Latest California Healthline Stories
House Republicans have raised questions about the Obama administration’s decisions to transfer money from NIH and CDC to help fund the federal health insurance exchange. According to the Congressional Research Service, HHS in 2013 used $454 million from the Prevention and Public Health Fund, which was created under the Affordable Care Act, and $158 million from the ACA’s Health Insurance Reform Implementation Fund. Kaiser Health News/MedPage Today.
Supreme Court Justices Appear Split on ACA Subsidies Challenge
Yesterday, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the case King v. Burwell, which challenges the subsidies to help U.S. residents purchase coverage through the Affordable Care Act’s federal exchange. While the high court’s more liberal justices seemed to support the Obama administration’s arguments, the conservative justices questioned the ACA’s language. New York Times et al.
Another California Superbug Outbreak Linked to Endoscopes
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center has reported four cases of antibiotic-resistant superbug infections linked to the same type of contaminated endoscopes that were implicated in a similar outbreak last month at UCLA Ronald Reagan Medical Center. Meanwhile, FDA has updated its safety warning about the devices. Reuters et al.
Bill Seeks Limits for Observation Stays at Calif. Acute Care Hospitals
A new bill by state Sen. Jim Beall would add restrictions and new requirements to observation stays at acute care hospitals, which often are more costly for patients than inpatient stays. A similar bill was defeated in committee last year. Sacramento Business Journal.
Study: Children’s Health Benefits Linked to Calif. Air Quality Gains
A new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine finds that children in Southern California experienced improvements in respiratory health when levels of nitrogen dioxide and fine particle matter in the air decreased. Researchers said the results suggest that the 1970 Clean Air Act seems to be working. Orange County Register et al.
GAO Says AHRQ Lags in Sharing Comparative Effectiveness Research
A new Government Accountability Office report finds that the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality has not done enough to share its comparative effectiveness research with the public, as required under the Affordable Care Act. GAO says HHS should require AHRQ to set time frames for sharing the data. Health Data Management, GAO report.
Utah House Committee Rejects Gov. Herbert’s Medicaid Expansion Proposal, Approves Alternate GOP Plan
On Wednesday, a Utah House committee rejected Gov. Gary Herbert’s alternative Medicaid expansion plan. However, the state House committee advanced an alternative proposal by House GOP lawmakers that would insure some of the most low-income state residents under the traditional Medicaid program and cover all other individuals earning less than 100% of the federal poverty level through Utah’s Primary Care Network. AP/Washington Times.
Dignity Health Reports Increase in Income in Q4 2014 From Medi-Cal Provider Fee Reimbursements
San Francisco-based Dignity Health reported a net income of $402.3 million for the fourth quarter of 2014, up from a net loss of $29 million in Q3 2014. The health system attributed the increase in part to $420 million in past-due reimbursements from the Medi-Cal provider fee, which federal health officials approved in December 2014. Sacramento Business Journal.
FDA Approves CIRM-Funded Clinical Trial for New Stem Cell HIV Treatment
On Tuesday, Richmond-based Sangamo Biosciences received approval from FDA to conduct a clinical trial on a new stem cell therapy designed to cure HIV. For the trial, patients with HIV will be given stem cells that have been genetically modified in a way that makes them resistant to HIV infection. The trial is partially funded by the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine. U-T San Diego.
Republican U.S. Lawmakers Propose Legislation To Protect Work-Based Wellness Programs
A group of six House and Senate Republicans on Tuesday introduced legislation that would protect employee wellness programs amid legal challenges to such initiatives. The group of lawmakers said the legislation would clarify that employee wellness programs are permitted under the Affordable Care Act and “eliminate confusion” spurred by the legal challenges. The Hill.