Latest California Healthline Stories
Calif. Assembly Passes Bill To Ban Smokeless Tobacco at Major League Venues
On Thursday, the California Assembly voted 42-25 to pass a bill that would ban smokeless tobacco at certain baseball venues in the state to protect the health of players and to set an example for children and adolescents. Sacramento Bee‘s “Capitol Alert.”
Employer-Sponsored Coverage Holds Steady Under ACA
The percentage of workers covered by employer-sponsored health plans has held steady at just over 70% between June 2013 and March 2015, according to a report released Wednesday by the Urban Institute Health Policy Center. Some observers had argued that the Affordable Care Act would cause the rate to fall. Modern Healthcare.
California Falls to No. 2 for Health Exchange Enrollment
Recently released federal data show that California now has the second-highest health insurance exchange enrollment in the U.S., with 1.36 million California residents selecting and paying their first month’s premiums by the end of March. Florida is now the top state with nearly 1.42 million enrollees, but experts say Florida’s high exchange enrollment could be attributed to its decision to opt out of the Affordable Care Act’s Medicaid expansion. Sacramento Business Journal.
California Hospital News Roundup for the Week of June 5, 2015
The Oakland City Council has approved UC-San Francisco Benioff Children’s Hospital’s 10-year, $500 million rebuilding plan, the first phase of which will include constructing a new outpatient center. Adventist Health has donated $2 million to the Lodi Health Memorial Hospital Foundation.
Bill Would Make Pregnancy a Qualifying Event for Covered Calif.
The California Assembly has advanced a measure that would allow pregnant women to purchase health insurance through Covered California outside of the exchange’s open enrollment period. The move comes after U.S. Sens. Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein urged the exchange to make pregnancy a qualifying life event. AP/Sacramento Bee.
Experts Urge New Methods To Curb Cancer Drug Costs
Experts attending the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s annual conference this week are urging new tactics to curb the rising costs of cancer treatments. The experts said the current U.S. health care system uses payment policies that incentivize the use of costly drugs regardless of whether the treatments are more effective than less-costly alternatives. They noted that some cancer treatments cost so much that they prevent studies that would compare their efficacy with less-costly drugs. Modern Healthcare.
Policies Aimed at Boosting Organ Donations Ineffective
Policies enacted by states in recent decades to encourage organ donation largely have been ineffective, according to a study published Monday in JAMA Internal Medicine. From 1988 to 2010, the number of organ donations increased from 5,909 to 14,504, and the number of transplants increased, as well. The authors found that creating a revenue pool was linked to about a 5% increase in transplants, largely because of more donations from deceased donors. However, no other policies were connected to an increase in organ donations, the study found. Reuters.
Some GOP Governors Press Congress for ACA Subsidies Backup Plan
Several Republican governors are urging Congress to develop a backup plan in the event that the Supreme Court strikes down subsidies to help U.S. residents purchase coverage through the federal exchange. Meanwhile, officials in other states are considering contingency plans. The Hill et al.
Calif. Senate Approves Bills Targeting Rx Use in Foster Care System
The California Senate has unanimously passed a legislative package that seeks to reduce the amount of psychiatric medication prescribed to children in the state’s foster care system. Some advocates say the legislation could influence similar efforts across the country. Contra Costa Times.
Short-Term Plan Sign-Ups See Significant Gains in 2014, Despite ACA
The number of U.S. residents who applied for short-term health plans, which do not comply with the Affordable Care Act’s minimum coverage requirements, increased by more than 100% in 2014. Observers had expected enrollment in such policies to fall amid the ACA’s coverage expansions. Reuters et al.