Latest California Healthline Stories
White House Names Members of Bioethics Council
President Bush yesterday announced the names of 17 academics, physicians, lawyers, scientists and theologians who have been appointed to the President’s Council on Bioethics, which is scheduled to address the issue of human cloning at its first meeting today, the AP/New York Times reports.
AMA, PhRMA Meet to Address ‘Friction’ Over Drug Marketing
Trustees from AMA and executives representing the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America met last night to discuss drug “industry sales tactics,” the Wall Street Journal reports.
Rx Drug Discount Plan to Be Released ‘Any Day Now’
The Bush administration plans to release a new proposal for a prescription drug discount card for Medicare beneficiaries “almost any day now,” according to CMS Administrator Thomas Scully, CongressDaily reports.
Supreme Court Hears Case on Independent Review of HMOs
The Supreme Court yesterday heard arguments in a case that may determine whether states can require an independent review of health plan coverage decisions, USA Today reports.
Health Plan Coalition Unveils Details of New ‘Pay for Performance’ Program for Physicians
The Integrated Healthcare Association, a California health policy group, yesterday at a press conference unveiled a new physician group performance program that may help improve the quality of health care for about eight million state HMO members.
Pfizer Announces New Pharmacy Discount Card for Seniors
Pfizer Inc., the world’s largest drug company, yesterday announced a plan to offer its drugs to low-income Medicare beneficiaries at a flat fee of $15 per month per prescription, the New York Times reports.
Davis Budget Proposal Could Cause $4B Deficit, Analyst Says
Gov. Gray Davis’ (D) budget proposal is “overly optimistic” and could result in a $4 billion operating deficit in the 2003-04 fiscal year, according to the state’s independent legislative analyst, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Judge Rules DMHC Cannot Fine Blue Shield Over Weight-Loss Drug Coverage Dispute
As expected, a state judge in Sacramento ruled yesterday that the Department of Managed Health Care cannot penalize Blue Shield of California over its decision not to cover a weight-loss drug excluded in an obese member’s contract, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Survey Finds Widespread Use Of Medications Among Adults
Fifty percent of Americans take at least one prescription drug in a given week, while 81% take either a prescription drug, over-the-counter drug, vitamin or herbal supplement, according to a new survey published in the current issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
San Diego Trauma Center Reopens After Orthopedic Surgeons Sign New Contract
The Palomar Medical Center’s trauma unit reopened yesterday after its orthopedic surgeons ended a 15-day “standoff” with hospital administrators by signing a three-year contract, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.