01/05/2009
During his two terms in office, President Bush doubled federal financing for community health centers, allowing the creation or expansion of 1,297 clinics in medically underserved areas. A New York Times editorial commends the president for his support of community health centers, as well as significantly increasing U.S. support to curb HIV/AIDS. New York Times.
01/05/2009
HHS Secretary-designate Tom Daschle attended community meetings aimed at gathering public input on the health care system. The meetings are part of a larger effort intended to build public support for health care reform as President-elect Barack Obama prepares to take office. New York Times et al.
01/05/2009
Democratic leaders in Congress now say an economic stimulus package that is expected to include provisions for Medicaid funding and health information technology will not be ready until mid-February. Democrats had hoped to have Congress approve the bill by the inauguration. Washington Post et al.
01/05/2009
The legislative campaign for a single-payer health care system is moving into its second decade in California with newly elected state Sen. Mark Leno ready to deal with same governor who opposes the plan and a weakening economy. by George Lauer
01/05/2009
Aides to Gov. Schwarzenegger rolled out a proposal aimed at closing the state's more than $40 billion budget deficit over the next 18 months. The plan would cut Medi-Cal and calls for shifting funds from special accounts for mental health services and early childhood health care and education programs to other state efforts. Sacramento Bee et al.
01/05/2009
California is one of several states considering changes to its Medicaid program. So far, 19 states have cut payments to hospitals and nursing homes, eliminated coverage for some treatments and excluded some beneficiaries from the program completely. Washington Post.
01/05/2009
On Jan. 1, various health care-related laws took effect in California. For example, new laws aim to establish a new state privacy office and require physicians to provide terminally ill patients with information about end-of-life care options. Los Angeles Times et al.
01/05/2009
In an opinion piece, Rose Anne DeMoro -- executive director of the California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee and a vice president of AFL-CIO -- criticizes the U.S.'s "reliance on charity rather than a public safety net." She calls for "a streamlined, more effective system than our current nightmare, based on care not insurance, by expanding and extending Medicare to cover everyone." Contra Costa Times.
01/05/2009
Two California laws permit insurers to take into account a member's gender when determining premiums for individual health insurance policies. San Francisco's city attorney has pledged to sue the state if the laws are not repealed. San Francisco Chronicle.
01/05/2009
A report from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office projected that a plan to permit Americans ages 62 to 64 to buy into Medicare would reduce costs and expand coverage more effectively than private health insurance. In most cases, people become eligible for Medicare at age 65. Sacramento Business Journal.
12/23/2008
An eight-month Baltimore Sun investigation looked into the aggressive efforts by Maryland hospitals to step up debt collection. The hospitals' trade group successfully defeated lawmakers' efforts to impose stricter oversight of hospitals' collection practices. Baltimore Sun.
12/23/2008
The California Budget Project found that a growing number of residents are turning to public assistance programs. The report comes as lawmakers propose significant cuts to health and social services programs to close the state budget deficit. San Jose Mercury News et al.
12/23/2008
A report released by the California HealthCare Foundation found that over the past 20 years, the percentage of uninsured Californians has increased, while the percentage of residents who receive employer-sponsored health care has declined. The report's lead researcher attributed the findings to rising health care costs. CQ HealthBeat.
12/22/2008
Patient loads at community clinics are expected to increase as more people lose their health insurance because of increased unemployment, according to health care experts. Adding to the problem, community clinics are facing a decrease in Medi-Cal and private funding. Los Angeles Daily News.
12/22/2008
With unemployment on the rise, a growing number of U.S. residents will lose their health insurance. Those unemployed workers' options for health insurance are limited and expensive. San Francisco Chronicle.