Latest California Healthline Stories
GOP Offers Fetal Protection Bill
The House Judiciary subcommittee on the Constitution yesterday began reviewing a bill that would make it a federal crime to harm or kill a fetus during an assault on a pregnant woman, a measure abortion-rights supporters and opponents say “signal[s] the beginning of an effort to capitalize on President Bush’s election” with a “coordinated campaign” to restrict abortion, the Washington Post reports.
Judge Appoints New KPC Medical Management CEO, Approves $1.5M Plan
Criticizing KPC Medical Management’s “slow pace in analyzing unread mammograms and laboratory tests and forwarding” former patients’ medical records, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge James Barr on Tuesday appointed Franklin Stevens as the company’s new CEO as part of a deal that will give the company $1.5 million from health plans to expedite the transfer process, the Riverside Press-Enterprise reports.
Aetna Taps New California HMO Executive for CMO
Aetna Inc. has named Ronald Williams, president of WellPoint Health Networks subsidiary Blue Cross of California, to the position of chief of medical operations, the AP/Hartford Courant reports.
St. John’s Nurses Vote to Approve 4-year Deal with CHW
Nurses at St. John’s hospitals in Oxnard and Camarillo voted yesterday to approve a four-year contract with Catholic Healthcare West, the Ventura County Star reports.
DOJ Seeks $400M More in HCA Medicare Overpayment Charges
Although HCA-The Healthcare Co. has already agreed to pay the federal government $840 million to settle criminal and civil fraud charges, the St. Petersburg Times reports that the “nation’s largest hospital chain” may “owe the government even more,” according to a Justice Department court filing.
Providers Call HCFA Regulations Burdensome
Paperwork and the “burdens” of complying with HCFA regulations have “overwhelmed” some care providers, representatives of provider groups told the House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee yesterday in the subcommittee’s second hearing on Medicare reform, CongressDaily/A.M. reports.
S.F. Officials to Discuss Ban on ‘Too Positive’ AIDS Drug Ads
Concerned that AIDS drug advertisements are sending “too positive a message” about living with HIV, officials in San Francisco will hold public hearings next week to decide whether to ban public advertising of the treatments, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
L.A. County-USC Medical Center Director Resigns
Roberto Rodriguez, executive director of the Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center, announced his resignation yesterday, one day after Los Angeles County’s health director Mark Finucane said he is quitting, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Information on Patient Suits Against Health Plans Should be Public, Sacramento Bee Says
Information about arbitrations and civil lawsuits between patients and their health plans should be made public, a Sacramento Bee editorial says.
Health Groups Urge HHS to Delay Patient Privacy Rules
The health care industry wants HHS to “rewrite” medical privacy rules issued by the Clinton administration, saying that the regulations would “delay help to patients,” the AP/Washington Post reports.