Latest California Healthline Stories
Finally, Long Overdue Progress In Hospital Seismic Safety
After a long period of doubt, California hospitals have made strides toward meeting the state’s stringent earthquake retrofitting requirements — but nearly 10 percent of hospital buildings are still at high risk.
Medicare Delays Plans For New Star Ratings On Hospitals After Congressional Pressure
The “overall hospital quality” rating is designed to help consumers who are sometimes confused by the variety of quality measures that the government already provides. But members of Congress had asked for the delay because of concerns that the methodology for the stars was not accurate.
Bill Would Expand Hospital Reporting On Executive Pay
The Assembly’s health committee Tuesday approved legislation that would require hospitals and affiliated medical groups to report the compensation of all executives making $250,000 or more a year.
A Dearth Of Hospital Beds For Patients In Psychiatric Crisis
A California Assembly bill would require creating a mandatory registry for available psychiatric hospital beds, but the state hospital association calls it unworkable.
Covered California Imposes New Quality, Cost Conditions On Plans
In a sweeping overhaul of its contracts, the state’s insurance exchange will require health plans to hold doctors and hospitals accountable for quality and cost.
Major Employers Decry Sutter Health’s Tactics In Dispute Over Prices
Sutter Health, with dominant market share in Northern California, is insisting that employers sign arbitration agreements or face sharply higher out-of-network rates.
CT Scans For Minor Injuries On A Rapid Rise In California Emergency Rooms
Researchers say they’re reporting the facts, but not taking a stand on CT “overuse.”
Hackers Seek Ransom From Two More Southern California Hospitals
A malware attack against two Prime Healthcare hospitals in South California, which federal authorities are investigating, comes soon after a case in which hackers demanded ransom from a Los Angeles hospital.
California Insurance Marketplace Wants To Kick Out Poor-Performing Hospitals
Providers and insurers are balking at a Covered California proposal to eject hospitals with inordinately high costs and low quality from its networks.
For Parents Of Preemies, Life Starts With A Complex Fight For Survival
About 380,000 babies are born too soon every year in the United States, a preterm birth rate that’s far higher than most high-income, developed countries. Even with so many families facing the realities of a premature child, predicting the long-term health of a baby is difficult, and doctors have an even tougher time talking about those predictions with parents.