Latest California Healthline Stories
Burwell Says Medicare Beneficiaries Used More Preventive Services, Spent Less on Rx Drugs Under ACA
HHS Secretary Sylvia Mathews Burwell on Tuesday said the Affordable Care Act has reduced prescription drug costs and increased Medicare beneficiaries’ use of preventive services. During an American Medical Association meeting, Burwell said that Medicare beneficiaries “saved more than $15 billion on prescription drugs since President Obama signed the [ACA] in 2010.” The Hill.
HHS: 11.6M Enrolled in Coverage Through Federal, State Exchanges
HHS says that about 2.8 million U.S. residents enrolled in coverage through state-run exchanges and 8.84 million enrolled in health plans through the federal exchange during the Affordable Care Act’s second open enrollment period. HHS says a special enrollment period during tax season could increase overall enrollment. Modern Healthcare et al.
Issues Persist With Calif. Nurse Licensing System, Audit Finds
A new state audit finds that problems have persisted with California’s computer system for processing online applications for nursing licenses. For example, the system does not track discrepancies, such as incorrect birth dates or Social Security numbers on background-check files, resulting in applications getting lost in “limbo.” Sacramento Bee‘s “The State Worker.”
Medical Debt Concerns Fell for ‘Near-Poor’ Families, Report Finds
A new CDC report finds that 28% of individuals in “near-poor” families — those with annual incomes between 100% and 200% of federal poverty level — faced difficulty paying medical bills during the first six months of 2014 when subsidized health coverage under the Affordable Care Act took effect, compared with 32.9% in 2013. Modern Healthcare, CDC report.
Report: California Uninsured Rate Fell by as Much as 40% Under ACA
A new fact sheet by the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research finds that California’s uninsured rate fell by up to 40% after the Affordable Care Act was implemented. The data suggest that ACA implementation has helped to address some of the disparities in health coverage across the state. Payers & Providers.
California Bill Aims To Increase Transparency of Rx Drug Costs
California lawmakers are considering a bill that aims to address the high cost of certain prescription drugs by increasing transparency. Data on pharmaceutical production costs higher than $10,000 would be compiled into an annual report and posted online. Capital Public Radio’s “KXJZ News,” Sacramento Business Journal.
New HCCI Website Uses Insurers’ Claims Data To Allow Consumers To Compare Health Care Prices
The Health Care Cost Institute has launched a new website that allows consumers to view the average prices of 70 medical services, including office visits and diagnostic tests. Data on the site are based on more than 40 million claims from Aetna, Assurant Health, Humana and UnitedHealthcare. Modern Healthcare.
Report: Proportion of L.A. County Jail Inmates With Mental Illnesses Rose Slightly Under Prop. 47
The proportion of Los Angeles County inmates with mental illnesses has increased slightly, from 18% to 20%, since California voters approved Proposition 47, according to a new report by the L.A. County chief executive office. The ballot initiative aimed to reduce criminal penalties and provide community-based mental health services, among other things. Stephen Shea, the county’s medical director for jail mental health programs, said that the increase likely was a temporary “blip” and has since stabilized. Los Angeles Times.
Daughters of Charity Sues Union for Allegedly Interfering With Sale of its Safety-Net Hospitals
On Monday, the Daughters of Charity Health System filed a lawsuit in Santa Clara County Superior Court against a labor union for interfering with its pending sale to Prime Healthcare Services. The lawsuit claims that the Service Employees International Union and its United Healthcare Workers West affiliate have cost the health system tens of millions of dollars by delaying the sale of its six safety-net hospitals and driving down the hospitals’ value by pressuring potential bidders to drop out. San Francisco Business Times‘ “Bay Area Biz Talk” et al.
Number of Calif. Measles Cases Goes Up After Remaining Unchanged Over the Weekend
In an update issued on Wednesday, the California Department of Public Health confirmed that the number of measles cases in the state has climbed to 126 since the beginning of an outbreak that began at Disneyland in December 2014. In a release on Monday, DPH said the total number of confirmed cases among California residents remained unchanged over the weekend for the first time since the outbreak began, at 123 — the same number from a previous update issued Friday. AP/U.S. News & World Report.