Latest California Healthline Stories
Report Finds Less Bad Debt, Unpaid Care in Hospitals in States That Expanded Medicaid Under the ACA
Hospitals in states that have expanded their Medicaid programs under the Affordable Care Act are experiencing sharp declines in the amount of charity care they provide, as well as increases in admissions, according to a Crowe Horwath report. The amount of charity care provided by the end of 2014 in states that expanded their Medicaid programs had declined to 1.7% of their revenues, while bad debt in the states also declined from 2.5% to 2.3% over the same time period. In comparison, non-expansion states experienced increases in charity care provided, rising to 3.3% of revenue, and bad debt, rising to 2.6%. Modern Healthcare.
Poll: Views on How Money Affects Individual Health Vary by Income
A new poll finds that 32% of individuals with annual incomes of less than $25,000 believe that a lack of money has a negative effect on health, compared with 22% of individuals with annual incomes of more than $75,000. NPR’s “Shots,” NPR/Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health/RWJF poll.
Study: Many Doctors Grant Requests To Delay Childhood Vaccinations
A study finds that more than nine in 10 pediatricians say they have been asked at least once in any given month to delay vaccinating a child, while nearly 40% of physicians say they give in to such requests “often” or “always,” and another one-third say they acquiesced “sometimes.” New York Times, AP/Philadelphia Inquirer.
Legislation Would Grant Medical Marijuana Tax Break for Terminally Ill
California lawmakers are considering a bill that would give individuals with terminal illnesses a tax exemption for the purchase of medical marijuana. Meanwhile, a separate bill would expand the state’s ban on electronic cigarette sales to minors to include devices that are sold without nicotine cartridges. Sacramento Bee‘s “Capitol Alert,” AP/Sacramento Bee.
Report: Calif. Regions Boast Low Rates of Obesity, Unhealthy Habits
A new report by WalletHub finds that several California metro areas are among the best in the country for healthy lifestyles, low prevalence of obesity and low rates of unhealthy habits. The San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara region ranked third overall and had the lowest percentage of obese adults of any metro area in the report. KQED’s “State of Health,” WalletHub report.
Calif. Bills Aim To Set Standard Charity Care Requirements
Two separate bills in the California Legislature seek to develop uniform charity care requirements for hospitals and a standard definition of community benefits. One of the bills is being sponsored by the California Hospital Association, which has opposed similar measures in the past. Sacramento Business Journal et al.
$100K California Endowment Grant Will Be Used To Evaluate, Boost Maternal Mental Health Care
The California Endowment has issued a $100,000 grant to 2020 Mom to fund a study of maternal mental health care in California and bolster efforts to address maternal mental health in the Central Valley. The study will be overseen by the Central Valley Health Policy Institute. Central Valley Business Times.
Experts Say California Is Not Subject to Looming Supreme Court Ruling on Federal Subsidies
Covered California Executive Director Peter Lee said that subsidies used to purchase coverage through the state’s health insurance exchange will not be affected by the upcoming Supreme Court ruling in King v. Burwell, which could decide the fate of subsidies in the federal health insurance exchange. However, some experts say a ruling against federal subsidies could confuse California residents. Capital Public Radio’s “KXJZ News.”
Study: Hospital Rating Systems Vary Widely in Rankings
A study published in the journal Health Affairs finds four services that provide consumers with hospital ratings vary widely about which facilities are the best and which are the worst. The authors say the varying definitions of quality could confuse consumers and complicate hospitals’ efforts to focus their improvements. New York Times.
Hospital Executives Urge Congress To Reject MedPAC’s Site-Neutral Payment Recommendations
Hospital executives are lobbying Congress not to move forward with site-neutral payment policies that would equalize payment rates for evaluation and management visits provided inside or outside a hospital. The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission has recommended site-neutral payments for years and plans to continue its push in a March report to Congress. If Congress chooses to move forward with the policy, hospitals could see a $1.44 billion decline in reimbursements. Modern Healthcare.