Latest California Healthline Stories
The Tennessee Medical Association, which represents 6,600 physicians in the state, yesterday filed a lawsuit against the state’s four largest health plans for alleged “unfair and deceptive business practices that harm physicians” and patients, the Memphis Commercial Appeal reports.
Altria Healthcare Corp., an Alabama medical services company, and tobacco company Philip Morris Cos. on Monday settled their disagreement over Philip Morris’ plan to change its name to Altria, the AP/Knoxville News-Sentinel reports.
Citing Health Concerns, Assembly Committee Passes Bill to Limit Weight of Textbooks
The Assembly Education Committee voted 8-1 Wednesday in favor of a bill (AB 2532) that would establish weight standards for school textbooks to help reduce the strain of backpacks on students, the AP/New York Times reports.
Department of Veterans Affaris Not Offering Long-Term Care Services to Some Veterans, GAO Says
General Accounting Office officials yesterday told lawmakers that the Department of Veterans Affairs has violated provisions in the 1999 Veterans Millennium Health Care and Benefits Act requiring the department to provide long-term care services for veterans, Gannett News Service/Chicago Sun-Times reports.
HIAA Denounces Use of ‘Harry and Louise’ Ad Supporting Therapeutic Cloning
The Health Insurance Association of America, which sponsored a television ad campaign in 1993 using the fictional couple “Harry and Louise” to attack President Clinton’s health care reform plan, yesterday “denounced” the use of the characters in ads supporting therapeutic cloning, the Wall Street Journal reports.
CMS Releases Guide on Quality of Care at Nursing Homes in Six States
CMS yesterday released a guide on the quality of care at more than 2,500 nursing homes in six states — Colorado, Florida, Maryland, Ohio, Rhode Island and Washington — as part of a pilot program to allow patients to compare the performance of the facilities, the New York Times reports.
Medical Board to Draft Improvement Recommendations to Present Before Joint Legislative Committee
The Medical Board of California agreed yesterday to present the state Legislature with recommendations for improving the way the board disciplines physicians and discloses complaints to the public, the Orange Country Register reports.
President Bush To Endorse Expanded Mental Health Parity Legislation
President Bush is close to reaching a compromise with lawmakers to back expanded mental health parity legislation, the Washington Post reports.
HIAA President Says Group Will Not Support ‘Drug-Only’ Plans for Medicare Beneficiaries
The head of the Health Insurance Association of America said yesterday that the group would not support an expected House Republican effort to provide a Medicare prescription drug benefit through “drug-only” plans administered by private insurers, reiterating a stance that led to a “nasty fight” over a similar proposal in 2000, CongressDaily reports.
The Santa Rosa Press-Democrat in separate articles on Monday profiled two Sonoma County residential recovery programs aimed at Latino immigrants with substance abuse and related problems.