Latest California Healthline Stories
Deal Between Union, Calif. Hospital Association Draws Mixed Reaction
Supporters of an informal partnership announced last month between the California Hospital Association and the Service Employees International Union-United Healthcare Workers West say it will help advance efforts to increase Medicaid payments. However, critics of the deal argue that the union is getting too close to hospital management. KPCC’s “KPCC News.”
Group: Covered California Should Better Track Enrollee Demographics
The California Pan-Ethnic Health Network is urging Covered California to improve its collection of data on exchange enrollees. The group says that the exchange failed to ask enrollees about gender identity and sexual orientation and that questions about race, ethnicity and primary language were buried at the end of the applications. HealthyCal, CPEHN letter.
Insurers Expand Health Exchange Plans’ Provider Networks
Insurers in several states, including California, have increased the number of health care providers and hospitals included in their networks for plans sold through the Affordable Care Act’s health insurance exchanges. The move comes amid widespread criticism from consumers and state officials over the plans’ narrow networks. Wall Street Journal.
Calaveras County Recruits Volunteer Community Health Workers To Help Manage Chronic Conditions
Calaveras County Public Health Services is launching no-cost workshops to train county residents to serve as community health workers to help adults with chronic illnesses — such as diabetes, high blood pressure, arthritis or depression — learn how to self-manage their conditions. Officials said they are looking for volunteers with experience handling chronic conditions and who can commit to holding two workshop series annually for local residents. Stockton Record.
Accelerated Medical Degree Legislation Moves to Senate
The California Assembly has advanced a bill that would allow students in an accelerated pilot program at the UC-Davis School of Medicine to obtain medical licenses in less than four years. The bill, which is pending in the Senate, aims to address a growing physician shortage in the state. Sacramento Business Journal, Capital Public Radio.
Burwell Takes Over as New HHS Secretary
On Monday, Sylvia Matthews Burwell took over as the new HHS secretary. In April, Kathleen Sebelius announced that she would step down after the Obama administration reported that 8.1 million individuals had enrolled in coverage through the Affordable Care Act. The Hill.
UCLA, Other Academic Medical Centers Take Aim at Shortage of Geriatric Specialists
Four academic medical centers are working together to address the shortage of geriatric specialists. In 2004, the UCLA School of Medicine, the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and Duke University School of Medicine formed a consortium to provide geriatric training to doctors who teach in medical schools and residency programs. So far, the program has trained 430 medical school faculty members and 82 advanced fellows in geriatric education. Wall Street Journal.
2015 Premium Rate Proposals for Exchange Plans To Drive Debate Ahead of Fall Elections
As proposed 2015 premiums for coverage sold through the health insurance exchanges are gradually released over the next few months, Republican lawmakers likely will use any increases as “political fodder” in the campaigns for November’s midterm elections. At least nine states have released at least some of their rates for next year’s health plans. Modern Healthcare.
Study: ACA Exchange Plans Cost Less Than Similar Outside Plans
A HealthPocket report finds that health insurance plans sold outside of the Affordable Care Act’s health insurance exchanges are 40% more costly than comparable exchange plans. Meanwhile, some insurers are opting out of the federal small business exchange because several functions do not yet work. The Hill et al.
GOP Senator Unveils Bill To Require Financial Reporting on ACA
Sen. Ron Johnson last week unveiled a bill that would require the Congressional Budget Office to submit annual reports to Congress with cost estimates for the Affordable Care Act. The bill comes after CBO in April said that it could no longer assess the financial effect of many of the law’s provisions. The Hill‘s “Floor Action” et al.