Latest California Healthline Stories
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.
Can the ACA Solve Staggering Prescription Drug Prices?
Many Americans believe the ACA should act as a salve for all things that ail the nation’s health care system. In light of the ongoing debate over the high cost of Gilead’s new hepatitis C treatment, what is the law doing to hold down prescription drug prices?
Ballot Measure Aims at Patient Safety by Raising Limits on Malpractice Suits
Carmen Balber of Consumer Watchdog, Amitabh Chandra of the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, Cathy Frey of Central Valley Health Network and Richard Thorp of the California Medical Association spoke with California Healthline about the debate over Proposition 46, the November ballot initiative that would raise the cap on malpractice lawsuits and require drug-testing of physicians.
New Consortium Promotes Efficiency in Working Toward Clinical Trials
The process leading to clinical trials for new drugs — often inefficient and prolonged — is receiving a makeover from a new consortium of California health centers and medical research institutions, the Partnership to Accelerate Clinical Trials — or PACT.
How Should California Officials Deal With ‘Specialty Tier’ Pricing of Drugs?
We asked stakeholders and health care experts how California should handle “specialty tier” pricing of prescription drugs, a practice that requires some consumers to pay higher out-pocket-prices for some medications.