Today on AirTalk we'll talk about hospital price transparency and how exposing the cost of procedures could change the way consumers approach healthcare. We'll also discuss California's Prop. 65, new rules about unionization postings in the workplace, and 'gut and amend' political tactics. Later, we'll consider the pronunciations of Southern California places and speak with the curators of the Autry Museum's exhibit about Jews in Los Angeles.
Medicare releases hospital pricing data
Medicare has released new data on the prices hospitals charge for 100 of the most common in-patient treatments and procedures, which are found to vary widely from one healthcare service provider to another.
In Los Angeles, one hospital was found to have charged on average $223,000 for knee and hip replacement surgeries, but at another area hospital, the same procedure only cost around $32,000.
What accounts for these pricing disparities? How does the difference in pricing affect consumers? How do hospitals determine healthcare pricing?
Does Price Transparency Legislation Allow the Uninsured to Shop for Care?
Guest:
Bob Kocher, former Special Assistant to the President for Healthcare and Economic Policy on the National Economic Council, partner at Venrock Healthcare Technology, serves on the Board of Castlight Health and the Advisory Boards of Harvard Medical School Health Care Policy Department, USC Leonard D. Schaeffer Center for Health Policy and Economics where he is also a Senior Fellow
Governor Brown proposes to amend Prop 65, toxicity disclosure law
The governor has proposed a serious overhaul to the decades-old Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act, which requires product manufacturers, retailers and property owners to post signs warning the public if goods or premises contain toxic chemicals.
While most agree that the law has successfully forced businesses to eliminate or reduce toxic chemicals, for years many have complained that the law has been heavily abused by private lawyers. Many claim that Prop 65 has been an easy vehicle for frivolous “shake-down” lawsuits, and Governor Brown has come out in agreement. He wants to ensure, among other things, that attorney’s fees are capped for Prop 65 related cases, and to require stronger demonstration by plaintiffs that they have information to support claims before litigation begins.
Why has this seemingly straightforward law been the cause of so much scrutiny? What measures has Governor Brown proposed to fix it, and will they work? And could these measures go too far and minimize the effectiveness of Prop 65?
Guest:
David Roe, Former Environmental Defense Fund attorney and one of the principal authors of the Prop 65 initiative.
Court rules employers cannot be forced to post unionization rules
This week, a federal appeals court said the National Labor Relations Board violated the free speech rights of employers by compelling them to post rules in the workplace about the right to unionize.
The poster rule went into effect in 2011. Employers already are required to inform employees about minimum wage, health and safety laws and a slew of other rights. The NLRB wanted to add information about unions because it found that young Americans and new Americans did not know about rights and protections under the law.
Business groups argue the NLRB over-reaches its powers in the workplace.
What are the highlights of the poster? Is the importance in what the poster says but also that it's there at all? Which industries and workers would be particularly impacted by the poster? Do you think it really serves to empower anyone who wouldn't get to that point for other reasons? Isn't it up to individuals to know their rights? What did some in the business community want to strike this down? There are a lot of posters required in the workplace - will those be subject to this ruling?
Guests:
Lynn Rhinehart, General Counsel, AFL-CIO
Karen Harned, Executive Director of the National Federation of Independent Business Small Business Legal Center. NFIB is one of the plaintiffs in the case
California amendment may slow down ‘gut and amend’ political tactics
California Senator Lois Wolk (D-Davis) and Assemblywoman Kristin Olsen (R-Modesto) are proposing amendments to the California constitution to slow down “gut and amend” political strategies.
Here’s how gut and amend works: Right before legislature is about to vote on a bill that’s gone through discussion and revisions, politicians switch out the bill’s original language and replace it with new language. This allows the new language to escape the public, and sometimes lawmakers, watchful eyes. On the other hand, it also enables lawmakers to act quickly on political will - without as much interference from lobbyists.
The Sacramento Bee reported that 48 bills were gutted and amended in the last three weeks of the 2011 session.
The proposed amendments to the California Constitution, The proposed amendments to the California Constitution, ACA 4 in the Assembly and SCA 10 in the Senate, would require all non-emergency bills to be published for 72 hours before voting is allowed. California would not be the first state to enact this law because New York and Florida already have similar legislation, according to the Sacramento Bee.
What would happen if the gut and amend process was forced to go in slower motion? How could this change the political process? Would public interest groups be more active in monitoring proposed legislation?
Guests:
Phillip Ung, Spokesperson, Common Cause described as good governance accountability group - Sponsors of ACA 4 and SCA 10
Steve Maviglio, Democratic Strategist and Former Legislative Staffer
Is there a 're-Latin-ization' of 'lohz AHN-hell-uhz' place names? (Poll)
Newbies and tourists in Los Angeles easily betray themselves when they spit out the Spanish pronunciation of what we know as San Pedro (san PEE-droh) or Los Feliz (los FEE-liz). Resident Angelenos anglicized those locales so long ago that native Spanish speakers get corrected for saying "sahn PAY-dro" or "lohz fay-LEES." But that could be changing.
As Marisa (mah-REE-sah) Gerber of the LA Times writes, "A younger generation — perhaps more sensitive to the region's history — favors truer Spanish pronunciation. L.A.'s growing Latino population helps propel the new pronunciations, too."
Have you noticed a trend? What's your prefered style? How do you pronounce Hermosa Beach? What about Cesar E. Chavez Avenue or the Chavez Ravine?
Guest:
Marisa Gerber, Staff Writer, Los Angeles Times
Jews in the Los Angeles Mosaic opens at the Autry
Tomorrow, the Autry Museum in Griffith Park opens its exhibition chronicling the contributions of Jews to the business, arts, and skyline of Los Angeles. LA is home to the second largest number of Jews in North America, and only Tel Aviv, New York City, and Jerusalem have more Jews in their city limits.
Members of the city’s Jewish community gave us Grauman’s Chinese Theater, the iconic Stahl House in the Hollywood Hills, the Disney Concert Hall downtown,and the Barbie Doll, to name only a few of their contributions. The Autry’s exhibit attempts to paint a broad picture of the contributions of this vastly important Angelino community.
Guests:
Karen Wilson, UCLA historian and co-curator “Jews in the Los Angeles Mosaic”
Carolyn Brucken, co-curator “Jews in the Los Angeles Mosaic”