Patient Safety

Brown Ends 2015 With a Whimper: the Good, the Bad and the Ugly

Landmark bills protecting digital privacy, greening energy use in the state, reining in health insurance abuses and expanding voter registration were among the good proposals signed by Gov. Jerry Brown as the 2015 legislative year drew to a close. Yet, in a year Californians called for bold, progressive action on gas prices, toxics regulation and ratepayer protection against back room dealings with regulated utilities, centrist saddling and tepid reforms dull the shine of those wins for the public. 

Waiting for Governor Jerry Brown to Sign Bills Protecting Californians

The crowded hallways outside of the Legislature's chambers may now be empty but that doesn't mean the fervent lobbying to kill pending legislation is over. 

With more than 600 bills sitting at the governor's desk, we are keeping an eye on bills that protect privacy, healthcare, elections, consumer rights and the environment. Below are some of the bills we are watching:  

Doctors Undermine Major Drug Reform For Foster Kids

When the California Senate passed a package of bills in June to curtail the overprescribing of psychotropic medication to foster youth, lawmakers heralded it as an unprecedented attempt to protect the most vulnerable children in California. But the momentum has slowed. 

What Do Hillary Clinton and Chris Christie Agree On That Sacramento Still Won't Do?

The prescription drug abuse epidemic has vaulted into the national presidential debate, most recently this week with a Hillary Clinton op-ed in the New Hampshire Union Leader. Clinton wrote about combating addiction, and called for a requirement that health care providers consult a prescription drug monitoring database before prescribing controlled substances.

Where's Jerry? Ralph Nader Wants to Know

Annette Ramirez is a fighter. She’s had to be, ever since a doctor’s error during surgery cost her two years of her life and all four of her limbs.

Yet, when she went to hold the negligent health care providers responsible, she learned that a 40-year-old law says her lifetime of pain and suffering, the loss of two years of her kids’ lives, and everything she will never do again is worth no more than $250,000 in court.

California Hospitals Lax on Patient Safety Without Malpractice Legal Reform

The abysmal patient safety record of California hospitals exposed in a national report card highlights the lack of legal deterrence and safeguards to protect consumers.

The Leapfrog Group, an employer-backed nonprofit group focused on healthcare quality, gave nearly 40 percent of California hospitals a C, D or F grade. These poor grades revealed hospitals that were unable to significantly reduce infections, accidents and errors.

Pages

Capitol Watchdog is owned and operated by nonprofit Consumer Watchdog. For more information about Consumer Watchdog visit http://www.consumerwatchdog.org