Latest California Healthline Stories
Survey Finds 81% of U.S. Residents Satisfied With ACA Coverage
A new Commonwealth Fund survey finds that 81% of U.S. residents who obtained health insurance through the Affordable Care Act’s exchanges say they are satisfied with their coverage. According to the survey, 15% of residents report they are “not satisfied” with their coverage. The Hill, Commonwealth Fund’s “Americans’ Experiences with Marketplace and Medicaid Coverage.”
California Leads U.S. in Total Number of Medicaid Beneficiaries
New data show that the number of Medicaid beneficiaries in California has increased by 34% since the Affordable Care Act went into effect. Meanwhile, Medicaid managed care plan providers in the state are more likely to face disciplinary action if they failed or conditionally passed site and medical record reviews. HealthyCal.
CalPERS ‘Tier 2’ Plans To See Contribution Rate Bump
Nearly 6,400 state workers who are in a lower-contribution, lower-benefit California retirement plan soon will see their contribution rates increase from 3% to 3.75%. The contribution rate change for “Tier 2” CalPERS members takes effect July 1. Sacramento Bee.
San Francisco Looks To Reduce Childhood Cavities, Improve Access to Dental Care
San Francisco public health officials have developed a plan to reduce the percentage of kindergarteners with a history of cavities from 37% to 27% by 2017. In addition, officials will work to reduce disparities in dental care among ethnic groups and improve access to dental care. San Francisco Chronicle.
Sacramento County Officials To Consider Plan To Provide Coverage to Undocumented Residents
This week, Sacramento County supervisors are set to vote to on a proposal to provide health care to undocumented residents. According to county estimates, providing comprehensive coverage to just 15,000 of the county’s 50,000 undocumented residents would cost between $41.9 million and $52.3 million. Los Angeles Times.
UC-San Diego Study: Azithromycin Could Fight Superbugs
A study by UC-San Diego researchers finds that the antibiotic azithromycin — the most commonly prescribed antibiotic in the country — can kill many drug-resistant bacteria, also known as superbugs. The antibiotic previously was believed to be ineffective against such bacteria. In a release, Victor Nizet, study co-author and professor of pediatrics and pharmacy at UC-San Diego, said the findings show that “[u]nquestioning adherence to a single standardized lab practice may be keeping doctors from considering potentially life-saving antibiotics — therapies that are proven safe and readily available in any hospital or pharmacy.” UPI, Medical News Today.
A trauma recovery center in San Joaquin County has been awarded a two-year, $700,000 grant from the California’s Victim Compensation Program. The grant will be used to hire psychiatrists, psychologists and case workers to provide counseling to individuals who are experiencing trauma symptoms, such as depression. Capital Public Radio’s “KXJZ News.”
House Rejects Bill To Cut Medicare Funds, Extend Retraining Program
The House has rejected a bill that would have cut $950 million from Medicare to extend a program to help retrain workers. House Speaker John Boehner and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi agreed to find an alternative source of funding for the retraining program. Chicago Tribune et al.
20% of Patients Revisit ED Within 30 Days, UCSF Study Finds
A recent study by researchers at UC-San Francisco finds that nearly 20% of patients discharged from hospitals in six states — including California — returned to an emergency department within 30 days, often choosing to go to a different facility. Meanwhile, about 8% of patients revisited a hospital ED within three days. AP/San Francisco Chronicle, MedPage Today.
California Workers’ Compensation Premium Volume Up 11% in 2014
New data show that premium volume in California’s workers’ compensation system increased by nearly 11% in 2014, reaching $11.4 billion. Last year was the third year in a row that the state’s premium total increased by more than $1 billion. San Francisco Business Times‘ “Bay Area BizTalk.”