Latest California Healthline Stories
Provision To Raise State’s Legal Smoking Age from 18 to 21 ‘Seems Drastic,’ Mercury News Says
A provision in an anti-smoking bill (AB 1453) that would raise the state’s legal smoking age from 18 to 21 “seems drastic,” but raising the legal age to 19 would “make it tougher for younger kids to find suppliers,” according to a San Jose Mercury News editorial.
Nurses at Alta Bates Summit, Sutter Solano Reach Contract Agreements with Sutter Health
Nurses at Alta Bates Summit Medical Center on Wednesday reached a new three-year contract agreement with Sutter Health, the Contra Costa Times reports.
Texas Accuses EDS of Breach of Contract To Administer State’s Medicaid Claims
Electronic Data Systems Corp. allegedly breached its contract to administer Medicaid claims for the state of Texas, according to a Texas attorney general’s office report released Tuesday, the Wall Street Journal reports.
Ventura County Board of Supervisors To Become ‘Employer of Record’ for Home Care Aides
The Ventura County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously approved a law to establish a new county agency to oversee more than 1,600 home care aides who provide services for elderly and disabled patients, the Ventura County Star reports.
Pharmaceutical Companies Spend More on Marketing Than R&D, Families USA Report Says
Pharmaceutical companies often spend twice as much on overhead, marketing, advertising and promotion than they spend on research and development of new drugs, according to a report released yesterday by the consumer health advocacy group Families USA, the Los Angeles Times reports.
A state audit released last week found “serious problems” with the medical care provided for the 278 female inmates at the Ventura Youth Correctional Facility, the Ventura County Star reports.
Delay in Senate Floor Debate on Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Proposals Causes ‘Tension’
The Senate’s effort to pass a Medicare prescription drug benefit stalled yesterday as Democrats and Republicans accused each other of “playing election-year politics,” the Washington Times reports.
Government Prosecutors Close Investigations into HCA Executives’ Conduct in Fraud Cases
Government prosecutors announced yesterday that they have closed their inquiry into possible misconduct by individuals associated with HCA, clearing the way for HCA executives to begin giving sworn depositions in a large civil case brought by the government on fraud charges.
Use of Drug Formularies Raises Health Risks for Adults Over 50, New Survey Finds
Last year, 12% of American adults over 50 were prescribed or switched to less expensive prescription medications due to drug plan formulary restrictions, according to a new report released yesterday by Project Patient Care.
San Jose Mercury News Examines Shift in Focus of AIDS Vaccine Research
The San Jose Mercury News yesterday examined how the focus of AIDS vaccine research has shifted from finding a completely effective vaccine that blocks HIV to developing a partially effective vaccine that could offer protection to some populations or slow disease progression in people already infected with HIV.