Latest California Healthline Stories
Court Upholds N.Y. Childhood Vaccination Requirements
A three-judge panel of the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Wednesday upheld New York state’s requirement that children receive vaccinations prior to attending public school. The panel also upheld a lower court’s decision that public school students who receive religious exemptions from the state’s requirement can be barred from attending school during outbreaks of diseases. New York Times.
House Approves Bill To Change ACA Full-Time Employee Definition
The House has passed legislation that would change the Affordable Care Act’s definition of full-time employees from those who work 30 hours per week to 40 hours per week. The bill now moves to the Senate, but the White House earlier this week said President Obama would veto the measure if it reached his desk. New York Times et al.
9.6M Could Lose Coverage if Federal Exchange Subsidies End
A new RAND Corporation study finds 9.6 million fewer U.S. residents would have health insurance if the Supreme Court declares subsidies provided to those who purchased coverage through the federal exchange illegal. A study co-author said such a ruling “would cause significant instability and threaten the viability of the individual health insurance market.” The Hill et al.
Brown’s $113B Budget Plan Includes Several Health Proposals
Today, Gov. Brown released his fiscal year 2015-2016 budget proposal, which includes funding for the expansion of the state’s Medicaid program under the Affordable Care Act and a plan to address the state’s unfunded liability for state retiree health care. The plan also continues funding for overtime pay to workers in In-Home Supportive Services. Sacramento Bee‘s “Capitol Desk” et al.
Health Laws Targeting California Businesses Take Effect This Year
Several health-related laws that target businesses are set to go into effect in California this year. For example, one new state law will require all California employers to provide at least three days of paid sick leave to part-time and full-time workers, while another requires assisted living facilities to buy liability insurance. Orange County Register.
L.A. County Supervisors Mull Merging Health Agencies
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors is considering merging the county’s public health department — which oversees disease outbreaks, substance misuse programs, restaurant inspections, nursing homes and other facilities — and a separate mental health agency with the Department of Health Services, which is responsible for county hospitals and clinics. Supervisor Michael Antonovich said it would result in a more streamlined process and could produce budget savings. Los Angeles Times.
Drug Companies Ask U.S. Supreme Court To Knock Down Alameda County’s Rx Drug Take-Back Program
Generic and brand-name prescription drug companies have submitted a 146-page petition to the U.S. Supreme Court over a 2012 Alameda County law that requires them to pay to collect and discard unwanted prescription drugs. The companies argued that the county law violates the Constitution’s commerce clause by shifting the cost and administration of a local program to outside manufacturers, and by extension to out-of-state consumers. San Jose Mercury News.
Sen. Boxer Announces Plans To Retire in 2016
On Thursday, Sen. Barbara Boxer announced that she will retire from the Senate in 2016, ending a 33-year congressional career. President Obama praised Boxer’s years in Congress, saying because of her “more Americans breathe clean air and drink clean water and [m]ore women have access to health care.” The Hill‘s “Ballot Box” et al.
California Hospital News Roundup for the Week of January 9, 2015
Mount Sinai Health System has partnered with UC-San Diego to launch a project designed to promote innovation in emergency medical services. A new UC-San Francisco Medical Center scheduled to open Feb. 1 will house three specialty hospitals, a medical office building and an outpatient center.
HHS Will Not Grant Employment Condition for Utah Medicaid Expansion, Official Says
On Wednesday, a federal official said Utah will not be granted its request to make employment a condition for Medicaid eligibility in its alternative Medicaid expansion. HHS spokesperson Ben Wakana said that “encouraging work is a legitimate state objective,” adding, “However, work initiatives are not the purpose of the Medicaid program and cannot be a condition of Medicaid eligibility.” AP/Washington Times.