Latest California Healthline Stories
Tobacco Industry Seeks Academic Data to Fight Lawsuit
An attempt by the tobacco industry to obtain from 10 universities a “half-century’s worth of documents, notes and personal files” related to research on smoking has turned into a battle over “academic freedom and the confidentiality of scholarly research,” the New York Times reports.
HMOs Question 2% Increase in 2003 Medicare+Choice Rates
HMOs that participate in Medicare+Choice will receive a 2% increase in reimbursement rates for 2003, but according to health plans, the boost “will be insufficient to deal with rising health care costs,” the Washington Post reports.
California Hospitals ‘In Line’ with Nation in Leapfrog Group Patient Safety Survey
California hospitals fall “in line” with hospitals nationwide in meeting certain patient safety standards, according to a new survey conducted by the Leapfrog Group, a coalition of 90 large health care purchasers, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
Less ‘Blame’ and More ‘Solutions’ Needed for Uninsured, Los Angeles Times Says
With most national politicians either ignoring health care issues or using them as a “hammer” against election-year opponents, voters should note who is offering “solutions” and who is “cynically spinning” the debate, the Los Angeles Times writes in an editorial.
San Mateo County Establishes New Hospitals Department, Hires Director
San Mateo County supervisors Tuesday established a new county Department of Hospitals and Clinics and hired a director to administer the department, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
Bush to Propose Funding for Rx Benefit in FY 2003
President Bush plans to propose funding for Medicare reforms, including a prescription drug benefit, in his fiscal year 2003 budget, but will “leave the details for Congress to work out,” the AP/Nando Times reports.
Sacramento Bee Editorial Praises New Physician Group Performance Program
“There are not too many things to cheer about in today’s cutthroat health care world,” but a new physician group performance program developed by the Integrated Healthcare Association, a California health policy group, “is one of them,” according to a Sacramento Bee editorial.
HHS Unveils New Rules to Restrict Use of Medicaid Loophole
HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson yesterday announced new regulations to revise Medicaid’s “upper payment limit” rules, “further restrict[ing]” use of the Medicaid loophole.
Fiscal Concerns Threaten Health Care ‘Priorities’ in Congress
Democratic and Republican congressional aides yesterday “expressed a desire to get to health care issues that Congress failed to address last year” but “cited money and election-year politics as limiting factors,” CongressDaily reports.
Marin County’s Breast Cancer Rate Continues to Rise
Marin County’s breast cancer rate rose a “stunning” 20% in 1999, according to a study released yesterday that “solidif[ies]” the county’s status as the “breast cancer capital of the country,” the San Francisco Chronicle reports.