California Healthline

Senate President Pro Tempore Darrell Steinberg continues to support using state budget reserves to avoid making deep cuts to social services programs, despite Standard & Poor's call for lawmakers to avoid the strategy. Sacramento Bee's "Capitol Alert."

Certain San Joaquin County officials support the arrest of a Stockton man who stopped taking his tuberculosis medication, while some health law experts deride the prosecution. County officials say the arrest was made as a last resort, but certain experts say prosecution sends the wrong message. AP/Sacramento Bee.

A Legislative Analyst's Office report finds that federal oversight of California's prison health care system could end without the state expanding certain health care facilities. LAO says California would assume $76 million in debt by completing construction. KPCC's "KPCC News."

The Senate voted down five different Republican-backed fiscal year 2013 budget resolutions yesterday. Lawmakers noted that Congress is unlikely to approve any budget proposals that include changes to Medicare and Medicaid until 2013. The Hill's "Floor Action Blog" et al.

Yesterday, HHS said states have until Nov. 16 to submit plans for operating health insurance exchanges under the federal health reform law. HHS also released guidance on how it will facilitate exchanges for states that opt not to administer their own marketplaces. Reuters et al.

The Legislative Analyst's Office says its revenue projections for California are similar to those included in Gov. Brown's revised budget plan. Previously, LAO had found the projections included in Brown’s initial budget plan to be too optimistic. Sacramento Bee's "Capitol Alert."

Standard & Poor's recommends that lawmakers forgo Senate President Pro Tempore Darrell Steinberg's idea to use state budget reserves to aid social service programs. S&P says that lawmakers should pursue "credible" budget solutions. Sacramento Bee's "Capitol Alert."

A new report finds that the number of credentials issued for public school nurses decreased by 26.4% between the 2006-2007 and 2010-2011 school years. According to the report, the number of nurses employed in public schools declined by 13.3% during that time. California Watch.

If the U.S. Supreme Court overturns the federal health reform law, health insurers stand to lose nearly $1 trillion in new revenue and nearly $174 billion in profits between 2013 and 2020, according to a recent report by Bloomberg Government. The Hill's "Healthwatch" et al.

A Milliman study finds that the average annual health care costs for a family of four with an employer-sponsored preferred provider plan is $20,728, a 6.9% increase from 2011. The study found that workers on average pay about 41% of those costs. Los Angeles Times, CQ HealthBeat.

Gov. Brown has released his revised budget plan for the next fiscal year. The plan includes deeper Medi-Cal and In-Home Supportive Services cuts than his original plan and maintains proposed cuts to welfare and child care programs. Sacramento Bee's "Capitol Alert" et al.

Budget subcommittees in the Assembly and Senate have rejected a budget proposal that would have curbed inspections of hospitals’ and nursing homes’ compliance with state laws. Patient safety advocates are worried that the proposal will resurface. California Watch.

The Obama administration has announced a plan aimed at finding an effective way to treat and prevent Alzheimer's disease by 2025. Officials also launched a website offering information for families and caregivers of people with Alzheimer's disease. AP/San Francisco Chronicle et al.

Tomorrow, a Senate panel is scheduled to mark up legislation that would extend certain health benefits to domestic partners of gay and lesbian federal employees. Meanwhile, more companies are offering health benefits to workers' domestic partners. Washington Times et al.

In recent months, President Obama and Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney have tried to differentiate their plans to reform Medicare. The two also have accused each other of supporting plans that would effectively dismantle the program. New York Times.

Gov. Brown has announced that California's budget deficit has increased to $16 billion, significantly higher than the $9.2 billion he estimated in January. The governor plans to release his May budget revision today. Sacramento Bee's "Capitol Alert" et al.

The California Statewide Law Enforcement Association supports an Assembly bill that would allow police officers at state mental hospitals to carry guns. However, the California Association of Psychiatric Technicians says the bill is potentially hazardous. Sacramento Bee.

State officials say that personal data on In-Home Supportive Services workers and care recipients might have been compromised when microfiche containing Social Security numbers went missing from a shipment sent by mail. Los Angeles Times, AP/San Jose Mercury News.

A new final rule requires health insurers to inform consumers that their premium rebates are a result of the federal health reform law. The requirement is seen as part of an attempt by the Obama administration to boost the law's popularity. Wall Street Journal, Time's "The Page."

Several Republican governors and state lawmakers are not taking steps to implement health insurance exchanges required by the health reform law. Some lawmakers say they are awaiting the Supreme Court's decision on the overhaul before moving forward. Washington Post et al.