02/03/2012
House Ways and Means Committee Chair Dave Camp says a panel tasked with extending a payroll tax cut and delaying Medicare payment cuts might lack authority to fund such measures with savings from ending the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Kaiser Health News' "Capsules" et al.
02/01/2012
Officials from Kaiser Permanente and the National Union of Healthcare Workers offered conflicting reports on the number of employees who participated in a one-day strike on Tuesday. NUHW held the strike over proposed cuts to health and retirement benefits for mental health and psychiatric care workers. The California Nurses Association-National Nurses United and Stationary Engineers Local 39 union agreed to join the walkout in sympathy. Sacramento Business Journal, San Jose Mercury News.
01/31/2012
On Monday, Judge John Vineyard issued a temporary restraining order prohibiting 248 Riverside County health care workers from joining a one-day strike planned for Tuesday by the Service Employees International Union Local 721 after the county argued that the workers' jobs were vital. The workers included nurses at the Riverside County Regional Medical Center and jail facilities. However, Vineyard said that 17 other health care workers -- such as clinical lab scientists and operating scrub techs -- could join the walkout. Riverside Press-Enterprise.
01/31/2012
The California Assembly has passed a bill to expand an existing hospital smoking ban to include campuses. Meanwhile, the Senate has cleared legislation to let consumers seek care from physical therapists without referrals. Los Angeles Times' "PolitiCal," AP/San Francisco Chronicle.
01/31/2012
Medicare contractors do not adequately track the number of physicians who opt out of the program, making it difficult to determine their reasons for leaving, according to a report from the HHS Office of Inspector General. The number of physicians who opted out of Medicare increased annually between 2006 and 2010, but investigators could not determine why physicians were leaving Medicare because of insufficient data. MedPage Today, Modern Healthcare.
01/30/2012
A Los Angeles Times editorial states that a proposed rule stemming from the federal health reform law "that requires the makers of drugs and medical devices to disclose most payments and gifts to physicians" on a searchable public website "would both protect patients and reduce medical costs." It notes that "the website will be a force for good even if few patients examine it" because "[w]atchdog organizations and news reporters will use it" to find "potentially troubling behavior." Los Angeles Times.
01/30/2012
On Tuesday, the National Union of Healthcare Workers plans to hold a one-day strike at Kaiser Permanente hospitals over proposed cuts to health and retirement benefits and long wait times for psychiatric care. In addition to the 4,000 NUHW members, about 17,000 members of the California Nurses Association and 650 members of the Stationary Engineers Local 39 plan to strike in sympathy. Kaiser facilities plan to remain open during the walkout. San Francisco Chronicle.
01/30/2012
Members of the Service Employees International Union Local
721 have informed Riverside County that they are planning a strike on Tuesday
to protest contract conditions imposed by the county. The union represents
about 5,800 county employees, including 274 nurses, laboratory technicians and
other health care professionals. Riverside County Superior Court has scheduled
a hearing Monday morning to hear an appeal from county officials to bar some
health care professionals from striking. KPCC's "KPCC News," Riverside
Press-Enterprise.
01/26/2012
Some of the neediest Fresno County residents were unable to access welfare workers, family counselors or health care providers during a three-day strike this week involving about 2,000 county workers. Members of the Service Employees International Union and California Nurses Association went on strike over pay cuts of at least 9%. Fresno Bee.
01/26/2012
The California Institute for Nursing and Health Care has analyzed the ratio of working registered nurses to residents. The report card gave the state a "D" for having 644.4 nurses per 100,000 people, compared with the national average of 859.9 per 100,000. Fresno Bee, CINHC release.
01/25/2012
Yesterday, a bipartisan conference committee met to discuss a yearlong measure to extend a payroll tax cut and delay scheduled reductions to Medicare physician payments. A short-term deal on the payroll tax cut and Medicare "doc fix" expires at the end of next month. AP/U-T San Diego et al.
01/25/2012
Some officials are raising concerns that the disbanding of the California Board of Registered Nursing could negatively affect the public. State officials say that the board's investigative work is continuing and that the public should not be concerned. California Watch.
01/24/2012
Members of the California Nurses Association joined a three-day labor strike that began on Monday in Fresno County. The strike was planned by the 4,100-member Service Employees International Union over a new contract that includes pay cuts. CNA officials said county nurses face similar pay cuts of at least 10%. Meanwhile, Fresno County officials said they have taken steps to prevent possible disruptions to public health and social services during the strike. Fresno Business Journal, Fresno Bee.
01/24/2012
Stanford Hospital & Clinics recently has affiliated with several medical practices as part of its not-for-profit University HealthCare Alliance. The alliance could increase competition for other organizations such as Kaiser Permanente and Sutter Health. San Francisco Business Times.
01/24/2012
The National Union of Healthcare Workers is planning a Jan. 31 walkout at Kaiser Permanente hospitals in protest of labor issues. The California Nurses Association and Stationary Engineers Local 39 said that they will join in solidarity. Sacramento Bee, Sacramento Business Journal.