Health Industry

Latest California Healthline Stories

Newborns Get Routine Heel Blood Tests, but Should States Keep Those Samples?

Shortly after birth, babies are pricked in the heel so their blood can be tested for life-threatening conditions. States generally save leftover blood from those samples, and parents and privacy experts are concerned that information could be used without consent years later.

Southern States’ Lackluster Monkeypox Efforts Leave LGBTQ+ Groups Going It Alone

The gay community is disproportionally affected by the monkeypox outbreak, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says public health efforts should prioritize gay and bisexual men. But in the South, some LGBTQ+ advocates fear that this is not happening consistently. They say they are having to take matters into their own hands in the absence of a coordinated response from state governments.

Medical Coding Creates Barriers to Care for Transgender Patients

The codes used by U.S. medical providers to bill insurers haven’t caught up to the needs of trans patients or even international standards. Consequently, doctors are forced to get creative with what codes they use, or patients spend hours fighting big out-of-pocket bills.

Hospitals Divert Primary Care Patients to Health Center ‘Look-Alikes’ to Boost Finances

Medicare and Medicaid pay “look-alike” health centers significantly more than hospitals for treating patients, and converting or creating clinics can help hospitals reduce their expenses. California has more than two dozen of the look-alikes, far outpacing any other state, although many are not associated with hospitals.