Latest California Healthline Stories
Some Blacks Particularly Vulnerable to Colon Cancer, UCLA Researchers Find
A recent study by UCLA researchers finds that blacks are particularly vulnerable to colon cancer. The study examined the records of Californians ages 40 to 80 who had a family history of colon cancer. Fola May, a study author and gastroenterologist at UCLA, said that blacks “are more likely to get colon cancer, they’re more likely to have an advanced stage of disease when they’re diagnosed with colon cancer” and “[t]hey’re more likely to die from colon cancer.” However, just about 60% of black patients in the study had been screened for colon cancer. KQED’s “State of Health.”
There is wide variation in prices for hospital care and outpatient services across more than three dozen U.S. markets, according to a new report from the Health Care Cost Institute. The researchers found that the average difference between maximum and minimum index values within states was 38% for inpatient care and 25% for outpatient care. The researchers did not seek to determine a cause for price variation. Modern Healthcare.
Poll: Majority of U.S. Residents Believe Medicare Should Cover End-of-Life Planning
About 80% of U.S. residents say Medicare should cover end-of-life planning conversations between patients and their physicians, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation’s September Health Tracking Poll. According to the poll, 81% of respondents said Medicare should cover end-of-life discussions between physicians and patients and 83% said private insurers should cover them. Kaiser Health News.
Obama Signs Stopgap Spending Bill To Fund Gov’t Through Dec. 11
President Obama has signed into law a stopgap spending bill that will keep the government funded through Dec. 11. The measure, which passed both the House and Senate yesterday, does not include a provision to defund Planned Parenthood. Los Angeles Times et al.
‘Case Shift’ Under ACA Could Drive Up Calif.’s Workers’ Comp Costs
A new study finds that workers’ compensation costs in California and other states could increase by hundreds of millions of dollars due to “case shifting” practices under the Affordable Care Act. California — where 42% of workers are enrolled in HMO plans — could be particularly affected. San Francisco Business Times‘ “Bay Area BizTalk.”
Vaccine Law Opponents Fall Short on Signatures for Repeal Effort
A preliminary count shows that opponents of California’s new childhood vaccination law have failed to collect enough signatures to qualify a petition to repeal the law for the 2016 ballot. The group needed 365,880 signatures to qualify the ballot initiative, but the initial count shows it only gathered about 228,000. Sacramento Bee‘s “Capitol Alert,” Los Angeles Times‘ “PolitiCal.”
Poll Gauges Californians’ Opinions on Health Care, Pension Issues
A Public Policy Institute of California survey finds that three-fourths of California adults say voters should have a say in public pension decisions, 69% believe the government should not further restrict abortion access and nearly 70% favor increasing state taxes on cigarettes. Opinion is split on a tax hike that would fund education and health care programs. Sacramento Bee‘s “Capitol Alert” et al.
Kaiser Permanente’s coalition of unions has ratified a new national three-year contract that covers 105,000 Kaiser workers in 28 local unions and includes a fix to address rising retiree health costs. Under the new contract, Kaiser will offer retiree benefits through its Medicare senior advantage plan, instead of the current group retiree health plan. The change will take effect Jan. 1, 2017, for workers outside of California and 2028 for the 81,000 Kaiser workers in California. Sacramento Business Journal.
UCLA, VA Partner To Improve Veterans’ Access to Clinical Trials for Cancer
On Wednesday, UCLA and the Department of Veterans Affairs Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System announced a new partnership to provide veterans with access to clinical cancer trials. The two-year, $440,000 project will enable veterans to enroll in clinical trials being led by UCLA researchers. KPCC’s “KPCC News.”
California Health Care Organizations Transition to ICD-10
Today, California-based health care entities officially transition from ICD-9 to ICD-10 code sets, which will expand the number of new medical billing codes from about 13,000 to more than 68,000. Some major providers and insurers say they are prepared for the transition and are able to send and accept the new codes. However, the California Department of Health Care Services was one of four Medicaid programs that were granted a delay in making the transition because of out-of-date IT systems. Payers & Providers.