Latest California Healthline Stories
Our Sidneys: Five Policy Studies That Warrant a Close Read
For the second straight summer, “Road to Reform” spotlights five of the most influential — and interesting — studies that were released in recent months. Here’s a look at what the wonks are reading.
Ombudsman, Immunization Bills Up for Floor Vote
Dozens of health-related bills passed through committee last week, setting up pending floor votes starting this week.
The last hurdle for many bills is the appropriations committee of each house. Those committees ran at high speed last week, churning out approvals for hundreds of bills.
The Legislature has until the end of August to vote on all bills.
Some of the health-related bills that cleared committee last week:
Mass. Panic: Did State Wait Too Long To Try Cost Control?
Experts are cautiously optimistic that a new Massachusetts law will be a much-anticipated cure for the state’s rising health spending. But others say that the state’s new cost controls — which could be a model for the nation — aren’t the right prescription for reform.
To Gauge ObamaCare Impact, Ignore CBO and Focus on AQC
Which three-letter acronym actually matters most in health reform this month? Many are focusing on the CBO’s projections — but news about the AQC, a Massachusetts pilot project, could hold the keys to unlocking ObamaCare’s potential.
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.
The Simple Reason — Maybe? — Why Health Costs Have Slowed Down
Health costs are growing at their slowest level in 50 years. Some say it’s because of new cost-control efforts; others chalk it up to implementation of the Affordable Care Act. But there’s probably an easier explanation: the recession.
Health Care Task Force Starts Up
This is not your usual task force, according to Diana Dooley, secretary of the state Health and Human Services department. This one, she said, is less interested in the ideal and more focused on producing real-world results. The idea is to figure out which programs across the state improve health care and keep costs down and then encourage and support them.
Dooley was in Los Angeles yesterday to co-chair the first meeting of the health care task force created last month by Gov. Jerry Brown (D). Dooley said the first gathering could not have gone much better.
“I thought it was energized, and energizing,” she said. “It went a long way toward really substantively addressing a meaningful plan, to see what it would look like for California to be healthier in 10 years than it is today. And how do we make some real changes to improve health, lower cost and reform the delivery system. I thought it was a great start.”
If ACA Stands, What California Stands To Gain (or Lose)
The Supreme Court’s ruling on ObamaCare is imminent, and most analysts have focused on what happens if the law gets struck down. Here’s a reminder of what comes next if the law is allowed to stand.
Does Health Care’s Profit Motive Hurt More Than it Helps?
The federal health care law has created a whole new set of financial incentives, and some less-appealing implications — like several marketers pitching hospice care as a “cost-cutter” for hospitals — are now coming to light.
Four Myths About ObamaCare That Just Won’t Die
Has any piece of major legislation ever engendered as much misinformation? More than two years after the Affordable Care Act passed, both critics and supporters are still telling tall tales — and coming up with new ones, too.