Latest California Healthline Stories
Opponents of Mental Health Parity Legislation Address Concerns at Forum
Patients would receive better mental health care in “consumer-driven” health plans that allow more direct control over health care dollars than under federal parity mandates, opponents of a proposed mental health parity bill said yesterday at a National Center for Policy Analysis forum, CongressDaily reports.
Tobacco Companies’ Court Filings Still Deny Smoking-Disease Link, Report Says
Despite publicly conceding that tobacco use is a health hazard, several major tobacco companies continue to refute in court filings that smoking causes disease, according to a congressional staff report released yesterday, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Oakland Unified School District Hires Nation’s First Diabetes Nurse Educator
In an “unprecedented effort” to detect and prevent diabetes among students, the Oakland Unified School District has hired the nation’s first diabetes nurse educator, the San Jose Mercury News reports.
Vaccine Shortage Leaves Children Vulnerable, GAO Report Says
At least 30 states have loosened immunization requirements for children entering school, and more than 40 states have begun rationing vaccines, including those for measles, rubella and chickenpox, because of shortages, according to a report by the General Accounting Office, the New York Times reports.
Mission Viejo City Council Votes Against Smoking Ban
The Mission Viejo City Council yesterday voted against enacting what would have been “one of the toughest anti-smoking ordinances in the nation” and instead voted 3-2 in favor of drafting a less-restrictive ordinance, the Los Angeles Times reports.
One in Three U.S. Residents Struggles with Medical Information
An estimated one in three U.S. residents has “low health literacy,” or a limited ability to read and comprehend medical information, ABCNews’ “World News Tonight” reported yesterday.
U.S. Mental Health System in ‘Crisis,’ Federal Report Says
The mental health system in the United States is in “crisis, unable to provide even the most basic services and supports to people with psychiatric disabilities,” according to a federal report released yesterday.
While President Bush’s fiscal year 2003 budget proposal would make fighting bioterrorism and increasing access to care among HHS’ “primary mission[s],” the budget’s proposed $278.5 million cuts in funding for health professions and nursing education programs would make it more difficult to reach these goals, Dr. H. John Blossom, director of the California Area Health Education Center, writes in a Fresno Bee opinion piece.
Californians Should Not ‘Ignore’ Air Quality Issue, Fresno Bee Says
Although warnings that parts of California have a “deadly air quality problem” might be “overstated,” it is “no longer possible to ignore the problem,” a Fresno Bee editorial states.
Bush Administration Overhauls Scientific Advisory Committees
The Bush administration has begun a “broad restructuring” of the 250 scientific advisory committees that guide HHS on a wide range of health issues, the Washington Post reports.