Latest California Healthline Stories
Asthma, Bioterrorism Among New Community Health Concerns for Stanislaus County
Officials from the Stanislaus County Health Services Agency today will release a new report that lists asthma, bioterrorism and excessive weight as some of the county’s new “health worries,” the Modesto Bee reports.
San Mateo County Home Health Workers Ask Board of Supervisors for Increased Wages
San Mateo County home health care workers on Tuesday held a rally in Redwood City calling for higher wages, the San Jose Mercury News reports.
Physicians, Patients Prefer Phone Conversations, Office Visits Over E-mail, Study Finds
E-mail communication between physicians and patients may not be as helpful as previously expected, according to a study conducted at the University of Michigan Health System in Ann Arbor.
Few Benefits to Tax Credits for Those Over 55, Study Finds
Tax credits for the purchase of health insurance would “be effective” for young, healthy people but would “do little to ease the financial burden” for people ages 55 and older — the age group “most likely to rely on individual health insurance policies” — according to a new study published online today in Health Affairs.
The experience of California health care organizations (HCOs) working to comply with the HIPAA privacy rule suggests that although some changes are needed to implement the rule successfully, eliminating major components of the rule is not warranted, according to a new report from the California HealthCare Foundation.
Traveling Doctors Help to Fill Vacancies in Underserved Rural Hospitals, Clinics
A growing number of doctors are traveling around the country to temporarily fill vacancies at underserved rural hospitals and clinics — a trend that has allowed many small facilities to stay open, the New York Times reports.
New FDA Panel on Drug Safety to Consider Potential Reintroduction of Lotronex
A new FDA panel created to tackle the issue of post-market oversight of prescription drugs will meet for the first time next week to discuss the potential reintroduction of Lotronex, a treatment for irritable bowel syndrome that was withdrawn from the market in November 2000 amid safety concerns, the Washington Post reports.
FDA Approves Botox for Cosmetic Use
The FDA yesterday approved Botox, a toxin commonly used off-label to temporarily remove facial wrinkles, for limited cosmetic use, the Washington Post reports.
Lawmakers to Consider Mandating Coverage for Acupuncture, Infertility, Among Other Services
The Senate insurance committee and the Assembly health committee today will consider several of the more than two dozen pending bills that would require health insurers to cover additional services, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
Industry Opposition Slows Progress of Food Safety Bill
Legislation that would improve the safety of food has “stalled” in a House-Senate conference committee “because of resistance from the food industry,” the New York Times reports.