Anthem Blue Cross of California has introduced a virtual physician service for its large pool of Spanish-speaking enrollees.
Archived California Healthcare News
State May Demand More Drug Transparency
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Aug 10, 2016
Will forcing drugmakers to disclose big price hikes and new high-cost treatments help keep medications affordable for consumers?
California\'s Teen Birth Rate Drops To New Low
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Aug 10, 2016
The statewide rate of adolescent births has dropped to its lowest level every recorded, according to new data from the California Department of Public Health.
Kaiser Finds Strong Autism Link Among Siblings
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Aug 10, 2016
Kaiser Permanente has released a new study showing that incidences of autism are much higher in newborns who have siblings with the disorder.
UCSF Receives $85 Million Grant for Precision Medicine
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Aug 10, 2016
UC San Francisco\'s Clinical and Translational Science Institute is the recipient of an $85 million grant over five years from the National Institutes of Health to launch new initiatives related to precision medicine.
Kaiser Reports Stronger Revenue, Smaller Net Income Numbers
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Aug 10, 2016
Kaiser Permanente reported strong revenue growth for the second quarter ending June 30, but net income was flat for the Oakland-based insurer and healthcare system operator.
DMHC Criticizes Anthem, Blue Shield On Directories Again
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Aug 4, 2016
A survey of Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield of California released late last month by the Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC) concluded that neither made substantial progress in providing updated provider directories to enrollees who purchased coverage through the Covered California health insurance exchange.
UC Pays Nearly $8.5 Million To Settle Conflict-Of-Interest Suits
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Aug 4, 2016
The University of California regents have agreed to pay nearly $8.5 million to settle two lawsuits alleging a well-known UCLA spine surgeon failed to disclose his conflicts of interest with a leading device maker before using the company’s products in harmful surgeries.
L.A. Nursing Home Fined $75K
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Aug 4, 2016
The California Department of Public Health has fined a Los Angeles nursing care facility $75,000 for the death of a resident in 2013.
Readmission Penalties Will Rise For State\'s Hospitals
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Aug 4, 2016
A total of 225 hospitals in California will be penalized by the Medicare program in the next fiscal year for having too many inpatients being readmitted with 30 days of discharge for certain medical conditions.
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ACA Initiative Powers Big Readmissions Drop
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Jul 27, 2016
Hospital readmissions for patients with serious cardiac conditions and pneumonia declined significantly for Californians under the auspices of a federal mandate, but overall costs for treating those conditions also increased considerably.
Aetna, UnitedHealth To Join Medi-Cal Program
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Jul 27, 2016
Two of the nation’s largest insurers are reaching out to doctors as they prepare to offer health coverage to low-income residents in California’s Medicaid program.
CDPH Grants $13 Million To Help Combat Mental Health Disparities
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Jul 27, 2016
The California Department of Public Health will award $12.99 million to 11 organizations to provide mental healthcare services to underserved communities throughout the state.
UCSF Will Make $.7.2 Million Available To Pursue Precision Medicine
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Jul 27, 2016
UC San Francisco, which is pushing to increase initiatives in precision medicine, has announced up to $7.2 million in grants for new pursuits in that area.
Covered California\'s 2017 Rates Skyrocket
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Jul 20, 2016
The abbreviated era of single-digit annual premium increases for consumers who buy their coverage through the Covered California health insurance exchange has come to an end.
DMHC Fines Kaiser $195,000
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Jul 20, 2016
The California Department of Managed Care (DMHC) has fined Kaiser Foundation Health Plan $195,000 for 35 violations of state regulations regarding the handling of enrollee grievances.
UCSF Will Begin Training Residents In Lean Processes
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Jul 20, 2016
UCSF Health plans to get Lean.
Officials with the San Francisco-based teaching hospital announced this week that it would begin training its medical residents in the principles of what is called “Lean Management.†That concept, originally applied to manufacturing and other businesses, focuses on continuous improvement processes that lead to higher quality.
Theranos Loses Lab Accreditation
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Jul 20, 2016
Theranos has confirmed that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) had issued sanctions that included the loss of its federal certification for its laboratory in Newark, and the concurrent barring of Chief Executive Officer Elizabeth Holmes from being involved with laboratory operations for at least two years.
