Latest California Healthline Stories
Advocacy Organizations File Lawsuit Over Medi-Cal Backlog
A group of advocacy organizations has filed a lawsuit aiming to force the state Department of Health Care Services to process applications for Medicaid within 45 days of submission and provide benefits to eligible applicants while their applications are being processed. As of Sept. 1, about 350,000 applications had not yet been processed. AP/Sacramento Bee et al.
S.F. Supervisor Stumps for Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis To Reduce Risk of HIV Infection
On Wednesday, San Francisco Supervisor Scott Wiener in a Huffington Post opinion piece disclosed that he takes Truvada, a daily antiviral pill used to help prevent HIV. Wiener wrote that pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP, can reduce the risk of HIV infection by up to 99% if the pill is taken daily. He added, “We know how to end HIV infection. We simply need the political will to ensure that the community has accurate information about and access to all prevention methods, including PrEP.” Huffington Post et al.
Orange County Reports 136 West Nile Cases, 3 Deaths
Orange County officials are dealing with a West Nile breakout and have reported a total of three deaths and 136 human West Nile infections so far this year. The figure represents more than one third of the state’s reported 350 infections. Los Angeles Times.
On Wednesday, Los Angeles officials announced a pilot program aimed at diverting individuals with mental illnesses who have committed a low-level offense from jail to treatment. Officials said that the alternative sentencing pilot program will start in Van Nuys and help 50 people at a time and that it likely will expand throughout the county and could accommodate up to 1,000 people at a time. Los Angeles Times.
Census Bureau Survey: 42M Uninsured in U.S. Last Year
About 13.4% of U.S. residents, or 42 million people, were uninsured in 2013, according to a U.S. Census Bureau survey released Tuesday. While the survey provides a detailed account of the U.S. insurance market in 2013, the results do not reflect most coverage expansions under the Affordable Care Act, which largely took place in 2014. Modern Healthcare, Connecticut Mirror/Hartford Courant.
Nearly 339K Californians Affected by Data Breaches This Year, HHS Data Show
Data from HHS reveal that 338,700 individuals in California have been affected by data breaches this year, the second-highest of any state. Tennessee had the highest number of individuals affected by data breaches, at 4.5 million. Becker’s Hospital Review.
ACO Programs Save Medicare More than $800M, Data Show
CMS has released financial performance results that show that two accountable care organization programs have reduced Medicare spending by about $817 million. The data show that 64 ACOs received a combined $445 million in bonuses, while four ACOs significantly overspent and now owe money to the program. Kaiser Health News‘ “Capsules” et al.
Poll: Many Californians Unaware of Coverage for Mental Health Care
A new Field Poll finds that only 38% of California residents surveyed were aware that health plans generally are required to cover mental health treatment at the same level as other medical care. The poll also finds that 81% of respondents believed such treatment could help individuals with mental illnesses. Sacramento Bee, Field Poll.
GAO: HealthCare.gov Has Security Flaws, Consumers’ Data at Risk
A Government Accountability Office report finds that HealthCare.gov still has security flaws that are putting consumers’ personal data at risk. The report offers recommendations for improving the site’s security, and CMS says it will work with GAO to address the issues. AP/Modern Healthcare et al.
Two Sacramento-Based Health Clinics Nab More Than $500K in ACA Grants, Lawmaker Says
On Friday, Rep. Doris Matsui announced that two Sacramento-area not-for-profit medical clinics will receive more than $523,000 in federal funding under the Affordable Care Act. The funding, which will be split between CommuniCare Health Centers and WellSpace Health, will help the clinics expand their staff and primary care services. Sacramento Business Journal.