Latest California Healthline Stories
Senate Approves Landmark Mental Health Bill As Part Of 21st Century Cures Act
The U.S. Senate passed a landmark bill to help millions of Americans suffering from mental illness.
Doctors And Hospitals Say ‘Show Me The Money’ Before Treating Patients
As patients’ share of medical bills has grown with the rise in deductibles, copays and coinsurance, providers have become laser focused on getting payments up front.
California Tests Electronic Database For End-Of-Life Wishes
San Diego and Contra Costa counties are piloting a registry so emergency responders can know quickly how much treatment patients want.
A Frenzy Of Lobbying On 21st Century Cures
Three lobbyists for every member of Congress in a push to pass a bill that increases research funding and speeds up approvals.
Deadly Infections Linked To Heart Surgery Device Highlight Holes In FDA Monitoring
The federal agency took 14 months to warn the public about the potential for infections. Officials say they acted as fast as they could.
Long-Stalled FDA Reform Sits On Senate’s Lame-Duck Calendar
The legislation would give federal officials more flexibility in evaluating the effectiveness and safety of drugs and devices and add billions of dollars to NIH funding. But critics say it could endanger patients’ safety and doesn’t do enough to stop spiraling drug prices.
Uncertain Fate Of Health Law Giving Health Industry Heartburn
The effect of “repeal and replace” could have greatest consequences for hospitals. They accepted lower federal funding under the law because their uncompensated care was expected to fall as more people became insured.
Study Finds Nearby Retail Clinics Don’t Drive Down ER Visits
The results suggest that retail clinics may not provide a solution for reducing unnecessary emergency department visits, researchers say.
Medical Device Employees Are Often In The O.R., Raising Concerns About Influence
The “reps,” who are there to answer any technical questions that arise during surgery, also often cultivate close relationships with the doctors, leading to questions about how much influence they wield.
‘Durable Cure’ Is Goal For Childhood Cancer, But Recent Patients Have Persistent Issues
People treated in the 1990s report worse health problems later in life than those treated in the two previous decades.