Morning Breakouts

Latest California Healthline Stories

Scully Says CMS Will Address Medicare Provider Complaints

Although President Bush’s proposed fiscal year 2003 budget contains only one item related to boosting Medicare reimbursements to providers, the administration intends to work with Congress this year to address provider complaints about low payments, CMS Administrator Thomas Scully said yesterday.

Reduction in Estimated Tax Revenue, Bush Budget May ‘Compound’ State Budget Shortfall

California’s “preliminary January tax collections” have dropped between $600 million and $1.3 billion from earlier estimates, according to new forecasts that state officials released Tuesday, the Los Angeles Times reports.

Doctor Groups ‘Update’ Hippocratic Oath

Several physician organizations have joined together to create a new set of guidelines to “act as a supplement” to what some in the medical profession have called an “outdated” Hippocratic oath, the Washington Times reports.

Drug Costs for Mentally Ill Likely to Double in Alameda County Jails

Drug costs for mentally ill inmates in Alameda County jails are likely to double this year as newer, more expensive medications are being prescribed more frequently, the Oakland Tribune reports.

Medical Guidelines Often Written by MDs with Drug Company Ties

Almost nine out of 10 doctors who wrote clinical practice guidelines used by other physicians had “financial relationships” with drug companies at the time, according to a study published today in the Journal of the American Medical Association, the Chicago Tribune reports.

U.N., Markle Foundation Launch Project to Improve Health, Education in Developing Countries Through IT

The United Nations Development Program and the Markle Foundation announced a project yesterday to improve health care, education and business development in developing nations by bolstering their information technology infrastructure.

Bush Pushes Bioterrorism Budget Request in Pittsburgh

President Bush traveled to Pittsburgh yesterday to promote his budget request to increase spending on bioterrorism preparedness to $5.9 billion, saying the unprecedented funding level would both protect against future bioterrorist attacks and improve the nation’s public health system, the Washington Post reports.

Rival Economic Stimulus Bills Likely to Die in Senate

A “bitterly divided Senate” is expected to “shelve” rival versions of an economic stimulus package — both containing health provisions — during crucial procedural votes today, the Los Angeles Times reports.

CMA Seeks Ballot Measure to Boost Funding for Emergency Rooms and Trauma Centers

The California Medical Association is planning to spend up to $5 million on a ballot measure in November that would ask voters to pay increased state fees to help shore up the state’s emergency rooms and trauma centers, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.