Latest California Healthline Stories
Cerulean Accepts WellPoint’s $700M Offer
Cerulean Cos., Georgia’s largest health insurer, accepted WellPoint Health Networks Inc.’s $700 million bid yesterday, less than a week after receiving a $675 million offer from Trigon Healthcare Inc., the Wall Street Journal reports.
Union Workers Plan One-Day Strike of Bay Area CHW Hospitals
Service Employees International Union Local 250 workers at three Bay area Catholic Healthcare West hospitals have approved a one-day strike to protest “inadequate” staffing standards, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
Bankruptcy Judge Approves Plan to Pay KPC Workers
A federal bankruptcy judge Wednesday approved a plan that will help failed KPC Medical Management cut final paychecks for its employees, the Orange County Register reports.
Medicare Solvency Predictions Inaccurate, Panel Says
Because of the increasing use of medical technology, health care costs “will grow faster” than what the government has assumed, giving Medicare a “less rosy” long term financial outlook, according to the Technical Review Panel on the Medicare Trustees’ Reports, the
New York Times reports.
Researchers Defend Importance of ‘Pollution Pill’ Study
Doctors at the Loma Linda University Medical Center defended their “pollution pill” research at a press conference Tuesday to “respond to media reports raising concerns” about the study in which human participants receive doses of perchlorate, a chemical in rocket fuel which has contaminated ground water in parts of Southern California, the AP/Arizona Daily Star reports.
DHS Receives Full Order of Flu Vaccines
The California Department of Health Services has received about 200,000 doses of the flu vaccine in the past two weeks, filling the state’s 730,000-dose order, according to DHS Director Diana Bonta.
White House Still Hopeful for Deal on Medicare Givebacks
The White House is “still determined to press for deals” on legislation to restore Medicare funding cut by the 1997 Balanced Budget Act when Congress returns next week, though the administration’s main focus will likely be on the outstanding FY 2001 appropriations bills, CongressDaily reports.
Mylan Faces $100M Price Fixing Penalty
The Federal Trade Commission yesterday approved a tentative $100 million settlement against Mylan Laboratories Inc. for lawsuits that charged the drug manufacturer with fixing prices of antianxiety drugs commonly used by senior citizens, the AP/Nando Times reports.
Department of Consumer Affairs’ Supervision ‘Faulty’
In a “scathing” 71-page report, the Bureau of State Audits “chastised” the state Department of Consumer Affairs for failing to “adequately” supervise regulatory boards and allowing their “weaknesses to go undetected,” the Sacramento Bee reports.
Glaxo Pulls Lotronex from Market
Following reports of deaths and hospitalizations resulting from the use of Lotronex — an bowel syndrome drug that received FDA fast-track approval — Glaxo Wellcome Inc. pulled the drug from the market yesterday after losing a protracted battle with the agency over safety problems, the Los Angeles Times reports.