ALSO NOTED: CVS approves Caremark merger; Ethnicity affects end-of-life care; and much more...

> After several months of wrangling over a counter-offer from Express Scripts, CVS shareholders have agreed to merge with Caremark Rx. Article

> A new report by the California HealthCare Foundation suggests that racial, cultural and ethnic factors often dictate what kind of end-of-life care California patients receive. Article and report (.pdf)

> Regional lawmakers have come together to fight the closure of New York's 127-bed Cheektowaga Hospital. Report

And Finally... Why is internal medicine on life support? Here's one doctor's guess. Blog