05/21/2013
The California HealthCare Foundation has released two reports that find variations in treatment for prostate and breast cancer according to where patients live in the state. Experts say the findings indicate that physicians most often are determining treatments. Contra Costa Times.
05/10/2013
California health officials have reached an agreement with CMS to fund an increase in community-based services for residents with developmental disabilities. Terri Delgadillo -- director of the state Department of Developmental Services -- said that the agreement will provide $600 million in federal funding to cover costs from October 2009 through the current fiscal year and more than $160 million annually after that. Sacramento Business Journal.
05/10/2013
Using the medical records of more than 3.5 million enrollees in Kaiser Permanente's Southern California health plan, researchers determined that black women have a higher rate of multiple sclerosis than white women, according to a study published in the journal Neurology. The findings call into question the long-held assumption that whites are more likely to develop the disease than blacks. Payers & Providers.
05/08/2013
Debate continues over a bill that would remove unhealthy food from vending machines in state facilities. Proponents say the state should not contribute to rising health costs, while opponents argue that elected officials should not govern what people eat. Los Angeles Times.
05/06/2013
Community clinics in California are working to help patients with multiple chronic conditions stay out of the hospital. Such clinics are expanding weekend and evening hours and adding pharmacies. Researchers have found that patients at community health clinics are less likely to be hospitalized than those who receive treatment elsewhere. Los Angeles Times.
05/06/2013
A U-T San Diego editorial argues that a proposed bill that would impose a one-cent-per-ounce tax on certain types of sweetened beverages to raise funds for childhood anti-obesity programs is "a multidimensional mess" that is "built on the historically flawed theory that if you throw money at problems, they will go away." It adds that the measure "breaks the vow ... by many Democratic lawmakers" that there would be no "more broad new taxes" if the Proposition 30 tax hike ballot measure passed. U-T San Diego.
04/29/2013
The Arc San Francisco was selected as one of five of The Arc's 700 sites nationwide to participate in a three-year, $1 million CDC-funded pilot study, called Health-Meet, that aims to help ensure that adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities receive routine health screenings and assistance with health care navigation. Researchers also will collect data to help address health system gaps. San Francisco Chronicle.
04/26/2013
California's mortality rate for coronary artery bypass graft, or CABG, surgeries rose slightly from 1.9% in 2009 to 2% in 2010. However, the 2010 mortality rate is significantly lower than the 2003 rate of nearly 3%, according to data from the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development. OSHPD Director Robert David said health care providers should be commended for the lower rate. Payers & Providers.
04/24/2013
On Monday, the American Medical Association launched an initiative to reduce deaths and health care spending related to heart disease and type 2 diabetes. AMA President Jeremy Lazarus said the group has appropriated $6 million for the first year of the initiative, which could continue for 10 or more years. Modern Healthcare.
04/16/2013
A new report finds that 70% of surveyed physicians say that at least one patient shares health measurement data with them and that nearly 75% say that patient self-tracking could lead to improved health outcomes. Clinical Innovation & Technology, Manhattan Research release.
04/10/2013
Several initiatives across California seek to curb rising rates of diabetes and to help patients better manage the disease. For example, a program in Spanish-speaking communities teaches patients how to control their blood glucose and cholesterol, among other things. HealthyCal.
04/10/2013
Some children with autism who have transitioned from Healthy Families to Medi-Cal have lost access to certain behavioral health services, according to a children's health advocate. A state law requiring insurers to cover such services exempts Medi-Cal. Sacramento Business Journal.
04/09/2013
In a Sacramento Bee opinion piece, Mikki Cichocki -- youth services coordinator for the San Bernardino City Unified School District and secretary-treasurer of the California Teachers Association -- argues that the availability of unhealthy food in schools "undermines parents' efforts to raise healthy kids, makes it harder for teachers to do their jobs well and contributes to an obesity epidemic that threatens the health of more than 23.5 million children and teens." She writes that the U.S. Department of Agriculture's proposed nutrition standards for schools "won't solve all the problems we face as parents and teachers, but [are] a critical step." Sacramento Bee.
04/09/2013
About 39% of women and 35% of men in Los Angeles County had high blood pressure in 2009, according to a study published in the journal PLOS One. The study noted that while control of high blood pressure is improving, the condition has become more common. Nationwide, the prevalence of high blood pressure increased by about 10%. KPCC's "On Central."
04/03/2013
A report from the state Department of Public Health finds that California has made improvements in key public health measures. According to the report, the rate of most illnesses in the state decreased between 2006 and 2011. KPCC's "KPCC News," Ventura County Star.