> California hospitals, clinics and nursing homes are facing big problems because the state hasn't approved its budget, delaying their Medi-Cal payments indefinitely. Article [1]

> Talks fell apart between Greensboro, N.C.-based Moses Cone Health System and the state's Blue Cross and Blue Shield plan. The health system wanted a raise, but  BCBS wasn't ready to pay, so the hospital dropped its BCBS contract. Article [2]

> The former director of neonatal intensive care at Missouri-based Research Medical Center and Centerpoint Medical Center is suing HCA Midwest to get his job back. Article [3]

> Officials with Atlanta's struggling Grady Memorial Hospital are continuing their fight to keep it alive, angrily dismissing critics who claim that they're not running the facility very well. Article [4]

> Health IT played a major role in helping some California medical groups meet pay for performance standards, according to a new report. FierceHealthIT [5]

> One analyst firm is predicting RFID use in healthcare will explode over the next four years. FierceHealthIT [6]

And Finally...  Gastric bypass surgery: the latest fashionable Hollywood secret. Article [7]