- California Healthline Original Stories 3
- Long-Term Care Insurance: Less Bang, More Buck
- How Will We Pay For Long-Term Care?
- Preventive Care And High Deductibles Work At Cross Purposes, Covered Cal Chief Says
- Sacramento Watch 1
- Opponents Of Drug Price Ballot Initiative Sink $50M Into Fight 8 Months From Election
Latest From California Healthline:
California Healthline Original Stories
Long-Term Care Insurance: Less Bang, More Buck
Seniors slammed with big premium increases face tough choices. (Barbara Feder Ostrov, )
How Will We Pay For Long-Term Care?
As baby boomers grow old, demand for long-term care is expected to explode. But it is expensive, and the patchwork system that pays for it now won't be sustainable for much longer. A debate about new ways to finance it is heating up. (Anna Gorman, )
Preventive Care And High Deductibles Work At Cross Purposes, Covered Cal Chief Says
Too few doctor visits means sicker people and higher costs down the line, his New England Journal of Medicine article asserts. (Ana B. Ibarra, )
More News From Across The State
Opponents Of Drug Price Ballot Initiative Sink $50M Into Fight 8 Months From Election
The California Drug Price Relief Act's supporter has raised a little more than $4 million, making it one of the most expensive state ballot measures in the past 15 years.
KPCC:
Drug Industry Raises Nearly $50M To Fight Prescription Pricing Ballot Measure
Opponents of a November ballot initiative intended to lower prescription drug costs in California have already raised nearly $50 million, putting the measure on track to become one of the most expensive fights in recent years. (Plevin, 3/15)
KQED:
Big Pharma Dumps Big Money Into Fight Against Prescription Drug Measure
Pharmaceutical companies continue to pour cash into their campaign to defeat a California ballot measure that would limit prescription drug prices, a new campaign finance analysis shows. An analysis by MapLight, a nonpartisan organization that tracks money in politics, says the pharmaceutical industry has poured $49 million into the effort to defeat a ballot measure that would limit how much the state can pay for prescription drugs it purchases for a range of people, from those in prisons to Medi-Cal enrollees. (Orr and Brekke, 3/15)
MannKind Shares Slide Following Report Of Q4 Losses
The Valencia-based company's stock had already lost about three-fourths of their value over the past 12 months.
The Wall Street Journal:
MannKind Shares Drop On Wider-Than-Expected Loss
Shares of MannKind Corp. on Tuesday slid 10% after the biopharmaceutical firm posted a wider-than-expected loss for the final quarter of the year Monday following the termination of its agreement with its licensing partner for its diabetes treatment Afrezza. MannKind produces Afrezza along with partner Sanofi-Aventis. In January, MannKind announced the termination of its licensing pact in the U.S. for the development and sale of the inhaled insulin product and signaled that it might look to sell the drug. (Steele, 3/15)
Kaiser Medical Center Nurses Start Strike
While the nurses union is protesting, they do have a squad of a dozen nurses available in case there's an emergency that Kaiser needs them for, said Karen Chan, a union representative with the California Nurses Association.
KPCC:
Nurses On Strike At Kaiser's Los Angeles Medical Center
Nurses started a one-week strike at Kaiser Permanente's Los Angeles Medical Center on Tuesday. It's set to last until Tuesday, March 22. There were about 500 nurses marching in front of the Kaiser facility, according to Karen Chan, a union representative with the California Nurses Association. Some began marching beginning at 5 a.m., Chan told KPCC. About 95 percent of the nurses were joining in the protest, according to Chan. (3/15)
The Associated Press:
Nurses Begin 7-Day Walkout At Los Angeles Medical Center
Registered nurses have begun a seven-day walkout at Kaiser Permanente's Los Angeles Medical Center. The California Nurses Association says the job action that began Tuesday involves 1,200 nurses who are seeking their first collective bargaining contract and want to protect patient care and make economic gains that would boost retention and recruitment. (3/15)
Abortion Rights Group Says Pregnancy Centers Not Following New Signage Law
The state law requires centers to notify patients about abortion and family planning services elsewhere. NARAL Pro-Choice California says two Sacramento centers are in violation and is asking officials to actively enforce the law.
The Sacramento Bee:
Sacramento Anti-Abortion Pregnancy Centers Resist New Law Requiring Signage
Two Sacramento pregnancy service centers that oppose abortion are not complying with a state law requiring they put up signs informing patients about California’s free and low-cost public programs for family planning, prenatal care and abortion services, according to an investigation carried out by a San Francisco-based abortion rights advocacy group. (Caiola, 3/15)
Brain And Spine Institute Offers Neuroscience Services Unique For Market Of Modesto's Size
Doctors Medical Center says its new institute will be the leading neuroscience center in the region.
The Modesto Bee:
Doctors Medical Center Establishes Brain And Spine Center In Modesto
Doctors Medical Center of Modesto makes the bold claim that its Darroch Brain & Spine Institute is the leading neuroscience center in the region. The hospital opened the center in January at 4016 Dale Road in Modesto, offering services not typically found in a health care market of Modesto’s size, such as deep-brain stimulation for treating patients with Parkinson’s disease. (Carlson, 3/15)
The Bakersfield Californian:
San Joaquin Community Hospital Maintains Burn Center
San Joaquin Community Hospital will retain a burn center despite an announcement Monday that Grossman Burn Center would move away from the hospital and establish a larger facility elsewhere. Grossman officials announced yesterday it would be opening a larger facility at Bakersfield Memorial Hospital this year after its contract ends with San Joaquin Community Hospital. (3/15)
Stanislaus County's Suicide Prevention Initiative Approved By Board
Health officials are trying to tackle the suicide rate in the county, which increased 27 percent from 2010-14. The plan still has to be approved by a state oversight commission.
The Modesto Bee:
Stanislaus County Supervisors Approve 3-Year Initiative To Reduce Suicide Rate
Stanislaus County supervisors approved a plan Tuesday for dealing with an increase in suicides. The county hopes to get different sectors of the community involved with the three-year suicide prevention and intervention project. The plan requires approval from a state oversight commission under the Mental Health Services Act. (Carlson, 3/15)
In other news, Fillmore is still grappling with the aftermath of its fire chief's suicide —
The Ventura County Star:
Still Reeling, Fillmore Gets The Word Out About Suicide Prevention
The suicide in January of Rigo Landeros, Fillmore's fire chief and assistant city manager, has fractured the city. At City Council meetings since his death, people have accused members of the council of harassing and bullying Landeros, and some have called for council members to resign or face a recall campaign. (Biasotti, 3/15)
UCSF Professor Named Chair Of U.S. Preventive Services Task Force
Bibbins-Domingo became a member of the preventive services task force, which advises Congress on preventive services, in 2010 and was appointed a vice-chair in March 2014.
Modern Healthcare:
Bibbins-Domingo Named Chair Of USPSTF
Dr. Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo has been named chair of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, an independent panel of 16 volunteers that provides Congress with evidence-based recommendations on clinical preventive services. Her term as chair will run for one year. Bibbins-Domingo is currently the Dr. Lee Goldman Endowed Chair in Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, where she serves as professor of medicine, epidemiology and biostatistics. (Rice, 3/15)
In other University of California news, UCSD promotes Dr. Deepak Chopra to full professor —
The San Diego Union-Tribune:
UCSD Deepens Ties With Deepak Chopra
The UC San Diego School of Medicine has promoted Dr. Deepak Chopra from assistant professor to full professor to reflect his growing work with the campus to explore and explain how such things as meditation, yoga and diet affect a person's health. (Robbins, 3/15)
CDC Releases Guidelines To Rein In Opioid Prescriptions
The recommendations are nonbinding, and initial versions have faced push back from critics who worry patients will not get the pain relief they need.
The New York Times:
C.D.C. Painkiller Guidelines Aim To Reduce Addiction Risk
Los Angeles Times:
CDC Issues New Pain Pill Guidelines Amid Epidemic Of Overdose Deaths
The Associated Press:
CDC Guidelines Aim to Curb Painkiller Prescribing
The Washington Post:
CDC Warns Doctors About The Dangers Of Prescribing Opioid Painkillers
The Wall Street Journal:
CDC Issues Guidelines To Limit Opioid Painkiller Prescriptions
The Los Angeles Times:
'Zero Pain Is Not The Goal' Of Medical Treatment, Doctors Say