Latest California Healthline Stories
San Bernardino County Launches Cardiac Help Line
San Bernardino County has launched a telephone help line aimed at providing information and resources to individuals with heart disease and their families. The service is part of a pilot project developed by the National Forum for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention. San Bernardino Sun.
CMS Proposes MA Payment Rate Adjustments for 2016
CMS has proposed adjustments to Medicare Advantage payment rates that would result in a 1.05% increase in 2016. The proposal, which would reduce the base rate by 0.95%, is expected to elicit a number of comments from stakeholders. Modern Healthcare et al.
Superbug Outbreak Highlights Hospital Infection Concerns Across U.S.
Experts say that the recent superbug outbreak at UCLA’s Ronald Reagan Medical Center highlights failings in the federal government’s efforts to stem lethal hospital infection rates. The outbreak was linked to contaminated medical endoscopes at the hospital. Kaiser Health News/PBS Newshour’s “The Rundown” et al.
HealthCare.gov Glitch Causes 800K To Receive Incorrect Tax Forms
The Obama administration has announced that an intermittent coding error caused about 800,000 U.S. residents who used HealthCare.gov to enroll in coverage for 2014 to receive incorrect tax documents. A tax expert says the error could cause taxpayers to claim a subsidy that is either higher or lower than that for which they are eligible. Wall Street Journal et al.
Kaiser Reverses Policy That Increased Patients’ Costs for HIV Drugs
Patient advocates hope that other insurers will follow a decision by Kaiser Permanente to reverse an increase in patients’ share of the cost for certain medications used to treat HIV. Kaiser said it would refund payments to some patients who had purchased applicable drugs in January. San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco Examiner.
Covered California Launches Special Enrollment Period
Covered California is giving consumers more time to sign up for health coverage if they were unaware of the tax penalty for remaining uninsured. Such individuals now will have until April 30 to sign up for health insurance plans through the state exchange. Sacramento Business Journal et al.
Data Sharing Initiative at UC-San Diego Awards $200M to Five Health Data Aggregation Projects
A data sharing initiative at the UC-San Diego’s California Institute for Telecommunications and Information Technology’s, or Calit2, has awarded $200,000 to five projects that aim to use aggregated health data to bolster research. Some of the projects awarded by Health Data Exploration involve data from Fitbit, RunKeeper and PatientsLikeMe. Becker’s Health IT & CIO Review.
Officials: 123 Confirmed Measles Cases in California
California public health officials have confirmed 123 measles cases across 12 counties, including 39 cases that have been directly linked to an outbreak that began at Disneyland in December 2014. Public health officials say the total number of cases in the U.S., Canada and Mexico is 149. Los Angeles Times‘ “L.A. Now,” AP/Sacramento Bee.
CIRM Supporter Proposes $100B Bond Program To Advance Stem Cell Research
Longtime stem cell research proponent Bob Klein has proposed a $100 billion international bond program in life sciences designed to accelerate research and clinical testing of disease treatments. Klein, who helped establish the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine, said the program would focus on stem cells and genomics. U-T San Diego.
Federal Panel Says U.S. Residents’ Diets Contribute to High Rates of Health Issues
U.S. residents’ diets are contributing to high rates of obesity and preventable chronic diseases, according to a report released Thursday by the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee. The report noted that about two-thirds of U.S. adults are overweight or obese and that about half of U.S. adults have a chronic disease connected to poor dietary habits and physical inactivity. The report raised concerns about sugar and recommended “real limits” on its consumption, especially among young people. Washington Post‘s “Wonkblog,” AP/U-T San Diego.