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April 19, 2024
Workers Compensation Bill 2024: One percent of employee’s salary to contribute to workers’ compensation fund in Kenya.

April 15, 2024
Colorado Worker Shows Head Injury Happened as a Consequence of a Knock on the Head at Work

April 4, 2024
Callfornia Division of Workers' Compensation Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee Meeting Scheduled for April 17, 2024

April 3, 2024
California Division of Workers' Compensation Posts Adjustments to Official Medical Fee Schedule (DMEPOS)

A committee mainly comprised of medical professionals, hospital executives and union officials is now fielding input on how to oversee spending Ventura County’s $261 million share of tobacco lawsuit-liability settlement proceeds.

Prioritywise, the county’s growing number of uninsured residents appears to be at the head of the line. Public health officials on April 9 outlined several programs to benefit some 22% of the county’s 753,000 residents with no health insurance, according to Health Care Director Pierre Durand.

Funds derived from the landmark settlement involving 46 states and leading tobacco companies would, on top of the $22.3 million advanced to Ventura County so far, accrue at a rate of $10 million to $12 million annually.

As far as the county is concerned, it wants to dedicate all funds strictly to health care. Supervisors, one week before voters rejected a November election effort that would have awarded the money to private hospitals, passed an ordinance requiring the funds to be spent exclusively on health care, including outpatient surgery and mental health. The law also created the oversight committee and the allocation of $11.2 million to private hospitals over the next five years to treat indigent patients.

The oversight committee in the next several months is expected to hear a wide range of proposals including some from the private hospital sector.

Durand strongly recommends building two regional outpatient centers, in Oxnard and the East County consisting of 60,000 square feet each, that would provide low-cost, family medical services including vaccinations and prenatal care. The combined construction cost is projected at $1.5 million.

As part of the massive tobacco settlement, county health officials have projected spending $500,000 for a new residency cross-training program for future doctors in family practice and psychiatry, in partnership with UCLA.

Other considerations being weighed by the committee are proposals to spend $1 million annually for expanded tobacco education programs and up to $30 million to retrofit Ventura County Medical Center.