Latest California Healthline Stories
More People Exposed to Anthrax; Investigation Continues
As investigators continue to examine the anthrax incidents in Florida, at least five people in New York and five additional people in Florida may have been exposed to the bacteria, bringing the total number of possible exposures to 13, the Wall Street Journal reports.
Davis Signs Bills Criminalizing Attacks on Abortion Providers
Gov. Gray Davis (D) has signed a measure that will provide greater security for abortion clinics, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Davis Signs Bill Extending Domestic Partnership Rights
Faced with an Oct. 14 deadline to sign or veto legislation this year, Gov. Gray Davis (D) yesterday signed a bill (AB 25) that expands about 12 legal benefits, including medical benefits, for domestic partners, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Davis Signs Three Bills to Increase Medi-Cal, Healthy Families Enrollment
Gov. Gray Davis (D) this weekend signed three bills that focused on the Healthy Families and Medi-Cal insurance programs, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Davis Signs Bill to Establish Tissue and Organ Donor Registry
Gov. Gray Davis (D) last Friday signed a bill (SB 108) that will establish an organ and tissue donor registry — “but only if sufficient donations are raised” to cover the development costs of the program and cost of operations for the first year, the Sacramento Bee reports.
Ventura County’s Rival Public and Private Hospitals in Merger Discussions
Officials representing Ventura County’s “rival public and private hospitals” — Ventura County Medical Center and Community Memorial Hospital — have held “secret talks” over the past 10 months to discuss a possible merger, the Los Angeles Times reports.
House Ways and Means Panel Approves Medicare Reform Bill
The House Ways and Means Committee yesterday passed by voice vote legislation (HR 2768) that would reform the process that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services uses to hire contractors to process and pay Medicare claims, CongressDaily/AM reports.
Pfizer, IBM and Microsoft this week announced the launch of an independent, privately held joint venture, called Amicore, to provide office-based physicians with software and services for administrative, clinical and financial functions.
HHS Announces $50 Million in Medical Errors Research Grants
In the federal government’s “largest single investment” to date in addressing medical errors and patient safety, HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson on Thursday announced some $50 million in grants for research on the issue.
House Passes $123 Billion Labor-HHS Appropriations Bill
The House yesterday approved $123 billion in discretionary spending on health, education and labor programs for this fiscal year, an almost $14 billion increase from last year, the AP/Philadelphia Inquirer reports.