Latest California Healthline Stories
75% of Young Web Users Seek Health Information Online
Three-fourths of American Internet users between the ages of 15 and 24 have used the Internet to find health or medical information, according to a survey conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation.
Sacramento County Clinic Project Faces Budget ‘Overrun’
The projected cost of Sacramento County’s new primary care clinic has increased 38% from $30 million to $41.4 million, according to a revised estimate from county officials, the Sacramento Bee reports.
Gov. Gray Davis (D) announced Monday that Health-e-App, a new online enrollment program for Healthy Families and Medi-Cal, is now available throughout San Diego County.
DEA Head Blames OxyContin Manufacturer for Abuse of Drug
“Aggressive promotion” of the painkiller OxyContin by manufacturer Purdue Pharma has “played a role in its widespread abuse,” Drug Enforcement Administration Director Asa Hutchinson told lawmakers yesterday, the New York Times reports.
Increased Health Insurance Premiums Will Have ‘Broad Impact’ in Sonoma County Next Year
Increased health insurance premiums will have a “broad impact” on companies and employees in Sonoma County next year, according to a new nationwide survey, the Santa Rosa Press Democrat reports.
Bush Offers Compromise in Stimulus Bill Debate
President Bush, hoping to “break a stubborn impasse” in negotiations over an economic stimulus bill, yesterday offered a compromise that would expand unemployment benefits and provide additional funds to help unemployed workers purchase health insurance, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Pataki Lobbies for Increased Federal Medicaid Match
New York Gov. George Pataki (R) joined members of the state’s congressional delegation yesterday on Capitol Hill to lobby for an increase in the federal Medicaid matching rate, CongressDaily/AM reports.
St. John’s Service, Technical Workers Vote to Join SEIU
Service and technical workers from St. John’s hospitals in Oxnard and Camarillo voted last week to join the Service Employees International Union, the Ventura County Star reports.
Tenet Healthcare Agrees to Conditions to Purchase Daniel Freeman Hospitals
Tenet Healthcare Corp. has agreed to the conditions set by Attorney General Bill Lockyer (D) for the purchase of Daniel Freeman Hospitals, the last not-for-profit hospitals in Inglewood and Marina del Rey, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Texas County Prosecutor Drops Investigation of Public Hospital Care to Undocumented Immigrants
The district attorney of a Texas county has suspended his investigation into the county hospital’s practice of providing free nonemergency care to undocumented immigrants, the Houston Chronicle reports.