Latest California Healthline Stories
Brown Holds Lead in Governor’s Election
Gov. Brown has a 54% to 33% lead over Republican gubernatorial candidate Neel Kashkari, according to a survey conducted by Public Policy Institute of California. The survey showed Brown had more support among Democrats and Independents than his challenger, who received the majority of Republicans’ support. Capital Public News Radio’s “KXJZ.”
About 7,500 families in the central San Joaquin Valley who enrolled in health plans through Covered California face a Tuesday deadline to verify their lawful presence in the U.S. or risk losing their health coverage. Earlier this month, Covered California officials sent letters to about 98,000 people statewide saying that they need to provide documents to verify their citizenship. Fresno Bee.
Sacramento Considers Building New 40-Room, Short-Term Skilled Nursing Facility
Sacramento officials have received an application to build a 40-room, 31,157-square-foot skilled nursing facility. The proposed Advanced Health Care of Sacramento site would also house a surgical and stroke recovery center, and the short-term skilled nursing facility would be equipped with a therapy gym, a full kitchen and administrative offices for a home health agency to assist patients after they are discharged. Sacramento Business Journal.
Climate Change Poses Health Threat, Experts Say
Public health groups and researchers in recent years have warned that climate change threatens individuals’ health and stresses health care providers in various ways. For example, CDC found that heat waves currently account for the deaths of about 700 U.S. residents annually. Washington Post‘s “Wonkblog.”
Soda Companies Launch Campaign To Reduce Consumption of Sugary Drinks by 2025
Coca-Cola, PepsiCo and the Dr. Pepper Snapple Group have pledged to reduce by 20% the number of calories consumed by U.S. residents through sugary beverages by 2025. The new campaign will include marketing efforts to educate the public about the number of calories in certain beverages and to increase sales of lower-calorie beverages. New York Times.
Poll: Californians Divided on ACA, Rate Regulation Ballot Initiative
A new Public Policy Institute of California poll finds that Californians are divided on the Affordable Care Act, with about 42% viewing the law favorably and 46% viewing it unfavorably. The poll also finds that nearly half of residents support a health insurance rate regulation ballot initiative. Sacramento Bee‘s “Capitol Alert,” U-T San Diego.
HHS Says Insurer Participation in ACA Exchanges To Increase by 25%
HHS data show that the number of insurers offering coverage in the 36 states that rely on the federal exchange will increase by about 30% in the next open enrollment period, while those in states and the District of Columbia that operate their own exchanges will increase by about 10%. California is the only state where the number of insurers participating in its exchange will decrease. New York Times et al.
Billing Medicaid for Inmate Care Saves Calif., Other States Millions
Several states are saving millions of dollars by taking advantage of a Medicaid policy, implemented in 1997, that allows them to bill the federal program for inmates who need treatment for longer than 24 hours at a hospital or nursing facility. A report shows that California is projected to save up to $70 million annually through the provision. Modern Healthcare.
Rural Medi-Cal Beneficiaries Have Difficulty Accessing Specialty Care
Some rural California counties are reporting that Medicaid beneficiaries have had trouble accessing medical treatment after the state shifted them into managed care plans in November 2013. However, state officials say they have not seen an increase in complaints about provider access in the program. CHCF Center for Health Reporting/San Francisco Chronicle.
Calif. Surgery Rates Influenced by Lack of Shared Decision-Making
A project in Humboldt County finds that miscommunication among doctors and a lack of shared decision-making between physicians and patients can contribute to varied surgery rates throughout California. The project was launched after a California HealthCare Foundation report in 2011 found surgery rates varied significantly across the state. Stateline.