Latest California Healthline Stories
Experts: Zika Unlikely To Thrive In California Climate
However, officials are worried over what they don’t know about the virus. And WHO warns that it is “spreading explosively” in the Americas.
Opioid Abuse Efforts May Bring Lawmakers Together In Rare Show Of Bipartisanship
But both parties’ interest in finding bills to combat abuse, improve treatment and bolster some law enforcement programs doesn’t mean it faces smooth sailing in Congress. Meanwhile, experts and officials stress how urgent the crisis is at a Senate Judiciary committee hearing.
State Paid Millions For Expensive Hep C Drug
“Dollars that were intended for a wide array of medical services started being gobbled up by just one drug,” says Charles Bacchi, president of the California Association of Health Plans. Meanwhile, the Massachusetts attorney general is launching an investigation against the company that produces the drug, Sovaldi, over its pricing structure.
Bill Would Let Californians Know About Unreasonable Rate Hikes
SB 908, introduced by Sen. Ed Hernandez (D-West Covina), would require an insurer to send a written notice to its customers anytime regulators found the price hike for a particular plan to be unjustified.
CMS: Theranos’ Practices Pose ‘Immediate Jeopardy’ To Patient Health
U.S. regulators found serious shortcomings at Theranos’ lab in the latest in a series of setbacks for the blood testing startup. Deficiencies at Newark, California, lab “pose immediate jeopardy to patient health and safety,” the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services said in a letter to the company released Wednesday that demanded immediate changes at the lab and threatened the closely held company with sanctions.
CMS Guidance On Hospital Readmissions Urges Improved Care For Vulnerable Patients
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is urging hospitals to team up with social workers and non-medical personnel in an effort to cut back on readmission rates for many minority and low-income patients.
Health Insurer Missing Hard Drives Holding 950K Enrollees’ Data
The company says it does not believe the information is being used improperly, but as the latest in a series of data losses in the industry it’s another blow to consumer confidence in health IT security.
‘Trump Cannot Be Trusted,’ Anti-Abortion Groups Say
On Tuesday, a group of 10 anti-abortion leaders wrote an open letter to Iowa voters imploring them to vote for “anyone but Donald Trump,” saying they worry about his commitment to the cause.
Board: Ventura County’s Ban On Medical Marijuana Enterprises May Be Temporary
The board has asked for regulations it could put in place instead of outright prohibiting medical marijuana enterprises. In other local news, county planners say a project to transport heavy crude oil by rail is too risky to the public’s health.
Coalition Calls For Expired Drug ‘Take Back’ Rules
The group wants pharmacies to be required to take back expired medications, and it wants the drug companies to pay for it.