Latest California Healthline Stories
Drug Benefit Enrollment Strategies Expand
Health care advocates are working with community groups and “mining” enrollment information for programs whose membership might include Medicare beneficiaries eligible for subsidies to help offset the cost of prescription drug coverage.
SPECIAL AUDIO REPORT: Assembly To Hear Seismic Retrofit Legislation
One bill to extend the seismic safety compliance deadline would give hospitals an additional two years if they make a good faith effort to meet the deadline, while another would reevaluate which hospitals are the most at risk during an earthquake.
Kaiser Transplant Program Could Spur More Oversight
The collapse of an organ-transplant program last month at the largest and one of the most highly regarded HMOs in the country is sending ripples of worry through the health care community.
Drug Benefit Enrollment Varies by County
CMS attributes variations in enrollment in the Medicare drug benefit among counties to differences in managed care penetration and populations of dual eligibles, but some health care advocates fault CMS for inadequate outreach efforts.
Health Insurance Expansion Efforts Draw Attention
Efforts to reduce the number of uninsured residents are drawing new attention after Massachusetts approved a health insurance mandate last month. California legislators are among those debating what the plan could mean for health care reform efforts.
SPECIAL AUDIO REPORT: Belshe Discusses Prospects of Health Care Reform
Massachusetts last month approved legislation that aims to expand health care coverage to nearly all of the state’s uninsured residents, a move that raises questions about the prospects of similar legislation in California. Audio.
Medicare Beneficiaries Face Enrollment Deadline
Counselors in California expect an increase in calls for assistance before the May 15 deadline for Medicare beneficiaries to enroll in the prescription drug benefit, as the federal government launches efforts to enroll beneficiaries who have put off choosing a drug plan.
State Oversight of Nursing Homes Draws Criticism
California and the federal government are investigating whether the state agency charged with regulating nursing homes is doing the job adequately. At a time when the state’s elderly population is poised to increase substantially, some advocates are wondering whether the state is prepared for the demographic change.
SPECIAL AUDIO REPORT: Supporters, Opponents Debate Assisted Suicide Bill
The U.S. Supreme Court last year upheld an Oregon law legalizing physician-assisted suicide in some cases, a move that raises questions about the prospects of similar legislation in California. Audio.
Medicare Drug Benefit Could Increase Use of Generic Drugs
The so-called “doughnut hole” in coverage under the Medicare drug benefit could encourage more consumers to switch to generic drugs, a move that some drugmakers are taking steps to avoid.