Latest California Healthline Stories
Committee OKs Pricing Transparency Bill
The Assembly health committee yesterday approved a bill to establish an all-payer claims database in California, a move toward what one expert called the ‘missing piece’ of health care reform — pricing transparency.
Cost Containment Bill Goes Down
A Senate proposal to limit in-office physician referrals failed in committee yesterday. The bill was aimed at cost containment, according to its author, Sen. Ed Hernandez.
Assembly Health Committee Votes for More Primary Care Residency Slots
One response to the problem of too few primary care physicians in California is to increase the number of residency slots in underserved areas, according to a bill approved unanimously by the Assembly Committee on Health yesterday.
Changes Coming in California Medical Labs
California’s new partnership with a private accreditation organization — believed to be the first of its kind in the country — is one of several changes in store for clinical laboratories.
Committee Backs Measure To Regulate Billing in Emergency Room Settings
Despite opposition from emergency physicians, the Senate health committee approved a bill this week designed to curb emergency department costs.
UC-Merced, UC-Davis Collaborate on New Virtual Physical Therapy Software
A new version of a gaming system being used for health care applications in the Central Valley may motivate patients, cut costs and deliver efficient care in hard-to-reach situations.
Accelerated Medical School Proposal Could Yield More Physicians, Less Debt
A new Assembly bill proposes a three-year curriculum at California medical schools — a shorter track that could help students by lowering loan debt and help the state by producing physicians faster.
Ruling in Physician Whistle-Blower Case Could Have Far-Reaching Consequences
The California Supreme Court’s ruling upholding a physician’s right to file a whistle-blower lawsuit before exhausting the peer-review process could alter hospital-physician relationships in California, according to some observers.
Obamacare Payment Pilots Are Struggling To Prove They Work. Here’s Why It’s OK.
To slow health spending, the federal government, dozens of payers and thousands of providers are spending time — and money — on pilots that ultimately may not lead anywhere. And that’s OK, experts say.
Central Valley Project To Improve Health Costs, Outcomes Appears To Be Paying Off
A collaboration among the Fresno Unified School District, a primary care physician group and the California Academy of Family Physicians is producing healthier employees and big savings, according to first-year tallies.