Latest California Healthline Stories
Bush Offers Revised Medicare Rx Drug Discount Card Plan
The Bush administration unveiled yesterday a revised version of its prescription drug discount card plan for Medicare beneficiaries, hoping to overcome the obstacles that prevented implementation of the original proposal last year, the Washington Post reports.
Johnson, Thomas Seek Patient Privacy Rule Changes
Rep. William Thomas (R-Calif.), chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, and Rep. Nancy Johnson (R-Conn.), chair of the Ways and Means health subcommittee, this week sent a “testy” letter to HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson and White House Office of Management and Budget Director Mitchell Daniels calling for changes to a patient privacy regulation implemented last year, CongressDaily/AM reports.
HHS, DoJ Study Medicare Billing at Lovelace System
The Department of Justice and HHS are investigating the Medicare cost reports of a New Mexico health care group owned by Cigna, the New York Times reports.
Fort Lauderdale Company Offers Physicians Online Prescription Refill Authorization System
ProxyMed, a Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based electronic transaction services provider for physicians, announced Wednesday the “general availability” of a Web-based prescription refill authorization service that links physician offices with retail pharmacies.
Columnist George Will Calls Attention to Obesity Epidemic
In a Washington Post opinion piece, Syndicated columnist George Will lends his support to a recent surgeon general’s report on the health implications of obesity.
Thompson to Propose Plan on Medicare Provider Payments
HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson yesterday told members of the House Budget Committee that he hopes to send recommendations to Congress on a proposal to boost Medicare reimbursements for physicians, as well as recommendations on reductions elsewhere to cover the cost of the increase, within the next 10 days, CongressDaily reports.
Appeals Court Rules Medical Board Can Discipline Physicians for Alcohol-Related Crimes
The Los Angeles Court of Appeal ruled yesterday that the Medical Board can suspend or revoke the licenses of physicians convicted twice of alcohol-related crimes, even if the crimes have “no direct connection to medical practice,” the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
John Muir/Mt. Diablo Health System has extended contract negotiations with Blue Shield of California from March 4 until March 30, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
California Has Highest Number of Uninsured Health Care Workers, Harvard Study Says
Among the 50 states, California has the largest number of health care workers without health insurance, according to a Harvard Medical School study published in the latest issue of the American Journal of Public Health, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Sonoma County’s Second-Largest Medical Group Folds After Four Years
The Sonoma County-based St. Joseph Health Foundation, the administrative arm of Memorial Hospital’s physician operations, closes its doors today, the Santa Rosa Press Democrat reports.