Latest California Healthline Stories
GOP Objections May Delay Floor Action on $350B Medicare Reform Package
Although House Republican leaders “insist” a floor vote will occur this week on a GOP-backed $350 billion Medicare reform package that includes a prescription drug benefit, objections from some House Republicans could “imperil passage” of the bill, the Washington Times reports.
Riverside Press-Enterprise Examines Emergency Room Overcrowding
The Riverside Press-Enterprise on Sunday published two features that examine how area hospitals have addressed emergency room overcrowding.
Los Angeles-Based HMO Announces Plans to Withdraw from CalPERS in 2003
Officials from Universal Care, a Los Angeles-based HMO, announced yesterday that the company will withdraw from CalPERS, effective January 1, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.
House May Delay Vote on Republican Medicare Reform Package
House Republicans’ plan to bring a GOP-backed $350 billion Medicare reform package that includes a prescription drug benefit to the floor before the July recess may be delayed by work on two appropriations bills and a trade bill, CongressDaily/AM reports.
Prices of Commonly Prescribed Drugs for Seniors Outpace Inflation, Families USA Study Finds
The prices of the 50 drugs most commonly prescribed to seniors increased last year at almost three times the rate of inflation, according to a new Families USA study, the New York Times reports.
Jury Orders Genetech To Pay Hospital $200M in Punitive Damages
A California state court jury yesterday decided that Genentech Inc., the world’s second-largest biotechnology company, must pay $200 million in punitive damages to former research partner City of Hope Medical Center for “hiding patent licensing agreements on groundbreaking research,” the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
Wall Street Journal Profiles Increased Use of Electronic Medical Record Systems
Although about 5% of hospitals nationwide maintain electronic medical record systems, use of such systems is “expected to increase” over the next few years, the Wall Street Journal reports.
California Healthline Rounds Up Medicare Rx Drug Benefit Opinion Pieces
The House Energy and Commerce and Ways and Means committees last week approved a $350 billion, 10-year House Republican Medicare package that in part would give seniors a prescription drug benefit.
Federal Judge Orders R.J. Reynolds To Pay Smoker $15M in Punitive Damages
A federal judge in Kansas City last week ordered tobacco company R.J. Reynolds to pay $15 million in punitive damages to a former smoker, the Wall Street Journal reports.
Lawmakers Introduce Bill That Would Allow Taxpayers To Donate Income Tax Refunds to HHS Offices
To reduce disparities in health care for women and minorities, Reps. John Lewis (D-Ga.) and Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) introduced legislation last week that would allow taxpayers to allocate some of their income tax refunds to the Office of Minority Health and the Office on Women’s Health, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.