Latest California Healthline Stories
11 Calif. Health Clinics Each Receive $250K Federal Grants
Eleven health clinics in the greater Los Angeles area will each receive $250,000 in grant funding from HHS to improve mental health services in primary care settings. The funding, which is available under the Affordable Care Act, will go to 10 clinics in Los Angeles County and one in San Bernardino. KPCC’s “KPCC News.”
Nearly 20 Cases of West Nile Virus in California This Year
There have been 19 confirmed cases of West Nile Virus in California so far this year, compared with just one case at this time last year, according to data from the California Department of Public Health. Gil Chavez, deputy director of DPH, said that “it is not possible to predict the extent of West Nile virus activity for 2014.” KQED’s “State of Health.”
About 5% of California Children Have Lived With an Individual With Mental Illness
About 5% of California children have lived with an individual with a mental illness, a lower rate than any other state, according to a new report by Child Trends. The report also found that about 9% of California children had lived through three or more traumatic experiences that can cause chronic stress, compared with 11% nationally. KPCC’s “KPCC News.”
Audit Finds That VA Staff Members Used Improper Methods To Track Wait Times at Health Centers
Staff at more than 100 Department of Veterans Affairs health clinics across the U.S. used methods other than the department’s official electronic appointment tracking system to make it appear that veterans had shorter wait times for care, according to a USA Today analysis of a VA audit released Tuesday. The analysis showed at least one appointment scheduler at 109 VA health centers reported data on veterans’ wait times had been falsified, with some respondents saying they felt pressured to manipulate data. USA Today.
CBO: Medicare Part D Spending Reached $50B in FY 2013
Federal spending on Medicare Part D totaled $50 billion in fiscal year 2013, far lower than original estimates in 2003 that projected the program would cost $99 billion by FY 13, according to a new report from the Congressional Budget Office. According to the report, the lower spending is linked to a slow 2% annual growth rate in per capita prescription drug spending. Modern Healthcare.
GAO: Poor Planning, Lax Oversight Caused HealthCare.Gov Issues
A new Government Accountability Office report finds that ineffective planning and lax oversight of contractors hired to build the federal insurance exchange website resulted in millions of dollars in additional costs and the website’s rocky launch. GAO says similar challenges could occur in future open enrollment periods if CMS does not address the issues. Wall Street Journal et al.
House Approves Resolution Authorizing ACA Lawsuit Against Obama
The House yesterday voted 225-201 to approve a resolution authorizing a lawsuit against President Obama for his use of executive action to delay the Affordable Care Act’s employer mandate. The vote largely was along party lines, with all but five GOP lawmakers voting for the measure and all Democrats voting against it. Wall Street Journal et al.
Report: Calif. Ranks 19th for Return on Investment in Health Care
A new WalletHub report ranks California 19th in the U.S. for overall return on investment in health care, first for lowest death rate and 33rd for health care costs. For the rankings, researchers examined America’s Health Rankings, average individual health plan premiums and death rates. New York Daily News et al.
California Groups Rally in Support of Medicare Single-Payer System
In fifteen cities yesterday, the Campaign for a Healthy California held rallies in support of expanding Medicare to eventually become a single-payer system. The rallies also were aimed at countering efforts to reduce Medicare coverage, cut the number of providers and raise the program’s eligibility age. Sacramento Business Journal, Campaign for a Healthy California release.
Proposed Pilot Program Seeks To Expand Role of Calif. Paramedics
A proposed pilot program in California would expand paramedics’ scope of practice, allowing them to make non-emergency visits to patients and deliver certain patients to urgent care centers in an effort to reduce emergency department crowding. Capital Public Radio’s “KXJZ News,” Emergency Medical Services Authority website.