California Healthline: Special Audio Reports

Harold Miller of the Network for Regional Healthcare Improvement Discusses Innovation

Wed, 23 May 2012 08:00:00 GMT

Harold Miller, president and CEO of the Network for Regional Healthcare Improvement, spoke with California Healthline about the importance of pursuing innovative health care improvement strategies that are tailored to local needs.

California Sees Increase in Parents Seeking Exemptions From Vaccination Requirements

Wed, 09 May 2012 08:00:00 GMT

Oakland pediatrician Bruce Horwitz, Barbara Loe Fisher of the National Vaccine Information Center, John Talarico of the state Department of Public Health and a parent who plans to apply for a personal belief exemption spoke with California Healthline about the growing trend of parents seeking vaccine exemptions.

Misuse of Prescription Painkillers Becoming More Widespread Among Young Californians

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 08:00:00 GMT

Tom Lenox of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Michael Plopper of Sharp HealthCare Behavioral Health Services, Sherrie Rubin of the not-for-profit organization HOPE and Robert Wailes of the California Medical Association's board of trustees spoke with California Healthline about prescription drug misuse.

Kim Dempsey of NCB Capital Impact Discusses Ways To Boost Capacity of Community Clinics

Thu, 15 Mar 2012 08:00:00 GMT

Kim Dempsey, director of innovation and strategy at NCB Capital Impact, spoke with California Healthline about recommendations for improving the operations of community health centers.

New California Law Seeks To Expand Telehealth Services for Medicaid Beneficiaries

Mon, 27 Feb 2012 08:00:00 GMT

April Armstrong and Thomas Nesbitt of UC-Davis Health System, Mario Gutierrez of the Center for Connected Health Policy, Jen Lang-Ree, a nurse practitioner in California, and Jonathan Lopez, a dermatology patient, spoke with California Healthline about a new law that expands and streamlines telehealth services in the state.

California Lags in Nurse-to-Resident Ratio Despite Increase in Nursing School Graduates

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 08:00:00 GMT

Deloras Jones of the California Institute for Nursing & Health Care, Pamela Lassetter of the Fresno Regional Workforce Investment Board and DeAnn McEwen of the California Nurses Association's Council of Presidents spoke with California Healthline about the state's nurse-to-resident ratio.

Center for Democracy & Technology's McGraw Discusses Health Data Privacy Challenges

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 08:00:00 GMT

Deven McGraw, director of the Health Privacy Project at the Center for Democracy and Technology, spoke with California Healthline about the challenges of protecting health data privacy.

Newly Enacted State Legislation Looks Toward Implementation of Federal Health Reform Law

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 08:00:00 GMT

John Arensmeyer of Small Business Majority, Diana Dooley of California's Health and Human Services Agency and Anthony Wright of Health Access spoke with California Healthline about California's efforts to prepare the state for changes under the federal health reform law.

Ateev Mehrotra of RAND Corporation Talks About the Growth Potential of Retail Clinics

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 08:00:00 GMT

Ateev Mehrotra, a policy analyst at the RAND Corporation, spoke with California Healthline about how the demand for retail clinics might increase in response to a growing shortage of primary care providers and a nationwide push to lower health care costs.

Advocates, Business Groups Raising Concerns About State's New Autism Coverage Mandate

Fri, 16 Dec 2011 08:00:00 GMT

Nicole Evans of the California Association of Health Plans, Henry Loubet of the insurance brokerage firm Keenan and Lorri Unumb of Autism Speaks spoke with California Healthline about the benefits and shortcomings of a new state law requiring private insurers to cover certain autism therapies.

Lyle Hurst of the Encore Fellowships Network Talks About Supporting Social-Purpose Groups

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 08:00:00 GMT

Lyle Hurst, network developer for the Encore Fellowships Network, spoke with California Healthline about a program that matches mid-career workers from the private sector with social-purpose organizations, including community clinics.

More Employers Turn to Wellness Incentive Programs To Trim Rising Health Care Costs

Wed, 16 Nov 2011 08:00:00 GMT

Tom Hubbard of the New England Healthcare Institute, Steven Noeldner of Mercer Health & Benefits and Joe Woods of HumanaVitality spoke with California Healthline about the growing popularity of employee wellness incentive programs.

Some California School Children at High Risk for Whooping Cough Despite Vaccination Law

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 08:00:00 GMT

Linda Davis-Alldritt, a school nurse consultant for the California Department of Education, Marin County Public Health Officer Jason Eberhart-Phillips, Catherine Martin of the California Immunization Coalition and David Witt of Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in Marin spoke with California Healthline about the state's new whooping cough vaccine mandate.

Wendy Everett of NEHI Discusses How New Technologies Can Improve Care, Cut Costs

Tue, 11 Oct 2011 08:00:00 GMT

Wendy Everett, founding president of the New England Healthcare Institute, spoke with California Healthline about efforts to encourage health care providers to adopt innovative electronic health systems that could improve health care quality and reduce costs.

Health 2.0 Conference Focuses on Patient-Centered Technology To Promote Wellness

Tue, 04 Oct 2011 08:00:00 GMT

Jonathan Attwood of Zamzee, Stephen Downs of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Chris Hewett of Mindbloom, National Coordinator for Health Information Technology Farzad Mostashari and Christine Robins of BodyMedia spoke with California Healthline about new consumer-focused health innovations.

Groups Tap Funding for Mobile Health Efforts Targeting Seniors With Chronic Conditions

Thu, 22 Sep 2011 08:00:00 GMT

David Lindeman of the Center for Technology and Aging, Nancy Pratt of Sharp HealthCare, René Seidel of the SCAN Foundation and Steven Wallace of the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research spoke with California Healthline about how mobile health technology could benefit seniors.

L.A. Care Health Plan's Elaine Batchlor Talks About Efforts To Improve Safety-Net Care

Thu, 15 Sep 2011 08:00:00 GMT

Elaine Batchlor, chief medical officer at L.A. Care Health Plan, spoke with California Healthline about the challenges facing safety-net health programs and the opportunities to address such challenges through innovation.

Molly Coye of UCLA Discusses Innovative Ways To Improve the Value of Health Care Services

Thu, 08 Sep 2011 08:00:00 GMT

Molly Coye, chief innovation officer of UCLA, spoke with California Healthline about how UCLA and other health care systems are taking steps to increase the value of the health care services they deliver.

Effort Aims To Fight Obesity by Bringing More Grocery Stores to California's 'Food Deserts'

Wed, 10 Aug 2011 08:00:00 GMT

Janne Boone-Heinonen of Oregon Health and Science University, Margaret Gee of the Bay Area Local Initiatives Support Corporation and Marion Standish of the California Endowment spoke with California Healthline about efforts to combat obesity by increasing access to grocery stores.

Foundations Provide Helping Hand as States Take Steps To Implement Health Reform Law

Wed, 13 Jul 2011 08:00:00 GMT

Richard Figueroa of the California Endowment, Heather Howard of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, David Maxwell-Jolly of the California Health and Human Services Agency and Marian Mulkey of the California HealthCare Foundation spoke with California Healthline about how foundations are contributing to state health reform activities.

U.S. Facing Dramatic Decline in Number of Emergency Departments, According to Study

Wed, 08 Jun 2011 08:00:00 GMT

Renee Hsia of UC-San Francisco, Sandra Schneider of the American College of Emergency Physicians and Caroline Steinberg of the American Hospital Association spoke with California Healthline about a recent study on emergency department closures.

Bridget Duffy of ExperiaHealth Discusses How Empowering Patients Can Help Improve Care

Wed, 25 May 2011 08:00:00 GMT

Bridget Duffy, CEO of ExperiaHealth, spoke with California Healthline about efforts to help patients navigate the health care system and the benefits of focusing on patient experience.

Health Care Providers Gearing Up To Roll Out Accountable Care Organizations in California

Wed, 11 May 2011 08:00:00 GMT

Don Crane of the California Association of Physician Groups, Kristen Miranda of Blue Shield of California and Leah Newkirk of the California Academy of Family Physicians spoke with California Healthline about efforts to create accountable care organizations in California.

John Goldstein of Imprint Capital Discusses How Foundations Can Invest in Their Mission

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 08:00:00 GMT

John Goldstein, co-founder and managing director of Imprint Capital, spoke with California Healthline about how health foundations and other philanthropic institutions can leverage innovative investment strategies to advance their mission.

Southern California Hospitals Taking Action To Combat Spread of Drug-Resistant 'Superbug'

Wed, 13 Apr 2011 08:00:00 GMT

Julia Hallisy of the Empowered Patient Coalition, Jim Lott of the Hospital Association of Southern California and Greg Moran of Olive View-UCLA Medical Center spoke with California Healthline about efforts to address carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae.

Suzanne Delbanco of Catalyst for Payment Reform Discusses Ideas on Paying for Care

Wed, 23 Mar 2011 08:00:00 GMT

Suzanne Delbanco, executive director of Catalyst for Payment Reform, spoke with California Healthline about a growing movement to improve the delivery of care by transforming health care payment structures across the U.S.

California Colleges, Universities Mulling Ways To Expand Role of Nurses in Primary Care

Wed, 09 Mar 2011 08:00:00 GMT

Bonnie Castillo of the California Nurses Association, John Rowe of Columbia University's School of Public Health and Heather Young of the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing at UC-Davis spoke with California Healthline about the future of nursing.

Calif. Health Benefit Exchange Board Member Kim Belshé Discusses Potential of the Exchange

Tue, 01 Mar 2011 08:00:00 GMT

Kim Belshé -- former secretary of the California Health and Human Services Agency and a member of the California Health Benefit Exchange Board -- spoke with California Healthline about how the state's health benefit exchange can expand coverage, boost care quality and reduce costs.

California Hospitals Taking Steps To Reduce Rates of Health Care-Associated Infections

Wed, 09 Feb 2011 08:00:00 GMT

Kim Delahanty of the UC-San Diego Health System, Kevin Reilly of the Department of Public Health and Debby Rogers of the California Hospital Association spoke with California Healthline about efforts to curb health care-associated infections.

Job Growth in California's Health Care Sector Slowing to a Crawl Amid Ongoing Recession

Fri, 14 Jan 2011 08:00:00 GMT

Deloras Jones of the California Institute for Nursing and Healthcare, Dylan Roby of the UCLA School of Public Health and Neeraj Sood of the University of Southern California spoke with California Healthline about health care job growth.

State Braces for Shortage of Care Providers as Elderly Population Continues To Grow

Wed, 15 Dec 2010 08:00:00 GMT

Assembly member Mariko Yamada, René Seidel and Erin Westphal of the SCAN Foundation, Michelle Nevins of the Del Oro Caregiver Resource Center and Cheryl Phillips of On Lok Lifeways spoke with California Healthline about eldercare issues.

Earl Ferguson of the Southern Sierra Telehealth Network on Using Technology To Improve Care

Wed, 08 Dec 2010 08:00:00 GMT

Earl Ferguson, director of the Southern Sierra Telehealth Network, spoke with California Healthline about how telemedicine tools can help people in rural areas obtain access to primary care providers and specialists.

California Hospitals Begin Submitting Reports on Compliance With Seismic Safety Standards

Wed, 10 Nov 2010 08:00:00 GMT

Paul Coleman of OSHPD, Roger Richter of the California Hospital Association and former RAND researcher Charles Meade spoke with California Healthline about hospitals' efforts to meet state earthquake safety standards.

End-of-Life Expert Susan Tolle on Rolling Out Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment

Wed, 03 Nov 2010 08:00:00 GMT

Susan Tolle of the Oregon Health & Science University spoke with California Healthline about how California could learn from Oregon's experience implementing Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment.

Several Factors Contributing to California's Record-Breaking Whooping Cough Epidemic

Wed, 20 Oct 2010 08:00:00 GMT

James Cherry of UCLA, Kathleen Harriman of the California Department of Public Health and Yvonne Maldonado of Stanford University spoke with California Healthline about the state's recent whooping cough outbreak.

Jon Kingsdale on Lessons from Massachusetts' Experience With a Health Insurance Exchange

Mon, 04 Oct 2010 08:00:00 GMT

Jon Kingsdale, independent consultant and former executive director of the Massachusetts Health Connector, spoke with California Healthline about how California could learn from Massachusetts' health benefit exchange.

Little Hoover Commission Considers Ways To Optimize California's Long-Term Care Services

Thu, 09 Sep 2010 08:00:00 GMT

Stuart Drown of the Little Hoover Commission, Eileen Kunz of On Lok PACE Partners, Stephen Moses of the Center for Long-Term Care Reform and Gary Passmore of the Congress of California Seniors discussed long-term care with California Healthline.

University of Colorado-Denver's Eric Coleman on the Need for Better Care Transitions

Fri, 27 Aug 2010 08:00:00 GMT

Eric Coleman, director of the Care Transitions Program at the University of Colorado-Denver, talked with California Healthline about a new program that aims to help patients transition from one care setting to another.

New Rules Requiring Health Insurers To Offer Preventive Services May Help Remove Barriers

Wed, 11 Aug 2010 08:00:00 GMT

Ned Calonge of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, Tom Hubbard of the New England Healthcare Institute and Jerry Kominski of UCLA's School of Public Health discussed the new rules with California Healthline.

New Study Linking End-of-Life Directives With Hospitalization Has Implications for California

Fri, 16 Jul 2010 08:00:00 GMT

Kenneth Brummel-Smith of Florida State University College of Medicine, Judy Citko of the Coalition for Compassionate Care of California and Jeffrey Yee of Woodland Healthcare spoke with California Healthline about the study.

Officials, Health Care Providers Working To Reduce Patient Readmissions in California

Tue, 15 Jun 2010 08:00:00 GMT

Experts spoke with California Healthline about a recent report from the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development that found more than one in three California hospital patients is readmitted within a year.

Proposal To Make California Hospital Prices More Transparent Advances After DOJ Ruling

Tue, 11 May 2010 08:00:00 GMT

Jan Emerson of the California Hospital Association, John Glynn of the California Health Care Coalition and David Hopkins of the Pacific Business Group on Health discuss an initiative to boost transparency of hospital prices in California.

Prevention, Wellness Provisions of Health Care Reform Law Could Have Big Long-Term Impact

Mon, 19 Apr 2010 08:00:00 GMT

John Seffrin of the American Cancer Society, Steve Wojcik of the National Business Group on Health and Daniel Zingale of the California Endowment spoke with California Healthline about a shift in emphasis in the health reform law.

California Moving Ahead With Efforts To Boost Adoption of Electronic Health Record Systems

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 08:00:00 GMT

Robin Affrime of the Redwood Community Health Coalition, Carmella Castellano-Garcia of the California Primary Care Association and Speranza Avram of CalHIPSO share their thoughts on CalHIPSO's mission.

Expert Touts Need for Quality Reporting To Produce Data for Patients, Not Just Practitioners

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 08:00:00 GMT

R. Adams Dudley, a professor of medicine and health policy at UC-San Francisco, shared his thoughts about health care quality reporting initiatives and strategies for improving these efforts.

Shift in Economic Conditions Diminishes Job Prospects for Nursing School Graduates in Calif.

Fri, 12 Feb 2010 08:00:00 GMT

Kathleen Dracup of the UCSF School of Nursing, Jan Emerson of the California Hospital Association, Deloras Jones of the California Institute for Nursing & Health Care and Brandy Logue of Samuel Merritt University share their thoughts on the situation.

New Program Brings Health Care Stakeholders Together To Curb Hospital-Acquired Infections

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 08:00:00 GMT

Gene Grigsby of the National Health Foundation, Leslie Margolin of Anthem Blue Cross, Jon Rosenberg of DPH and the Hospital Council of Northern and Central California's Mary Lopez and Scott Seamons shared their thoughts on the new initiative.

Health Advocates, Legislators See Little To Like in Governor's Proposed Health Program Cuts

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 08:00:00 GMT

Carla Kakutani of the California Academy of Family Physicians, Wendy Lazarus of the Children's Partnership, Assembly member Jim Nielsen and Senate President Pro Tempore Darrell Steinberg discussed the governor's plan.

New Jobs Training Effort Could Strengthen California's Allied Health Care Work Force

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 08:00:00 GMT

Jay Bhattacharya of Stanford University's Center for Health Policy and Cathy Martin of the California Hospital Association spoke with California Healthline about the possible impact of health care worker training programs.

Federal Stimulus Funds Aim To Help Medi-Cal Providers Adopt Electronic Health Record Tools

Wed, 23 Dec 2009 08:00:00 GMT

Kim Ortiz of the Department of Health Care Services, Sean South of the California Primary Care Association and Mary Szecsey of West County Health Centers spoke with California Healthline about the new federal funds.

New National Nurses Union Could Exert More Pressure on State, National Health Care Policy

Tue, 15 Dec 2009 08:00:00 GMT

Deborah Burger of the California Nurses Association and the National Nurses Union and Harley Shaiken of UC-Berkeley spoke with California Healthline about a recent merger between three large nursing unions.

County Leaders Look to Reform Bills To Help Strengthen California's Local Health Services

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 08:00:00 GMT

Tangerine Brigham of Healthy San Francisco, Marty Fenstersheib of Santa Clara County's health office and Tom Joseph of the California State Association of Counties spoke with California Healthline about public services.

Senate Bill Could Dilute Consumer Protections by Creating Interstate Market for Health Plans

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 08:00:00 GMT

Jerry Flanagan of Consumer Watchdog, Nadereh Pourat of UCLA, J.P. Wieske of the Council for Affordable Health Insurance and Mike Larsen, a spokesperson for Rep. Jackie Speier, spoke with California Healthline about the proposal.

California's Safety Net Health Centers Seeing More Low-Income Patients, Less State Funding

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 08:00:00 GMT

Carmela Castellano-Garcia of CPCA, Melissa Stafford Jones of CAPH and William Walker of Contra Costa Health Services spoke with California Healthline about growing strain on the state's safety net health care system.

New Grants Aim To Help California Scientists Leverage Stem Cells for Medical Research

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 08:00:00 GMT

Donald Kohn of UCLA's Human Gene Medicine Program, Bettina Steffen of CIRM and Irving Weissman of Stanford University's stem cell biology institute spoke with California Healthline about the recent research grants.

Non-Native English Speakers Face Numerous Linguistic, Cultural Barriers to Medical Care

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 08:00:00 GMT

Mary Masland of UC-Berkeley, Rachel Mutrux of the Missouri Telehealth Network, Margaret O'Kane of NCQA and Gayle Tang of Kaiser Permanente discussed intercultural communication challenges with California Healthline.

Recent Injunction Blocking In-Home Care Cuts Highlights Impact of Reducing Safety-Net Care

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 08:00:00 GMT

Melinda Bird of Disability Rights California, Laura Dunn of UC-San Francisco and Joseph Hafkenschiel of the California Association for Health Services at Home spoke with California Healthline about the recent ruling.

Consumer Advocates, Health Insurers Support Reform Proposals That Boost Preventive Care

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 08:00:00 GMT

Tom Epstein of Blue Shield of California, Robert Pearl of the Permanente Medical Group and Anthony Wright of Health Access spoke with California Healthline about health care reform proposals designed to promote wellness.

Health Care Reform Debate Roiled by Concerns Over Coverage for Undocumented Immigrants

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 08:00:00 GMT

Immigration attorney Sonal Ambegaokar, Anthony Cava of DHCS, Kathleen King of the Santa Clara Family Health Foundation and Yeh Ling-Ling of Alliance for a Sustainable USA discussed the debate with California Healthline.

Cuts to Calif. Mental Health Care Could Leave Patients With Nowhere To Turn, Advocates Say

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 08:00:00 GMT

John Buck of Turning Point Community Programs, Patricia Ryan of the California Mental Health Directors Association and Rusty Selix of the Mental Health Association in California discussed recent funding losses.

California Health Officials Prepare To Combat Expected Increase in H1N1 Influenza Cases

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 08:00:00 GMT

Deborah Burger of CNA, Gil Chavez of the state public health department, Cheri Hummel of the California Hospital Association and Hilary McLean of the education department discussed H1N1 preparedness with California Healthline.

Officials Making Gradual Progress on Efforts To Overhaul State Health Licensing Boards

Fri, 28 Aug 2009 08:00:00 GMT

Ann Boynton of the nursing board, Julie D'Angelo Fellmeth of UC-San Diego, Charles Ornstein of ProPublica and Brian Stiger of the Consumer Affairs Department discussed licensing board reform with California Healthline.

Policymakers Look to Salary-Based Physician-Payment Models To Lower Health Care Costs

Wed, 19 Aug 2009 08:00:00 GMT

Jack Chou of the California Academy of Family Physicians, Mark Hall of Wake Forest University, Robert Pearl of Kaiser Permanente and AMA President James Rohack discussed physician compensation with California Healthline.

California Nursing Board Faces Long Road Ahead for Streamlining Investigation Process

Mon, 10 Aug 2009 08:00:00 GMT

Stacie Berumen of the nursing panel, the University of San Diego's Julie D'Angelo Fellmeth, Kathy Sackman of UNAC/UHCP and Daryl Walker of the Department of Consumer Affairs discussed the board with California Healthline.

Recent Calif. Budget Cuts Could Force Healthy Families To Disenroll Children From Program

Fri, 31 Jul 2009 08:00:00 GMT

Sen. Denise Ducheny, Assembly member Dave Jones, Elia Gallardo of the California Primary Care Association, First 5 spokesperson Bill Madison and Ginny Puddefoot of MRMIB discussed the cuts with California Healthline.

Federal Officials Urge Health Departments To Remain Focused on Controlling H1N1 Influenza

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 08:00:00 GMT

Susan Hogeland of the California Academy of Family Physicians, Al Lundeen of the state public health department, CDC's Von Roebuck and Eric Weiss of Stanford Medical Center discussed the virus with California Healthline.

Oral Health Advocates Call for More Emphasis on Dental Coverage in Health Care Reform

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 08:00:00 GMT

The California Dental Association's Dean Chalios, Paul Glassman of the University of the Pacific and Daphne Von Essen of the California Dental Hygienists' Association discussed oral health care with California Healthline.

Bill Would Amend Medicare Payment Inequities Among California Counties Classified as Rural

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 08:00:00 GMT

Larry deGhetaldi of the Palo Alto Medical Foundation, Elizabeth McNeil of the California Medical Association and Tom Mentzer, spokesperson for Rep. Sam Farr (D-Calif.), discussed the proposal with California Healthline.

Nurse Education Programs Making Strides in Closing California's Impending RN Shortage

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 08:00:00 GMT

Stephanie Leach of the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency, Judy Papenhausen of CSU-San Marcos and David Welch of the California Nurses Association discussed the initiatives with California Healthline.

Physicians' Move to 'Concierge Medicine' Raises Concerns About Access to Health Care Services

Wed, 10 Jun 2009 08:00:00 GMT

Thomas LaGrelius of the Society for Innovative Medical Practice Design, Anthony Wright of Health Access and physicians Paul Sweigert and Mai-Phuong Nguyen discussed the trend with California Healthline.

California Lawmakers Take Aim at Gender-Based Pricing for Health Insurance Coverage

Fri, 29 May 2009 08:00:00 GMT

California Sen. Mark Leno, Lisa Codispoti of the National Women's Law Center, Marti Fisher of the California Chamber of Commerce and Robert Zirkelbach of America's Health Insurance Plans discuss the efforts.

Health Care Clinics Worry About Implications of Scheduled Elimination of Medi-Cal Benefits

Fri, 15 May 2009 08:00:00 GMT

Elia Gallardo of the California Primary Care Association, Roberto Juarez of Clinicas del Camino Real in Ventura County and Nadereh Pourat of the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research discussed the cuts with California Healthline.

CalPERS Rolls Out New Initiative in Hopes of Controlling Health Care Costs More Effectively

Tue, 05 May 2009 08:00:00 GMT

Juan Davila of Blue Shield of California, Greg Franklin of CalPERS and David Lansky of the Pacific Business Group on Health discuss the new CalPERS program with California Healthline.

Medicare Reimbursements in Some California Counties Spark Federal Legislation, Lawsuit

Tue, 28 Apr 2009 08:00:00 GMT

Santa Cruz physician Larry De Ghetaldi, Rep. Sam Farr and Elizabeth McNeil of the California Medical Association discussed the push for higher Medicare reimbursements with California Healthline.

Budget Cuts in California Take Away From Expected Benefits of Federal Stimulus Money

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 08:00:00 GMT

Marty Lynch of the Lifelong Medical Care clinic, Chris Patterson of the California Primary Care Association, Sara Rosenbaum of George Washington University and Anthony Wright of Health Access California discuss the situation.

Contra Costa County Decision To Restrict Care to Undocumented Immigrants Raises Concerns

Thu, 09 Apr 2009 08:00:00 GMT

The county's health director William Walker, Neil Jayasekera of the county regional medical center, Sonal Ambegaoker of the National Immigration Law Center and Carmella Castellano-Garcia of the California Primary Care Association discussed the decision.

Report Foresees Dramatic Rise in Alzheimer's Disease Over Next Two Decades in California

Tue, 31 Mar 2009 08:00:00 GMT

Debra Cherry of the Alzheimer's Association, Linda Hewett of UCSF's Alzheimer's and Memory Center, Patrick Fox of the Institute for Health & Aging at UCSF's School of Nursing and Linda Rudolph of the state's Center for Chronic Disease Prevention discussed the trend.

Republican Sen. Aanestad Puts Forward Market-Based Plan To Rework Health Care in California

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 08:00:00 GMT

Linda Halderman, senior policy adviser for Sen. Sam Aanestad, John Graham of the Pacific Research Institute, Assembly member Dave Jones and Anthony Wright of Health Access discussed the legislation with California Healthline.

New Law in California Raises the Bar for Interpretation Services in Medical Settings

Fri, 06 Mar 2009 08:00:00 GMT

Lisa Diamond of Palo Alto Medical Foundation Research Institute; Alicia Fernandez of UC-San Francisco; Gloria Garcia-Orme of S.F. General; Anmol Mahal, a past president of CMA; Lynne Randolph of the state DMHC; and Ben Singer of Anthem BlueCross discussed the law with California Healthline.

California Public Hospitals See Major Influx of Patients as Recession, Job Losses Continue

Thu, 26 Feb 2009 08:00:00 GMT

William Jensen of Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, Melissa Stafford Jones of the California Association of Public Hospitals, Kim Roberts of Santa Clara Valley Health and Hospital System and Anthony Wright of Health Access discussed the trend with California Healthline.

California's Online Hospital Mortality Rate Report Card Aims To Boost Quality of Care

Mon, 02 Feb 2009 08:00:00 GMT

Jan Emerson of the California Hospital Association, Don Goldmann of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement and Joseph Parker of the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development discussed the state's new report card on hospital mortality rates.

L.A. County Supervisors Want Nursing Homes To Publicly Display Federal Quality Ratings

Fri, 23 Jan 2009 08:00:00 GMT

Tony Bell, spokesperson for L.A. Supervisor Antonovich, Jack Cheevers of CMS, Mary Jann of the California Association of Health Facilities, and Patricia McGinnis of the California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform discussed the proposal.

Licensing Boards in California Step Up Criminal Background Checks for Health Care Workers

Mon, 12 Jan 2009 08:00:00 GMT

Deborah Burger of the California Nurses Association, Dean Chalios of the California Dental Association, Luis Farias of the Department of Consumer Affairs and Julianne D'Angelo Fellmeth of the Center for Public Interest Law at the University of San Diego discussed the effort.

New Laws in California Set Sights on Preventing Hospital-Acquired Infections

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 08:00:00 GMT

State Sen. Elaine Alquist and Kathleen Billingsley, deputy director of the state Department of Public Health's Center for Health Care Quality, talked with California Healthline about two new laws aimed at curbing hospital-acquired infections.

Cash Infusion From First 5 California Keeps Enrollment Open for Healthy Families Program

Fri, 19 Dec 2008 08:00:00 GMT

Lesley Cummings of the Managed Risk Medical Insurance Board, Wendy Lazarus of the Children's Partnership and Kris Perry of First 5 California talked to California Healthline about creative financing to keep Healthy Families up and running.

Physician Organizations Have Mixed Reactions To Decision Upholding Ban on Balance Billing

Fri, 12 Dec 2008 08:00:00 GMT

Don Crane of the California Association of Physician Groups, Elena Lopez-Gusman of the American College of Emergency Physicians and Lynne Randolph from the state Department of Managed Health Care discussed the ruling.

Health Care Providers From Other Countries Face Hurdles Getting Licensed in United States

Fri, 05 Dec 2008 08:00:00 GMT

Jeanne Batalova of the Migration Policy Institute; John Cordova and Jose Pena from the immigrant aid organization Welcome Back; and Kevin Schunke of the California Medical Board discuss the issue with California Healthline.

Medicare Payment Delays Push California Physicians To Stop Accepting New Patients

Mon, 24 Nov 2008 08:00:00 GMT

Mike Barlow of Palmetto, Dev GnanaDev of the California Medical Association, and Sandra Newman and Julian Delgado of the California Academy of Family Physicians discussed the situation with California Healthline.

Critics Argue for Overhaul, Expansion of California High-Risk Health Insurance Program

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 08:00:00 GMT

Elizabeth Landsberg of the Western Center on Law and Poverty, Anthony Wright of Health Access and Robert Zirkelbach of America's Health Insurance Plans spoke to California Healthline about the state's high-risk insurance program.

Privacy Breaches at UCLA Highlight Need for Action on Privacy Throughout UC System

Wed, 05 Nov 2008 08:00:00 GMT

Kathleen Billingsley of the California Department of Public Health's Center for Healthcare Quality, Roxanne Moster of UCLA and Patrick Schlesinger of the University of California discussed security breaches with California Healthline.

Autism Advocates Pushing for State Laws Requiring Health Insurers To Cover Treatments

Tue, 28 Oct 2008 08:00:00 GMT

Kristin Jacobson of advocacy group Autism Speaks, Susan Pisano of America's Health Insurance Plans and Antonio Hardan of Stanford University's Lucile Packard Children's Hospital discuss coverage of autism treatments.

Effort To Standardize U.S. Hospitals' Use of Color-Coded Wristbands on Patients Underway

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 08:00:00 GMT

Jan Emerson of the California Hospital Association, Beth Feldpush of the American Hospital Association and Niraj Sehgal of UC-San Francisco spoke with California Healthline about the pros and cons of the project.

Growth of Private Imaging Centers Brings Warnings About Radiation From CT Scans

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 08:00:00 GMT

William Dillon of UCSF, David Schauer of the National College of Radiation Protection and Measurements and Arl Van Moore of the American College of Radiology spoke with California Healthline about private centers that offer CT scans.

Robotic Telemetry Expands Patient Care Options for Small Hospitals Throughout California

Thu, 25 Sep 2008 08:00:00 GMT

Jim Gude, an intensive care physician in Northern California, Ben Kanter of Pomerado Hospital in Escondido, Valerie Takes of Palm Drive Hospital in Sebastopol and Yulun Wang of InTouch Health discussed the trend with California Healthline.

California Falls Far Short of Federal Guidelines for Nurse-to-Student Ratios in Schools

Tue, 16 Sep 2008 08:00:00 GMT

Rep. Lois Capps (D-Calif.), Linda Davis-Alldritt of the state Department of Education, Nancy Spradling of the California School Nurses Association and Mary Jean Schumann of the American Nurses Association discussed the shortage.

Plan To Move Frequent Emergency Department Patients To Other Care Settings Wins Praise

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 08:00:00 GMT

Erica Murray of the California Association of Public Hospitals and Health Systems, Sharon Rapport of the Corporation for Supportive Housing, and Stan Rosenstein of the state Department of Health Care Services discussed the project.

California Effort Builds Case for Doctors To Use Telemedicine To Diagnose, Treat Strokes

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 08:00:00 GMT

Ron Fellman of BF Technologies, Walter Koroshetz of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Strokes, and neurologist Brett Meyer, co-director of the UC San Diego Stroke Center, discussed the project.

San Francisco Bans Tobacco Sales in Pharmacies, Takes Aim at Trans Fats

Fri, 15 Aug 2008 08:00:00 GMT

Stan Glantz of UC-San Francisco, public health pharmacist Brian Katcher, Lynn Rolston of the California Pharmacists Association and Kevin Westlye of the Golden Gate Restaurant Association discuss the efforts.

New Report Puts $38 Billion Price Tag on Alcohol Abuse in California, Urges New Taxes

Fri, 08 Aug 2008 08:00:00 GMT

Assembly member Jim Beall, Michele Simon of the Marin Institute, Edward Stringham of San Jose State University, and Fried Wittman of UC-Berkeley discussed the financial toll of alcohol with California Healthline.

California Hospitals Consider Environment in Projects To Comply With Seismic Safety Rules

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 08:00:00 GMT

Anna Gilmour Hall of Healthcare Without Harm, John Kouletsis of Kaiser Permanente and Walter Vernon, a consulting engineer, discuss efforts by hospitals to build environmentally friendly facilities.