Latest California Healthline Stories
Health Programs Take a Hit in Legislature
The California Legislature yesterday passed two budget trailer bills calling for relatively rapid changes in California’s Healthy Families program.
Although many organizations and health advocates opposed the two bills, most Democratic legislators voted for them. The bills call for a four-phase, one-year transition of enrollees in the Healthy Families Program to Medi-Cal managed care plans. Children’s health advocates lobbied unsuccessfully for a slower transition.
The Healthy Families changes are part of the state’s plan to cut more than $1 billion from health related programs to pare down a $15.7 billion deficit.
How Should California Deal With Obesity?
Battle lines against obesity are being drawn in several arenas — from a proposed tax on sugary drinks in a Northern California city to a new national Walt Disney Company policy against accepting junk-food advertising. We asked experts what California should do.
Autism Task Force Bill Moves to Assembly Health Committee
State Sen. Elaine Alquist’s (D-Santa Clara) bill to establish a telehealth task force for autism passed the Assembly’s Human Services Committee yesterday with a unanimous vote. Both Republican committee members — Brian Jones (Santee) and Shannon Grove (Bakersfield) — abstained.
Having received bipartisan support in the Senate before reaching the Human Services Committee, the bill by the Santa Clara Democrat has now been double- referred to the Assembly Health Committee.
SB 1050 establishes a telehealth task force under the State Department of Developmental Services to develop evaluation and diagnostic procedures for autism and other autistic spectrum disorders. It is sponsored by The Children’s Partnership, a national nonprofit, non-partisan, child advocacy group with offices in Santa Monica and Washington, D.C.
After the ObamaCare Verdict: Who Gets the Blame?
It may not be fair to focus on winners and losers, to prioritize assigning blame rather than assigning patients to ACOs. But for the foreseeable future — and for decades to come — this week’s events will be interpreted through a simple lens: who underprepared and who overreached in the battle over the Affordable Care Act.
CO-OP Program Moves Forward in Senate
California took a small step toward instituting a new type of health insurance plan in the state — a not-for-profit, member-governed plan dubbed the Consumer Operated and Oriented Plan, or CO-OP.
The new bill was introduced to the Senate in last week’s Senate Committee on Health hearing. AB 1846 by Assembly member Rich Gordon (D-Menlo Park) would pave the way for California to apply for some of the $3.8 billion the federal government is planning to loan to states to start CO-OPs. So far, 12 states have started the process.
“It’s a new type of health insurance, intended to offer affordable, consumer- friendly coverage … in the individual and small group market,” Gordon said. “This bill streamlines the licensure process, and allows California to take part in this program, and tap federal dollars.”
California Physician Groups Vow To Continue Reforming, Regardless
At a meeting with national representatives last week in Washington, D.C., California physician groups said they plan to continue working to improve care coordination for patients no matter what the Supreme Court says in the much-anticipated Affordable Care Act ruling.
Heat Over Healthy Families Compromise Plan
Yesterday’s state budget compromise between legislative leaders and the governor includes a provision that 880,000 children in the Healthy Families program will complete the shift to Medi-Cal managed care within a year, beginning Jan. 1. State officials, who had been using an enrollment figure of 875,000, now say the Healthy Families programs serves 880,000 California children.
The timing of the shift ticks off Suzie Shupe, executive director of California Coverage and Health Initiatives (formerly known as the Children’s Health Initiative).
“We are really outraged over this deal that was struck,” Shupe said. “Despite both houses of the Legislature supporting the notion of transitioning just the bright-line kids, I can’t believe they decided to eliminate a popular and successful program in one fell swoop like this.”
Senate Rejects ACA/Exchange Bill
If the Supreme Court overturns part or all of the Affordable Care Act in a ruling expected within the next 10 days, California should be ready, according to Senator Tom Harman (R-Huntington Beach).
Harman yesterday introduced SB 1321, which would require the California Health Benefit Exchange to submit a report to the Legislature within 90 days, if the Supreme Court reverses any part of the ACA.
The Senate Committee on Health rejected the measure.
Paramedics Could Lighten L.A. County’s EMS Load
Proponents of expanded roles for emergency medical personnel say a goldmine of untapped health care resources in Los Angeles County is ripe for mining. Changes brought on by health care reform could make the transition smoother.
Details of Exchange Begin to Emerge
California Health Benefit Exchange Board members yesterday heard presentations on a number of topics including stakeholder opinions on qualified health plans, potential exchange users’ opinions on what they need from the exchange and possibilities for creating call centers. All of those discussions seemed to lead to the same two things: cost and service.
“If we drop the ball on service, we will drop the ball on everything,” said Peter Lee, executive director of the exchange board. “Service matters.”
Lee was discussing the results of a discussion group of possible users of the exchange, who articulated what they would want in an exchange. He was also referring to a report submitted yesterday on defining the parameters for qualified health plans that will participate in the exchange.