Latest California Healthline Stories
University of California-Davis Children’s Hospital to Expand Pediatric Telemedicine Program
The University of California-Davis Children’s Hospital plans to expand the facility’s pediatric telemedicine program with a $250,000 grant from the William Randolph Hearst Foundation.
Rising Costs Force Many Large Employers to Reduce Health Benefits for Retirees
Increased health care expenses are forcing many large companies to reduce health benefits for hundreds of thousands of retirees or require retirees to cover more of the cost of coverage, the New York Times reports.
Senate Democrats, Bush Agree to a Compromise on U.S. Trade-Displaced Workers’ Health Benefits
Senate Democrats and White House negotiators yesterday “resolved major disputes” over a provision in a Senate trade bill that would provide health benefits for about 100,000 U.S. workers displaced by international trade, the Washington Post reports.
Many Doctors and the Public ‘Poorly Understand’ Risks Associated with Smallpox Vaccine
Many doctors and the public “poorly understand” the potential dangers and complications associated with the smallpox vaccine and need further education, according to survey results presented yesterday to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and the National Vaccine Advisory Committee, the New York Times reports.
CDC Issues New STD Treatment, Counseling Guidelines
Health care providers should administer annual testing for HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases to all of their male patients who have sex with other men, according to new CDC STD treatment and counseling guidelines released yesterday, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
CMS to Propose Rule Change for Non-Emergency Facilities Accepting Medicare Beneficiaries
CMS today is expected to publish in the Federal Register a proposed rule that would eliminate a requirement that hospitals accepting Medicare funds provide emergency care to patients even at non-emergency facilities, the Wall Street Journal reports.
EEOC, Burlington Northern Settle Genetic Testing Dispute; Company to Pay Employees $2.2M
As part of a settlement with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Burlington Northern & Santa Fe Railway Co. yesterday agreed to pay $2.2 million to 36 employees whom the company attempted to genetically test in secret, the Wall Street Journal reports.
Bakersfield Pilot Program to Allow Ambulance Patients to Select Emergency Room
Hoping to decrease emergency room overcrowding, Bakersfield health officials plan to conduct a month-long experiment in which most ambulance patients will be allowed to select which emergency room they visit, the Bakersfield Californian reports.
Hatch Opposes Provisions in Schumer-McCain Bill That Would Reform Drug Patent Law
Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) said yesterday that he does not support a bill (S 812) to update the 1984 drug patent statute that bears his name, “dimming prospects” that Congress will pass legislation to make it easier for generic drugs to come to the market, the Wall Street Journal reports.
California Not-for-Profit Group Files Suit Against Chocolate Manufacturers Over Toxic Metals
The American Environmental Safety Institute, a California not-for-profit group, yesterday filed a lawsuit against several large chocolate manufacturers, alleging that their products “contain enough lead and cadmium to pose a serious health risk,” Reuters/Los Angeles Times reports.