> California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed AB 1653 into law last week. The legislation sets the structure for the state's hospitals to impose a fee upon themselves in order to draw down additional $2.6 billion in funding from Medicaid before the end of the year, reports the Sacramento Business Journal. State and hospital officials are continuing to negotiate with CMS as to when and how the drawdown will be funded. Article
> Community clinics throughout California are applying for a special loan program to help them remain afloat while a budget impasse in the state Legislature is keeping them from receiving their regular Medi-Cal (Medicaid) payments. The loans are provided by a variety of healthcare organizations, including hospital operators Catholic Healthcare West and Sutter Health. Although $22 million is available for the loans, requests totaling $31 million have already been made, reported the Los Angeles Times. Article
> A new study in the Archives of Internal Medicine concluded that orthopedic surgeons and researchers with financial ties to the medical device industry are not always required to report such ties as part of their research. According to the study, of 41 subjects who received $1 million or more from orthopedic device companies in 2007, 32 had published articles about orthopedics between January 2008 and January 2009. Abstract
And finally ... When watchful waiting isn't appropriate. Article