Latest California Healthline Stories
Short-Staffed Nursing Homes See Drop In Medicare Ratings
In its latest update to the Nursing Home Compare website, the government gave 1,638 homes its lowest star rating for staffing — one star on its five-star scale. Most were downgraded because payroll records reported no registered-nurse hours at all for at least four days.
For Those With Developmental Disabilities, Dental Needs Are Great, Good Care Elusive
Lack of access means that people with physical and cognitive disabilities have a heavier burden of dental disease.
Even Doctors Can’t Navigate Our ‘Broken Health Care System’
A physician’s frustration navigating a medical emergency with his elderly father reveals a complex, dysfunctional system.
CBO’s Report On Single-Payer Health Care Holds More Questions Than Answers
The Congressional Budget Office report does clearly communicate that shifting to this type of health system would be a complicated process.
Is Insulin’s High Cost Keeping Diabetes Patients From Taking Their Medicine?
An estimated 1.25 million Americans have Type 1 diabetes and cannot live without insulin. Sen. Kamala Harris’ claim that 1 in 4 diabetes patients cannot afford their insulin is a shockingly high number, so we decided to dig into the sparse data.
Summer Bummer: A Young Camper’s $142,938 Snakebite
The snake struck a 9-year-old hiker at dusk on a nature trail. The outrageous bills struck her parents a few weeks later.
Verano de pesadilla: le facturan $142,938 por tratar una mordedura de serpiente
A la pequeña Oakley Yoder la mordió una copperhead en el verano de 2018. La niña, entonces de 9 años, recibió una atención de excelencia. Pero el resultado fue una factura astronómica.
Will Ties To A Catholic Hospital System Tie Doctors’ Hands?
Doctors at the University of California’s flagship San Francisco hospital are sharply divided over a proposal to join forces with a Catholic-run system that restricts care on the basis of religious doctrine — part of a broader public debate as Catholic hospitals expand their reach.
Hospitals Chafe Under Medicare’s New Payment Rule For Off-Campus Clinics
Under the rule that took effect this year, Medicare will lower payments for clinic visits performed at hospital-owned facilities to a rate that is equivalent to what it pays an independent doctor. Federal officials expect the move will save the government $380 million this year.
Americans Overwhelmingly Want Federal Protections Against Surprise Medical Bills
Three-quarters of people urge action to keep patients from facing high medical costs when their insurance doesn’t cover the care, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation poll.