Latest California Healthline Stories
ACLU Lawsuit Accuses Laguna Beach of Forcing Homeless Individuals With Disabilities Out of City
On Thursday, the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California filed a lawsuit accusing Laguna Beach of trying to force homeless people, particularly those with disabilities, out of the city through new laws and enforcement efforts. City officials in a statement said they were disappointed by the legal action, citing “the city’s proven track record of being a leader in providing services to the homeless community.” Los Angeles Times‘s “L.A. Now.”
Data integration within IT systems is one of the top challenges that health and human services agencies face in confirming benefit eligibility, according to a survey by MeriTalk. Respondents said that benefit eligibility and verification issues result in about $342 billion in improper payments annually. Becker’s Health IT & CIO Review.
Adolescents Who Did Not Get Necessary Health Care End Up Less Healthy as Adults, Study Finds
Adolescents who did not always get medical care when they thought they needed it were more likely to have poor health as adults, according to a study published in Pediatrics. Adolescents who did not always get medical care when they thought they should were more likely to have fair or poor health as adults. Such individuals also were at greater risk of functional impairment, depression and suicide ideation. MedPage Today.
Majority of U.S. Residents Say Rx Drug Costs Are Too High, Poll Finds
A new Kaiser Family Foundation survey finds 72% of consumers feel their prescription drug costs are unreasonably high, while just 25% of consumers taking at least one prescription drug say they have difficulty paying for their prescriptions. Survey respondents differ on what actions they think should be taken to address the high costs. Kaiser Health News et al.
California Senate Panel Approves Package of Six Tobacco Bills
Yesterday, the California Senate Public Health and Developmental Services Committee approved a package of tobacco bills, including a measure that would increase the minimum age for purchasing tobacco products to 21 years old. The bills now head to the state Senate Appropriations Committee. Los Angeles Times‘ “PolitiCal,” Save Lives California release.
Report: Workers’ Comp Medical Payments Fell by $100M in 2014
A new report by the Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau of California finds that medical payments in the state’s workers’ compensation system decreased by 3.7% to $2.5 billion between 2013 and 2014. The report notes that the drop in payments was partly offset by an increase in legal and lien costs. Business Insurance.
Funding Pulled From Bill To Increase Oversight of Foster Kids’ Rx Use
State Sen. Jim Beall has pulled all funding from a bill that would establish a system for public health nurses to monitor and oversee youths in foster care who are prescribed psychotropic medications. The move comes after the state Department of Finance said the measure would cost up to $10 million annually, putting pressure on the state budget. Contra Costa Times.
ACA Led to Drop in Calif.’s Uninsured Rate, but Care Delays Remain
A recent survey finds that the percentage of uninsured California adults under age 65 fell by more than 15% between 2013 and 2014 under the Affordable Care Act and expansion of the state’s Medicaid program. However, ethnic and racial disparities persist, particularly among Latinos and Asians. Kaiser Health News.
Poll: Most U.S. Residents Support Funding Health Care Services Through Planned Parenthood
A Reuters/Ipsos poll finds a majority of U.S. residents say they support federal funding for Planned Parenthood to provide women’s health exams, screenings and contraceptive services. According to the poll, 54% of respondents said they support federal funding for Planned Parenthood, while 26% said they oppose it. Reuters.
Labor, Medical Groups Back Senator in Wake of Recall Efforts Over Childhood Vaccine Law
Labor and medical groups, including the California Medical Association, have contributed tens of thousands of dollars to fight the recall of Sen. Richard Pan who authored a contentious state law ending personal belief exemptions to California’s childhood vaccine requirements. The recall is being sought by opponents of the law, who have until Dec. 31 to obtain 35,926 signatures from the 436,318 registered voters in Pan’s district for the recall to proceed to the ballot. Sacramento Bee‘s “Capitol Alert.”