Latest California Healthline Stories
Orange County Program Targets Obesity Among Latino Children
The Orange County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved a $170,000 grant for a 17-month program to “promote healthy eating and exercise habits among Latino children and families,” the Orange County Register reports.
El Camino Hospital Employees Call for Unionization Revote
Some El Camino Hospital employees who do not want to join the newly created local union organized by Service Employees International Union are “wag[ing] a campaign” to hold a revote, the Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal reports.
HHS to Delay, Revise Anesthesia Supervision Rule
The Bush administration yesterday announced that it would “delay — and ultimately undo” a federal rule issued by former President Clinton that would allow nurse anesthetists to administer anesthesia to Medicare beneficiaries without physician oversight, the AP/Los Angeles Times reports.
Medicare Drug Benefit Would Cost $1T Over 10 Years, Analysts Say
Congress would have to allocate up to $1 trillion over the next 10 years in order to give Medicare beneficiaries a prescription drug benefit with small copayments and no monthly fees, analysts told the House Energy and Commerce health subcommittee yesterday, the AP/Nando Times reports.
CHW Settles Medicare, Medi-Cal Fraud Suit for $10.25M
Catholic Healthcare West has agreed to pay $10.25 million to settle a whistle-blower lawsuit alleging that the hospital chain’s Mercy Healthcare Sacramento unit inflated Medicare and Medi-Cal reimbursement claims, the Sacramento Bee reports.
New Web Site Publicizes Links Between Scientists and Corporations
The Center for Science in the Public Interest yesterday launched a Web site providing information about scientists and the corporate support they receive for their research.
Legislative Committee Denies Funds to Fight Prison-Care Lawsuit
A state Senate Budget Committee subcommittee yesterday refused to approve $12 million sought by Gov. Gray Davis’ (D) administration to fight a class-action lawsuit charging the state with denying inmates “proper” medical care, the Los Angeles Times reports.
House Bill Would Speed Generic Drug Approval Process
Generic versions of brand-name prescription drugs could be “brought to market” more quickly under legislation introduced yesterday by Reps. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) and Jo Ann Emerson (R-Mo.), CongressDaily/AM reports.
Davis’ Budget Does Not Cut Deep Enough, Legislative Analyst Says
Gov. Gray Davis’ (D) revised budget proposal, released earlier this week, does not make “deep enough” cuts and could lead to a $4 billion shortfall in the second half of 2002, according to a report from the Legislature’s top budget analyst, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
HIV Prevention Grants for Religious Groups Draw Fire
HHS is offering $4 million in grants to fight drug abuse and promote HIV prevention in minority communities, but only to “faith-based organizations” or those “working with them,” upsetting critics who call the proposal “hypocritical and blatantly unconstitutional,” the Associated Press reports.