Latest California Healthline Stories
State Readies Medicaid EHR Incentive Program
California health care providers could corral as much as $1.4 billion in federal incentive money for the meaningful use of electronic health records. The state recently launched a staggered application process for its Medicaid portion of the program.
Legislative Hearing Frames Looming Impact of Federal Cuts
Edwin Park was not exactly a ray of sunshine.
The policy expert from Washington, D.C., testified recently at an Assembly budget subcommittee hearing in Sacramento on the effects of impending federal budget cuts to California.
“The major Medicaid proposals [being considered] would substantially shift cost to the states,” Park said. “Some Medicare savings would also shift cost to the states. And states like California will have to compensate for these cuts.”
Why the ‘Moneyball’ Approach Isn’t a Home Run for Health Care
Billy Beane’s data-driven strategies made him the talk of baseball, the king of the current box office and a highly visible advocate for evidence-based medicine. But Beane’s teams have faded since their “Moneyball” heyday — and evidence-based medicine might not be the home run that some reformers hope it will be.
Health Reform, LGBT, Telehealth Bills Signed
More than two dozen bills directly related to health care were signed into law over the weekend by Gov. Jerry Brown (D).
Despite some initial opposition from the Health Benefit Exchange board, the governor signed AB 1296 by Susan Bonilla (D-Martinez), a measure that creates the Health Care Reform Eligibility, Enrollment and Retention Planning Act. It requires state Health and Human Services officials to set up standardized forms and procedures to apply for or renew eligibility and enrollment in state subsidy programs.
It’s part of the no-wrong-door approach to streamline enrollment in Medi-Cal, the Health Benefit Exchange and other state assistance programs.
The Next Five Years in Health IT: ONC’s Plan for the Future
The recently released Federal Health IT Strategic Plan outlines the federal government’s goals for using health information technology to improve health care over the next five years. The plan incorporates policy priorities included in the HITECH Act and the health reform law.
Wendy Everett of NEHI Discusses How New Technologies Can Improve Care, Cut Costs
Wendy Everett, founding president of the New England Healthcare Institute, spoke with California Healthline about efforts to encourage health care providers to adopt innovative electronic health systems that could improve health care quality and reduce costs.
Process Opens To Get Federal EHR Incentive Money
For Raul Ramirez, it has been a long time coming.
“This is a big day for providers, for the state. This is a big day for California,” Ramirez said.
Ramirez, chief of the Department of Health Care Services’ Office of Health Information Technology, was talking about this week’s initial processing of applications for up to $1.4 billion in federal funds for the state’s electronic health record incentive program.
Country Getting Healthier, Policy Experts Told
Despite obstacles and opposition to health care reform, the country is getting healthier, according to HHS Assistant Secretary for Health Howard Koh. Speaking to state health policy experts in Kansas City this week, Koh said HHS will release statistics showing that individuals and communities are making progress toward a number of health goals.
Reimbursement for Emergency Transport Becomes Law
It’s been a busy week for Gov. Jerry Brown (D), and it will get busier. Brown has until midnight Sunday to approve or reject the stack of bills sent to him by the Legislature.
Since the end of last week, Brown has signed 104 bills into law and rejected 10. Among the approvals were a number of health-related measures:
The Benefits of Changing Medicare’s Drug Benefit
Medicare Part D is Exhibit A in how a health reform can evolve from partisan legislation to beloved protection. Aware of the drug benefit’s popularity, but facing real fiscal concerns, lawmakers are broaching delicate changes to the program.