Latest California Healthline Stories
Medicare Beneficiaries Sue CMS for not Implementing Mandated Appeals Process
Three Medicare beneficiaries and three senior advocacy groups yesterday filed a lawsuit in a Washington, D.C., federal court against CMS, alleging that the agency violated federal law by failing to implement a Medicare appeals process established by Congress two years ago, the Wall Street Journal reports.
CalPERS Awards Three-Year Contract to Pharmacy Benefit Manager CareMark
The California Public Employees’ Retirement System on Monday awarded pharmacy benefit manager CareMark Inc. a three-year contract to administer about $250 million in annual prescription drug benefits for the health system’s self-insured plans, the Sacramento Bee reports.
Treatment recommendations provided to primary care physicians through electronic medical record systems for patients with chronic depression had “little differential impact” on clinical outcomes, according to a study published in this month’s Journal of General Internal Medicine.
Contra Costa Times Examines Hospital Efforts To Recruit Registered Nurses
The Contra Costa Times yesterday reported on the “near-desperate” tactics that many California hospitals, which face an “acute” nursing shortage and impending mandated nurse-to-patient staffing levels, have used to recruit registered nurses.
CMS Should Not Revise State’s Waiver Request for Medi-Cal Contractor Program, Los Angeles Times Says
Although “California’s health safety net is not always a model of cost-efficiency,” CMS Administrator Tom Scully “seems poised” to revise the state’s request for a two-year extension of a Medi-Cal contractor program waiver — a move that could cost the state’s safety net hospitals about $300 million in federal funds over the next two years and would “punish California and Los Angeles County for the wrong reasons,” according to a Los Angeles Times editorial.
Relatives of Patients at Beverly Nursing Home Chain Say Penalties Not Enough To ‘Force’ Reforms
Relatives of patients who “suffered substandard care” at Beverly Enterprises Inc. nursing homes in California said Friday that a $2 million civil penalty levied against the company will not be sufficient to “force real reforms,” the Los Angeles Times reports.
New York Times Examines For-Profit Hospitals’ Increasing Earnings
The New York Times on Sunday examined the financial performance of for-profit hospitals, which have reported “surging” earnings as a result of increased admissions and higher prices.
California Supreme Court Allows Smokers To Sue Tobacco Industry For Fraud, Negligence
The California Supreme Court yesterday ruled that smokers in the state can file suit against the tobacco industry for fraud and negligence but cannot present most evidence of the industry’s conduct from 1988, when the state enacted a law to protect tobacco companies from lawsuits, to 1998, when the law was repealed, the Los Angeles Times reports.
HHS Awards $11.4M for Mt. Sinai To Assess WTC Workers’ Health
HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson yesterday announced an $11.4 million contract with Mount Sinai School of Medicine to study the health condition of World Trade Center rescue and recovery workers and volunteers who may be experiencing illness.
The Los Angeles Times on Friday examined the impact that a decision last week by the University of California-Irvine Medical Center to end non-emergency services for some indigent patients will have on the Orange County indigent health care system.