Latest California Healthline Stories
FDA, Medical Device Makers Reach Agreement on User Fee Plan
Medical device makers said yesterday that they have reached an agreement with the FDA that would allow the agency to assess user fees to speed the review process for new products, the Wall Street Journal reports.
State to Expand Online HMO Report Card to Include Information on Medical Groups
The state online HMO report card, launched last year, will begin to include information on medical groups in September.
Study Finds Americans Over 50 Live Longer, But Not Necessarily Better
Americans ages 50 and older “generally can expect to live longer — but not necessarily better” than they did 20 years ago, according to a report released today by AARP.
California-Mexico Border Area Could Become Target for Bioterrorist Attacks, Health Officials Warn
The border between California and Mexico “could be considered a likely target” for a bioterrorist attack, public health officials said yesterday, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.
University of California Health System Seeks Replacement Nurses in Preparation for Planned Strike
In preparation for a one-day strike planned for May 29 by University of California health system nurses, a temporary nursing agency has offered to pay replacement nurses three times more than the average pay of some UC nurses, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Los Angeles County Will Recommend Layoffs, Hospital Conversions Next Month
The Los Angeles County Department of Health Services next month will recommend laying off 5,000 employees as part of its plan to address a budget deficit expected to reach $688 million in the next three years, the Los Angeles Times reports.
More Than One in Five U.S. Residents Cite Cost as Access to Care Issue, Study Finds
More than one in five U.S. residents last year reported having difficulty accessing health services, in large part because of cost, according to a study in the current issue of Health Affairs.
San Mateo County Supervisors to Provide $2.7M to Expand Children’s Health Insurance Program
San Mateo County supervisors last Friday voted to provide $2.7 million to expand the county’s Children’s Health Initiative to provide “near-universal care” for uninsured children, the San Jose Mercury News reports.
State Authorities Arrest 78 Individuals for Certified Nursing Assistant Test Score ‘Scheme’
State authorities have arrested 78 individuals in the Los Angeles area in a “scheme to sell passing test scores to applicants who otherwise would not qualify to work” as certified nursing assistants, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Los Angeles Times Criticizes Kaiser Permanente for Bonuses to Limit Conversations with Patients
A Kaiser Permanente practice that offered bonuses to telephone service representatives who limited doctors’ appointments and reduced patient telephone time “should anger and frighten” HMO members, according to a Los Angeles Times editorial.