Latest California Healthline Stories
California Patient Tests Negative for Ebola
On Thursday, California public health officials announced that a Sacramento patient tested negative for the Ebola virus. The patient was being treated at Kaiser Permanente South Sacramento Medical Center and has been in isolation since Tuesday. USA Today/KXTV-TV, NBC News.
Uninsured Emergency Department Visits Down in L.A. County After ACA Implementation
A Los Angeles Times analysis of data from 75 hospitals found that emergency department visits by patients who did not need to be hospitalized rose by 1.7% in Los Angeles County during the first three months of the Affordable Care Act’s coverage expansion, compared with the same period last year. The analysis also found that the number of uninsured emergency department patients declined from 18% in the first quarter of 2013 to 16% this year. Los Angeles Times.
California Hospital News Roundup for the Week of August 22, 2014
Kaiser Permanente says the decision to suspend emergency ambulance services at the nearby Doctors Medical Center has overwhelmed its Richmond emergency department and could compromise patient care. Vista Community Clinic and Cal State San Marcos have received a $1.4 million federal grant to help fund a three-year program that will train nurses to better manage patients’ diabetes.
CMS Considers Offering Medicare Coverage for HIV Screenings to All Beneficiaries
CMS has agreed to consider extending Medicare coverage for HIV screenings to all beneficiaries, after several HIV/AIDS advocacy groups pressured the agency to do so. The current Medicare policy provides coverage only to pregnant women and those who identify themselves as at-risk. Modern Healthcare.
On Thursday, Gov. Brown in a statement said that a CalPERS’ committee “got it wrong” when it approved a proposal to include pay from temporary promotions when calculating public workers’ pension benefits. Brown said the decision “undermines the pension reforms enacted just two years ago,” adding, “I’ve asked my staff to determine what actions can be taken to protect the integrity of the Public Employees’ Pension Reform Act.” Sacramento Business Journal, Reuters.
30.1M Patients Affected by Data Breaches Since 2009, Analysis Finds
A Washington Post analysis of HHS data shows that about 30.1 million people have been affected by the 944 reported major health data breaches since federal reporting requirements took effect in 2009. The recently reported data breach affecting an estimated 4.5 million Community Health System patients was not included in the estimate. Washington Post‘s “Wonkblog” et al.
Analysis: About 7M U.S. Residents Can Enroll in ACA Plans Early
Enroll America estimates that millions of individuals meet criteria for a qualifying life event to enroll in coverage through the Affordable Care Act’s insurance exchanges ahead of the next open enrollment period. The group finds that moving is the most common event that qualifies people to purchase coverage outside the open enrollment period. The Hill.
Audits: Calif. Facilities Issued Improper Pay to Medical Staff, Guards
Two audits released yesterday find that a state psychiatric hospital and state prison paid hundreds of thousands of dollars in improper payments to their employees. The audits were the first of 14 similar reviews to be conducted this year. Los Angeles Times‘ “PolitiCal” et al.
Researchers at UC-San Francisco found doctors, nurses and other hospital workers who used antibacterial soap containing triclosan, a commonly used chemical that is under review by FDA, had higher levels of the chemical in their urine than those who used plain soap. The authors of the study, which was published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, recommended that health care workers avoid soap containing triclosan until FDA has finished its review. San Francisco Business Times‘ “Bay Area BizTalk.
California Hospitals Prepared To Respond, Contain Ebola
California hospitals have told state and federal health officials that they are “adequately” prepared to handle an Ebola patient if someone is diagnosed. Gil Chavez, deputy director of the California Department of Public Health, said no patients in California hospitals currently are considered high risk for the illness, based on CDC criteria. KPCC’s “KPCC News,” Sacramento Business Journal.