Latest California Healthline Stories
California Cities Use Planning Guidelines To Target Health Disparities
Yesterday, the Los Angeles City Council adopted planning guidelines that take into account several traditional and non-traditional health factors in an effort to reduce health disparities across the city. Many other California cities are working to develop similar plans. Los Angeles Times‘ “L.A. Now.”
Medicare Doc Payment Cuts Take Effect; CMS Has Flexibility To Delay
Former CMS Administrator Tom Scully says CMS could delay for up to three months a 21% cut to physician reimbursements called for by Medicare’s sustainable growth rate formula, which takes effect today. The Senate is not scheduled to consider a House-approved measure to permanently replace Medicare’s SGR until it returns from recess on April 13. The Hill, Washington Times.
SCOTUS Decision Could Limit Lawsuits Over Medi-Cal Rates
Future lawsuits over low reimbursement rates in California’s Medicaid program could be limited by a U.S. Supreme Court decision issued this week. However, some advocates say providers might have other avenues to challenge low rates. Los Angeles Times‘ “PolitiCal,” Sacramento Bee‘s “Capitol Alert.”
Calif. Senate Committee Investigates Workers’ Comp Reform Law
The California Senate Labor and Industrial Relations Committee held its first hearing to determine the progress of a 2012 law that aimed to overhaul the state workers’ compensation program. The hearing comes after the state Department of Industrial Relations warned insurers not to misuse the law. ProPublica, Hearing agenda.
L.A. County Reaches $4.5M Settlement in Medical Malpractice Case
On Tuesday, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors agreed to pay $4.5 million as part of a settlement to a man left paralyzed after health care providers at L.A. County-USC Medical Center took two days to identify a clot in a stent that cut off circulation to his lower body. After the incident, the county implemented a “corrective action plan,” which included improving transition of care between emergency and in-hospital care and boosting communication among health care providers. Los Angeles Times‘ “L.A. Now.”
Marin County Officials Back California Bill To Tighten Childhood Vaccine Exemptions
On Tuesday, the Marin County Board of Supervisors voted 4-1 to send a letter supporting a state bill that would make medical exemptions the only way to opt out of vaccination requirements for children. The bill is expected to be heard by the California Senate Committee on Health and the Senate Committee on Education next week. San Anselmo-Fairfax Patch.
Kaiser To Launch Large-Scale Autism Research Project
In July, Kaiser Permanente will begin recruiting 5,000 Northern California families who have a child with autism for a large-scale genetic research project. The project — which will include two genetic parents and a child from each family, for a total of 15,000 individuals — aims to better understand the causes of autism and factors behind the acceleration of the disease by collecting detailed genetic, medical and environmental information over a three year period. San Francisco Chronicle.
Sutter Health Reports $419M Surplus for 2014
Sutter Health reported a $419 million operating surplus on $10.2 billion in revenue for the year ending Dec. 31, 2014. The earnings brought Sutter out of a deficit after reporting a $22 million loss on $9.6 billion in revenue the year before. Revenue increased by 5% in part because the health system reduced by more than 50% the amount it set aside for bad debt. Modern Healthcare.
UC-San Diego Program Aims To Address Doctor Shortage
An online program developed at the UC-San Diego School of Medicine aims to retrain doctors from various specialties in an effort to stem a growing shortage of primary care providers. The 15-course Physician Retraining & Re-entry program, launched in May 2014, uses an electronic system to allow health care providers from “all other medical specialties” to be retrained as primary care providers. The program can last up to one year, but most participants complete their coursework in four or five months. The online program costs $8,500. Fort Smith Times Record.
SCOTUS: Providers Cannot Sue Over Low Medicaid Reimbursements
Today, the Supreme Court in a 5-4 decision ruled that under the U.S. Constitution’s supremacy clause, private health care providers are not able to sue state Medicaid agencies over low reimbursement rates. The high court’s ruling in the case, Armstrong v. Exceptional Child Center, reverses a lower court ruling that ordered Idaho to increase its Medicaid reimbursement rates. Modern Healthcare et al.