Latest California Healthline Stories
California Hospitals Expanding Their Palliative Care Offerings To Improve Care, Reduce Costs
Parag Bharadwaj of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Judy Citko of the Coalition for Compassionate Care of California, Suzi Johnson of Sharp HospiceCare and Steven Oppenheim of the Institute of Palliative Medicine spoke with California Healthline about the growth of palliative care services in California.
Study: Nurse Ratio Law Has Mixed Results on Quality of Care
California’s nurse staffing law has had mixed results on quality of care, according to a new study. The California Nurses Association, the driving force behind the 2004 law, said the study’s findings were not sufficient to support the authors’ conclusions.
Why the Future of Health Care May Be on the Line With Prop. 30
If Proposition 30 fails to pass in the upcoming November election, billions of dollars worth of trigger cuts would kick in, cutting education funding drastically in California. But, it turns out, health and social service programs also have a lot riding on this election.
Millions Will Fall Through ACA Cracks in California, Report Predicts
A new joint report from UC-Berkeley Labor Center and UCLA Center for Health Policy Research predicts that as many as four million Californians still will be without health insurance after national health reforms are in place.
Stakeholders: Medicare Should Cover Care Received in ‘Observation’
Medicare beneficiaries and care providers in California are part of a national chorus calling attention to Medicare’s lack of coverage for skilled nursing facility care after a patient has been “under observation” in an acute care hospital but not technically an “inpatient.”
Forum Examines Specifics of Bending the Cost Curve
A forum organized by a Massachusetts health policy research institute explored ways California policymakers and health care providers can combat the spiraling costs of health care ranging from adhering to prescription drug regimens to avoiding unnecessary hospitalizations.
Mental Health, Substance Abuse Treatment Changing
New guidelines in the Affordable Care Act and new responsibilities for county governments mean significant changes ahead for mental health care and substance abuse treatment in California.
UC-San Diego Program Focuses on Designing Medical Devices
A new master’s degree program at UC-San Diego’s Jacobs School of Engineering is designed to help working engineers meet the evolving demands of one of San Diego’s fastest-growing industries — medical device design and manufacturing.
California Cities Gear Up To Vote on Ballot Initiatives To Tax Sugar-Sweetened Beverages
El Monte Planning Commissioner Art Barrios, Chuck Finnie of the Community Coalition Against Beverage Taxes, El Monte Mayor Andre Quintero and Richmond City Council member Jeff Ritterman spoke with California Healthline about local ballot measures that tax sugar-sweetened beverages.
Pilot Program Helps Kids With Severe Diagnoses, Saves Money
A UCLA study showed a high level of patient and family satisfaction with a pilot program that takes a palliative approach to care for children with severe illnesses. The program also produced significant savings for the state, according to the study.