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Archive of Health Care on Wednesday July 01, 2009
CA: California chain restaurants must post calorie counts starting today
California becomes the first state in the nation to legislate the cheeseburger today, when a new law — aimed at reducing obesity and heart disease — forces restaurants with at least 20 locations to reveal the number of calories in most of the food on their menus. Read More
US: Colorado the least obese state
WASHINGTON—Mississippi's still king of cellulite, but an ominous tide is rolling toward the Medicare doctors in neighboring Alabama: obese baby boomers. Read More
Financial crisis torments states
(Updated 11:29 a.m. EDT, July 1, 2009) California may begin issuing IOUs this week because of the state’s unresolved budget crisis. But government disruptions were averted at least temporarily in five other states that missed a July 1 deadline for closing billion-dollar budget gaps. Read More
AL: Ala. closes in on Miss. as most obese state
WASHINGTON -- Mississippi's still king of cellulite, but an ominous tide is rolling toward the Medicare doctors in neighboring Alabama: obese baby boomers. Read More
FL: Prescription drug overdose deaths soar in Florida
Florida continues to see a rapid rise in fatal overdoses caused by prescription-drug abuse -- a trend fueled by a cottage industry of cash-only pain clinics -- while deaths from illegal drugs wane, according to a report from the state's medical examiners released Tuesday. Read More
FL: 65 new Florida law changes take effect today
Sixty-five new state laws go into effect today. They include an electronic tracking system to reduce the illicit sale and abuse of prescriptions drugs; requiring felony suspects to provide DNA samples; a limit to lawyer fees in workers' compensation cases; and allowing state universities to put up columbaria for the ashes of deceased alumni. Read More
FL: New cigarette tax has smokers fuming
Starting today, the price of cigarettes in Florida will go up again, thanks to a $1 increase in the state tobacco tax. Read More
GA: Health centers get federal stimulus money for equipment, new technology
Georgia's community health centers will get a $16.4 million shot in the arm to help buy new medical equipment or software to store medical records on a computer instead of on paper, the White House said Tuesday. Read More
HI: Hospital's 667 dead to be remembered
The ninth remembrance service for 667 patients who died at the Hawai'i State Hospital and were forgotten from 1930 to 1960 will be held today at 10:30 a.m. at Hawaiian Memorial Park in Kane'ohe. Read More
HI: Hawaii adults less obese, but not isle youth
Hawaii adults continue to be among the most physically active and leanest in the nation, according to a national report released today. Read More
HI: Lingle discloses potential vetoes
Gov. Linda Lingle yesterday gave state lawmakers a list of bills she may veto, including proposals to restructure public hospitals, raise a tax on petroleum products to fund food and energy security programs, and tighten high-technology investment tax credits. Read More
IA: Kids of Spanish-speaking parents more likely to be uninsured
An Iowa Department of Public Health report concludes there are "pockets" of minority children in Iowa who do not have regular access to a dentist and do not get regular medical checkups. Read More
IA: State officials call smoking ban a success
State public health officials are declaring Iowa's year-old anti-smoking law a success. Read More
IL: Judge orders state to meet child welfare rules
A federal judge says planned cuts in child-welfare services envisioned under the so-called doomsday budget passed by both houses of the Illinois legislature violate basic, court-ordered standards. Read More
KY: Federal grant helps children with special needs
The Kentucky Commission for Children with Special Health Care Needs has received a $95,700 federal grant to establish "Family-to-Family Health Information Centers" in 12 locations across the state, including Louisville. Read More
LA: State budget year begins with cuts
The new state fiscal year starts today with far less drastic budget cuts than Gov. Bobby Jindal originally proposed. Read More
LA: State revises career outlook
When the current recession ends and the economy revs up, look for registered nurses to continue occupying the driver's seat when it comes to career choices. Read More
MN: Minn. has lowest rate of overweight kids
Another victory of sorts for Lake Wobegon: Minnesota has the lowest rate of overweight children in the nation, according to a new report on obesity in America. Read More
MO: Missourians urged to protect themselves from sun
Amid the summer heat, state health officials are urging Missourians to protect themselves from the sun. Read More
MS: Miss. lawmakers finish most of $6B budget, not PSC
Bleary-eyed Mississippi lawmakers approved most of the $6 billion budget before the state fiscal year started early Wednesday, addressing Medicaid and public safety while leaving only the state's utility regulatory agency unfunded. Read More
MS: Hundreds of laws take effect in Miss.
Most teens now will need their parents' permission before using a tanning facility, 16-year-olds can donate blood, and Internet pharmacies face stricter regulations. Read More
MS: Medicaid bill goes to gov
Lawmakers sent a Medicaid reauthorization plan to Gov. Haley Barbour hours before the new fiscal year began today, along with dozens of other funding bills intended to keep state government running smoothly. Read More
ND: N.D. community health centers to get about $2M
The Obama administration says community health centers in North Dakota will share nearly $2 million in federal stimulus grants to help improve access to health care. Read More
NH: Judge freezes $9 m contested NH funding
A superior court judge has frozen $9 million in surplus funding the state and New Hampshire's nursing homes both claim. Read More
NJ: N.J. Assemblyman introduces legislation to improve consumer health care transparency
Assemblyman Joseph Cryan has introduced legislation to improve consumer health care transparency and knowledge by regulating doctor profiling programs and establishing a health care patient ombudsperson. Read More
NJ: New Jersey ushers in fiscal year with added, higher taxes
Happy fiscal new year, Jersey residents. New Jersey's fiscal year begins today, and with that comes higher taxes for smokers, high-income earners and businesses. Next month, hard alcohol and wine drinkers will pay more. Read More
NV: Board extends coverage to domestic partners of state employees
By a 5-3 vote, the board that governs the state health insurance system has agreed to extend coverage to domestic partners of government and university system employees. Read More
NY: Hospital infection numbers go public
Capital Region hospitals reported that 200 patients picked up infections in their hospitals in 2008, according to the state's Hospital-Acquired Infection Report released Tuesday by the state Department of Health. Read More
OR: Kulongoski ready to fight for approved tax increases
Even though he didn't propose either of them to balance the state budget, Gov. Ted Kulongoski said Tuesday he'll campaign aggressively for the tax increases that lawmakers approved on corporations and higher-income households if opponents are successful in forcing a statewide vote on either. Read More
PA: Pa. high court to hear challenge in Risperdal case
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court agreed yesterday to hear a legal challenge over whether the Rendell administration should be allowed to use a Texas law firm to pursue a case against a drugmaker on behalf of Pennsylvania. Read More
PA: Bill to expand Pa. health insurance sparks debate
Democratic leaders in Pennsylvania hope to double the number of residents who receive state-sponsored health insurance, known as adultBasic, but Republicans fear the costs may be too high. Read More
RI: R.I. Senate recesses with bills in limbo
Just before 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Senate President M. Teresa Paiva Weed banged her gavel and sent the Senate into extended recess for at least part of the summer, capping a chaotic month on Smith Hill that ended with both chambers on indeterminate breaks and major legislation still up in the air. Read More
RI: R.I. Supreme Court holds Department of Corrections liable for contaminated food
The state Supreme Court on Tuesday, vacating a lower court decision, ruled that the Department of Corrections is not shielded from liability for distributing a potentially contaminated product just because it was doing so as a part of a program for the public good. Read More
RI: R.I. hospitals agree on safety protocol for surgeries
All the hospitals and outpatient surgical centers in Rhode Island have agreed to follow the same process to prevent errors in surgery. Read More
TX: Perry insists on short special session agenda
Gov. Rick Perry is being pressed to add issues ranging from children's health care to voter identification to the agenda of the special session that begins Wednesday, but his answer is still no. Read More
US: Abortion foes try again on 'personhood' amendments
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Abortion opponents in Colorado and Montana want to try again to pass amendments giving human rights to embryos. Read More
VT: Today is first day for new state laws
All new statutes that don't have other specified effective dates go into law today. That means everything from new tax increases to new programs to new rules for citizens, regulators and businesses. Read More
VT: VA secretary touts new vets' benefits
Assistant Secretary of Veterans Affairs Tammy Duckworth toured Vermont on Tuesday with a double dose of good news for the state's veterans. Read More
VT: State asks for hospitals' plans
This week the Department of Mental Health queried every hospital in the state and Dartmouth Hitchcock in Lebanon, N.H., about their interest in providing psychiatric acute care services that would replace care now provided at the Vermont State Hospital -- which state officials want to close. Read More
VT: Two states restrict firms' gifts to doctors
No more free lunch for some New England doctors -- at least not from drug companies. Under laws taking effect Wednesday in Massachusetts and Vermont, pharmaceutical companies and medical-device makers will be banned from giving doctors such gifts as resort trips or even coffee mugs. Read More
WA: State will use emergency funds to buy flu medication
Gov. Chris Gregoire on Tuesday authorized emergency funds to purchase flu medication to prepare for a busy flu season. Read More
WA: Gregoire OKs emergency money for flu season
Gov. Chris Gregoire has approved $700,000 in emergency spending to buy more antiviral medicine for the next flu season. Read More
WI: More reasons to quit
Wisconsin is just one year away from implementation of a statewide smoking ban and smokers will start paying even more for cigarettes in September. Read More
Tracking the recession: Budget deadline looms
Unlike the federal government, states have to balance their budgets. But several states still have not completed spending plans for the fiscal year that begins July 1. Read More
Ga. hotline aims to cut mental health costs
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New section follows stimulus spending
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Recession ushers in more tobacco taxes
In a double-whammy for smokers, the federal government and seven states raised taxes on cigarettes this year. But the new taxes plus President Obama's vow to sign a bill imposing sweeping regulation of the tobacco industry threaten to shrink cigarette sales — and revenues for state coffers. Read More |
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