Latest California Healthline Stories
California Hospital Officials Not Impressed by Research on ‘Out-of-Control Costs’
Harvard Business Review research contends that a few hospitals nationwide — including some in California — are responsible for a significant percentage of above-average charges to CMS and patients. California hospital officials did not put much stock in researchers’ conclusions.
Ballot Proposals Take Aim at Hospitals
Two new ballot initiatives sponsored by a labor union propose to curb hospital costs by limiting executive salaries and the prices charged by hospitals.
California Hospital Group Proposes Ballot Initiative for Medi-Cal Provider Fee
The California Hospital Association wants a formula in place to assure that fees levied on hospitals will be used to fund children’s health care and access to care for low-income residents.
A Dozen Hospitals Are Laying Off Staff and Blaming Obamacare. Don’t Believe Them.
Hospital leaders from coast to coast are blaming the health reform law for recent decisions to pare their payrolls. And while the Affordable Care Act is creating new pressure for providers — from tighter reimbursement to new penalties on poor performance — the full story is much more complex.
Hospital Fee Is One Step Closer to Law
An Assembly committee unanimously approved a plan to levy a fee on California hospitals and use the money to draw down additional federal funding for hospitals and the state.
Task Force To Examine Developmental Centers
Diana Dooley, secretary of the state’s Health and Human Services agency, yesterday announced formation of a task force to take a hard look at the viability of closing four developmental centers in California.
“I don’t know if the four developmental centers we operate can all close,” Dooley said. “I want to hear from the stakeholders with an open mind. Clearly there is a problem with these centers, but we also have to address the fiscal issues. If they cannot operate, then we should look at a timeline for closing them.”
Developmental centers in California have come under fire recently — with allegations of chronic abuse of patients, investigations by multiple government agencies and loss of federal certification. The state has taken a number of steps, particularly at Sonoma Developmental Center, to investigate possible abuses and improve safety of the centers’ clients.
Competition Spurs Northern Expansion in San Diego
Health care providers are expanding their reach in San Diego’s wealthier northern communities as declining reimbursements and changes to the delivery system under the Affordable Care Act alter the economic environment for health care.
Should Calif. Set Charity Minimum for Not-for-Profit Hospitals?
We asked legislators, stakeholders and consumer advocates to weigh in on a bill before the state Legislature calling for the state to establish a minimum amount of charity care for private, tax-exempt not-for-profit hospitals.
Legislature Will ‘Look Carefully’ at UC Medical System After Report
California legislators will “look carefully” into allegations raised in a union report accusing officials at University of California medical centers of understaffing and mismanaging the system’s five teaching hospitals.
Inside Three ACOs: Why California Providers are Opting for the Model
Nine organizations named among the latest round of participants in the Medicare Shared Savings Program will serve patients in the Golden State. Administrators of several new ACOs explain why they joined the program.