Latest California Healthline Stories
Report: Calif.’s Health Care Sector To Add Nearly 500K Jobs by 2020
A recent economic forecast by Chapman University finds that the number of health care and social assistance jobs in California is expected to grow by 3.6% annually between 2013 and 2020. The report attributes the increase in part to the Affordable Care Act. Los Angeles Times, Chapman University report.
Calif. Senate Employees To Start Contributing to Health Insurance To Help With Budget Shortfall
California Senate employees in 2015-2016 will begin contributing to their health care coverage as the Senate faces an estimated budget shortfall of $3 million to $4 million through June. To help close the gap, Senate employees also will help cover health insurance costs that increased by more than $800,000 in 2014-2015. Sacramento Bee.
Moody’s: Negative Outlook for Not-for-Profit Hospitals
Moody’s Investors Service has issued a negative 2015 outlook for not-for-profit hospitals, projecting that the financial and business fundamentals of the sector will stay weak over the next 12 to 18 months. Daniel Steingart, vice president and senior analyst at Moody’s, said, “The largest hospitals are getting stronger, while the smaller hospitals get weaker.” Becker’s Hospital Review.
Oakland-Area Project Works To Prevent HIV/AIDS Among High-Risk, Young Population
The Connecting Resources for Urban Sexual Health Project — launched by Alta Bates Summit’s East Bay AIDS Center — is working to prevent HIV/AIDS infection among high-risk, young individuals in the Oakland area. The project provides sexual health education services, no-cost health screenings and access to no-cost HIV-prevention drugs. Oakland Tribune/Inside Bay Area.
AHRQ Report Finds Drop in Hospital-Acquired Conditions
A new report from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality shows hospital patients experienced 17% fewer hospital-acquired conditions in 2013 than in 2010, which officials in part attributed to Affordable Care Act provisions. However, some experts say more needs to be done to further reduce the rates. Modern Healthcare et al.
22 California Hospitals Included in Leapfrog Group’s ‘Top Hospital’ List
The Leapfrog Group has named nearly two dozen California hospitals to its 2014 “Top Hospitals” list. Twenty facilities in the state were named top urban hospitals, while two were named top children’s hospitals. Modern Healthcare et al.
HHS’ OIG Investigating ACA’s Health Insurance Exchanges
The HHS Office of Inspector General is conducting audits of the Affordable Care Act’s federal and state health insurance exchanges to evaluate issues related to eligibility, payment systems and security. HHS Inspector General Daniel Levinson says some reports on the federal insurance exchange will be released in “the next few weeks.” Washington Post‘s “Federal Eye,” The Hill.
CDC Designates Four California Hospitals as Ebola Treatment Centers
Yesterday, CDC designated 35 hospitals across the U.S. as Ebola treatment centers, four of which are in Northern California. According to California Department of Public Health officials, hospitals in Southern California are likely to receive the designation in coming weeks. Los Angeles Times‘ “Nation Now” et al.
Survey: 52% of Consumers Say Covered California Working Well
A new Public Policy Institute of California survey finds that about 52% of consumers say Covered California is working well, while nearly 40% say the exchange is not working well. Meanwhile, 14 medical trade groups have signed on to help Covered California promote health insurance options. Los Angeles Times et al.
Report: Hacker Group Targeting Health Care Companies
FireEye, a cybersecurity firm, has released a special report detailing the methods of a group of hackers that has been targeting more than 100 organizations, two-thirds of which are health care and pharmaceutical firms. FireEye says the group targets executives’ emails to gain information about the company and can be hard to track. New York Times.