Latest California Healthline Stories
Medicare Payment Formula ‘Must Be Fixed,’ Democratic Weekly Radio Address Says
Hospitals and other providers in many states do not receive “adequate” Medicare reimbursements, Rep. Leonard Boswell (D-Iowa) said Saturday in the Democrats’ weekly radio address, the AP/Nando Times reports.
Too Few Kids Walk To School, Possibly Contributing to Childhood Obesity, CDC Study Finds
Only one-quarter of American children walk or bike to school, and the trend may be contributing to increasing levels of childhood obesity, according a new CDC report.
FDA Recall of Human Tissue Will Not Cause a ‘Crisis,’ Orthopedic Surgeons Say
Following the FDA’s recall Wednesday of most human tissue distributed by Georgia-based CryoLife Inc., orthopedic surgeons are “reassur[ing]” patients that the recall will not lead to a “long-term crisis … because alternative sources are available,” the Wall Street Journal reports.
State Should Not Use Cigarette Tax To Reduce Budget Deficit, Editorials State
Two recent editorials criticize a proposal by Assembly Speaker Herb Wesson (D-Culver City) that would increase the state’s cigarette tax from 87 cents to $3 per pack in order to raise $1.7 billion and help offset a $23.6 billion budget deficit for fiscal year 2002-2003.
Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent Roy Romer on Tuesday announced three proposals to reduce the district’s annual health care costs, estimated to reach $1 billion in five years, the Los Angeles Daily News reports.
Justice Department Opens Investigation of Ephedra Maker Metabolife
The Justice Department has opened a criminal investigation into whether San Diego-based Metabolife International, the country’s largest manufacturer of the dietary supplement ephedra, made false statements to the FDA regarding reports on side effects associated with the product, the Wall Street Journal reports.
Kaiser Permanente Announces Northern California Region President
Kaiser Permanente CEO and Chair George Halvorson yesterday named Mary Ann Thode as president of the HMO’s Northern California region, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
Washington Post Examines Increasing Attention Being Given to Generic Drug Access
The Washington Post today examines the increasing attention being devoted by lawmakers and lobbyists to legislation that would reform patent laws governing access to generic drugs.
Denver Hospitals To Revise Organ Procurement Policies
Several Denver-area hospitals have adopted or plan to adopt a new policy that allows doctors to procure organs from cardiac-death patients before they become “brain dead,” the Denver Post reports.
Assembly Passes Bill To Expand State’s Needle Exchange Program To Cover Some Drug Paraphernalia
The Assembly yesterday passed a bill (SB 1734) that would allow public agencies to distribute certain drug-related paraphernalia to help sterilize needles and syringes, the Associated Press reports.