Latest California Healthline Stories
Supreme Court Ruling on Medical Marijuana Has Little Effect
A month-old Supreme Court ruling prohibiting the distribution of medical marijuana seems to be having “little effect” in the eight states with medical marijuana laws, the AP/Nando Times reports.
Norwood’s Patients’ Rights Move Spurs Other Republicans
As expected, Rep. Charlie Norwood (R-Ga.), a key supporter of patients’ rights legislation in past years, “broke ranks” with President Bush yesterday and promised to “push for passage” of a bill favored by Democrats, Reuters/Washington Times reports.
Fresno County-Area EDs ‘Overcrowded,’ Increasingly Diverting Ambulances
The emergency departments in Fresno County-area hospitals are “overcrowded, underfunded and plagued with shortages of nurses and beds,” causing an increasing number of ambulance diversions, the Fresno Bee reports.
ANA, AFL-CIO to Form ‘Strategic Alliance’
The American Nurses Association’s labor arm is expected to vote to join the AFL-CIO later this month, the Wall Street Journal reports.
California’s Patients’ Rights Law Can be a Model for Federal Legislation, Consumer Advocates Say
Federal lawmakers debating patients’ rights legislation should “look in the direction of California, which has the strongest patients’ rights laws in the nation,” Jamie Court and Frank Smith write in a Los Angeles Times op-ed.
Christian Science Monitor Examines Medicare+Choice Enrollment Effort
The Christian Science Monitor today reports on efforts to attract managed care organizations back to the Medicare+Choice program and to increase the number of beneficiaries enrolled in managed care.
Patient Suits Against MCOs Dismissed in Part
A Miami federal judge yesterday “partially dismissed” several lawsuits filed on behalf of health plan members alleging that six managed care organizations illegally denied them medical care, the Wall Street Journal reports.
Norwood Set to Back Kennedy-McCain Patients’ Rights
Striking a “blow” to President Bush, Rep. Charlie Norwood (R-Ga.), a key supporter of patients’ rights legislation in past years, plans to announce today support for a bill favored by Democrats, the New York Times reports.
Border Govs. See Drug Trafficking as a Public Health Issue
Governors from the Mexican and U.S. sides of the border have agreed to form a “commission of scholars” to study drug trafficking as a public health issue, the AP/Nando Times reports.
Aetna to End HMO Services in Parts of State
Aetna Inc. announced yesterday that it will drop HMO services in all or part of 13 California counties — a move designed to increase profitability by “paring down membership,” Reuters/Los Angeles Times reports.