Latest California Healthline Stories
HHS Announces New Pilot Program To Address Medicare, Medicaid Beneficiaries’ Nonmedical Needs
HHS on Tuesday unveiled a five-year grant program intended to test whether addressing Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries’ nonmedical needs can help to improve such individuals’ health outcomes and curb health care spending. The pilot program, called the Accountable Health Communities Model, will provide $157 million in funding under the Affordable Care Act to “bridge organizations” that will work with Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries to identify the individuals’ social needs and connect them with appropriate services. AP/Sacramento Bee, The Hill.
Rate of Children Covered by Medi-Cal Visiting Dentists Up, Study Finds
A new study by the American Dental Association Health Policy Institute finds that between 2000 and 2013, the rate of children covered by California’s Medicaid program who had visited a dentist in the last 12 months increased by 13 percentage points. Watertown Daily Times et al.
Congress Passes Bill To Repeal ACA Provisions; Obama To Veto
Congress has passed a budget reconciliation bill that would repeal major provisions of the Affordable Care Act, including the individual and employer mandates. The bill now goes to President Obama, who is expected to veto it. Republican leaders say they will try to override a presidential veto of the measure, but they are unlikely to have the votes to do so. The Hill et al.
Survey Finds U.S. Uninsured Rate Plateaued at 11.9% in 2015
A new Gallup-Healthways survey finds the percentage of uninsured individuals hovered around 11.9% in 2015, suggesting that the country’s uninsured rate has now plateaued. Larry Levitt, senior vice president for special initiatives at the Kaiser Family Foundation, says he “believe[s] the health law has crossed the threshold of sustainability.” AP/San Diego-Union Tribune.
23 Programs Selected To Help Make California Healthiest in U.S.
On Tuesday, the California Department of Public Health and the state Health and Human Services Agency announced that it has selected 23 initiatives aimed at supporting California’s goal to become the healthiest state in the country by 2020. The effort stems from the Let’s Get Healthy California program, created by an executive order in 2012. Half Moon Bay Review et al.
On Monday, the San Francisco AIDS Foundation launched its new Strut center to provide prevention and health care services for gay, bisexual and transgender men. The center, which has raised $12.6 million of its $15 million goal, will offer testing, screening and treatment for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. San Francisco Business Times‘ “Bay Area BizTalk.”
Brown Declares State of Emergency Around Massive Southern California Gas Leak
On Wednesday, Gov. Brown declared a state of emergency around a well near Porter Ranch neighborhood in Los Angeles that has been leaking massive amounts of natural gas since October 2015. In his order, Brown said he will ensure the Southern California Gas Co. covers costs related to the leak and will convene a panel of scientific and medical experts to review potential public health concerns. Sacramento Bee‘s “Capitol Alert.”
High Costs in Calif. Prisons Driven by Health Care, Employee Benefits
California’s 2012 prison realignment plan has helped the state reduce its prison population, but it has not saved the state money. Higher costs per prisoner have been driven by court-mandated medical care improvements, and employee salaries and benefits, among other things. Reuters.
45 Rx Drugs With Ingredients Never Before Sold in the U.S. Approved by FDA Last Year
Last year, FDA approved 45 drugs with ingredients that had never before been sold in the U.S. — more than any year since 1996. In comparison, FDA in 2014 approved 41 such drugs. The increase in approvals indicates an industry-wide focus on treatments for rare and hard-to-treat conditions. Such drugs typically have streamlined FDA review processes, stronger patent protections and higher prices. AP/Modern Healthcare.
Medical Bills Daunting to Many Insured U.S. Residents
Many insured U.S. residents struggle to pay their medical bills, according to a New York Times and Kaiser Family Foundation survey released Tuesday. The survey found that 20% of insured respondents had trouble paying their household medical bills over the last year, compared with about 50% of uninsured respondents. Many respondents who reported problems paying household medical bills said the person who incurred the expenses were insured. New York Times‘ “The Upshot.”