Latest California Healthline Stories
Drug Costs, Restrictions Get Hearing
The Assembly health committee heard and passed two bills yesterday dealing with the rising costs of specialty drugs.
A bill directing California to join 15 other states allowing terminally ill patients expanded access to experimental drugs cleared a committee hurdle yesterday.
HIV Medication Decision in Florida May Have Implications in California
A lawsuit in Florida triggered an insurer’s decision to lower the price of certain HIV medications for consumers by assigning the drugs to the generic drug tier. Advocates say the move may affect California’s pricing.
Challenged in Court, Killed in Legislature, Drug Take-Back Taking Root in Counties
San Francisco supervisors this month unanimously approved an ordinance requiring drugmakers to pay for and administer a program to dispose of unused and expired drugs. The idea, rejected last year by the state Legislature, is being challenged in U.S. Supreme Court.
New Deterrent Opioids on State’s Radar
A bill in the Assembly aims to expand the use of a new kind of opioid designed to prevent patients from crushing or altering the medication, deterring one form of drug abuse.
California Supreme Court To Decide Fate of Medical Board’s Access to Rx Database
Some experts say the California Supreme Court should impose further restrictions on access to the state’s prescription drug monitoring database to ensure patient privacy is prioritized. However, others say the public interest of curbing prescription misuse outweighs the argument for increased limitations.
Drug Transparency Bill May Be First in Nation
A bill in the California Legislature calling for drugmakers to explain their high prices for specialty drugs is thought to be the country’s first such legislative attempt at pricing transparency.
Cost Drivers and How To Steer Them
Expensive drugs got much of the blame last week during a legislative hearing hoping to pinpoint the major cost drivers in the state’s health care system.
State Closing In on Federal Waiver for Residential Care in Drug Medi-Cal Plan
The linchpin to fixing the state’s fractured Drug Medi-Cal Program is a federal waiver of a restriction on residential care facilities, according to testimony at a Senate hearing.
Lawsuit Settlement Spells End of Insurers’ HIV Drugs-by-Mail Mandate
Patients in the United Healthcare system now may opt out of receiving medications through mail-order service if they have privacy, communication or delivery concerns.