Latest California Healthline Stories
Lawmakers To Unveil New Effort To Pass Right-To-Die Legislation
During a press conference today, proponents of right-to-die legislation that was shelved last month are expected to unveil a new plan to allow physician-assisted suicide in the state. Sen. Bill Monning said the new proposal likely will come in the form of an Assembly bill. Sacramento Bee‘s “Capitol Alert,” Inside Bay Area.
Health Care Professionals Considering How Video Games Could Potentially Be Used in Health Care
Health care executives increasingly are paying attention to the success of online games, such as Angry Birds and Candy Crush, and the potential for such technology to be used in the medical field. Industry experts say there are a number of ways video games could potentially be used in health care, such as boosting cognitive skills for people with disorders such as ADHD, autism and depression; helping individuals manage chronic conditions; improving drug trials by screening for hard-to-diagnose diseases; and reducing health care costs. KQED/NPR’s “Shots.”
States Work To Add Residency Slots Amid Doctor Shortage
States with physician shortages are working to increase their available medical residency positions in an attempt to retain doctors they train. However, creating extra residency slots can be difficult. The spots mostly are funded by the state, hospitals, medical schools and Medicare, but the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 limits the number of residencies that Medicare can fund. According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, it costs about $150,000 to train each resident annually. Stateline/MedPage Today‘s “The Gupta Guide.”
Analysis Raises Concerns About Nursing Homes’ Medicare Billing
An analysis shows that nursing homes increasingly are billing Medicare for higher therapy levels. Payment rules adopted in 1998 let nursing homes bill Medicare more per day if they provide more therapy. In response to concerns over the billing practices, Medicare has hired a contractor to look into alternative payment models. Wall Street Journal.
California, Other States Look To Reallocate CHIP Funding Under ACA
Some states are looking to take advantage of an Affordable Care Act provision that increases the federal share of funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program by shifting state funding to other budget priorities. For example, the provision allowed California Gov. Brown to reallocate about $381 million from the program in an upcoming budget. The Hill.
Hispanic Children in Rural Areas Face Health-Related Challenges
Hispanic children who live in rural areas of California and other states often face barriers to accessing health care and social programs, such as the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children. Rural children who live in farming areas also are at risk of certain environmental health risks. Stateline/Sacramento Bee.
California Considering Drug Formulary for Workers’ Comp Program
California regulators are consulting with officials in other states in an effort to implement a closed prescription drug formulary in the state’s workers’ compensation program. Meanwhile, a state Senate committee today is set to consider a bill that would establish a formulary in the system by mid-2017. Business Insurance.
UC-San Diego Awarded $52M NIH Grant To Accelerate Rx Drug Development
UC-San Diego has received a $52 million grant from NIH to help accelerate the development of new drug therapies. The grant will fund several research and training programs at the Altman Clinical and Translational Research Institute, which is currently under construction at UC-San Diego’s health sciences campus. San Diego Union-Tribune.
Judge Rejects Injunction Against Calif.’s Doctor-Assisted Suicide Ban
A San Francisco judge has refused to issue an injunction against the enforcement of a California law that prohibits physician-assisted suicide. Three doctors, along with four patients, had sought a preliminary injunction, but the judge said the Legislature has better authority to address the issue. CBS San Francisco.
Sutter Health Looks To Offer HMO on Private CaliforniaChoice Insurance Exchange
Sutter Health and private insurance exchange CaliforniaChoice have signed a deal to offer Sutter Health Plus, its HMO, through the exchange as early as December. The deal, if approved by state regulators, would allow Sutter to expand enrollment among small business owners and introduce the Southern California-based private exchange, which competes with Covered California, to members in Northern California. Sacramento Business Journal.