Latest California Healthline Stories
Lawsuit Filed Over UCLA Data Breach Affecting Up to 4.5M
A class-action lawsuit has been filed against UCLA Health System over a cyberattack that could have compromised the personal health records of up to 4.5 million people. The lawsuit argues that the breach was caused by UCLA Health not adequately protecting patients’ sensitive information. Health IT Security.
Medicare Fails To Properly Scrutinize Providers, GAO Finds
Several thousand providers appear to be using suspicious addresses for Medicare billing and a number of providers participated in the program despite facing disciplinary actions from state medical boards, according to a Government Accountability Office report released Tuesday. Looking at U.S. Postal Service records, GAO identified about 105,000 Medicare billing addresses that might have been invalid. Wall Street Journal.
More Than Half of Baby Boomers Likely To Develop Alzheimer’s Disease by 2050
More than 28 million baby boomers will develop Alzheimer’s, and fighting the disease eventually will make up one-quarter of Medicare spending, according to a report released this week by the Alzheimer’s Association. The report found that more than half of baby boomers are expected to be affected by the disease by 2050. Washington Times.
Health Care Amendments Expected To Be Added to Transportation Bill
Republicans plan to offer health care-related amendments to a transportation bill under consideration in the U.S. Senate. Among other things, the expected amendments would target the Affordable Care Act and defund Planned Parenthood. Politico et al.
7.5M U.S. Residents Paid Individual Mandate Penalty, IRS Data Show
Preliminary IRS data provided to Congress last week show that about 7.5 million U.S. residents paid a penalty for not complying with the Affordable Care Act’s individual mandate. The average penalty was $200, while about 40% of individuals who were penalized paid $100 or less and about 5% paid $500 or more. Kaiser Health News, IRS letter.
Lawmakers Voice Concerns Over Covered Calif.’s Data Mining Plan
In a letter sent to Covered California on Monday, four Democratic House lawmakers from the state raised privacy and security concerns related to the exchange’s plan to collect data on how enrollees use their health coverage. The lawmakers’ concerns were prompted by recent cyberattacks and data breaches in California. Politico‘s “Morning eHealth” et al.
UC-Berkeley To Stop Offering Health Coverage to Dependents of Students
UC-Berkeley has announced plans to end health coverage for the dependents of students in an effort to keep student fees low. The university’s Student Health Insurance Plan is provided through Aetna and covers more than 200 children whose parents attend the school. East Bay Express.
Glendora Nursing Home Fined $100K Over Patient Death
The California Department of Public Health has issued a $100,000 fine to the Glendora Grand nursing home over a resident’s death last year. The patient had problems swallowing and choked to death after eating food taken from another resident’s tray. The nursing home has agreed to take corrective action, including full documentation of patients’ food needs and coordinated supervision of patients during meals. Glendora Grand also received an AA citation — the most harsh citation under state law. Payers & Providers.
St. John’s Health Center Foundation Files Lawsuit To Obtain Revoked $5M Donation Pledge
St. John’s Health Center’s foundation has filed a lawsuit against the estate of a woman who revoked a $5 million pledge to the Santa Monica hospital. Paula Kent Meehan, founder of the Redken hair care company, revoked the pledged donation after the hospital’s top executives were ousted and officials proposed selling the hospital. The case will challenge whether charities can legally enforce donation promises. Los Angeles Times.
Calif. Enrollment in Women, Infants and Children Program Varies
A study by the Public Policy Institute of California finds that enrollment in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children varies widely, with 49.6% of children in Kern County enrolled in the program, compared with just 11% of children in Placer County. Meanwhile, Latinos make up the largest share of enrollees. Vallejo Times-Herald, Inland News Today.