Medicare

Latest California Healthline Stories

Kudos for Cardoza

The long fight that is national health care reform has had one large skirmish that netted about $3 billion in reimbursement money for California.

That’s the word from the California Hospital Association (CHA), and it is the driving reason behind giving its annual Health Care Hero award to a Congressman from California, Rep. Dennis Cardoza (D-Merced).

“It’s an award to individuals who have done a particularly heroic job in health care,” Jan Emerson of the CHA said. “He played a key role in ensuring that $3 billion that was slated to go to other hospitals in other states, instead stayed in California.”

How Reform Could Affect Four Key Populations

A health policy expert explores how the national health reform would affect four groups of U.S. residents. While younger workers are poised to benefit, Medicare beneficiaries may feel cuts.

Medi-Cal Waiver Gets Senate Committee Approval After Unusual Third Tier of Testimony

You know you’re in murky legislative territory when the format of a health committee meeting has to be changed to accommodate the complicated nature of the proposed bill.

In this case, it was AB 342 by John Perez (D-Los Angeles), which the Senate Health Committee eventually approved at its hearing last week. It is the companion Medi-Cal waiver bill to SB 208, which recently passed the Assembly Health Committee.

Usually, committees hear pro and con testimony, but for AB 342, Senate committee chair Elaine Alquist (D-Santa Clara) made a third category. “It’s a hybrid category just for this one bill,” Alquist said. “For those who are neither opposed nor support, but have concerns.”

Reviews Mixed for New Law on Nursing Home Ratings

Beginning in 2011, California nursing homes that participate in Medicare or Medicaid will be required to post their ratings from CMS’ five-star system.  Supporters of the law say it will help consumers make health care decisions, but nursing home operators say CMS’ system is inaccurate.

Reform Could Shift Medicare Money Away From California

Realigning regional spending on Medicare could help pay for national health reform by saving $1.42 trillion over the next 15 years, but some parts of the country — including California — stand to pay a higher Medicare toll for reform than others.

Obama, Democratic Leaders Push for Swift Action on Reform

President Obama has called for both houses of Congress to pass health care reform legislation before lawmakers adjourn for the August recess.  House Democrats stepped up to the plate and unveiled their proposal yesterday, and the Senate HELP Committees approved its bill this morning.

State To End Part B Premium Payments for Some Beneficiaries

Thousands of low-income seniors will soon be responsible for paying $96.40 monthly premiums for Medicare Part B that California previously had paid. Senior advocates worry that the change will push some beneficiaries to opt out of Part B, which covers outpatient care.