Latest California Healthline Stories
HHS Announces $113M in Grants for Home-Based Care
HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson last Friday approved $113 million in grants to states to provide “critical support” for families that care for the elderly at home under the National Family Caregiver Support Program.
Higher Illegal Drug Use Among U.S. Teens
European teenagers are more likely to smoke cigarettes and drink alcohol than American teenagers, but American teens are “far more likely” to use marijuana and other illegal drugs, according to a report released yesterday at a World Health Organization meeting.
Stalled Talks Prompt DOJ to Threaten Other Suits Against HCA
Settlement negotiations between the Department of Justice and HCA-The Healthcare Co. over alleged physician kickbacks have stalled, prompting the DOJ to consider joining more “whistle-blower lawsuits” against the hospital chain, the Bloomberg News/Baltimore Sun reports.
Agency Examines Railroad Underreporting of Carpal Tunnel
The Federal Railroad Administration announced Tuesday that it will investigate a possible discrepancy between Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corp.’s disclosure last week that 125 employees have claimed job-related carpal tunnel syndrome since last March and the fact that the company reported no cases of the ailment last year.
Online Drug Sales a ‘Global’ Problem, U.N. Report Says
Prescription drug and illegal narcotics traffickers are increasingly using the Internet as a “powerful sales tool,” according to a report released today by the U.N. International Narcotics Control Board, the Washington Times reports.
Blue Cross, Sutter Reach Two-Year Agreement
Ending a nearly three-month contract impasse that forced thousands of Californians to choose between their doctors and their health plan, Blue Cross of California and Sutter Health yesterday announced a two-year agreement retroactive to Jan. 1, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
DOJ Expands ‘Whistle-Blower’ Lawsuit Against CHW
The Department of Justice is “joining new portions of a whistle-blower lawsuit” against Mercy Healthcare Sacramento and its parent company Catholic Healthcare West, the Sacramento Business Journal reports.
Court Decision Affirms Lifetime Benefits for Retired Military
A federal appeals court panel ruled earlier this month that two military retirees who served for more than 20 years are entitled to “free, lifetime health benefits” that they were promised before a law “effectively ended” this policy, the Washington Post reports.
Advocates Rally to Protect Clinton Rules
Public-interest groups and consumer advocates are “scrambling to protect” a number of Clinton administration regulations that could be rolled back or challenged by President Bush, the Washington Post reports.
Blue Cross, Sutter Health Agree on Third-Party Mediator
Offering a “ray of light” in their contract dispute, executives from Blue Cross of California and Sutter Health agreed last week to allow a “neutral third party” to review and evaluate Blue Cross’s proposal on reimbursements and to help both sides negotiate.