Latest California Healthline Stories
Medicare Part D Rates Expected To Jump by 13% in 2016
Many Medicare beneficiaries are facing sharp premium increases under Medicare Part D because of rising prescription drug costs. The average monthly premium for such plans in 2016 will increase from $36.68 to $41.46, or by about 13%. Even individuals who switch to lower-cost plans will likely see the largest premium increases since 2009. AP/San Francisco Chronicle.
Policymakers Criticize Potential Merger Between Allergan, Pfizer
Several policymakers, including some presidential candidates, are speaking out against a recently announced merger between drugmakers Allergan and Pfizer. Some critics argue that New York-based Pfizer is trying to use the deal to avoid paying U.S. taxes. AP/Sacramento Bee et al.
Stanford Study Finds Barriers to End-of-Life Care Across Ethnicities
A study finds that Asian, black and white Californians over age 50 value end-of-life care. However, the majority say they have experienced barriers, such as financial issues and poor provider communication, to obtaining such care. Kaiser Health News/KQED’s “State of Health.”
Spike in Medi-Cal Enrollment Adds Pressure to ‘Doctor Deserts’
A significant increase in the number of beneficiaries enrolled in California’s Medicaid program since 2014 has added pressure to the 214 areas in the state with physician shortages. Such “doctor deserts,” three-quarters of which are in rural areas, have one physician per 3,500 residents, compared with the statewide average of one doctor per 1,000 residents. Sacramento Bee.
UC-Davis Researchers Find Pigeons Trainable To Detect Breast Cancer on Radiology Images
Researchers at UC-Davis and two other institutions found that pigeons could be trained to identify cancerous masses in tissue slides and mammograms on their first attempt, according to a study published in the journal PLOS ONE. The researchers say the findings could affect how physicians read slides and mammograms to look for breast cancer. Sacramento Bee.
On Monday, civil rights lawyers seeking to intervene in a federal lawsuit against Los Angeles County over the care of inmates with mental illnesses appeared at their first hearing. The federal lawsuit came to an end in August after an agreement was reached to provide better treatment. However, civil rights lawyers say the new federal reforms fail to help individuals with mental illnesses get the care they need as they are released from county jails. KPCC’s “KPCC News.”
USDA Awards $23M for Rural Telehealth Projects in Calif., Other States
Seventy-five projects in 31 states are receiving a total of $23.4 million in funding from the USDA Rural Development department’s Distance Learning and Telemedicine program. Two California projects — at Adventist Health System-West and Imperial County Office of Education Foundation — were awarded a total of $462,894. FierceHealthIT, USDA release.
Report: Overdose Deaths Among Youth Up in Calif., 34 Other States
A new report by Trust for America’s Health finds that overdose deaths resulting from drug use have increased significantly among youths in California and other states. In California, the drug overdose rate among 12- to 25-year-olds more than doubled between 1999 and 2013. HealthDay/U.S. News & World Report et al.
Regulators should limit how much insurers can charge for high-priced prescription drugs, according to a report released Wednesday by the American Cancer Society’s Cancer Action Network. The report examined coverage for 22 cancer treatments in drug formularies for 66 health plans sold through Affordable Care Act’s insurance exchanges in six states: California, Florida, Illinois, North Carolina, Texas and Washington. The report recommended that HHS and state regulators restrict insurers from requiring patients to pay a percentage of drug costs. NPR’s “Shots.”
Last week, the Senate Commerce Committee approved a bill that would make skilled nursing facilities eligible for the Federal Communications Commission’s Rural Health Care Program, allowing them to apply for funding for broadband services. The Rural Health Care Connectivity Act of 2015, introduced by Sen. John Thune, would amend the Communications Act of 1934 to include SNFs in the list of providers eligible to receive financial assistance through RHCP. Health Data Management.