Latest California Healthline Stories
SPECIAL AUDIO REPORT: Tobacco Tax Likely Main Health Issue in Election
Health care and political players in California say that health care will play a role in the gubernatorial election but that a ballot initiative to increase the state tobacco tax to fund health care programs likely will be the major health care issue in the November election. Audio.
SPECIAL AUDIO REPORT: Government, Health IT Strengthen Pay-for-Performance Programs
Medicare involvement would bring “a huge amount of energy and focus to performance measurement,” according to Tom Williams, executive director of the Integrated Health Association. Audio.
SPECIAL AUDIO REPORT: Assembly To Hear Seismic Retrofit Legislation
One bill to extend the seismic safety compliance deadline would give hospitals an additional two years if they make a good faith effort to meet the deadline, while another would reevaluate which hospitals are the most at risk during an earthquake.
SPECIAL AUDIO REPORT: Belshe Discusses Prospects of Health Care Reform
Massachusetts last month approved legislation that aims to expand health care coverage to nearly all of the state’s uninsured residents, a move that raises questions about the prospects of similar legislation in California. Audio.
SPECIAL AUDIO REPORT: Supporters, Opponents Debate Assisted Suicide Bill
The U.S. Supreme Court last year upheld an Oregon law legalizing physician-assisted suicide in some cases, a move that raises questions about the prospects of similar legislation in California. Audio.
SPECIAL AUDIO REPORT: California Data Standards Can Influence Federal Efforts
National Coordinator for Health IT David Brailer said that the California Regional Health Information Organization’s work on guidance documents for providers, vendors and other data-sharing projects creates precedence for national efforts.
SPECIAL AUDIO REPORT: Ortiz Discusses Outlook for Health Care Legislation in 2006
Senate Health Committee Chair Deborah Ortiz (D-Sacramento) discusses the Medicare drug benefit, children’s health coverage and other health care issues that she expects the Legislature to take up in 2006.
SPECIAL AUDIO REPORT: California Healthline Interviews CMA CEO Jack Lewin on 2006 Agenda
In an interview for a California Healthline special audio report, Jack Lewin, CEO and executive vice president of the California Medical Association, said Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s (R) efforts to address health care issues in his State of the State Address and fiscal year 2006-2007 state budget proposal have fallen short.
SPECIAL AUDIO REPORT: HealthTech CEO Molly Coye Discusses California RHIO Progress
In an interview for a California HealthCare Foundation special audio report, Molly Coye, founder and CEO of HealthTech — a not-for-profit education and research organization advancing the use of technology to promote the health of individuals and communities — said there has been “real progress” in the California Regional Health Information Organization’s plans to advance “concrete” local, regional and statewide projects that facilitate secure sharing of patient data.
In an interview for a California Healthline special audio report, Lynn Rolston, CEO of the California Pharmacists Association, said that pharmacists currently are not taking a position on either of the competing propositions addressing prescription drugs on the Nov. 8 special election ballot because they contain “so little detail” on how the legislation would affect pharmacists and patients’ access to pharmacists.