Latest California Healthline Stories
On Friday, California Sens. Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein sent a letter to the officials at the California Hospital Association and California Association of Public Hospitals and Health Systems urging them to ensure their members have protocols in place to identify and treat patients with Ebola. They cite a suspected communication breakdown that led to a Texas Ebola patient being sent home. AP/Sacramento Bee.
Wal-Mart, DirectHealth Partner To Bolster In-Store Health Insurance Enrollment
On Monday, Wal-Mart announced that is has partnered with online insurance agency DirectHealth to launch an in-store program designed to increase enrollment in health insurance plans. Under the partnership, DirectHealth agents will be available at 2,700 stores nationwide, including 29 in Los Angeles County and 212 throughout California. Los Angeles Times.
Watchdog Panel Seeks $4K Fine Against VP of CalPERS Board for Failing To File Campaign Statements
The Fair Political Practices Commission plans to issue a $4,000 fine against Priya Mathur, vice president of the CalPERS board of administration, for failing to file mandatory campaign financial reports for 2012 and 2013 in a timely manner, according to FPPC documents. Mathur has agreed to pay the fine if the board votes to approve it at an Oct. 16 meeting. Sacramento Bee.
FDA To Increase Health IT Use Under Four-Year Plan
FDA has released a four-year strategic plan that includes goals for advancing and improving the agency’s use of health information technology. As part of the plan, FDA aims to create a real-time data sharing system that can be accessed by regulators across the world. Health Data Management.
Health Care Industry Groups Set To Spend $500M on Lobbying Efforts This Year
This year, health care providers, insurers, drug and device manufacturers, and related trade associations are on track to spend nearly $500 million on lobbying efforts. The groups rely on government affairs employees, member connections, or lobbying firms to represent their interests to lawmakers. Modern Healthcare.
New Calif. Law Increases Oversight of Health Plan Provider Networks
A new state law aims to increase oversight of insurers’ provider networks by requiring the Department of Managed Health Care to develop standardized methodologies for health insurers to file required annual reports on timeliness and compliance, among other things. Sacramento Business Journal.
Federal Health Officials Say U.S. Ebola Outbreak Unlikely
CDC officials say the U.S. is unlikely to experience an Ebola outbreak and are dismissing calls to place a travel ban on countries affected by the disease. Meanwhile, officials say they are working to isolate individuals who came in contact with the first patient to be diagnosed with the virus in the U.S. Wall Street Journal et al.
ACA Advocates Alter Strategies for Second Open Enrollment Period
During the second open enrollment period, Affordable Care Act supporters plan to highlight the financial benefits of insurance coverage and the potential fines for not complying with the individual mandate to encourage new consumers to enroll in coverage. Kaiser Health News/Washington Post.
California Officials Approve Health Insurance Exchange’s 2015 Rates
The California Department of Managed Health Care and Department of Insurance say they will not challenge 2015 premium rates for health coverage offered through the state insurance exchange. Exchange plan premiums will be a weighted average of 4.2% higher next year. Los Angeles Times.
At a briefing hosted by the California HealthCare Foundation last week, health care advocates praised a 65% reduction in early elective deliveries in California since 2010 but said more can be done to reduce those rates and maternal mortality rates. Specifically, they said California could further reduce early elective deliveries and maternal mortality rates by leveraging big data, making such data publicly available and taking a collaborative approach to the issue. KQED’s “State of Health.”