Latest California Healthline Stories
Four Myths About ObamaCare That Just Won’t Die
Has any piece of major legislation ever engendered as much misinformation? More than two years after the Affordable Care Act passed, both critics and supporters are still telling tall tales — and coming up with new ones, too.
May Budget Revise Hits Health Care Hard
Health care reductions made up more than one-third of the additional $6.5 billion Governor Jerry Brown (D) needed to trim since the last budget proposal in January. Five months ago, the governor was only staring down a $9.2 billion deficit. Now it’s estimated at $15.7 billion.
Brown’s new proposal released yesterday included about $2.5 billion in cost reductions to health care programs.
The plan calls for new cuts for hospitals and nursing homes, more cutbacks in Medi-Cal services and another reduction to In-Home Supportive Services.
May Budget Revise Hits Health, Human Services
Governor Jerry Brown’s May revision of the state budget released this morning includes about $2.5 billion in cost-saving measures to health care programs.
“They’re pretty serious cuts,” Brown said today. “Cuts to Medi-Cal, to hospitals, to nursing homes, to CalWORKS, this is all very real. But California has been living beyond its means, and it has to be balanced at the day of reckoning. This is the day of reckoning.”
According to the Democratic governor’s proposed budget, $1.2 billion in cost-reduction will come from Medi-Cal, about $880 million from CalWORKS, $225 million from In-Home Supportive Services and about $161 million from other health care programs, such as the AIDS Drug Assistance Program.
New Budget to Hit Health Care Programs?
Before Governor Jerry Brown (D) came out with the January budget, some in the health care community speculated that new budget cuts wouldn’t hit health programs — because there wasn’t much left that could be cut back.
But that proved untrue, when reductions hit Medi-Cal, Healthy Families and In-Home Supportive Services.
Big Data Has Potential for Big Impact in Health Care Research, Delivery
Big data — the collection and manipulation of enormous amounts of information — has the potential to change the way health care is researched and delivered, according to California health care experts.
Assembly Casts Its Vote for Vaccinations
The Assembly yesterday approved a measure to require parents to meet with a licensed medical provider if they want to exempt their children from immunizations. After consultation, practitioners would sign an exemption form for parents.
Bill author Richard Pan (D-Sacramento) said AB 2109 makes sure parents make an informed decision about vaccinations.
“So they can make an informed decision about the impact this would have, not just on their own children but on the school and in the greater community,” Pan said. “This is extremely important, to protect the public safety in our communities. Immunizations are one of the most important preventative measures, one of the most-effective measures we’ve had, to try to protect our communities from infectious diseases.”
Laura’s Law Advocate Objects to Plan
The Assembly Committee on Health on Tuesday approved a proposal designed to change the way some counties handle people who are having a mental health crisis.
“Consumers, mental health professionals, law enforcement and others are working side-by-side developing ways to de-escalate crisis situations, while reaching out to consumers and providing much-needed mental health services,” said Wesley Chesbro (D-Arcata), author of AB 2134.
“This bill simply tells counties to have a best practice in place for crisis response before proceeding with the countywide involuntary treatment program,” Chesbro said. “It’s that simple.”
State Loses Bid To Cut FQHC Rates, Restructure Pay System
Two budget subcommittees recently rejected an attempt by the state Department of Health Care Services to rework the way it pays federally qualified health centers and rural health clinics. The proposal included a funding cut of 10%, or about $100 million, to those centers.
Disability Rights Withdraws Contempt Filing — For Now
A contempt-of-court motion filed against the Department of Health Care Services was recently withdrawn by Disability Rights California, though adult day health care advocates said they might re-file later.
“We still think we’re right and the department is wrong,” said Elissa Gershon, a senior attorney at Disability Rights California. “But once we began having discussions, it became clear it wasn’t something that was as appropriate to bring before a federal judge.”
There were two main sticking points in the contempt filing, one of which has been worked out, Gershon said.
California Sees Increase in Parents Seeking Exemptions From Vaccination Requirements
Oakland pediatrician Bruce Horwitz, Barbara Loe Fisher of the National Vaccine Information Center, John Talarico of the state Department of Public Health and a parent who plans to apply for a personal belief exemption spoke with California Healthline about the growing trend of parents seeking vaccine exemptions.