Latest California Healthline Stories
California Program To Dole Out Grants for Brain Research
A statewide $2 million research grant program now is accepting applications for projects aimed at developing innovative new technologies to monitor and analyze brain activity. The Cal-BRAIN program, which is led by UC-San Diego, plans to dole out 12 seed grants worth up to $120,000 each in the first year. Imperial Valley News.
California Health Care Personnel News Roundup for October 2014
Harvey Fineberg will take over as the president of the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. International law firm Greenberg Traurig has named former Senate President Pro Tempore Darrell Steinberg chair of the firm’s California government law and policy practice, effective Dec. 1.
Medical School Enrollment at All-Time High, AAMC Finds
The Association of American Medical Colleges on Wednesday announced that medical school enrollment increased by 1.4% in 2014 to an all-time high. The group said the growth shows that Congress must increase the number of residency training positions for students who want to become physicians. Houston Chronicle.
CMS To Cut Home Health Payments by $60M
CMS in a payment rule issued Thursday finalized a $60 million cut to home health services for 2015. The cut marks a 0.3% reduction of Medicare payments to home health agencies. The Hill.
Insurers Expecting Big Bumps in Exchange Plan Enrollment
Health insurers say they expect enrollment in their plans sold through the Affordable Care Act’s exchanges to increase by at least 20% during the upcoming open enrollment period. Meanwhile, a PricewaterhouseCoopers analysis estimates that average premium rates for individual market health plans, including those sold through the exchanges, will increase by about 6% for 2015 plans. Reuters et al.
Audit: DPH Failed in Nursing Home Complaint Investigations
A new state audit finds that California’s Department of Public Health has failed to adequately investigate complaints made at nursing homes across the state. The audit also finds that there is a backlog of more than 11,000 open complaints. Kaiser Health News/San Jose Mercury News et al.
Appeals Court To Hear ACA Challenge in Early December
On Dec. 2, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals will hear arguments in a lawsuit that alleges that the Affordable Care Act is unconstitutional. An appeals court in Washington, D.C., previously rejected the same argument in a separate case. AP/San Francisco Chronicle.
Support Down for Rate Regulation, Physician Drug Testing Initiatives
A new Field Poll finds that support for ballot measures related to health insurance rate regulation and random drug testing of physicians has fallen since early September. Meanwhile, more than half of voters support a separate ballot measure that would reduce the charges of some crimes and use savings for community-based mental health services. Sacramento Bee, Field Poll.
California Hospital News Roundup for the Week of October 31, 2014
The Natividad Medical Center in Salinas has opened a temporary trauma center to treat patients with life-threatening injuries, such as gunshot wounds. Sutter Health next year will consolidate its West Bay, East Bay and Peninsula Coastal divisions into a single Bay Area Division.
Watsonville Bans E-Cigarettes in Public Places
The Watsonville City Council voted unanimously to ban the use of electronic cigarettes in parks, retail stores, restaurants and other public spaces. The vote came after local teenagers urged the council to pass the stricter regulations. According to CDC, 76% of middle and high school students in the U.S. who used e-cigarettes within the past 30 days also had smoked traditional cigarettes. San Jose Mercury News.