Latest California Healthline Stories
Physical Therapist Bill Headed to Governor
A bill that was both supported and opposed by physical therapist groups has cleared the Legislature floor and now heads to the governor.
UPS Among the First To Dump Spousal Coverage. It Won’t Be the Last.
UPS’ eye-catching announcement to exclude 15,000 spouses of employees from its health insurance plan is being blamed, in part, on the Affordable Care Act. Here’s a closer look at the decision, whether it will be a tipping point for other firms and the zero-sum game behind dropping spousal coverage.
UC-Riverside Medical School Bill Approved
The Assembly yesterday approved a measure to urge the state’s new medical school in Riverside to use part of its recent $15 million allocation from the state to steer students to a physician-retention program.
Supreme Court Decision on Insulin Injection Shapes the State’s Use of School Nurses
The dramatic decline in the number of school nurses in California over the past two decades contributed to last week’s California Supreme Court ruling that school personnel can give kids insulin shots. Advocates worry the decision might lead to fewer school nurses.
Amended Mid-Level Provider Bills OK’d
An Assembly committee approved two bills designed to expand the amount of work that can be done by pharmacists, physician assistants and nurse practitioners.
Providers Brace for Medi-Cal Rate Cut, Hold Concerns About Access to Care
Dustin Corcoran of the California Medical Association, Jan Emerson Shea of the California Hospital Association, San Diego otolaryngologist Ted Mazer and Norman Williams of the California Department of Health Care Services spoke with California Healthline about the implications and implementation of the 10% Medi-Cal provider reimbursement rate cut.
Nurse Practitioner Bill Loses Supporter After ‘Drastic’ Last-Minute Amendments
A bill to allow nurse practitioners more independence is up for another vote this week before a California Assembly committee, but new amendments have prompted one supporter to oppose the measure.
Mid-Levels’ Bill Clears Assembly Floor Vote
A bill to allow mid-level practitioners to supervise medical assistants when physicians are not onsite cleared the Assembly floor last week.
More Doctors Are Quitting Medicare. Is Obamacare Really To Blame?
A recent Wall Street Journal cover story noted that the number of physicians opting out of Medicare has nearly tripled since 2009. Some critics of the Affordable Care Act are blaming their favorite scapegoat, but there’s more to the story.
Scope-of-Practice Bills Proceed, Pause
A scope-of-practice bill for pharmacists was approved by an Assembly committee yesterday. Another bill supporting expansion for nurse practitioners failed but may get another chance next week.