News

Kaiser, Health Net agree to reinstate 1,200 beneficiaries

admin — Fri, 16 May 2008 06:59:58 -0400

Two of California's largest health plans have agreed to reinstate a total of roughly 1,200 patients whose policies were rescinded after they began incurring high medical expenses. Under the terms of Read more...

Serious nursing home quality problems still exist

admin — Fri, 16 May 2008 06:59:57 -0400

According to new Congressional testimony by officials from the HHS inspector general's office, care at many nursing homes is actually dangerous to patients, despite ongoing efforts by CMS to identify Read more...

AMA, SEIU ask court to stop UnitedHealth deal

admin — Fri, 16 May 2008 06:59:56 -0400

A group of opponents including the AMA and the SEIU Nevada have filed suit to stop UnitedHealth Group's planned buyout of Las Vegas-based health plan Sierra Health Services. The deal already has been Read more...

Heparin scare leads to new dosing issue

admin — Fri, 16 May 2008 06:59:55 -0400

While efforts to make dosing safer in the wake of recent heparin-related deaths make sense, such efforts have created a fresh set of safety concerns for providers who use it, observers say. For one Read more...

Case study: NY hospitals lower ICU infection rates

admin — Fri, 16 May 2008 06:59:54 -0400

In recent times, New York City's public hospitals have mounted an effort to lower the rate of infections patients acquire in in their intensive care units. The effort, by the New York City Health and Read more...

SPOTLIGHT: MA malpractice rates at near-20-year low

admin — Fri, 16 May 2008 06:59:52 -0400

As in other states, physicians in Massachusetts have said that many are leaving the state because malpractice rates are a burden. However, recent research suggests that the state's doctors pay lower Read more...

ALSO NOTED: FDA may require side-effects hotline number in DTC ads; Many uninsured could be eligible for gov't insurance; and m

admin — Fri, 16 May 2008 06:59:50 -0400

> An FDA panel is considering whether it should require direct-to-consumer advertisers to include a side-effects hotline in every commercial. Read more...

LA approves fines for patient dumping

admin — Thu, 15 May 2008 06:59:58 -0400

It looks like Los Angeles is going to approve fines for hospitals that engage in what it defines as patient dumping. The city council has given preliminary approval to a measure under which hospitals Read more...

Survey: Universal healthcare would boost MD shortage

admin — Thu, 15 May 2008 06:59:57 -0400

When it comes to universal healthcare coverage, it would appear that a significant minority of physicians find the idea to be intolerable, according to a new survey. The survey, by physician Read more...

Cleveland Clinic will pay tuition for med school students

admin — Thu, 15 May 2008 06:59:56 -0400

Following a practice that is growing increasingly common, the Cleveland Clinic says that it plans to pay the entire tuition bill for the 32 students entering its medical education program later this Read more...

Panel issues care guidelines for heart implant patients

admin — Thu, 15 May 2008 06:59:55 -0400

In the past, much of the discussion over implantable heart devices like pacemakers and defibrillators was over which patients were suitable candidates--and how to get health plans to pay for them. Read more...

Hospital collective works to reduce birth injuries

admin — Thu, 15 May 2008 06:59:54 -0400

A group of 16 hospitals has come together to create seamless processes to avoid birth injuries to infants in risky situations. Right now, about three infants of every 1,000 are injured during birth, Read more...

SPOTLIGHT: Critics challenge direct-to-consumer TV ads for stent

admin — Thu, 15 May 2008 06:59:52 -0400

Over the last several months, consumers have been viewing a 60-second television ad for Johnson & Johnson's Cypher stent which, of course, plays up its potential benefits. Now, two critics of Read more...

ALSO NOTED: Health plans vow premium, reimbursement crackdown; Diabetes drug spending takes lead position; and much more...

admin — Thu, 15 May 2008 06:59:50 -0400

> Hoping to calm nervous investors, health plans are promising Wall Street types that they're going to hike premiums and ratchet down payments to providers. Good luck, guys. Read more...

Study: Gain-sharing with physicians controls hospital costs

admin — Wed, 14 May 2008 06:59:57 -0400

A new study has concluded that paying physicians a cash reward to cut hospital spending cuts costs without harming care quality or access. Some policymakers have raised concerns that such programs Read more...