Latest California Healthline Stories
Fresno Family Funds Pharmacy College in Central Valley
A new, private, four-year college offering post-graduate degrees in pharmacy is taking shape in the Central Valley. California Health Sciences University officials hope the school will help address the shortage of health care professionals in the region.
Settlement Called ‘Less Harmful’ for In-Home Support Recipients
California officials and disability rights advocates yesterday announced a settlement of a lawsuit challenging a 20% budget trigger cut in In-Home Supportive Services care.
The settlement allows an 8% reduction this year and a 7% reduction in 2014. It also changes the cuts from permanent to temporary.
The size and timing of the cuts are based, in part, on a current 3.6% IHSS cut established in 2009. That reduction will remain in effect, and an additional 4.4% cut will be added onto that this year followed by a 3.4% additional cut next year, bringing the totals to 8% this year and 7% next year.
Five Things Obamacare Got Right — and What Experts Would Fix
The Affordable Care Act celebrates its third birthday this week. Will it be a happy one? In the eyes of experts, here’s a look at what the law got right — and what deserves a do-over.
Federal Approval of Duals Plan May Come Soon
At a budget subcommittee hearing yesterday, Department of Health Care Services Director Toby Douglas said he hopes to get federal approval for the Coordinated Care Initiative within weeks.
The CCI, also known as the duals demonstration project, is a plan to move half a million Californians with dual eligibility in both Medicare and Medicaid into Medi-Cal managed care programs. The plan calls for consolidating disparate health care services and funding streams to improve and integrate care for seniors and persons with disabilities, while saving the state money as well.
“We hope it’s imminent,” Douglas said at yesterday’s Budget Subcommittee on Health and Human Services, when he was asked for an approval timeline by Assembly member Mariko Yamada (D-Davis).
Concern over Mental Health Provider Shortage
Legislation introduced last week would expand the scope of practice for nurse practitioners, optometrists and pharmacists. Separate legislation looks to expand scope of practice for physician assistants, as well.
The bills hope to address the dearth of primary care providers in California by allowing some mid-level health care providers to do more. With the Affordable Care Act’s expansion of Medi-Cal and introduction of the state exchange starting in 2014, there is expected to be a much greater need for primary care services.
Some mental health providers are citing a similar access concern for mental health professionals. Since the state’s essential health benefits include mental health coverage, the demand for mental health services is going to take a big leap, according to psychologist John Caccavale, executive director of the National Alliance of Professional Psychology Providers.
Legislature Will ‘Look Carefully’ at UC Medical System After Report
California legislators will “look carefully” into allegations raised in a union report accusing officials at University of California medical centers of understaffing and mismanaging the system’s five teaching hospitals.
State Advocates Happy Over Federal WIC Action
Action by a U.S. Senate committee has family advocates in California breathing a sigh of relief.
The Women, Infants and Children program — which supplies food, breastfeeding services and other benefits to low-income mothers — was included in the federal sequestration cuts, but this week the Senate appropriations committee included funding for it in an amendment to the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act of 2013, and that means good things for the WIC program in California, according to Laurie True, executive director at the California WIC Association.
True spoke yesterday at a state budget subcommittee hearing.
“We’re really happy,” True said. “It passed Senate appropriations, and it’s already been conferenced [with approval from both federal houses], so it looks good right now for us.”
Financial Concerns for Ambulance Services
Health care providers in California are waiting for judicial rulings to see if they will be hit by a 10% cut in Medi-Cal reimbursement rates as a result of a law passed in 2011 and currently tied up in federal appeals court.
Ambulance service providers are among those who would be hit by the cut but they say they shouldn’t be included for one large and simple reason: Unlike physicians, ambulance providers are required by law to transport Medi-Cal beneficiaries. They’re not allowed to refuse them.
“We cant say ‘no’ like everyone else. We’re required by law to provide those services,” said Klark Staffan, vice president and chief operating officer for Sierra Medical Services Alliance in Lassen County. “And so we’re stuck. We have to provide the service, but we lose money with every Medi-Cal transport. We’re the only type of medical provider who can’t say we wouldn’t accept [Medi-Cal] patients. We think we’re unfairly treated.”
Healthy Families’ First Phase Done, Now Comes the Harder Part
California is in the thick of moving almost one million children from Healthy Families to Medi-Cal managed care. With a shortened first phase of 178,000 kids successfully completed, attention turns to the next two phases that will shift coverage for about 485,000 children.
Administrative Law Office OKs Autism Measures
The California Office of Administrative Law on Monday approved emergency regulations governing health insurers’ treatment of autism coverage.
The regulations were issued by the Department of Insurance to implement details of the California Mental Health Parity Act as well as to implement SB 946 by Sen. Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento), an autism treatment law passed in 2011.
“These emergency regulations will ensure that insurance companies cover medically necessary treatment,” Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones said in a written statement. “Autistic children and their families should now, without delay, receive the transformative treatment that will enable them to succeed in school, their families and communities.”