Latest California Healthline Stories
Sale of Six Hospitals to Prime Advances; Next Stop, Attorney General’s Office
Despite ongoing protests, officials at not-for-profit Daughters of Charity Health System said last week the sale of six safety-net hospitals to for-profit Prime Healthcare will move forward.
Primary Care Providers Finding New Ways To Connect Patients With Specialists
Connecting patients with specialists in California can be handled in innovative ways, according to providers who told tales of new techniques at an annual primary care conference in Sacramento.
Anthem’s New Partnership With Seven Hospitals Builds on an Old Idea in California
Vivity — a new Southern California product from Anthem Blue Cross — debuted to considerable fanfare last month. California already has a rich history of managed care and integrated networks, so is there anything unique about this particular arrangement? “Road to Reform” consulted the experts to find out.
Employers’ Reform ‘Scorecard’ Shows Continuing Shift in Value-Oriented Pay
California has a higher percentage of value-oriented care — such as capitated payment systems — than most of the country, but the national numbers are inching closer, according to a national report on payment reform released today.
Checking in on ACA Care Models: Where ACOs and PCMHs Stand
The Affordable Care Act provided a platform to test and bolster innovative care delivery models, like accountable care organizations and patient-centered medical homes. But more than four years after its passage, there is little evidence that such models are delivering on their promises and some experts say the effects are far from clear.
Surveys Show Unbalanced Supply, Demand in California Nurse Labor Market
Four years ago, there was a shortage of nurses in California hospitals but by 2013, the landscape had flipped. Now, despite the new surplus, many hospitals are having difficulty finding nurses with sufficient experience, according to new surveys.
Statewide Rural Health Association Returns
After a year in the dark, the familiar voice of policy and advocacy for California’s rural health communities is coming back. With no staff, no office and technical framework still under construction, the California State Rural Health Association is trying a different, less costly approach to connecting and advocating for the state’s disparate rural health care providers.
Bill Requiring Paid Sick Leave Headed for Floor Vote in Senate
State legislators will decide in the next couple weeks whether California should follow Connecticut’s lead and become the second state to require employers to provide paid sick leave for workers.
Price of Passage High for Optometrist Bill
A Senate bill to expand the scope of practice for optometrists was reduced to a shadow of its former proposal — but it did pass committee and will be up for a floor vote.
UC Program Aims To Increase Number of Health Care Professionals in Central Valley
San Joaquin Valley PRIME, one of six University of California programs recruiting medical students committed to working with underserved populations, focuses on boosting the number of Central Valley physicians.