Latest California Healthline Stories
Additional Vaccine Bills ‘Quietly’ Make Way Through Calif. Legislature
Two California vaccination bills are “quietly” making their way through the California Legislature amid a separate debate over “personal belief” exemptions. The bills aim to improve immunization rates among two-year-old children in the state and vaccination rates of day care workers. KQED’s “State of Health.”
DPH Fines 12 California Hospitals $750K for Adverse Events
Yesterday, the California Department of Public Health fined 12 hospitals a total of $775,000 for various adverse events, several of which led to patient deaths. The fines ranged from $50,000 to $100,000. San Francisco Chronicle et al.
Western Dental To Stop Accepting New Patients Under Denti-Cal
Western Dental, one of California’s largest Denti-Cal providers, has announced it will stop accepting new patients covered by the low-income program beginning next month, in large part because of low reimbursement rates. State officials say they are taking steps to ensure beneficiaries of the program have adequate access to dental care. Sacramento Business Journal.
FTC, State Regulators File Complaint Against ‘Sham’ Cancer Charities; Some Settlements Reached
Four “sham” cancer charities misused much of the $187 million they received between 2008 and 2012, according to a complaint filed on Tuesday by the Federal Trade Commission and regulators from all 50 states and Washington, D.C. The charities were run by James Reynolds, Sr., his son James Reynolds, Jr. and his ex-wife Rose Perkins. FTC said that litigation will continue against Reynolds, Sr., while his ex-wife and son have agreed to settlements that will ban them from fundraising. AP/Modern Healthcare, New York Times.
More Than 33% of U.S. Adults at Risk for Metabolic Syndrome, Calif. Researchers Find
More than one-third of U.S. adults ages 20 and up could have a combination of health problems known as metabolic syndrome, that increase the risk of heart disease and diabetes, according to a study by researchers from Alameda Health System-Highland Hospital. The study found the syndrome is most common among Hispanic people and chances of diagnosis increased with age. CBS News, Reuters/Fox News.
Anthem Blue Cross Plans in Calif. To Allow Out-of-State Coverage in 2016, Officials Say
Anthem Blue Cross officials are working to adjust plans sold in California next year to include out-of-state doctors as part of members’ benefits. The change comes in response to feedback from members in Northern California who routinely go across the border to Nevada and Oregon for routine medical care. Capital Public Radio’s “KXJZ News.”
Berkeley’s New Tax on Sugar-Sweetened Beverages Brought in $116K in its First Month
Berkeley’s penny-per-ounce tax on sugar-sweetened beverages has garnered $116,000 in the first month it was enacted. The tax took effect on March 1 and is the first of its kind in the U.S. Berkeley City Council member Linda Maio has estimated that the tax will bring in $1.2 million during the first year. KQED’s “KQED News.”
CMA Warns Against Encouraging Opponents of a Childhood Vaccine Bill To Stalk Lobbyists
In a letter to a California Chiropractic Association official, the California Medical Association warns against encouraging opponents of a childhood vaccination bill to stalk lobbyists who support the measure. SB 277 would end personal belief exemptions to childhood vaccination requirements in the state. The letter states that CCA President Brian Stenzler in a video urged opponents of the bill to follow lobbyists “all day long.” Sacramento Bee‘s “Capitol Alert.”
About 31M U.S. Residents Were Underinsured in 2014, Report Finds
A new Commonwealth Fund report finds that 23% of U.S. adults were underinsured last year, similar to the rate in 2012. The findings considered individuals to be underinsured if they had health coverage but were responsible for out-of-pocket medical costs exceeding what they could afford. The Hill, Modern Healthcare.
147K Enrolled in Federal Exchange During Special Enrollment Period
Federal officials say about 147,000 U.S. residents signed up for health coverage through the federal exchange during the special open enrollment period that ran from March 15 through April 30. By enrolling during the special enrollment period, individuals who had been uninsured avoid the individual mandate penalty for 2015. The Hill.