Latest California Healthline Stories
Lawsuits. Surprise Bills. Are ‘Narrow Networks’ a Speed Bump, or a Scandal?
Complaints about the “narrow networks” in the Affordable Care Act’s exchanges have taken a sharp turn, with regulators launching investigations and patients filing lawsuits. Are these simply rollout-related challenges, or are deeper problems to blame?
Amid Shortage Concerns, Could the ACA Bolster Primary Care Ranks?
The Affordable Care Act might be making primary care more attractive to medical residents, which would address an anticipated provider shortage. But some observers say any increase in students’ primary care interest is an illusion.
Unclear How Supreme Court’s Home Health Care Worker Ruling Will Affect California
The ruling by the nation’s highest court goes against home health care workers’ unions in Illinois — but advocates still are uncertain what it means for California.
Panel OKs Optometry Scope of Practice Bill
Legislation to help ease the crunch on primary care by expanding the scope of practice for California optometrists moved forward in the Legislature yesterday.
The ACA May Aggravate the Doc Shortage. What’s the ACA Going To Do About It?
With millions of U.S. residents gaining coverage under the Affordable Care Act, the law is expected to exacerbate predicted primary care physician shortages. However, the law contains several provisions intended to bolster the ranks of PCPs. What are those provisions, and do experts think they’ll work?
Doctors Academy Addresses Lack of Diversity Among Providers in Central Valley
A new program for high school students is designed to provide an educational pipeline to increase the number of homegrown health care workers in the Central Valley.
They Annoy Patients. They Scare Docs. But Narrow Networks Might Be a Good Thing.
With legal challenges, new market entrants and recent CMS regulations, narrow networks may be a little less narrow in year two of Affordable Care Act enrollment. But there are benefits to limited networks, experts say, and patients and doctors’ frustrations with the model may have been overstated.
New, Private Inland Empire Medical School Could Open in 2016
A new, private medical school in Colton, San Bernardino County, could open as early as 2016. But first, the school must hit a number of targets, from building a new campus to receiving accreditation.
Poised for Growth, Commercial ACOs Also Face Considerable Challenges
Accountable care organizations formed by private insurers and health systems face different requirements and challenges than those regulated by CMS. As commercial organizations increasingly jump on the ACO bandwagon, other private entities will be watching from the sidelines to see if they find success.
Nurse Practitioners: ‘Wait Till Next Year’
Armed with new data — including a report last month that suggests California could save $1.8 billion by expanding nurse practitioners’ scope of practice — nurse practitioners are hoping next year they’ll prevail in a campaign to expand their authority to provide primary care services in California.