Latest California Healthline Stories
78% of Calif. Voters Support Putting Warning Labels on Sugary Drinks
A Field Poll released yesterday finds that more than three-quarters of registered California voters support adding warning labels to sugar-sweetened beverages, with support particularly strong among Latinos voters. However, a beverage industry group says such labels would be misleading. KQED’s “State of Health.”
Former Calif. Regulator Agrees to Fine for Assisting Kaiser in Audit
Marcy Gallagher, a former attorney with the California Department of Managed Health Care’s enforcement division, has agreed to a fine for helping Kaiser Permanente defend itself against the findings of a 2012 investigation in which she had previously been involved. Los Angeles Times.
Medical Marijuana Supporters in Signal Hill Working To Put the Issue on the Ballot
A group of medical marijuana supporters are collecting signatures for a ballot measure that would “permit medical cannabis in the heart of Long Beach by regulating medical cannabis,” after Signal Hill’s City Council in 2011 voted to ban medical marijuana dispensaries. The group has 180 days to collect the signatures of registered voters. If they meet the threshold, the measure would be put to a public vote during the next municipal election in March 2017. Long Beach Press-Telegram.
UC-San Francisco’s Fresno Medical Education Program and the UC-Davis School of Medicine and School of Nursing have been selected to participate in a new national professional development program designed to help faculty teams better prepare trainees to work together in patient-centered medical homes. The Professionals Accelerating Clinical and Educational Redesign is a three-year, grant-funded program that includes a total of nine institutions. The Business Journal.
California should become “a national leader in economic equity and environmental stewardship by acting on pay parity for all state scientists,” Martin Snider — research scientist with the state Department of Toxic Substances Control and a member of California Association of Professional Scientists — writes in an opinion piece. Snider notes that “[w]orkers represented by [CAPS] earn about 40% less than scientists in comparable local and federal government jobs and those represented by the state engineers’ union.” If pay parity for state scientists is not achieved, “the future of the state’s merit-based civil service system and the scientific infrastructure to sustain California’s public health, environmental protection and economic growth” is at stake, he adds. Sacramento Bee‘s “Soapbox.”
Many Drugmakers Have Increased Rx Prices by Up to 10% Since Late Last Month, Despite Criticism
Drugmakers have recently increased the prices of dozens of prescription drugs despite mounting criticism toward such price hikes. According to equity analysts, many drugmakers commonly increase prices for their drugs around Jan. 1, with some additional increases occurring throughout the year. A number of drugmakers have raised U.S. prices for dozens of brand-name drugs since late last month, with many of the increases between 9% and 10%, including Allergan, Amgen, Horizon Pharma and Pfizer. Wall Street Journal.
New Online Resources Announced To Help California, Other States Upgrade Medicaid Systems
On Monday, acting CMS Administrator Andy Slavitt announced a new online resource to support states upgrading their Medicaid systems. CMS said that nine states have fairly new technology and do not need replacements, while 28 states — including California — will require upgrades to their outdated systems. The new online resource will allow officials to review state guidance documents for a new system module certification process and vendors to identify systems that need upgrades. Healthcare IT News.
CMS Unveils 21 Next Generation ACO Participants
CMS has announced the 21 organizations — including three in California — that will participate in its Next Generation Accountable Care Organization Model. CMS’ four accountable care programs now include 477 organizations, which will provide care for a total of about 8.9 million Medicare beneficiaries. MedPage Today et al.
Sen. Dems Look To Lift Funding Ban on Federal Gun Violence Studies
A group of 18 Senate Democrats — including Calif. Sens. Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein — have urged leaders on the Senate Appropriations Committee’s Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Education to hold a hearing on whether to lift a budget restriction that prohibits federal agencies from spending money on research related to gun violence. The Hill‘s “Floor Action.”
UCLA Survey: 73% of Young Adults Would Delay Stroke Care
A national survey by Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center finds that nearly three-fourths of U.S. residents under age 45 would not seek care right away if they experienced stroke symptoms, such as numbness, difficulty speaking or severe headache. KPCC’s “KPCC News” et al.