03/19/2010
Organizers of a proposed initiative to increase cigarette taxes by one dollar per pack are working to place their measure on the November ballot. 2010 Oakland mayoral candidate and former Senate President Pro Tempore Don Perata introduced the ballot initiative, which aims to raise revenue for cancer research and protect funding for California's First 5 early childhood health and education program. Capitol Weekly.
03/19/2010
A plan proposed by a consultant company recommends tasking the University of California with oversight of the state's prison health care system. The consultant group said the UC partnership eventually could reduce state spending by $1.2 billion annually. Los Angeles Times.
03/19/2010
Gov. Schwarzenegger has threatened to eliminate In-Home Supportive Services and other health care programs unless California receives an extra $6.9 billion in federal funds. Yesterday, a state Senate subcommittee said it would not support the governor's proposal. Sacramento Bee's "Capitol Alert."
03/18/2010
State officials are considering purchasing $5,000 devices to fingerprint and photograph Californians enrolled in the In-Home Supportive Services program. Officials say a new law allows them to obtain such data as part of fraud prevention efforts. Sacramento Bee's "Capitol Alert."
03/18/2010
A new bill (SB 1064), by Sen. Elaine Alquist, is the latest move by lawmakers to gain tighter control over the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine and ensure the state benefits from the agency's use of state funds. Lawmakers and other state officials have expressed concern about the potential for conflicts of interest related to grant distribution and a lack of transparency in the agency's activities. Capitol Weekly.
03/17/2010
Federal receiver J. Clark Kelso has asked California lawmakers to pass four bills that could reduce prison health care spending by about $350 million. The bills include proposals to restrict prescription drug use in prisons and grant medical parole to certain inmates. AP/Ventura County Star.
03/17/2010
Gov. Schwarzenegger vetoed most of a legislative package that the Legislature approved in a special session on the budget, resulting in what Senate President Pro Tempore Darrell Steinberg has described as a "mini-budget impasse." Legislative Democrats hope to avoid cuts to health and human services programs by closing tax loopholes and improving tax collections. Ventura County Star.
03/16/2010
A new study from the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research finds that more than eight million Californians lacked health insurance coverage for all or part of 2009, up from 6.4 million in 2007. Researchers attributed the dramatic increase to the recession and the state's higher unemployment rate, which climbed from 5.7% in 2007 to 12.3% by the end of 2009. Los Angeles Times.
03/15/2010
Efforts to address HIV/AIDS, help children with special medical needs and educate teen parents in Ventura County have been complicated by the loss of almost $1.5 million in state and federal funding over the past year. As a result, the county has eliminated about 15 staff positions. Ventura County Star.
03/12/2010
Yesterday, the Third District Court of Appeal upheld a labor board decision that barred Sacramento County from eliminating health insurance subsidies for retired county workers. The ruling could leave the county on the hook for as much as $450,000 in back payments. Sacramento Bee.
03/12/2010
Last year, Shasta County public health programs saw funding levels decline by $1.2 million. The financial pressures have compelled the county to eliminate immunization clinics, pediatric dental care programs and other preventive health services. Redding Record Searchlight.
03/11/2010
Assembly member Tom Berryhill has introduced a bill that would permit insurers to stop covering certain treatments until California's unemployment rate remains at or below 5.5% for four consecutive quarters. The unemployment rate currently is 12.5%. Payers & Providers.
03/11/2010
State lawmakers questioned whether the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health's appeals board has ignored regulations requiring it to impose fines on employers that fail to report workplace injuries. Federal officials also are investigating Cal-OSHA. Los Angeles Times.
03/11/2010
A new analysis shows that the departments of Health Services and Developmental Services were among those most affected by efforts to address California's budget deficit last year because the cuts resulted in less staff and reduced staff pay. Overall, state pay to civil service and California State University employees declined by about 4% from 2008 to 2009. Sacramento Bee.
03/11/2010
Yesterday, an Assembly committee heard testimony on possible reasons why few Californians took advantage of settlements after their health coverage had been improperly revoked. The Department of Insurance said it plans to release new rules in May to outline the process insurers must follow before they can rescind a member's health policy. Capitol Weekly, AP/Ventura County Star.