Latest California Healthline Stories
California Hospital News Roundup for the Week of August 14, 2015
Registered nurses at Redwood Memorial Hospital have voted to join the California Nurses Association. Kaiser Permanente reported an operating income of $1.5 billion on revenue of about $30.3 billion for the first six months of 2015, compared with an operating income of $1.5 billion on revenue of $27.9 billion in the first half of 2014.
UCLA Study Finds Role Models, Other Social Support Can Help Curb Teen Obesity
California teens are less likely to be overweight or obese if they have protective social factors, such as positive role models, social and community activities, and school support, according to a new UC-Los Angeles study. The researchers recommended strengthening adult support at high schools in the state and subsidizing memberships for clubs and social programs to help recruit more low-income students. Payers & Providers.
Employers Delaying Changes to Health Plans in Hopes of ‘Cadillac Tax’ Repeal, Survey Finds
Many employers are holding off on changes to their health plans in the hopes that Congress will repeal the Affordable Care Act’s “Cadillac tax,” according to a survey conducted by the National Business Group on Health. Under the ACA, employers that offer health plans with annual premiums of more than $10,200 for individuals or $27,500 for families will pay a 40% excise tax on the portion of the premiums that exceeds those thresholds. The tax is set to take effect on Jan. 1, 2018. The Hill.
CMS Extends Enforcement Delay of ‘Two-Midnight’ Rule
CMS says it will extend an enforcement delay for the “two-midnight” rule through the end of 2015. The extension comes after CMS recently proposed changes to the rule, which assumes an admission is appropriate for a Medicare Part A payment if a physician expects a patient’s treatment to require a two-night hospital stay and admits the individual under that assumption. Modern Healthcare, CMS fact sheet.
Studies Show Employers Not Reducing Jobs, Hours Because of ACA
Three studies have found no significant shifts in employment or scheduling for any sectors, including those that rely heavily on part-time labor, since the Affordable Care Act took effect. Critics had said companies would sidestep the law’s employer mandate by hiring fewer employees or reducing workers’ schedules to fewer than 30 hours per week. Washington Post‘s “Wonkblog.”
Firm Says It Cannot Afford Settlement Over Lap-Band Ads in California
Top Surgeons, a company associated with the 1-800-GET-THIN marketing campaign for weight loss surgery, says it cannot afford a $1.3 million settlement reached over a false-advertising lawsuit because federal officials seized $109 million from the owners in an ongoing criminal investigation. Los Angeles Times.
Detained Calif. Youth Face More Mental Illness, Hospitalizations
A new study published in the Journal of Adolescent Health finds many children in California’s juvenile justice system are hospitalized because they have not received care for mental health issues before or during their time at detention centers. The study’s authors suggest justice and social services officials partner for earlier interventions. Reuters, JAH.
NYT Letter to Editor Urges California To Grant Undocumented Californians Access to ACA Benefits
In a letter to the editor published in the New York Times, Robert Ross — president and CEO of the California Endowment and a former Covered California board member — agreed with a recent editorial touting the success of the Affordable Care Act in California, but he adds, “Obamacare could be even more successful” if undocumented Californians were able to participate. He writes, “[T]heir exclusion undermines the principle of health care as a human right.” New York Times.
Lawsuit Accuses Calif.’s Largest Nursing Home Operator of Endangering Residents
On Wednesday, the family of a Mission Grove Healthcare & Wellness Centre nursing home resident who committed suicide last year filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court over the resident’s death. The lawsuit accuses operator Shlomo Rechnitz — who owns 81 facilities — of endangering patients at the South Pasadena facility and putting profits before the care of residents with mental illnesses. Sacramento Bee.
Officials at California Northstate University College of Medicine, a new not-for-profit medical school in the state, has received more than 700 applications and enrolled 52 students since receiving accreditation allowing the college to start offering classes this fall. Officials expect to meet their goal of enrolling 60 students for the first semester, which begins September 8. Sacramento Business Journal.