Latest California Healthline Stories
Budget Cuts Could Lead To Slower Results on Tuberculosis Test for Drug-Resistant Strains
State and county public health experts spoke with California Healthline about the effects of state budget cuts on efforts to control tuberculosis in the Bay Area, which accounts for nearly one-fourth of TB cases in the state.
California’s Mental Health System May Be Headed for Crisis
Like many of the patients it serves, California’s county-based mental health system seems to operate on a cycle of coping and crisis. Indications are we’re headed into crisis mode. Three counties are threatening to drop out of the Medi-Cal mental health program, and several other counties are experiencing other mental health meltdowns.
Assembly Bills Target Emergency Preparedness, Rent Increases at Assisted-Living Facilities
Assembly members Karen Bass and Lois Wolk, and a spokesperson from the Campaign to Improve Assisted Living spoke with California Healthline about regulation of the assisted-living industry.
Medicaid Contractions Inspire New State, National Opposition
Proposals to cut back Medicaid spending at the federal level and in California are galvanizing the opposition and inspiring dark predictions of physician flight and growing barriers to care for beneficiaries.
Debate Over Health Insurance Cancellations Brings Criticism, Suggestions From All Sides
Sen. Sheila Kuehl and officials from a consumer group, the Department of Managed Health Care and a health insurer trade group spoke with California Healthline about regulating health insurance policy cancellations.
Bill on Pricing Transparency Moves to Senate Health Committee
A proposal to ban “gag” clauses aims at making more pricing data public to improve price comparison shopping for individual consumers and large industrial buyers of health care. That said, Sutter Health defends the confidentiality agreements as standard practice.
State Partnerships for Long-term Care Policies Under Fire
California health officials defend the state’s public-private partnership that urges people to buy long-term care insurance, but consumer advocates caution consumers to examine such policies carefully before taking the plunge.
California Seeks Changes to Medicare Audit Program
CMS has piloted a Medicare audit program in California since 2005, but many California hospitals, nursing homes and now lawmakers say there are major problems in the program and are calling for it to be re-examined before it is rolled out nationwide.
L.A. County Works To Preserve Emergency Department Care After Hospital Closures
Bruce Chernof of the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services and Jim Lott of the Hospital Association of Southern California discussed the situation with California Healthline.
California Seeks Fines, Penalties Against Insurers for Claims Processing Violations
Cindy Ehnes, director of the Department of Managed Health Care, and Santiago Munoz of the UC Health System spoke with California Healthline about the state’s record fines against PacifiCare for alleged improper claims handling.