Latest Morning Briefing Stories
California’s Regulators To Investigate Aetna’s Medical Coverage Decisions
The investigations follow testimony in a lawsuit by a former Aetna medical director who said he relied on information from nurses, without reviewing patient records himself, when deciding which treatments to allow and deny.
Family Crisis Or New Joy? Get Paid Time Off For It
California’s family leave program allows people to get time off to care for a new child or sick relative. The wage replacement rate rises this year.
Hospitales ponen en marcha mejores planes luego de enfrentar desastres
Los hospitales se están preparando para enfrentar mejor los desastres naturales y las tragedias que han puesto a prueba su respuesta a emergencias.
Hospitals’ Best-Laid Plans Upended By Disaster
An onslaught of fires, shootings and storms across the country last year tested hospital readiness. Now, leaders are using their experiences to address shortcomings that surfaced amid the chaos.
Judge Orders New Olympus Trial Over Superbug Death
The Seattle jurist finds that Olympus Corp. failed to properly disclose evidence that it knew of concerns about cleaning problems with its redesigned medical scopes years before they hit the market and were linked to dozens of deaths. The company maintains the devices were not defective and intends to appeal.
Postcard From California: Alzheimer’s ‘Looks Like Me, It Looks Like You’
At a panel discussion this week in Sacramento, patients, caregivers and others shared their perspectives on how Alzheimer’s disease affects women, who account for two-thirds of those living with the condition.
El estado les da a los beneficiarios de Medi-Cal algo para sonreir
En enero, más de 7 millones de adultos californianos inscriptos en Medi-Cal recuperaron la cobertura para atención dental crítica, incluidas coronas y dentaduras parciales.
Giving Medicaid Enrollees Something To Smile About
More than 7 million California adults enrolled in Medi-Cal regained coverage for critical dental care, including crowns and partial dentures, this month.
High Praise: Pot Churches Proliferate As States Ease Access To Marijuana
Churches that offer marijuana as a sacrament are popping up across California and the U.S., vexing state and local officials who say they’re simply pot shops in disguise.
Wrecked And Retching: Obscure Vomiting Illness Linked To Long-Term Pot Use
Emergency room doctors are seeing a growing number of marijuana users with a mysterious condition that causes extreme vomiting and abdominal pain.
When Nursing Homes Push Out Poor And Disabled Patients
Complaints are rising in California and other states about improper evictions and discharges. Advocates say some patients end up in cheap hotels, homeless or back in the hospital.
Treating The New Hep C Generation On Their Turf
One Northern California physician is a foot soldier in the fight against a surge of hepatitis C, mainly among young drug users who share infected needles.
California Winces At Trump’s Turn Back To ‘Bad Old Days’ Of Health Plan Associations
State leaders vow to protect consumers from a presidential order to resurrect a health plan model that they say could destabilize the insurance market.
Whistleblower: Medicaid Managed-Care Firm Improperly Denied Care To Thousands
An explosive report prepared by a SynerMed executive alleges the California firm, which oversaw care for 1.2 million patients, fabricated documents and violated state and federal regulations for years. The state says it left low-income patients on Medicaid managed care in “imminent danger.”
Putting Money Where Its Mouthpiece Is: Calif. Outspends U.S. To Market Obamacare
The state insurance exchange is committing nearly five times more money than the federal government on ads urging people to sign up for health insurance, reflecting conflicting attitudes toward the Affordable Care Act.
Consejos para enfrentar la mala atención en hospitales
El paciente tiene derecho a reclamar si cree que no está recibiendo una atención adecuada. Y el hospital debe resolver el problema rápidamente.
Problems With Your Hospital Care? Speak Up!
If you’re in the hospital and aren’t happy with how they are treating you, here are some simple steps to improve your situation.
Health Giant Sutter Destroys Evidence In Crucial Antitrust Case Over High Prices
“‘Fingers crossed’ that I haven’t authorized something the FTC will hunt me down for,” a staffer wrote after destroying the documents. Sutter, a huge Northern California Health system with 24 hospitals, said it destroyed them by mistake.
For Millions of Insured Americans, State Health Laws Don’t Apply
Many states have adopted strong consumer regulations, but they don’t protect the millions of Americans with a specific type of job-based coverage.
California Fines Anthem $5 Million For Failing to Address Consumer Grievances
The Department of Managed Health Care cited one example in which consumers and advocates had to call the insurer 22 times to contest a decision. Still, the complaint still was not resolved until the department became involved.
