Latest California Healthline Stories
Residents at U.S. Teaching Hospitals Up by 3.4%
The number of residents at U.S. teaching hospitals increased by 3.4% between 2012 and 2013, the final year before the fiscal year 2015 budget cut $960 million from graduate medical education support, according to a Modern Healthcare study published last month. The cuts could add up to $14.6 billion by 2025. Modern Healthcare.
Out-of-Pocket Prices for Insured Patients Vary Widely, Analysis Finds
An analysis by the Health Care Cost Institute finds that out-of-pocket prices for insured patients vary widely across the U.S. For example, the average variation in out-of-pocket MRI prices for insured patients was $342. Although health care price transparency has improved, many patients still have trouble finding useful information, researchers say. Modern Healthcare, HCCI analysis.
Senate Passes VA Suicide Prevention Bill, Sends to Obama To Sign
Yesterday, the Senate unanimously approved a bill designed to reduce suicide among veterans in part by requiring outside evaluations of Department of Veterans Affairs mental health and suicide prevention programs and offering incentives to recruit new VA psychiatrists. The bill now goes to President Obama, who is expected to sign the measure. AP/Washington Times et al.
CalPERS, CalSTRS Reach $324M Settlement With Standard & Poor’s
Yesterday, the Department of Justice announced a multistate agreement with Standard & Poor’s to settle multiple lawsuits that alleged S&P had inflated credit ratings. As part of the settlement, CalPERS will receive $301 million and the California State Teachers’ Retirement System will receive $23 million. Sacramento Bee, Sacramento Business Journal.
Appeals Court Weighing the Fate of Oakland Medical Marijuana Dispensary
A three-judge panel for the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals is reviewing a request by Oakland to reverse a 2013 lower-court ruling that dismissed its lawsuit to prevent the federal government from closing one of four city-approved and regulated medical marijuana dispensaries. During oral arguments, the judges questioned the federal government’s motives over the closure, but also appeared unconvinced by the city’s arguments. Contra Costa Times.
Judge Rules California Violated Law Over Isolation of Disabled Inmates
Yesterday, a federal judge ruled that the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation is violating the Americans With Disabilities Act and several court injunctions by putting inmates with disabilities in solitary confinement because the prisons lack rooms with certain accommodations. AP/KPCC’s “KPCC News.”
California School Districts Agree To Publicly Document Student Physical Education Minutes
Thirty-seven California school districts have reached a settlement with a California parent and advocacy group Cal200 over a 2013 lawsuit that claimed the school districts are violating state physical education law, which requires schools to provide 200 minutes of physical education every 10 school days for elementary students. Under the settlement, the school districts agreed to publicly document the amount of physical education students receive. KQED’s “State of Health.”
Scripps Research Institute Researchers Seek ‘Citizen Scientists’ To Comb Through Medical Research
Four scientists at The Scripps Research Institute are looking for volunteers through Mark2Cure.org to serve as “citizen scientists” who can help identify helpful information in the growing body of biomedical research. Andrew Su, one of the researchers, said, “There are about a million biomedical articles published each year, one every 30 seconds,” adding, “It is nearly impossible for any individual to read all the literature in their particular field, much less have some feelers out into other areas.” U-T San Diego.
California Lawmakers Announce Bill Tightening Vaccination Rules
On Wednesday, two California senators announced a bill that would restrict parents’ ability to receive personal belief exemptions for their children’s immunizations and require schools to notify parents of vaccination rates. Meanwhile, the University of California system is considering additional vaccine requirements for incoming students. Los Angeles Times et al.
Lawmakers Investigating How To Improve Flu Vaccine
A House subcommittee on Tuesday will investigate how to improve influenza vaccine selection and production to keep up with flu viruses that mutate quickly. This year’s flu vaccine is 23% effective, the lowest efficacy rate in about a decade. The low effectiveness is in part because the dominant strain circulating this flu season has “changed markedly” since the vaccine strains were selected in February 2014. Wall Street Journal.