ALSO NOTED: Study: U.S healthcare costs more, gives less; second Consumers not ready for CDHPs; and much more...

> In a study funded by the Commonwealth Fund of 7,000 patients in six countries (Australia, Canada, Germany, New Zealand, the U.K. and the U.S.), researchers found that patients in the U.S. paid the most for medical care while at the same time suffering the most medical errors. More than a third of Americans surveyed said they'd been the victim of some kind of medical error. In addition to having the highest rate of reported medical errors, American pay more for healthcare than patients in the other five countries surveyed. Half the people surveyed said they had not received medical care when they were sick because of cost. Article

> Dynacq Healthcare is paying $1.5 million to settle a class action lawsuit filed by its shareholders. They allege that the Dynacq filed misleading financial statements. Report

> The Business Journal of Milwaukee note that while about 20 percent of employers offer CDHPs, only about five to 10 percent of employees enroll in the programs. As the Journal observes, "such programs have so far created more smoke than fire." Report

> In 1997 a retired Illinois police officer was hired by then-U.S. Attorney Frances Hulin to be her office's first healthcare fraud investigator. The officer discovered that a number of hospitals defrauded Medicare and since then the state has filed millions of dollars in fines. Article

> Consumers seem to be willing to trade a wide choice of providers for less expensive programs that limit which providers they visit. Report

And Finally... Alternative medicine, including the use of herbal supplements, acupuncture, naturopathic physicians, chiropractors and massage therapists, is experience increased credibility--and booming business. Article