> The people crowding your emergency room may not be who you think they are. This editorial in the San Francisco Chronicle, referring to a study published in Health Affairs, says the uninsured and illegal immigrants actually use the ER less than the insured. Article
> Kaiser Permanente may be able to buy medical groups, but it can't necessarily buy their patients. In Ventura County, CA, Kaiser is taking over the oldest and largest group practice, Buenaventura Medical Group, and other practices in the area are bracing for an influx of patients who don't want to switch to Kaiser insurance. Article
> It's only a matter of time before competition between docs and hospitals over specialty service lines starts to cut into hospital profits, says this study from Health Affairs.
> It started with elective surgery and private-pay patients, but now medical tourism is extending to employer-covered healthcare. This story in the Los Angeles Times explores how employers are looking for deals abroad on medical care for their employees. Article
> Phillipsburg hospital in Pennsylvania may be auctioned off lock, stock and barrel tomorrow if a buyer isn't found. The hospital closed in April because of intractable financial problems. The 25-bed facility had been the main healthcare provider for its area. Story
And Finally... A tempest in a garage? Two National Health Service hospitals in the U.K. are under fire for charging too much for parking. Article