Latest California Healthline Stories
Citing Health Concerns, Assembly Defeats Bill to Ease Restrictions in State’s Motorcycle Helmet Law
The Assembly yesterday defeated a bill (AB 2700) that would have allowed individuals ages 21 and older to ride a motorcycle without a helmet, provided that they purchase a $1 million health insurance policy, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Contra Costa County Multiunion Agreement Hinges on Nurses’ Approval
Contra Costa County’s “all-or-nothing” deal with its unions “hinge[s]” on approval by the county’s nurses association, which has twice rejected the county’s offer, the Contra Costa Times reports.
Los Angeles Times Examines Support, Opposition to Pharmaceutical Companies’ Discount Rx Card Plan
The Los Angeles Times yesterday detailed support for and opposition to discount cards offered by drug companies.
The Medical Board of California on Saturday voted to disclose all medical malpractice settlements on the board’s Web site and to “significantly expand public access” to disciplinary information on physicians, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Health Access California, a coalition of more than 200 state organizations, held a rally in San Francisco last week to protest $239.6 million in proposed funding cuts that they say will “imperil” the state’s public hospital system, the Contra Costa Times reports.
Commonwealth Fund Releases Chartbook on Quality of Health Care
The Commonwealth Fund last Friday released a chartbook providing the “first-of-its-kind portrait of the state of health care quality” in the United States.
President Bush’s Tax Credit Proposal ‘Falls Far Short’ of Health Premium Costs, Study Finds
The tax credit plan that President Bush has proposed to help low-income Americans purchase health coverage “falls far short” of the cost of health insurance premiums nationwide, according to a Families USA study scheduled for release today, the Washington Post reports.
About 1,000 additional children of low-income undocumented immigrants who reside in Orange County will have access to health services at no cost through a program sponsored by a not-for-profit consortium, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Some Bottles of GlaxoSmithKline’s AIDS Treatment Ziagen Mislabeled; FDA To Investigate
At least four sealed bottles of GlaxoSmithKline’s AIDS medication Ziagen were improperly labeled and sold as Combivir, leading the FDA to open an investigation into possible counterfeiting, the Washington Post reports.
Dorgan Introduces Bill Banning Reproductive Cloning, Does Not Address Therapeutic Cloning
Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.) has introduced a bill (S 2076) that would ban reproductive cloning but “remains silent” about therapeutic cloning, the Washington Times reports.