Latest California Healthline Stories
Judge Tentatively Allows Suit Over CalPERS’ Long-Term Care Plans
A Los Angeles judge has tentatively ruled that CalPERS can be sued for the alleged mismanagement of long-term care insurance policies for 150,000 of its members. The lawsuit was filed in response to CalPERS’ plan to increase the premiums on such policies by 85% starting in 2015. Sacramento Bee‘s “State Worker.”
California Legislature Advances Health-Related Measures
California lawmakers have advanced bills aimed at ensuring three days of paid sick leave for workers, implementing workplace violence prevention programs at hospitals and allowing consumers to compare prescription drug coverage when selecting a health plan. However, a bill to increase oversight of the medical marijuana industry was rejected by the Assembly. Los Angeles Times‘ “PolitiCal” et al.
California Hospital News Roundup for the Week of May 30, 2014
USC’s Keck Medical Center has filed a lawsuit alleging that Kaiser Permanente sent a patient to the hospital for open-heart surgery and then refused to pay the $544,000 bill for services. UC-Davis Health System has partnered with Orbis International to offer ophthalmological telehealth services.
Experts Say Language Barriers Could Reduce California Residents’ Access to Health Care
More than 15% of Californians speak a language other than English or Spanish, which experts say could affect their ability to communicate with health care providers and read prescription drug labels. Claudia Menjivar, a fellow at the Western Center on Law & Poverty, said that several public interest groups are working to reduce language barriers, but “due to the recession and continued budget deficits, language access and the services necessary to ensure meaningful access (e.g. interpreters) are seen as an afterthought as opposed to a priority.” HealthyCal.
Kaiser, Pharmacists Reach Tentative Deal on Pension Benefits To Avert Strike
On Thursday, Kaiser Permanente reached a tentative deal with a union representing more than 1,400 pharmacists in the health system to avoid a strike that was scheduled for Monday. As part of the agreement, Kaiser will restore pension benefits for some pharmacists and guarantee annual bonuses and at least 32 hours of work every two weeks for part-time pharmacists who are members of the union. Orange County Register, KPCC’s “KPCC News.”
The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine’s governing committee has approved two multi-million dollar grants to help fund clinical trials to test new treatments for spinal cord injuries and HIV infections. The committee awarded Asterias Biotherapeutics $14.3 million for research on transplants of human tissue grown from the embryonic stem cells to treat spinal injuries, while Sangamo Biosciences received $5.6 million for a trial to cure HIV infection using gene therapy. U-T San Diego.
Alameda County Voters Will Decide Whether To Continue Tax To Pay for Safety-Net Providers
On Tuesday, Alameda County voters will decide whether to continue a half-cent sales tax that provides more than $100 million annually to safety-net providers in the area. The tax is set to expire in 2019, but Measure AA on the county’s ballot would extend the tax until 2034. Inside Bay Area News.
Enrollment in Individual Health Plans Expected To Sharply Decline by 2017, Analysis Finds
The key year for gauging the effects of the Affordable Care Act could be 2017 when experts predict a sharp decrease in individual plan enrollment, according to a new analysis by the University of Minnesota’s Medical Industry Leadership Institute. The analysis cites two major factors that will explain the decreased enrollment numbers between 2016 and 2017, including: the end of ACA programs meant to mitigate major premium increases and the gradual implementation of new coverage requirements under the ACA that will result in the cancellation of non-compliant plans. Washington Post‘s “Wonkblog.”
Federal Report Slams VA Over Wait Times, System Mismanagement
A preliminary Department of Veterans Affairs’ inspector general’s report finds that patients at a Phoenix VA clinic had an average wait time of 115 days, far longer than both the 26-day wait reported by VA officials and the agency’s goal of a 14-day wait. President Obama called the report “extremely troubling” and urged VA to provide immediate care options for patients. Reuters et al.
Four California Regions Among 10 Fittest Metro Areas in U.S.
The 2014 American Fitness Index ranks the Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco and San Jose metro areas among the top 10 fittest areas in the U.S. The rankings were based on preventive health behaviors, chronic disease rates, community resources for physical activity and other factors. Sacramento Business Journal, American Fitness Index.