Latest California Healthline Stories
U.S. Rx Overdoses Increased by More Than 16% Last Year
Deaths related to heroin and prescription drug overdoses in the U.S. increased last year, according to the latest data from the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics. According to the data, 47,055 U.S. residents died of drug overdoses last year, up 7% from 2013. Of those deaths, 18,893 resulted from an overdose related to prescription opioid use, marking an increase of 16.3% from 2013. Washington Post‘s “To Your Health.”
Congress Considering Suspending ACA’s ‘Premium Tax’ for One Year
Congressional lawmakers are considering whether to suspend the so-called “premium tax” for one year in 2018. Republicans and health insurance companies have supported repealing the tax, which they say is passed on to consumers through premium increases. The Hill, CQ News.
Covered California Unveils ‘Hot Spot’ Maps To Target Uninsured
Tomorrow is the deadline for selecting a health plan through Covered California that will take effect on Jan. 1, 2016. Ahead of the deadline, exchange officials have unveiled several maps of “hot spots” across the state that have large populations of uninsured individuals. AP/Los Angeles Times et al.
Report Shows U.S. Health Care Spending Up 5.6% in Q3
A U.S. Census Bureau Quarterly Services report shows health care spending in the third quarter of 2015 was 5.6% higher than it was in Q3 2014. However, the report finds that spending is still growing at a slower rate than it did in the 1990s and early 2000s. Modern Healthcare.
Health Workers Among Top Paid Employees in Four Calif. Counties
An analysis of data on local government employees’ salaries in El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento and Yolo counties finds that 10 of the 50 highest-paid workers last year were health care professionals. The highest-paid health professional in the region was Placer County’s chief physician, who was paid $329,023. Sacramento Bee.
Stanford Health Care Unveils New $80M Neuroscience Health Center Slated To Open Next Month
On Thursday, Stanford Health Care held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its new nearly $80 million Neuroscience Health Center. The 92,000 square-foot center — which will deliver comprehensive care to patients experiencing neurological disorders, such as brain tumors, epilepsy and strokes — is expected to open for patient care next month. San Francisco Business Times‘ “Bay Area BizTalk.”
Case Challenging CalPERS’ Long-Term Care Rate Hikes Could Receive Class-Action Status
Late last month, Judge Jane Johnson in a tentative decision certified a lawsuit seeking to reverse hefty rate hikes for some CalPERS long-term care programs as a class-action case. Johnson has given CalPERS lawyers until Dec. 21 and lawyers representing the plaintiffs until Jan. 15 to file written arguments before she makes a final decision. Sacramento Bee‘s “The State Worker.”
Food Insecurity Linked to Poor Health Among Hispanic Californians
A CDC study finds that food insecurity can lead to negative health outcomes — such as psychological distress — among low-income Hispanic Californians. The researchers write, “These results demonstrate the need for further targeted public health efforts … to reduce barriers to participation in food-assistance programs.” California Health Report, CDC study.
A new UCLA study found that advanced-stage thyroid cancer rates are higher than the national average in some parts of California. Researchers found that 35% of Californians who have the disease were not diagnosed until it had spread to lymph nodes and other areas of the body, compared with the national rate of 29%. Avital Harari, lead study author, said researchers found no geographic pattern to which California counties had the highest percentage of advanced thyroid cancer patients. Harari said, “There’s definitely something going on here, but we’re not sure what explains it. To find the etiology of why it’s happening, we need more research.” Reuters.
CMS Posts Quality Performance Data on Individual Doctors
CMS on Thursday announced that for the first time it has posted quality performance data on individual physicians to its Physician Compare website. The data include 2014 clinical quality performance measures for about 40,000 individual physicians who reported such information through Medicare’s Physician Quality Reporting System. In a statement, American Medical Association President Steven Stack said his organization was “dismayed” by CMS’ decision to publish individual physician data. Modern Healthcare, Health Data Management.