Latest California Healthline Stories
California lawmakers should pass SB 1315, legislation that would “streamline current state prescription drug purchasing” and reduce costs through an expanded purchasing pool, which would include state organizations and private insurance companies and individuals, Jerry Flanagan, a health care and budget advocate for California Public Interest Research Group, writes in a Sacramento Bee opinion piece.
CMS Nursing Home Web Site Omits Health, Safety Violations
Nursing Home Compare, an online consumer guide of nursing homes prepared by CMS, fails to include “tens of thousands” of reported health and safety violations at nursing homes nationwide, according to a report to be released today by the House Committee on Government Reform.
Supreme Court Upholds Medicaid Assets Limit for Nursing Home Spouses
The Supreme Court yesterday ruled that states may continue to require spouses of nursing home residents to deplete some of their financial resources before those residents can qualify for Medicaid, the Washington Post reports.
CalPERS Considers Major Overhaul to Reduce Number of HMOs in Health Program
CalPERS is contemplating a “radical overhaul” of its health benefits program, possibly offering just a single statewide self-insured plan or only two or three HMOs, the Sacramento Bee reports.
California Medical Association May Seek Legal Age of 21 for Tobacco
The California Medical Association will consider seeking to raise the state’s smoking age from 18 to 21 — which would be the highest in the nation — during its annual session next week, the AP/Contra Costa Times reports.
AAHP Releases New Report on Medicaid Managed Care
Karen Ignagni, the president and CEO of the American Association of Health Plans, suggested yesterday that the federal government should assume all Medicaid payments for a limited period of time to help states cope with their budget deficits, CongressDaily reports.
Tri-City Medical Center Increases Nurses’ Salaries, Helps Reverse Nursing Shortage Trend
In an effort by the San Diego-based Tri-City Medical Center to retain its 517 nurses, the public hospital district said yesterday that the nursing staff will receive a 5% raise effective Sunday, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.
Several San Fernando Valley hospitals have “started to get well financially” after some “tough years,” but about one-third of the area’s facilities still face fiscal problems, the Los Angeles Daily News reports.
Judge Allows Some Patient Claims in Managed Care Lawsuits to Proceed
A federal court judge in Miami yesterday “refused to dismiss” several key claims in lawsuits filed in 1999 on behalf of health plan members against six managed care companies for allegedly “employing hidden financial incentives for physicians to deny treatment and cut costs,” the Wall Street Journal reports.
Davis’ Budget Proposals Fall $5B Short of Covering Deficit, More Cuts Needed, LAO Report Finds
Gov. Gray Davis’ (D) $97.9 billion budget proposal for fiscal year 2003 — which includes measures to reduce the state’s $12.5 billion shortfall — would leave the state with a $5 billion deficit, a study by the Legislative Analyst’s Office found, the Los Angeles Times reports.