Latest California Healthline Stories
Sharon Davis Announces Healthy Families Ad Campaign
California’s first lady Sharon Davis yesterday unveiled the latest phase of a statewide advertising campaign designed to increase children’s enrollment in Healthy Families and Medi-Cal.
Palomar Medical Center Posts Losses on Trauma Unit
Hospital district directors for the Palomar Medical Center in Escondido urged San Diego County officials to provide “immediate” financial assistance for its trauma care unit, which is expected to lose $1.7 million this fiscal year, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.
HMOs Direct Giveback Funds to Providers, Not Enrollees
Managed care organizations participating in Medicare+Choice have allocated most of the funds given to them under the Medicare “givebacks” legislation to increasing provider reimbursements, not to increasing benefits or reducing enrollee premiums as Congress intended, the New York Times reports.
Bush Will Offer Medicare Prescription Drug Plan to Congress
As part of his two step proposal to overhaul Medicare, President Bush plans to send his plan for a prescription drug benefit to Congress next week, where it is expected to meet opposition from congressional Democrats, the Boston Globe reports.
Federal Spending Data on Drug Treatment ‘Overstated’
Three federal agencies may have “overstated” and fabricated data about their spending for drug treatment and drug law enforcement efforts, according to a new RAND Corporation study.
Senate Unanimously Confirms Thompson
In a unanimous vote yesterday, the Senate confirmed Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson (R) as HHS secretary, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.
Federal Employees Health Insurance Program Under Review
The Bush administration has asked the Office of Management and Budget to review the Federal Employees Health Benefits Plan to look for ways to save money, the Washington Post reports.
Drugstore.com Posts Smaller-Than-Expected Loss, Sets Long Term Fiscal Goals
Although Drugstore.com’s stock dropped 17% Monday, after reporting fourth quarter losses that were below what analysts predicted, the company says its strategy of “controlling costs” will allow it to break even by 2004, the Seattle Times reports.
Long Beach City Council Approves Loan for Medical Center
The Long Beach City Council on Tuesday agreed to provide a loan of up to $2 million for repairs at the Long Beach Community Medical Center, potentially paving the way for the hospital to reopen, the Long Beach Press-Telegram reports.
Santa Rosa-Area Health Professionals, Purchasers Gather for Three-Day Summit
About 100 representatives from health plans, insurers, community clinics, hospitals medical groups, doctors groups, companies that purchase group health plans and other health care players will gather today in Santa Rosa for a “first-ever health care summit” to discuss the problems that “continue to weigh on medical services on the North Coast,” the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat reports.