Latest California Healthline Stories
Scope of Practice Bill Returns, Would Let Nurse Practitioners Prescribe Medication
Legislation aimed at alleviating the shortage of health care providers would allow nurse practitioners to expand their scope of practice — including prescribing medication.
State Attorney General OKs Sale of Hospitals to Prime, but With Conditions
California Attorney General Kamala Harris approved the controversial sale of six California safety-net hospitals to Prime Healthcare with added conditions that Prime has yet to agree to.
Narrow Networks Can Limit Patient Choice, but Are They Affecting Provider Behavior?
While most of the focus on narrow networks in the Affordable Care Act’s exchange plans has been on how they affect consumers, some health policy insiders have begun considering the impact of such plans on providers. But is it too soon to tell the full effects of such networks on hospitals and physicians?
How Two States Are Addressing Consumer Concerns About Narrow Networks
Insurers, regulators and state and federal lawmakers spent a good portion of last year belatedly acknowledging consumer complaints about health plans limited provider networks, learning more about the problem and drafting nascent solutions. Here’s a look at how two states are handling the issue.
UCLA Report Shows How Some Clinics Integrate Mental Health Into Primary Care
Integrating mental health into the primary care setting can be done in a relatively straightforward way, according to UCLA researchers who studied five California clinics.
California Pharmacists Report Progress in Move To Broaden Scope of Practice
Using framework created by new legislation, California pharmacists are about to finish one phase and start another in their movement toward a broader scope of practice that includes delivering more primary care services.
The Bitter Truth: Brill’s ‘Bitter Pill’ Changed Nothing.
The landmark Time story that shook health care two years ago has been resurrected as a new best-selling book. But did author Steven Brill accurately diagnose the industry’s problems, and if so, why didn’t anyone follow his original prescription for a cure?
New State Law Allows Community Colleges To Offer Four-Year Degrees
In an effort to meet the demand for a more highly educated workforce, California community colleges for the first time will be allowed to offer four-year degrees — including some in health care fields — under a new law taking effect Jan. 1, 2015.
Is Obamacare a Boon or Bust for Entrepreneurship?
After the ACA passed, many experts predicted that it would benefit self-employed individuals and encourage entrepreneurship across the country. But has health reform met those expectations?
Rural Health Situation a Microcosm of Changes, Challenges Across the State
Rural health leaders and stakeholders gathered in Sacramento last week to figure out approaches to handle big changes and ongoing hardships of practicing medicine in remote California.