Latest California Healthline Stories
San Diego County Adopts Laura’s Law Mental Health Program
Yesterday, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors voted to implement Laura’s Law, which will allow involuntary treatment of individuals with severe mental health issues. The law is expected to provide care to about 114 individuals in its first year. U-T San Diego.
Calif. Lawmakers Revive, Propose Changes to Vaccine Legislation
Yesterday, the authors of a bill to tighten the state’s childhood vaccination requirements proposed amendments that seek to ease critics’ concerns that children’s education would be affected if their parents refused to vaccinate them. The state Senate Education Committee will vote on the measure today. Los Angeles Times‘ “PolitiCal” et al.
Oakland VA Official Defends Claims Management Ahead of Hearing
On Monday, Julianna Boor, director of the Oakland Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office, disputed a VA Office of Inspector General audit that found the office failed to process hundreds of informal claims. The House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs is scheduled to hold a hearing on the audit today. San Jose Mercury News.
Poll: Few People Use Pricing, Quality Data in Health Care Decisions
A Kaiser Family Foundation poll finds that just 6% of adults use quality data when making decisions about a doctor, hospital or insurer. In addition, the poll shows fewer than 9% of people use pricing data when making decisions on health plans, while just 3% use such data when making decisions about physicians. Kaiser Health News.
JAMA Study Finds No Association Between MMR Vaccine, Autism Among at-Risk Children
Toddlers with an elevated risk of autism were no more likely to be diagnosed with the disorder if they received the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine than those who did not get vaccinated, according to a study published Tuesday in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The study — which included about 95,000 children with older siblings who were screened for autism — also found no difference in autism diagnosis rates for high-risk children who were vaccinated and immunized children with no family history of the disorder. Los Angeles Times‘ “Science Now,” U-T San Diego.
S.F. Officials Grant Preliminary Approval to Smokeless Tobacco Ban at Baseball Stadiums
On Tuesday, San Francisco supervisors unanimously voted on an ordinance that would ban smokeless tobacco, including moist snuff and chewing tobacco, at city baseball stadiums. The Board of Supervisors is scheduled to hold a final vote on the ordinance next week. If approved and signed by San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee, the rule would take effect Jan. 1 2016. Time, AP/Miami Herald.
Calif.’s SHOP Exchange Faces Private-Sector Competition
Enrollment in Covered California’s small employer insurance program grew by 35% since last August, reaching 15,633 enrollees. Meanwhile a private-sector competitor, called CaliforniaChoice, saw enrollment increase by 45% over the same period, reaching 218,648 enrollees. A CalChoice official said competition between the two exchanges is good because it helps to keep rates low. Sacramento Business Journal.
Calif. Could Be Model for National Paid Family Leave Law
Amid calls to establish a national paid family leave law, California — which is one of three states to fully fund its paid family leave program by withholding employees’ wages — could serve as a guide for a national standard. California, which offers six weeks of paid leave annually at 55% of employees’ weekly pay, is one of just four states to have enacted a paid leave program since the passage of the federal Family and Medical Leave Act more than 20 years ago. Kaiser Health News.
Support for ACA Outweighs Opposition for First Time Since 2012, Survey Finds
For the first time since fall 2012, more U.S. residents support the Affordable Care Act than oppose it, according to a poll released by the Kaiser Family Foundation on Tuesday. The poll found 43% of U.S. residents view the ACA favorably, while 42% view it unfavorably, with attitudes toward the ACA varying by party. The Hill, Modern Healthcare.
Nine Calif. Hospitals Among Becker’s List of 100 Best Facilities in U.S.
Nine California facilities were included in Becker’s Hospital Review‘s 2015 list of the “100 Great Hospitals in America.” The list was based in part on rankings from Truven Health Analytics, Healthgrades, the Leapfrog Group and U.S. News & World Report. Becker’s Hospital Review.