more information, healthier diet selections and increased opportunities for physical activity to help address the problem, Sen. Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) writes in a Knoxville News-Sentinel opinion piece.
Davis To Sign Legislation To Provide Paid Family Leave for Employees
Gov. Gray Davis (D) today plans to sign a bill (SB 1661) that would provide employees with disability pay to allow them to care for a family member with an illness or to spend time with a newborn, the Los Angeles Times reports.
PhRMA, White House File Separate Supreme Court Briefs in Maine Rx Case
The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America and the Bush administration on Friday filed separate Supreme Court briefs objecting to Maine Rx, the state’s preferred drug program meant to limit the rising costs of prescription medications.
State Should Take Part in Solving Health Access Problems, Editorials Say
The “overall problem” with health care in California “comes down to money,” a San Jose Mercury News editorial states, noting that many state residents have been affected by contract disputes between insurers and hospitals and the bankruptcies of physician groups.
New York Judge Orders Smokers Combined in One Nationwide Class Action
In a ruling that could establish the “groundwork for a tobacco case that would dwarf all others,” Brooklyn U.S. District Court Judge Jack Weinstein on Thursday ordered that “millions of injured smokers be lumped into a nationwide class” that would share a single pool of punitive damage awards, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Mercury News Examines Impact of Economic Downturn on Smaller Health Insurers, Physician Groups
The San Jose Mercury News yesterday examined the impact of the economic downturn on health insurers in California, saying that it could lead to a loss of health care for individuals with health insurance.
Bush Administration Proposes Medicare Payment Cuts for Outpatient Services
The Bush administration has proposed “deep reductions” in Medicare payments for certain services as part of a new system of reimbursing hospitals for outpatient care, the New York Times reports.
End of Health Plan of the Redwoods Will Leave Consumers With Fewer and More Expensive Choices
The dissolution of the Health Plan of the Redwoods, which will cease operations on Oct. 31, will leave Northern Californians with “fewer and more expensive” health plan options and will put added pressure on HMOs, health experts said yesterday at the annual meeting of the North Coast Association of Health Underwriters.