Latest California Healthline Stories
Many research institutions are not disclosing clinical trial data to ClinicalTrials.gov as required by law, according to an investigation by STAT News. In 2007, FDA issued rules requiring researchers to publish a results summary on ClinicalTrials.gov for all eligible clinical trials within a year of the study’s completion. Four of the top 10 recipients of medical research funding from NIH — including Stanford University and UC-San Diego — were among the worst offenders. STAT News.
HHS Publishes Guidance Detailing Criteria for 2017 ACA Waivers
HHS has released new guidance regarding waivers states can apply for to be exempt from various Affordable Care Act requirements in 2017. Among other things, the guidance clarifies that HHS would reject waivers that would reduce the number of insured individuals, the affordability of health plans or the breadth of essential benefits health plans must cover. Modern Healthcare.
Feds Grant Short Special Enrollment Period for Some Consumers
Federal officials say individuals who experienced problems contacting the federal enrollment call center ahead of today’s deadline to sign up for health plans effective Jan. 1, 2016, will be granted a short special enrollment period that would allow them to sign up. A rush of consumers overwhelmed the center’s capacity yesterday. New York Times, USA Today.
CalPERS Panel Rejects Change to Private Equity Policy
On Monday, a CalPERS committee in a voice vote said that the fund’s staff could not remove language from a written policy requiring them to meet a benchmark for private equity investments. The proposed policy change was criticized by financial experts who said it would allow CalPERS to invest in the Wall Street sector without requiring higher returns to compensate for the additional risk. Los Angeles Times.
Many consumers might be unknowingly overdosing on over-the-counter cough and cold medications, according to a team of researchers at California State University and the University of California. The study found that most survey respondents were unaware that taking two or more over-the-counter pain relievers and cold medicines could pose health risks. Sacramento Bee.
Calif. Republicans Want To Boost Developmental Disability Funding
Some California GOP lawmakers are joining advocates in calling for a funding increase for programs that support individuals with developmental disabilities. Specifically, they support a bill that would implement a 10% rate increase for providers who treat such individuals. However, the legislation has been stalled by Democrats. Sacramento Bee.
Hearing Addresses Guns, Mental Health in Wake of Calif. Shooting
Yesterday, Rep. Mike Thompson held a hearing to address ways to curb gun violence. Among the proposals offered, stakeholders said gun violence could be reduced by increasing mental health services. The hearing came less than two weeks after 14 Californians were killed during a shooting in San Bernardino. AP/Sacramento Bee.
Dental Providers Face Barriers To Treating Elderly, Calif. Experts Say
Providers in California and other states often face challenges when providing dental care to elderly patients. Such patients often forgo dental care for various reasons, including costs, lack of coverage and existing medical conditions. Experts say dental students need more training on how to work with elderly patients. Kaiser Health News/Watertown Daily Times.
Federal Officials Seek Ways To Address National Cybersecurity Following Rise in Health Data Breaches
On Friday, the National Institute of Standards and Technology posted a request for information looking for ways to update the national cybersecurity strategy amid a rise in health care data breaches. Health care-related cyberattacks this year grew increasingly sophisticated and damaging. Preliminary findings from a Verizon report found about 90% of industries have experienced breaches of protected health information. Health Data Management.
Report Predicts Key Health IT Trends for 2016
The adoption and use of new health care technologies will help drive several new industry trends in 2016, according to an annual report from PricewaterhouseCoopers’ Health Research Institute. The report predicted that in 2016, cybersecurity will be a concern for mobile health applications and connected medical devices as the threat from hackers increases. In addition, it predicted that primary and behavioral health care providers will increasingly use remote technology to better manage patients’ mental health and directly connect with patients. MobiHealthNews.