Latest California Healthline Stories
FTC Begins ‘Crackdown’ on Doctors, Hospitals Accused of Price-Fixing
The Federal Trade Commission has “launched a crackdown” on doctors and hospitals that join together to set prices in an attempt to counter managed care organizations’ bargaining power, the Wall Street Journal‘s Alan Murray reports in his “Political Capital” column.
Congress “appears likely” to pass a bill (S 913) that would provide Medicare coverage for cancer drugs taken orally, a move that would “provide tangible help” for many beneficiaries and “political benefits” for lawmakers in the absence of a comprehensive Medicare prescription drug benefit, the New York Times reports.
Declining Tobacco Tax Revenue Threatens Funding for Health, Child Development Programs
Health care programs funded through the state’s tax on tobacco products are facing cutbacks due to declining smoking rates, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
Following Rate Hikes, CalPERS Plans to Shift Focus to Quality of Care
Facing 25% average increases in its health insurance premiums for next year, the California Public Employees’ Retirement System “wants proof” that the higher costs will lead to better care for its 1.3 million members, the Sacramento Bee reports.
Sacramento-based Sutter Health reported $53 million in operating income last year, a 77% increase over 2000, as a result of a “remarkably strong financial performance” by five of the health system’s Sacramento-area hospitals, the Sacramento Bee reports.
Thompson Announces First NIH Grants for Stem Cell Research
HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson on Friday announced the recipients of the first four NIH grants for human embryonic stem cell research since President Bush approved limited funding for such research in August, the AP/New York Times reports.
Office of Long-Term Care to Request Additional $100,000 to Expand Home Care for Frail Elderly
The Office of Long-Term Care today plans to ask Senate and Assembly budget subcommittees for an additional $100,000 to expand PACE, the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly, a federal-state program that allows the frail elderly to reside in their homes rather than in nursing homes, the Sacramento Bee reports.
Kennedy to Propose Legislation Seeking to Cut Costs, Expand Coverage
Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) plans to introduce legislation later this spring that would cut medical costs and provide health coverage for millions of uninsured Americans, the Boston Globe reports.
Debate Over Mental Health Parity Legislation May Shift Focus to Breadth of Coverage
While President Bush is expected to announce his support for mental health parity legislation today, it is unclear whether he will endorse equal coverage for all behavioral disorders or only the most serious illnesses, the Washington Post reports.
Lawmaker Introduces Bill That Could Increase Reimbursements for Rural Medicaid Providers
Sen. Chuck Poochigian (R-Fresno) has introduced a bill that could increase payments to providers under Medi-Cal, the Fresno Bee reports.