Latest California Healthline Stories
Few Households Received Correct ACA Subsidy Amount, Report Finds
A new Kaiser Family Foundation report finds that nearly all U.S. families who received health insurance subsides under the Affordable Care Act will either have to repay a portion or receive a refund because their income changed over the year. Only 4% of U.S. households received a subsidy in the correct amount. Modern Healthcare et al.
SGR Replacement Likely To Pass House, but Fate in Senate Unclear
Both Republican and Democratic leaders expect the House to approve a bipartisan deal to permanently replace Medicare’s sustainable growth rate formula. However, it is unclear whether the measure will see action in the Senate before Congress enters a two-week recess at the end of this week. AP/Washington Times et al.
Four California Hospitals Recognized for Cancer Care Programs
Four California hospitals have received the Outstanding Achievement Award for cancer care from the American College of Surgeons’ Commission on Cancer. The California programs were among 75 nationwide to win the award. Southern Pines Pilot, ACS award recipients list.
Bill Aims To Expand California’s Paid Family Leave Program
A bill introduced by Assembly member Jimmy Gomez would increase from six weeks to 10 weeks the amount of paid time off California workers could take to care for a sick family member or a new child. In addition, the bill would increase the percentage of wages that individuals receive under the state’s paid family leave program. Sacramento Business Journal, Gomez release.
On Monday, Rep. Ted Lieu sent a letter to Olympus Corporation questioning how the company plans to make its medical endoscopes safer. Olympus produced the endoscopes that were linked to an outbreak of Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae at UCLA Ronald Reagan Medical Center last month. In the letter, Lieu asks Olympus to consider donating the devices to hospitals “until the design or cleaning problems have been resolved.” Olympus officials said they are reviewing the letter. AP/KPCC’s “KPCC News.”
Sacramento County Supervisors Move Forward With Plan To Improve Mental Health Care in Region
On Tuesday, Sacramento County supervisors approved a plan to reduce the unnecessary use of emergency departments for mental health issues. Each month, emergency departments in the county treat an average of 1,400 mental health patients in crisis. Under the plan, the county will seek $5.7 million in grant funding to open three new 15-bed crisis stabilization units and boost payments to three area psychiatric hospitals by $4.2 million. Sacramento Business Journal.
120M Affected by Health Data Breaches Since 2009
More than 1,100 health data breaches affecting at least 120 million individuals have occurred since 2009, according to a review of HHS data. Industry experts expect the number of health data breaches to increase in 2015. Washington Post‘s “The Switch.”
Exchange Enrollees Spend More on Rx Drugs Than Individuals With Commercial Health Plans
Individuals who purchased coverage through the health insurance exchanges in 2014 used more medications and had higher medication costs than people who were enrolled in commercial plans, according to a report released last week by Prime Therapeutics. The report found that people who purchased exchange coverage used an average of 11.7 prescriptions annually, while individuals with commercial insurance used an average of 10.3 prescriptions per year, marking a 13.6% difference between the groups. Minneapolis Star Tribune.
Fresno County Issues $477K in Fines for Violations of Medical Marijuana Ordinance
Fresno County has fined residents a total of $477,000 for violating a county ordinance that prohibits individuals from growing medical marijuana on private property. About a dozen lawsuits have been filed against the county for enforcing the ordinance, which went into effect 13 months ago. Fresno Bee, AP/Sacramento Bee.
SCOTUS Case Examines Mental Health Considerations During Arrests
The U.S. Supreme Court is considering a case centered around whether the Americans with Disabilities Act requires police to take special precautions when arresting potentially violent individuals with mental health issues. The case comes after a San Francisco incident in which police officers shot a woman with schizophrenia. AP/Sacramento Bee.