Latest California Healthline Stories
Annual Growth in Rx Drug Spending Slows, CDC Report Says
A report from CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics finds that the annual growth in spending on prescription drug medications fell from 14.7% in 2001 to 2.9% in 2011, while the rate of U.S. residents who regularly took prescription drugs rose from 39% between 1988 and 1994 to 48% between 2007 and 2010. HealthDay/Philadelphia Inquirer, CQ HealthBeat.
L.A. Calls for 700 Additional Nurses To Meet ACA Goals
On Wednesday, Los Angeles County Department of Health Services officials said more than 700 additional nurses are needed to maintain the county’s health care system under the Affordable Care Act. Officials said the new hires are necessary to improve care quality and reduce wait times, as called for by the ACA. Los Angeles Times‘ “L.A. Now.”
Kaiser Study: Adults With Autism More Likely To Have Depression, Obesity, Other Health Issues
Kaiser Permanente researchers have found that adults with autism are more likely to have depression, hypertension and cholesterol issues and are more likely to be obese or to smoke. The study was based on the health care records for 2,100 adults with autism spectrum disorder who were enrolled in a Kaiser health plan in Northern California from 2008 to 2012. Those records were compared with 21,000 Kaiser policyholders who did not have autism. AP/Sacramento Bee.
Brown’s Revised Budget Allots $12.4M to Prison Medical Facility
In his revised fiscal year 2014-2015 budget proposal, Gov. Brown allocated $12.4 million to the state’s prison medical center. Officials said the additional funding would be used to fix “unanticipated operational issues” and to remedy “licensing standards,” as well as create 106 positions. Stockton Record, AP/Sacramento Bee.
Eight in Calif. Indicted in National Medicare Fraud Investigation
Eight medical professionals — including two physicians — in Southern California have been indicted for allegedly receiving a total of about $32 million in fraudulent payments from Medicare. The indictments were part of a national wave of charges against 90 individuals. Payers & Providers et al.
Insurers, Not-for-Profit Announce Partnership To Create Health Care Transparency Tool
On Wednesday, health insurers Aetna, Humana and UnitedHealthcare announced a partnership with the not-for-profit Health Care Cost Institute to create an online portal that will allow consumers and other industry stakeholders to examine and compare health care services’ quality and costs. The groups expect other health plans to join prior to the portal’s launch in 2015. Modern Healthcare.
Employers Could Save $700B by Ending Work-Based Health Plans and Paying ACA Penalties, Study Finds
Employer-sponsored health plans likely will disappear by 2025, according to a recent study by S&P Capital Research. The study found that employers could save $700 billion by 2025 if they do away with employee coverage and instead pay penalties levied under the Affordable Care Act’s employer mandate. Politico.
UC-San Diego Study Finds That Individuals With Mental Disorders More Likely To Use E-Cigarettes
UC-San Diego researchers have found that individuals with depression, anxiety and other mental health issues are more than twice as likely to use e-cigarettes than individuals without mental illnesses. In addition, researchers found people with mental health disorders are three times more likely to use such devices regularly. Time, Al Jazeera America.
Brown’s Revised Budget Includes Additional $1.2B for Medi-Cal
Gov. Brown included an additional $1.2 billion in his revised fiscal year 2014-2015 budget proposal to account for about 800,000 state residents who are newly enrolled in Medicaid but were eligible for the program before the Affordable Care Act was implemented. Nearly one-third of state residents now are expected to be enrolled in Medicaid by 2015. HealthyCal et al.
Brown Signs Bill Expanding Timeframe for Death Benefits Claims
Gov. Brown has signed into law a bill that will double the amount of time allowed for family members of public safety officers who contracted blood-borne infectious diseases, cancer, Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus or tuberculosis on the job to file a workers’ compensation claim for death benefits. AP/Fresno Bee.