Latest California Healthline Stories
Officials: Calif. Needs More Time To Eliminate Gun Ownership Backlog
California has reduced a backlogged list of individuals who are prevented from owning guns because of mental health issues, violent behavior or other reasons by just 17%. State Department of Justice officials say the backlog likely will not be eliminated for up to three more years. Los Angeles Times‘ “PolitiCal,” San Francisco Chronicle.
Advocates Concerned About Kids’ Coverage in Calif. Exchange Plans
Several advocacy groups have expressed concerns about whether children receive adequate care in a timely manner under Covered California health plans. Six California groups sent a letter to exchange officials requesting information on enrollees under age 18 and said they could use the findings to request specific pediatric benefit requirements for the 2017 coverage year. HealthyCal, Advocates’ letter.
Bill Seeks To Protect Pre-Approved Injured Workers’ Treatment Plans
A California Senate Labor and Industrial Relations Committee has approved legislation that aims to prohibit insurers from changing pre-approved treatment plans for injured workers. Meanwhile, a recent study finds that the state’s 2012 workers’ compensation reform law appears to have reduced medical costs. ProPublica, Sacramento Bee‘s “Capitol Alert.”
California Hospital News Roundup for the Week of May 1, 2015
Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer has filed a lawsuit against Gardens Regional Hospital & Medical Center over allegations that the hospital participated in patient dumping practices. The California Department of Public Health has levied a $100,000 fine against Seton Medical Center’s skilled nursing facility for a November 2014 incident in which a patient died.
Sutter To Bring in Replacement Nurses During Strike
A Sutter Health spokesperson said Sutter Roseville Medical Center and Sutter Auburn Faith Hospital will bring in replacement nurses to continue providing care while nurses are on strike. Some of the hospitals’ nurses are set to strike on Friday over ongoing contract negotiations regarding health benefits, salary and nurse-to-patient staffing ratios. Sacramento Business Journal.
Palo Alto Medical Foundation Teams Up With United Healthcare To Create ACO for Bay Area Patients
The Palo Alto Medical Foundation and United Healthcare have announced plans to form an accountable care organization to serve 63,000 patients in the Bay Area who are enrolled in the insurer’s employer-sponsored health plans. The move is part of plans to shift the medical foundation to a value-based payment model. San Francisco Business Times‘ “Bay Area BizTalk.”
California Among Most Expensive States for Hospital Care
California has the second-highest hospital care costs in the U.S., according to a list compiled by San Francisco-based BetterDoctor.com. The list used data from CMS to analyze hospital-specific charges for the 100 most-frequently-billed treatments at about 3,000 hospitals nationwide. Dayton Business Journal‘s “Morning Edition.”
Some Insurers Not Following ACA’s Requirements for Women’s Health Benefits, Studies Find
Not all insurers are meeting the Affordable Care Act’s requirement that plans provide a range of preventive services at no cost, according to new studies from the National Women’s Law Center. In one study, NWLC found that several plans either did not provide certain FDA-approved contraceptives to some or all women or required cost-sharing for the products. In another study, researchers found that more than 50% of plan documents analyzed appeared to be in violation of ACA requirements for women’s health benefits. Kaiser Health News.
OIG Report Finds State Exchanges Might Be Misusing Federal Funds Under the Affordable Care Act
Some states operating their own health insurance exchanges under the Affordable Care Act might be using federal funding illegally, according to an HHS Office of Inspector General report. For example, OIG found that Washington state’s exchange budget was based on revenue from 213,000 enrollees but only 160,000 individuals have signed up. OIG criticized CMS, saying it had not provided adequate guidance about what is considered “operational costs” for state exchanges. The Hill.
GOP Negotiators Unveil Joint Budget, Strategy To Repeal Parts of ACA
Republican budget negotiators have reached an agreement on a joint fiscal year 2016 budget proposal that would allow the Senate to use the budget reconciliation process to seek to overturn parts of the Affordable Care Act. The chambers could consider the proposal as early as this week, but Democrats say they will not support it. Washington Post, AP/Sacramento Bee.