Latest California Healthline Stories
Concord Health Firm Investigated For Illegal Medical Testing
A Concord occupational health firm is under investigation for allegedly hiring unlicensed employees to draw blood and perform other medical tests on “hundreds” of Bay Area workers, the Contra Costa Times reports.
Obesity Linked to Soda Consumption in Adolescents
Children who consume an extra soft drink a day have a 60% greater chance of becoming obese, a new study in The Lancet finds.
Bush May Tap Scully to Run HCFA
The “buzz on the hill” is that Thomas Scully, currently the president and CEO of the Federation of American Hospitals, is likely to be President Bush’ choice to head HCFA, Roll Call reports.
States Not Meeting CDC Recommendation for Tobacco Settlement Money
Only seven states have spent the CDC-recommended percentage of their share of the national tobacco settlement on tobacco control and prevention programs, according to a report that the agency released yesterday.
Protein Research Attracts Medical Firms
In the wake of recent human genome findings, protein research has “lur[ed] huge investments” from large medical companies, such as Abbott Laboratories and Baxter International Inc., in the “race” to develop genetically engineered drugs and diagnostic tests, the Chicago Tribune reports.
Register Looks at the Uncertain Future of Managed Care
The Orange County Register examines the fragile state of managed care in California, noting that its “promise[s]” of reduced costs, improved quality and a stable health care system “have given way to a system in crisis with no clear path to the future.”
McCain May Push For FDA Regulation of Tobacco
Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) is considering proposing a bill that would give the FDA regulatory authority over tobacco products, Roll Call reports.
Apache Medical Systems May Sell Off ‘Flagship’ Software
With Apache Medical Systems’ patient database software “not [catching] on among hospitals,” the company has decided to sell most of its products to Kansas City, Mo.-based Cerner Corp. in order to “bring an end to its financial troubles,” the Washington Post reports.
Prognosis Grim for State Hospitals, Officials Say
Reflecting declining Medicare reimbursement rates, combined with a nursing shortage, an increase in the number of uninsured residents seeking primary care in emergency rooms and seismic retrofitting requirements, the “prognosis” for California’s hospitals is not “good,” the Orange County Register reports.
Connecticut Doctors’ Groups File Suit Against Six HMOs
Two Connectiut physicians’ groups filed lawsuits yesterday against six large HMOs — Aetna U.S. Healthcare, Oxford Health Plans, Cigna HealthCare, ConnectiCare, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield and Physician Health Services — accusing the companies of “systematically harm[ing]” patients by “arbitrarily denying crucial medical treatment” and “illegally withholding millions of dollars in payments to doctors,” the New York Times reports.