Latest California Healthline Stories
OIG: Medicare Overpaid $6.7B in 2010 for Diagnostics, Assessments
A new HHS Office of Inspector General report finds that Medicare in 2010 paid out $6.7 billion in reimbursements for diagnostic and assessment visits that were improperly coded or did not have proper documentation. OIG called on CMS to review the services and resulting improper payments, but CMS said that such reviews are not cost effective and that it does not plan to comply with the recommendation. USA Today, ProPublica.
Farmworkers’ Health Plan Asks for State Subsidy To Comply With ACA
More than 10,000 farmworkers could lose their health coverage if California officials do not grant the Robert F. Kennedy Medical Plan a one-year, $3.2 million subsidy to help it comply with Affordable Care Act standards, supporters of the plan say. However, some observers are concerned that granting the subsidy could be unfair to other health plans. Los Angeles Times.
California’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan Will Save $8.3B in Health Care Costs, Study Finds
California will save $8.3 billion in health care costs by 2025 as a result of the state’s plan to cap greenhouse gas emissions, according to a study by the American Lung Association and the Environmental Defense Fund. The majority of the savings will be the result of 38,000 fewer asthma attacks, nearly 600 fewer heart attacks and nearly 900 fewer premature deaths by 2020 than originally expected. Payers & Providers.
L.A. County Strengthens Data Security Requirements in Response to Recent Medical Data Breach
On Tuesday, Los Angeles County supervisors voted to extend a policy that workers’ laptops be encrypted to include all county department computer workstation hard drives. The move is in response to February data breach at Sutherland Healthcare Solutions’ Torrance office, involving the personal information of more than 342,000 patients. Los Angeles Times‘ “L.A. Now.”
ACLU Sues Fresno Over Medical Marijuana Bans
On Tuesday, the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California filed a lawsuit against the City and County of Fresno over medical marijuana cultivation bans. In the lawsuit, ACLU argues that the bans, which are in a 120-day grace period, are inconsistent with a 2004 state law that allows medical marijuana to be grown. Fresno Bee, ACLU of Northern California/San Francisco Bay Area release.
Calif. Democrats Aim To Create, Expand Mental Health Programs
A package of proposals introduced yesterday by Democratic lawmakers calls for $175 million in spending on programs to train law enforcement officers to deal with individuals who have mental illnesses and reduce recidivism among inmates with mental health issues. AP/Contra Costa Times et al.
CalPERS Allowed To Continue Lawsuit Against Credit Rating Agencies Over $1B Investment Loss
On Friday, the California 1st District Court of Appeal ruled that CalPERS can continue a lawsuit against Moody’s Investors Service and Standard & Poor’s over a $1 billion investment loss. In 2006, the pension fund lost $1 billion after investing in three “structured investment vehicles” that had received the “highest credit ratings” from the agencies, according to the suit. AP/Sacramento Bee.
Obama Administration Officials Tout Slowing Growth of Health Care Costs, Credit ACA
Senior officials in the Obama administration in a blog post Tuesday wrote that health care cost growth has slowed in part because of the Affordable Care Act. The post, written by Council of Economic Advisers Chair Jason Furman and CEA Senior Economist Matt Fiedler, outlined various measurements indicating that health care costs and premiums are increasing at historically low rates. The Hill.
California Veterans Experiencing Long Wait Times at VA Hospitals
Veterans who use Department of Veterans Affairs facilities in Long Beach and Los Angeles have reported waiting as long as 90 days for an appointment with a primary care physician and up to eight months to see a specialist. Last week, VA Secretary Eric Shinseki ordered a systemwide audit of wait times and other deficiencies in the entire VA system. Orange County Register.
Safety-Net Hospitals See Fewer Uninsured Under ACA, Study Finds
A new Urban Institute study finds that safety-net hospitals are seeing fewer uninsured patients because of new coverage options available through the Affordable Care Act. However, the study warns that such hospitals still could experience large funding gaps because of anticipated cuts to Medicaid and Medicare reimbursements. USA Today/Kaiser Health News, The Hill.