Latest California Healthline Stories
California Doctors Among Lowest Opioid Painkiller Prescribers in U.S.
A new CDC report finds that California has the lowest prescribing rate for opioid pain relievers of any state except Hawaii. Observers credit the state’s long-running prescription drug monitoring program and support for opioid education and monitoring initiatives. KPCC’s “KPCC News” et al.
Sonoma County Supervisor Pushing Kaiser Permanente To Improve Mental Health Care Services
Sonoma County Supervisor Shirlee Zane is calling on Kaiser Permanente to improve its mental health services after her husband committed suicide while under the care of Kaiser’s Santa Rosa psychiatric department. Last year, the California Department of Managed Health Care levied a $4 million fine against Kaiser for inaccurately tracking patient access to therapists. The health system is appealing the decision. KQED’s “State of Health.”
Stanford, UCLA To Be Part of New NIH Initiative Aimed at Identifying Rare Diseases
On Tuesday, NIH announced the formation of the $43 million NIH Undiagnosed Diseases Network to help identify and diagnose rare diseases. NIH has awarded grants for six universities — including Stanford University and UCLA — to participate in the initiative. AP/KPCC’s “KPCC News.”
Covered California To Award $16.9M in Navigator Grants
Covered California has announced it will dole out $16.9 million in grants to navigators to help with education, enrollment and outreach during the exchange’s second open enrollment period, which begins Nov. 15. Officials said that as many as 135 groups could be awarded grants, with the size of the award based on enrolling “a predetermined number of consumers.” San Francisco Business Times‘ “Bay Area BizTalk.”
Annual Checkups Could Lead to Unnecessary Treatment
A growing number of physicians and medical experts are calling into question the long-term health benefits of annual checkups, which could lead to unnecessary tests and treatments. Instead, they are calling for a more focused approach based on patients’ age, health and gender. Consumer Reports/Washington Post.
Former CalPERS CEO To Plead Guilty in Fraud Scheme
Former CalPERS CEO Federico Buenrostro is expected to plead guilty to taking part in a conspiracy scheme with former CalPERS board member Alfred Villalobos to fraudulently secure million-dollar pension fund investments and other self-benefiting deals. Buenrostro also is expected to cooperate with prosecutors in building a case against Villalobos. Los Angeles Times et al.
Effectiveness of High Deductible ‘Copper’ Plans Under Scrutiny
Several lawmakers and an insurer group have proposed offering high-deductible, low-premium plans through the health insurance exchanges to boost young adult enrollment. However, some policy experts and patient advocates say such plans could expose consumers to unaffordable health care costs if they get sick. Washington Post.
Obama Seeks $2B To Curb Undocumented Child Crossings
President Obama has sent a letter to Congress asking for more than $2 billion in emergency funding to address the issue of unaccompanied and undocumented children crossing into the U.S. at the southern border. The problem is overwhelming HHS, which runs a program to provide health care and other services for such children. Washington Post et al.
Calif. VA Health Systems Struggling To Meet Mental Health Demand
Veterans’ health care systems in several states — including California — have seen an increase in patients seeking mental health treatment and often struggle to meet the demand for such care. Specifically, VA systems in Long Beach and Los Angeles have seen 60% and 40% increases, respectively, in veterans seeking mental health care. KPCC’s “KPCC News.”
SCOTUS’ Contraception Ruling Will Have Little Effect on California
Most California women will not be affected by the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling yesterday that closely held companies cannot be forced to cover contraception through their insurance plans. A state law in California already requires insurers to provide coverage for FDA-approved contraception. KQED’s “State of Health” et al.