Latest California Healthline Stories
Calif. Senate Health Committee To Focus on Inefficient Health Care Spending This Session
The California Senate Health Committee this year will discuss two issues related to inefficient health care spending — high-cost specialty drugs and the consequences of hospital consolidation. Sen. Ed Hernandez, who chairs the committee, said, “If we’re going to be mandating that every single person purchase health insurance, then it’s incumbent upon us to figure out what those cost drivers are.” Capital Public Radio’s “KXJZ News.”
President Obama’s FY 2016 Budget Proposal To Fully Fund ACA
President Obama’s $4 trillion budget request for fiscal year 2016 calls for $399 billion in savings over 10 years from Medicare, Medicaid and other HHS programs. In addition, the proposal calls for the creation of a new federal agency within HHS focused on food safety and would fully fund the Affordable Care Act. AP/San Francisco Chronicle et al.
Medicaid, CHIP Gain 10.1M Enrollees Since First ACA Open Enrollment
The latest HHS data show that more than 10.1 million U.S. residents have enrolled in Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program since the Affordable Care Act’s first open enrollment period began in October 2013 — a 17.5% increase over the average monthly enrollment for both programs before the period began. McClatchy DC.
Study: Many Calif. Areas Could Be Exposed to Unhealthy Emissions
A new study finds that residents of many California communities could face health risks associated with exposure to oil and gas emissions. Researchers note that 14% of California’s population lives within a mile of an oil or gas well. InsideClimate News/Sacramento Bee.
More Calif. Kindergarteners Under-Immunized Than Unvaccinated
While about 2.5% of California kindergarteners’ parents have opted out of vaccinations via personal belief exemptions, nearly 7% start school under-immunized. Officials say under-immunized children still are “vulnerable” to contracting and transmitting diseases. CHCF Center for Health Reporting/KQED’s “State of Health.”
Prop. 46 Opponents Greatly Outspent Proponents
Health care providers and insurers spent $58.6 million to defeat a ballot measure that would have increased the cap on pain-and-suffering awards in malpractice lawsuits and required random drug testing for doctors, according to campaign finance reports filed Monday. Meanwhile, proponents of Proposition 46, which was rejected by voters in November 2014, spent nearly $11 million to support the measure. Los Angeles Times‘ “PolitiCal.”
CIRM Awards UC-Davis Researchers More Than $3.5M To Continue Stem Cell Research
On Thursday, the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine awarded two UC-Davis researchers more than $3.5 million in new grant funding to continue their work on technology that helps doctors monitor the effectiveness of stem cell treatments. Laura Marcu was awarded $1.84 million to develop and test a tool that tracks stem cell tissues’ progress after being transplanted to restore blood flow for cardiovascular disease, while Kent Leach will receive $1.85 million to continue work that examines how stem cells can accelerate tissue repair in broken bones. Sacramento Business Journal.
California ranked seventh out of all 50 U.S. states for its concentration of “advanced industry” workers, which includes highly skilled medical device manufacturers, according to a report by the Brookings Institution. San Francisco, San Diego and San Jose ranked in the top 10 of the largest 100 U.S. metro areas with such workers, while Stockton, Fresno and the Inland Empire ranked in the bottom 10. Los Angeles Times.
Calif. Trailer Bills Address State Worker, Retiree Health Benefits
Several proposed trailer bills to Gov. Brown’s fiscal year 2015-2016 budget plan relate to health benefits for state workers and retirees. One measure would decrease the state’s share of retiree health coverage costs, while another would require CalPERS to offer a high-deductible health plan. Sacramento Bee‘s “The State Worker.”
Survey: More Than Half of Uninsured U.S. Residents Cited Cost as Reason for Lack of Coverage
Despite being eligible for financial assistance to help them purchase health coverage, 53% of U.S. residents who were uninsured in 2014 cited cost as the main reason they lacked coverage, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation survey released Thursday. The survey also found that many of those who remained uninsured did not look into their coverage options. Specifically, 59% of uninsured respondents who likely were eligible for subsidies said they did not visit their state exchange, HealthCare.gov or their state’s Medicaid agency. The Hill.