Latest California Healthline Stories
HHS Awards $29M to 48 Community Health Centers in California
HHS has awarded more than $29 million to 48 new community health centers in California to help increase access to care for more than 337,000 patients. In total, HHS during fiscal year 2015 has awarded more than $44 million to 71 CHCs in the state. Merced Sun-Star et al.
Data breaches have occurred in at least five divisions of HHS — including CMS and NIH — over the last three years, according to a report released last week by members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. The breaches were caused by security issues, such as staff errors, misconfigurations and failure to install critical software patches. The committee recommended that HHS revoke the security-related responsibilities of its CIOs and move chief information security officers to the general counsel. The Hill, Federal News Radio.
35K Combat Veterans Denied Health Coverage Because of Computer System Glitch
About 35,000 combat veterans appear to be unable to enroll in Department of Veterans Affairs health coverage because of a computer system error, according to an internal document. The document shows that 35,093 combat veterans who have applied for VA care are not receiving such care because they are incorrectly listed in the system as needing to submit a “means test” of their household income. Combat veterans are not required to complete the test, according to VA spokesperson Walinda West. They automatically qualify for no-cost VA care for five years. Huffington Post.
Poll: Uninsured Rate Declined More in States That Embraced ACA
A Gallup poll finds states that adopted the Affordable Care Act’s Medicaid expansion and operated or partnered with the government on a health exchange saw larger decreases in their uninsured rates between 2013 and the first half of 2015 than states that partially or did not adopt those provisions. California, which expanded Medicaid and ran its own exchange, saw its uninsured rate fall by 9.8 percentage points. Washington Times et al.
CMS Postpones Release of Payment Data for Risk Corridors
CMS says it will delay disclosing data on risk corridors payments made to insurers under the Affordable Care Act. CMS planned to disclose the information Aug. 14, but the release has been pushed back because of inconsistencies in the data. Modern Healthcare.
Anaheim Paramedics Initiative Aims To Reduce Costs, ED Crowding
Under an Anaheim pilot program, nurse practitioners ride with paramedics on non-urgent calls in an effort to identify on-site treatment options and avoid costly trips to the emergency department. ED overcrowding is an issue that plagues much of Southern California. USA Today.
California Has Most Potential To Improve Access to Pediatric Care
A study presented at an American Statistical Association conference finds that pediatric care in California is among the most accessible for privately and publicly insured patients. Still, California has the highest potential to improve access to pediatric care for publicly insured children. Medical Daily‘s “The Hill,” ASA release.
UC-San Diego, Chinese Delegates To Open Discussions on Building Medical School in China
On Thursday, an eight-person delegation from China is scheduled to meet UC-San Diego officials to discuss ways the university can help China create a school of medicine at one of the country’s oldest higher education institutions, Northwest University. The delegation will discuss the type of guidance UC-San Diego could offer on selecting the curriculum, faculty, infrastructure and research of the medical school. San Diego Union-Tribune.
Calif. Startup Provides On-Demand Home Care Visits
A California-based startup is modernizing provider house calls by delivering preventive and urgent care services to patient homes on demand. Heal — which is available in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Orange County — promises to “get a doctor to your sofa in under an hour” for a one-time charge of $99. Wall Street Journal.
On Tuesday, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors is expected to vote on a motion to spend $100 million on various proposals aimed at reducing the number of county jail inmates with mental illnesses. The motion, drafted by Supervisors Mark Ridley-Thomas and Sheila Kuehl, would create alternative community-based programs for individuals who are not a public threat and suffer from mental illness. KPCC’s “KPCC News.”