The Medical Board of California would be stripped of its power to investigate physician misconduct under a sweeping reform plan by legislators who say the agency has struggled to hold problem doctors accountable. The medical board has come under fire for failing to discipline doctors accused of harming patients, particularly those suspected of recklessly prescribing drugs.
Friday, April 26, 2013
FOX 5 proves medical marijuana card ‘easy’ to get
FOX 5 San Diego
Medical marijuana has had its fair share of headlines this week, from the San Diego City Council considering re-legalizing dispensaries to Drug Enforcement Agents raiding them. FOX-5 decided to investigate a different element of medicinal marijuana: How easy is it to get a card to legally smoke it?
Responsible gambling and the spectacle of the 'problem gambler'
Medical Xpress
Institutions that make big money out of gambling – such as governments, casinos, clubs and pubs – are fond of telling us how much they care about problem gambling. Clubs Australia (the peak body for the institutions where most of Australia
Reverse Medi-Cal rate cuts, health providers say
An unlikely coalition of doctors, dentists, hospitals, health plans and a health care union launched a statewide campaign Wednesday to support the successful rollout of federal health care reform and oppose further rate cuts in Medi-Cal, the government health care program for the poor. The “We Care California ” coalition came together at the State Capitol to announce support for Senate Bill 640 and Assembly Bill 900, which would reverse cuts to California
HEALTH CARE: New insurance exchange is forum focus
Press-Enterprise
State officials rolled out information on California 's consumer exchange for medical insurance — a program triggered by federal health care reform — during a town hall meeting in Riverside University of California Riverside Extension
Providers Concerned About Changes in Coverage for Chronically Ill Patients
Whether you love it or hate it, federal health reform will shake up the health care delivery system. And providers across the state are scrambling to make sure people living with chronic health conditions don't have disruptions to their care during the changeover. Some doctors are particularly worried about one community -- people living with HIV. That's because unlike asthma or cancer, HIV is contagious, and a break in care for those infected could have public health consequences.
NYC Mom Calls On Bars To Help Fight Binge Drinking After Daughter’s Death
CBS New York
The mother of a young actress who died after a night of drinking in Greenwich Village is calling on city bars to help combat what she calls an epidemic of binge drinking by young people. Shana Dowdeswell, a 23-year-old actress who appeared on “Law & Order,” died of alcohol poisoning on December 12 days after she was found collapsed outside her family’s home after drinking heavily at local bars.
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Clean Out Your Medicine Cabinet This Weekend for Prescription Drug Take-Back Day
Patch.com
No health changes for California public employees
Associated Press
Covered California hires replacement IT chief away from CalPERS
The state’s health benefits exchange announced Tuesday that Karen Ruiz has been hired as new program director for the computer system that will handle eligibility, enrollment and retention in the new insurance marketplace. Ruiz replaces James Joseph Brown Jr., who was arrested March 15 and left employment at Covered California on March 25, the day he was arraigned on charges of felony conflict of interest and perjury for allegedly failing to disclose personal ties related to a contract award in his previous job at the Justice Department.
Autism, Dental, Mental Health Focus of Transition Concerns
Daniel Harris, age 4, is just one of 600,000. But he's an important one, and not only to his mom. Daniel is one of the first kids in California
Calif. Health Exchange Delays Action on Model Health Plan Contract
On Tuesday, the board of Covered California -- the state's health insurance exchange -- announced that it plans to delay until next month any action on its proposed model health plan contract, the Sacramento Business Journal reports. The board heard testimony from health insurers on various issues related to the model contract.
Unlikely coalition vows joint battle against Medi-Cal rate cuts
A veritable army of politically powerful but unlikely partners vowed today to jointly fight California
California Needs to Address Rising Retirement Healthcare Costs
Independent Voter Network
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
A Cure for CURES
In October of 2003, Jimena Barreto lost control of her Mercedes, running into and killing Bob Pack’s 10-year-old son Troy
Doctors To Meet On Health Care Reform For Hispanic Uninsured .
Wall Street Journal (Press Release)
About one-third of Latinos or 15 million people will be seeking new doctors for diabetes, hypertension, cancer and preventive services when they become eligible to receive or buy health care coverage under the new health care reform law, the Affordable Care Act (ACA). As the nation's Latino doctors come together this week for the 17(th) Annual Conference of the National Hispanic Medical Association, the implementation of the ACA and ensuring access to the benefits of the new law for Hispanic patients will be at the forefront of the agenda. The conference opens Friday, April 27(th) at 9:00 am at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel in Washington , DC
Employer health premiums rose 170% in California in last decade
Premiums for employer health insurance in California California
Millions eligible for Obamacare subsidies, but most don't know it
CNN
Nearly 26 million Americans could be eligible for health insurance subsidies next year, but most don't know it. That's because relatively few people are familiar with provisions in the Affordable Care Act, aka "Obamacare," that will provide tax credits to low- and middle-income consumers to help them purchase health coverage through state-run insurance exchanges.
HHS stages multimillion-dollar PR campaign to promote ObamaCare
Fox News
The federal agency charged with implementing the Affordable Care Act announced a multimillion-dollar public relations contract last week in order to convince people to join the program and keep it from collapsing, critics claimed. Enrollment in Obamacare's health insurance exchanges is lagging, raising concerns about the viability of the exchanges, which are the law's primary means of delivering health insurance. The bill's congressional architects have warned the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) may be unable to establish a functional health insurance marketplace.
Advice for small businesses on health reform: Keep on top of developments
Bob Graboyes has a kernel of hope in a long list of woes he sees coming down the pike for small business owners under federal health reform. A health care economics expert for the National Federation of Independent Business, Graboyes thinks "California
Senate Panel Rejects Two Retiree Health Benefits Bills
On Monday, a Senate committee voted 3-2, along party lines, in two separate votes to reject bills related to retiree health care benefits. The first bill (SB 774) would have required state workers hired on or after Jan. 1, 2015, to work 15 years to qualify for 50% of their retiree health benefits costs and 25 years for full coverage. The second bill (SB 775) would have required the Controller's Office to assess the cost of buying out state workers' vested retiree health care benefits.
Are High-Risk Pools a Preview of Obamacare's Failure?
Following the Obama administration's announcement about the suspension of enrollment in a high-risk health insurance program known as the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan, a flurry of commentary began on what the move means for the Affordable Care Act. Some observers said that the program's underwhelming enrollment numbers and high costs foreshadow inevitable problems with the ACA's health insurance exchanges, while others drew a clear division between a program intended to insure only those with pre-existing health conditions and state marketplaces designed to spread risk by insuring both those who are sick and those in good health.
Gov. Brown donors rally against his healthcare cuts
In the healthcare world, there’s not a whole lot that insurers, doctors and union workers all agree on. But a new coalition of powerful Capitol players from all three groups is hoping to reverse recent budget cuts, pushed by Gov. Jerry Brown, to those who provide care to the poorest Californians. But doctors, hospital officials and others say the rate cuts could threaten the success of the federal law. They say lower reimbursements for treating poor patients will reduce the number of people who agree to treat Medi-Cal patients.
Lawmakers wonder if VA underestimates impact of health care reform
Marine Corps Times
A House committee is concerned that the Veterans Affairs Department may be underestimating the cost and burden of national health care reform for veterans’ hospitals and clinics. Beginning next year, the Affordable Care Act penalizes people who do not have health insurance — part of a move intended to control overall health insurance costs by expanding the number of people with insurance. VA could end up with some of those people because its health plan meets the new law’s definition of “minimum essential coverage.”
Veterans Corner: Study finds doctors ignoring VA guidance
Department of Veterans Affairs doctors are continuing to prescribe tranquilizers such as Valium and Xanex to veterans diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder, despite VA guidelines advising against their use for the condition. That finding is according to Dr. Nancy Benardy, clinical psychologist with the VA's National Center
Congressional committee looking into VA medical center deaths in Decatur
WSBTV.com
The chairman of a powerful congressional committee says he wants officials at the Atlanta VA Medical Center in Decatur Decatur
Improving mental health starts with early childhood relationships
Medical Xpress
Making sure children grow up in a safe and stable environment is the goal of Iowa State University
Controlling alcohol habits as students find 'release' may avoid later addiction
Medical Xpress
Current college culture allows for an environment where risks of addiction and alcohol dependency increase while mental health decreases. According to an American Psychological Association report, there is a rising number of students grappling with mental health problems. Similar to the data seen at Penn State
Binge drinking in your 20s can trigger heart disease, as being young has no protective effect against alcohol
Daily Mail
Binge drinking, even as a young student, can cause heart disease, a study has warned. Research has found that regularly drinking large quantities of alcohol caused immediate changes in circulation that increase an otherwise healthy young adult's risk of developing cardiovascular disease later in life. ‘Regular binge drinking is one of the most serious public health problems confronting college campuses, and [thanks to them] drinking has become more pervasive and destructive,’ said Professor Shane Phillips, senior author and associate head of physical therapy at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
4 a.m. Bar Bill Draws Opposition in Sacramento
Alcohol Justice, and the statewide Coalition to Stop Leno's 4 a.m. Bar Bill, are asking people to call the Senate Governmental Organization (GO) Committee today with the simple message to stop the dangerous public health and safety policy that will result in California if bars, restaurants and nightclubs are able to continue selling alcohol from 2-4 a.m.
Time for California to Decriminalize, Tax & Regulate Marijuana
Huffington Post (Opinion)
It is time for California California
Covered California plans updates on model health plan contract, supplemental benefits
The board at Covered California, the state health benefit exchange for individuals and small business employers, will provide updates on program planning, service centers and the enrollment system at a meeting Tuesday in Sacramento 1500 Capitol Ave.
Full Article >
In rural California, physician shortages expected to increase
HealthyCal.org
In the coming year, millions of currently uninsured Californians will gain coverage under the federal Affordable Care Act — but that does not necessarily mean it will be any easier for them to see a doctor. As the state prepares for the expected onslaught of newly insured patients, health-care professionals are warning there may not be enough doctors — particularly, those practicing primary care — to meet the increased demand. Some say that the problem will be even more amplified in rural California
California could end April $3.5 billion ahead of expectations
ABC News10
San Francisco to probe allegations of Nevada 'patient dumping'
San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera on Monday opened a formal investigation into whether the state of Nevada improperly "dumped" psychiatric patients in his city and throughout California Nevada 's Department of Health and Human Services, Herrera demanded that the state turn over documents related to its aggressive practice of discharging patients from a Las Vegas state mental hospital via Greyhound bus and transporting them to cities across America
Prescription drug abuse by teens up sharply: study
CBS News
More parents need to talk with their teens about the dangers of abusing Ritalin, Adderall and other prescription drugs, suggests a new study that finds discouraging trends on kids and drug use. When teens were asked about the last substance abuse conversation they had with their parents, just 14 percent said they talked about abusing a prescription drug, said the report released Tuesday by The Partnership at Drugfree.org.
National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day scheduled for Saturday
WPXI.com
Prescription drug abuse is a problem that affects all ages, all races and all genders. "Prescription drugs are something that are big on our radar right now because of the abuse," said Gary Davis, Asst. Special Agent in Charge of DEA, Pittsburgh Washington County
New study links poor drinking habits to poor eating habits
WBTV.com
Every calorie counts towards your daily intake, so don't forget about the liquid ones! And on top of that a new study suggests when we drink, we just don't eat right. Rob Debreczeni was the poster child for the freshman 15 when he was in school. "I started probably at 185, 180, somewhere in that range," said Rob. But cafeteria food was not the culprit for the weight gain. "Sitting down and having five or six beers I probably gained an easy 15 pounds," said Rob. He admitted to being a binge drinker in college.
Monday, April 22, 2013
Kaiser program leads to huge reduction in Vicodin and Oxycontin prescriptions
Much of the recent attention on the nation’s prescription drug epidemic has focused on corrupt or negligent doctors. But there’s another significant problem in the medical community -- many physicians are routinely prescribing powerful drugs like Vicodin and Oxycontin because they don’t know how addictive and dangerous they can be. A two-year program at Kaiser Permanente has drastically reduced the number of prescriptions for these brand name drugs by teaching front-line doctors how to safely prescribe pain medication.
Bipartisan Policy Center Releases Health Care Cost Containment Plan
On Thursday, the Bipartisan Policy Center
Some Lawmakers Seek Care for Undocumented Immigrants
Some California California
School-Based Health Center Proponents Lobbying for Funding
The limits of Obamacare
Kalwis Lo, 24, says Obamacare saved his life. But his story is also a cautionary tale about the limitations of the Affordable Care Act — especially as it applies to young people. Lo could not access insurance through a provision of the health care law meant to help younger adults like him, so he went without coverage. He was then hit by a serious illness at a time when most young people feel they are invincible and may pass on insurance. And Lo wasn’t aware of new coverage that might have helped him once he developed his illness – so he didn’t sign up for it.
Many retired California state executives still in high-pay state jobs
Despite the Brown administration's edict last year to sweep out nearly all retirees from the state workforce, more than two dozen departments still use them to fill some of the highest-paying positions in government, according to state data reviewed by The Bee. The numbers in an internal Department of Human Resources report show a total of 75 retirees in 26 departments held "career executive assignments" in February. The positions pay the retirees from $45 per hour to $75 per hour on top of their pensions.
Illegal ecstasy being studied to treat PTSD
Dubbed the "hug drug" and "X" by its users, the illegal drug ecstasy is being researched as a possible treatment for sufferers of serious stress disorders. But a lot more research is needed before ecstasy-assisted psychotherapy ever would be made legal in the United States , said Gary Gudelsky, a University of Cincinnati
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)