Latest California Healthline Stories
Refugee Health Tracking Program May Be National Model
California health officials have launched a new program aimed at tracking “every aspect” of refugees’ health status to ensure they receive appropriate care, the Scripps-McClatchy Western Service/Denver Rocky Mountain News reports.
AAHP Poll Finds HMO Reform Not a ‘Silver Bullet’ Election Issue
Just 18% of voters surveyed in an American Association of Health Plans poll listed health care as their top issue in this year’s presidential election, and only 2% cited managed care reform as a pivotal concern, while 45% listed education or the economy as the most important issue.
Web-Based System Expedites Referral Process
Medical Mutual of Ohio has developed an Internet-based system that enables physicians to process referrals over the Web. Physicians typically request referrals via telephone or fax, and then manually enter them into a claims-processing system.
UC Board of Regents OKs UCSD, Children’s Hospital Partnership
Without “dissent or discussion,” the University of California Board of Regents agreed yesterday with the recommendation of its health services committee and voted in favor of the merger between UCSD pediatric services and Children’s Hospital of San Diego.
Coalition Ad Urges Congress to Act on Hospital Funding
To fight against the health care cutbacks that were included in the 1997 Balanced Budget Act, the Coalition to Protect America’s Health Care released a new ad this week urging Congress to use part of the budget surplus for hospitals.
Chiron Price Tampering Suit Could Have Broad Implications
While Chiron Corp. is being investigated by the California state attorney general’s office for the pricing of a cancer drug Chiron has not sold in four years, San Francisco Chronicle columnist Tom Abate writes that the implications of the case “go far beyond Chiron or cancer
Regents OK UCSD Merger With Children’s Hospital
A “key” University of California Board of Regents committee unanimously approved a proposed merger yesterday between Children’s Hospital and University of California-San Diego’s children’s health facilities, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.
FDA Acknowledges ‘Possible Missteps’ in Handling Rezulin
In an internal report released yesterday, the FDA acknowledged that it has learned from its mistakes following the withdrawal of the diabetes drug Rezulin and should reevaluate its regulation of prescription drugs, the Los Angeles Times report.
APHA Conference Addresses Racial Disparities
Public health advocates and government officials gathered this week at the American Public Health Association’s annual conference to discuss ways to eliminate racial and ethnic disparities in health care and medical treatment.
Family Medical Group’s Debt May Reach $20M
The lawyer overseeing the liquidation of Family Health Care Medical Group said yesterday that the group may owe creditors up to $20 million, $14 million more than previously estimated, the Los Angeles Times reports.