Latest California Healthline Stories
States That Rejected Expansion Still See Medicaid Enrollment Grow
An Avalere Health report finds that more than 550,000 individuals have newly enrolled in Medicaid in 17 states that chose not to expand their Medicaid programs under the Affordable Care Act. The report notes that the “woodwork enrollment” could place an unexpected financial burden on those states. McClatchy/Sacramento Bee et al.
Report: S.F. Public Health Subsidies Could Reach Unsustainable Level
A report by the San Francisco Office of the Controller and City Services Auditor finds that the city’s general fund contribution to the Department of Public Health could reach an unsustainable $4.3 billion over the next five years unless structural reforms are implemented and additional patients gain health coverage. San Francisco Business Times‘ “Bay Area BizTalk.”
Poll: Some Employers Plan To Increase Workforce as ACA Rolls Out
A new Harris poll commissioned by the Transamerica Center for Health Studies finds that 28% of employers expect to increase their staff size over the next two years as the Affordable Care Act is implemented, while 15% expect to reduce their workforce during that time. Modern Healthcare‘s “Vital Signs.”
On Tuesday, the California Senate Public Safety Committee advanced a measure that calls for the development of a five-year plan to distribute condoms throughout the state’s prison system in an effort to reduce the spread of communicable diseases. The Assembly already approved the measure, but it could face opposition from Gov. Brown, who vetoed a similar measure last year. Reuters.
Orange County Adopts Laura’s Law, Allocates $4.4M in Annual Mental Health Funding
On Tuesday, the Orange County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to implement a 2002 state law allowing court-ordered treatment for individuals with severe mental illness. Under the proposal, the county will allocate $4.4 million in annual Mental Health Services Act funds to provide assessment and treatment for an estimated 120 people. Orange County will become the second California County to implement Laura’s law. AP/U-T San Diego, Los Angeles Times.
Report: Rates of Uninsured Individuals, Respiratory Illness, Cancer on the Rise in Coachella Valley
The rate of uninsured adults in Coachella Valley is on the rise, reaching 33.6% in 2013, according to report by the Health Assessment Resource Center. The report also found that the percentage of adults in that area who were diagnosed with a respiratory disease — excluding asthma — nearly tripled since 2007, while the rate of Coachella Valley adults who have been diagnosed with cancer increased from 9.6% in 2007 to 13.8% in 2013. HealthyCal.
$2M Project Launched To Study Air Quality in Imperial County Amid High Asthma Hospitalization Rates
The California Department of Public Health’s California Environmental Health Tracking Program and several other organizations have launched a four-year, $2 million project to monitor air quality in Imperial County, which has faced high rates of asthma-related hospitalizations. The project will examine dust and pollution in the air to determine whether residents are being exposed to toxins. Desert Sun.
More U.S. Residents Gain Health Coverage, but Provider Networks Are Narrowing
Although more U.S. residents are gaining coverage through the Affordable Care Act’s health insurance exchanges, many are getting plans with limited or narrow provider networks that could compromise access to care, according to policy observers. As a result, some state and federal regulators say they will more closely monitor such exchange plans to make sure that consumers have sufficient access to providers. New York Times.
Insurers Paid $1.5B in Rebates Under MLR Rule in 2011, 2012
A Commonwealth Fund report finds that insurers in 2011 paid out about $1 billion in rebates and in 2012 paid out about $500 million in rebates to consumers in compliance with the Affordable Care Act’s medical loss ratio requirement. The lead researcher said he expects the total amount of rebates to continue to “gradual[ly] decline” in the coming years. The Hill, CNBC.
Medicare Spent $8.5B on Unnecessary Procedures in 2009, Study Says
A new study published online in JAMA Internal Medicine finds that in 2009 as many as 42% of Medicare beneficiaries received unnecessary procedures, which cost the government up to $8.5 billion over the one-year period. While the study only focused on one year, the authors say it is likely the practice has continued. Reuters et al.