Latest California Healthline Stories
Can Raising the State’s Minimum Wage Improve Public Health?
Rajiv Bhatia of the UC-Berkeley School of Public Health, Gerald Kominski of the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research, Sen. Mark Leno, Mike Schommer of the Minnesota Department of Health and medical student Lea Selitsky spoke with California Healthline about the legislative efforts to raise the minimum wage and research into the possible public health effects from that.
Inadequate State, Federal Payment Rates Forcing Hospital Closure, Officials Say
An East Bay hospital that serves a patient population that’s 90% Medi-Cal, Medicare or the uninsured is facing imminent shutdown. State and federal reimbursement rates make serving that population unsustainable, hospital officials say.
Expanding Veterans’ Options Highlights Need for Data Exchange in San Diego
A bill in Congress requiring the Department of Veterans Affairs to pay for care delivered outside the VA medical system is likely to increase private-sector referrals for San Diego veterans and highlight the need for electronic exchange of medical records to ensure continuity of care.
Electronic Backpack for Foster Kids Launched in Ventura County
A pilot project using information technology and the Internet to coordinate social workers and health care providers working with foster children launched last week in Ventura County. The private-public partnership aims to be a model for other parts of California and the nation.
Health Care Battles Focus on What’s Left Out of Budget, Not What’s in It
California’s fiscal year 2014-2015 budget includes small steps toward restoring large health care cuts made during the recession, but most of the big-ticket items are still on the shelf, stirring anger among advocates and legislators.
Consumer Advocates Support California Bill Limiting Asset Seizure
California consumer advocates support a proposal in the state Legislature that would limit the assets the state can recoup from deceased Medi-Cal beneficiaries’ estates.
New Consortium Promotes Efficiency in Working Toward Clinical Trials
The process leading to clinical trials for new drugs — often inefficient and prolonged — is receiving a makeover from a new consortium of California health centers and medical research institutions, the Partnership to Accelerate Clinical Trials — or PACT.
State Lawmakers Want To Overhaul Mental Health Programs
Ratan Bhavnani of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, Linda Boyd and Kathleen Piché of the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health, Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson and Sen. Darrell Steinberg spoke with California Healthline about the legislative and local efforts to change the state’s approach to handling mental illness.
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.
Soda Warning Bill Barely Clears Hurdle
The state Senate’s passage last week of a bill calling for warning labels on sugary drinks is one in a long line of attempts — some successful, some not — to pass legislation to ease the rising rates of obesity and diabetes in California.