Latest California Healthline Stories
Proposition 36 Leaves Officials Handling More Hard-Core Addicts than Anticipated
Four months after Proposition 36 took effect, state and local officials are “scrambling” to handle a “clientele that is far more seriously addicted than expected,” witnesses told state lawmakers during a hearing yesterday.
CalPERS May Drop Proposal to Contract Directly with Providers
The California Public Employees Retirement System may decide today to “shelv[e]” an “innovative” proposal to bypass managed care organizations in favor of contracting directly with physicians over concerns that the switch “would not save money,” the Los Angeles Times reports.
Senate Begins ‘Messy’ Debate on Stimulus Bill
Senate leaders, hoping to avoid a “messy floor fight,” have proposed beginning negotiations with the House and the Bush administration on an economic stimulus bill “without even waiting for the Senate to finish … its version,” the Los Angeles Times reports.
eHealth Institute Holds Summit on Future of eHealth Applications
Nearly 100 “key” health and technology corporations, academic institutions, health care organizations, foundations, government agencies and not-for-profit groups are meeting this week at the “eHealth Developers’ Summit” in Aptos to discuss the future of eHealth applications.
USA Today Editorials Debate Assisted Suicide Issue
The “renew[ed] attack” on Oregon’s law allowing physician-assisted suicide is “misguided on several levels,” according to a USA Today editorial.
Pleasanton IPA to Shut Down Dec. 31
Pacific Health Care Systems, one of the Bay Area’s “largest remaining” independent practice associations and the sole IPA in the Pleasanton area, will shut down its operations on Dec. 31, “send[ing] its 30,000 patients to either new doctors or new health plans,” the San Francisco Business Times reports.
Salvation Army Repeals Health Benefits for Domestic Partners
National Salvation Army leaders have rescinded an order issued by regional officials less than two weeks ago that would have extended health benefits to domestic partners of employees in 13 western states, the AP/Contra Costa Times reports.
Medi-Cal Adds New FDA-Approved HIV Drug to its Formulary
Medi-Cal will begin covering Viread, an HIV drug recently approved by the FDA, state officials announced yesterday.
Frist, Kerry to Head New Bipartisan HIV/AIDS Task Force
Sens. Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) and John Kerry (D-Mass.) announced yesterday that they will lead a new bipartisan task force to “expand U.S. leadership” in the global fight against HIV/AIDS, the Nashville Tennessean reports.
States Looking to ‘Ration’ Medicaid Benefits
As the economy worsens and healthcare costs and unemployment rise, a number of states are considering a tradeoff designed to increase the number of people covered by Medicaid: broader eligibility requirements, but less extensive benefits.