contract dispute

Calif. hospital chain faces quality complaints

Mon, 04 Jun 2007 20:01:38 -0400

Sharp HealthCare, a seven-hospital chain based in San Diego, is facing charges that it has violated state regulations hundreds of times. The system's nurses have filed a 140-page quality-of-care complaint with the California Department of Health Services which lists 900 alleged transgressions "seriously compromising" patient care, according to United Nurses Association of California/Union of Health Care Professionals. The nurses say the hospitals face unsanitary conditions, short staffing, lack of training and equipment failures. The filing comes, not coincidentally, as the system's 3,300 nurses fight to get a mutually agreeable contract in place. Hospital execs call the filing's timing "suspicious" given the ongoing contract dispute.

To learn more about the dispute:
- read this Associated Press article
- read an executive summary of the complaint (.pdf)

Related Articles:
NLRB complaint filed against RI hospital. Report
RNs say NLRB ruling could cripple unionization efforts. Report
Nurses union wins fight over flu shots. Report

Detroit hospital spat strains region's health system

Tue, 24 Oct 2006 20:01:36 -0400

A mushrooming contract dispute between Detroit Medical Center physicians and affiliated teaching hospital Wayne State University could threaten WSU's accreditation, potentially depriving the city's uninsured of their main source of indigent care. At present, the jointly-administered teaching program hosts about 900 residents and 700 faculty physicians. These physicians provide about 40 percent of the primary care in Detroit and most of the care for the area's uninsured, according to the Detroit Free Press. However, DMC and WSU haven't been able to agree on terms for the contract which governs the 70 residency programs they administer. Among other things, the two sides disagree on how doctors should be reimbursed for additional duties they perform at DMC, and to what extent doctors should be barred from participating in businesses that compete with DMC.

Because contract talks have stalled for so long, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education may place the facility's accreditation on probation or even cancel all residencies. The result would not only be a crippling blow to the region's indigent care system, but also a tremendous stress on the metro's other health facilities. Detroit's other providers would face a substantial influx of uninsured patients, a huge spike in demand for primary care, and a loss of physicians once drawn to the academic medical program, observers said.

Find out more about the dispute, and potential consequences:
- read this piece in the Detroit Free Press

ALSO NOTED: Providers build 7% bad-debt reserves; UnitedHealthcare, HealthAlliance keep arguing; and much more...

Tue, 03 Oct 2006 20:01:30 -0400

> According to newly-released research, healthcare providers are setting aside $129 billion annually to cover bad debt, or more than twice their net annual revenues. Release

> Patients continue to wait as UnitedHealthcare and HealthAlliance continue to duke it out over a contract dispute. Report

> Wrong-site surgeries may be 20 times more common than previously thought. Report

> The state of Ohio has begun a program monitoring prescription drug sales, intended to spot prescription drug abuse and "doctor shopping." Article

> LabCorp of America has entered into a $3 billion, 10-year agreement with UnitedHealthcare to provide laboratory services for the health plan across the U.S. LabCorp snatched the deal away from Quest. Release

And Finally... Want to know how Medicare drug coverage works? Just listen to the Bob Dole show. Having an iPod might help. Article

HealthOne fights UnitedHealth suit

Wed, 20 Sep 2006 20:01:36 -0400

In its ongoing battle with hospital chain HCA, UnitedHealthcare filed a federal lawsuit against HCA subsidiary HealthOne, alleging antitrust violations, attempted monopolization and interference with contracts. But HealthOne is standing up to UnitedHealthcare, claiming that it has done nothing wrong and that the the insurer is simply using the lawsuit as a tactic in the ongoing UnitedHealthcare/HCA contract dispute. According to the Denver Business Journal, a HealthOne filing stated that UnitedHealthcare's complaints are "about the effect that an inability to negotiate favorable contract terms in renewed agreements might have on United's business…Nothing in the federal antitrust laws or Colorado's tort law, however, requires HealthOne to afford United these contract terms." A massive contract dispute between the two healthcare giants has left thousands of patients in Colorado and Florida in limbo as the two sides try to renegotiate a contract that expired on August 31.

For more background on the dispute:
- read this Denver Business Journal report

Related Article
What's behind the sudden increase in contract disputes? Report

ALSO NOTED: UnitedHealthcare, HCA continue talks in FL; CO may get new VA hospital; and much more...

Thu, 14 Sep 2006 20:01:30 -0400

> In Florida, UnitedHealthcare and HCA are still discussing how to work out their differences. The massive contract dispute between the two healthcare industry giants has left thousands of patients in Colorado and Florida in limbo. Report

> The House has passed a bill to fund a new VA hospital in Colorado. Report

And Finally... According to a Washington Post Op-Ed, Mark McClellan's departure from his post will give him time to contemplate the "Medicare Monster." Op-Ed

ALSO NOTED: Former HealthSouth CFO gets prison sentence; GA in need of more docs; and much more...

Wed, 13 Sep 2006 20:01:30 -0400

> UnitedHealthcare and Froedtert & Community Health are trying to iron out an ongoing contract dispute. Report

> Authorities have arrested three Brooklyn, NY men--two brothers and an employee--for defrauding Medicaid of millions of dollars. One brother was a doctor, the other a pharmacy owner and the third man a pharmacy employee. The three allegedly billed Medicaid for more prescription drugs than they were actually giving HIV patients. It also appears that some patients were aware of the kickback scheme. Report

> A recent GAO report examined how satisfied HSA enrollees are with the service. While many HSA customers like the programs, they wouldn't recommend them to patients with chronic problems, those who take maintenance medication or families with children. The study also found that HSA members had higher incomes than people enrolled in traditional health plans. And despite the recent push for price and quality transparency, few HSA members reported searching for that data. Report

> Georgia is boosting efforts to retain and attract physicians to practice in the state. Report

And Finally... Former HealthSouth CFO Michael Martin has received 3 years in prison for his role in the massive accounting fraud scandal. Report

UnitedHealthcare in yet another contract dispute

Mon, 11 Sep 2006 20:01:36 -0400

UnitedHealthcare can't seem to get along with anyone these days. The insurer has warned some patients that it might not be able to negotiate a contract with Tennessee-based Sumner Regional Medical Center before the September 30th deadline. And there's a twist: Sumner Regional employees have UnitedHealthcare coverage, which means if the contract isn't renegotiated, hospital employees will have to receive non-emergency care at another in-network facility. This is only the latest in a series of contract disputes. A massive contract dispute between HCA and UnitedHealthcare has forced thousands of Colorado and Florida patients to switch hospitals and doctors. United Healthcare says HCA is charging the insurer too much for its services; HCA disagrees, saying it just wants a fair level of reimbursement. Report

For more on UnitedHealthcare's latest battle:
- read the article from the Gallatin News Examiner

HCA, UnitedHealthcare wrangle over fees

Thu, 31 Aug 2006 20:01:37 -0400

A massive contract dispute between two of the healthcare industry's giants--HCA and UnitedHealthcare--has left thousands of patients in Colorado and Florida in limbo. United Healthcare says HCA is charging the insurer too much for its services; HCA disagrees, saying it just wants a fair level of reimbursement. Talks between the two sides broke down earlier this week just as the contracts expired and now 500,000 patients in those states must find a way to deal with the change while HCA and UnitedHealthcare try to work things out. Meanwhile, both HCA and UnitedHealthcare are trying to convince their customers to put pressure on the other side. "It's very important to get the public and employers on your side, whether you're the health plan or the hospital company," noted one Bear Stearns analyst. "So it's in each of these companies' best interest to portray the disagreement as they want it to be seen."

For more on the HCA vs. UnitedHealthcare slugfest:
- read this article

ALSO NOTED: John Muir workers strike; Medical technicians in high demand; and much more...

Mon, 28 Aug 2006 20:00:37 -0400

> Union members at John Muir Center in Concord, Calif., began their planned two-day strike yesterday. Last week the SEIU leaked a an internal John Muir Physician Network memo that instructed doctors not to "refer patients for a screening colonoscopy if their life expectancy is less than five years." Report

> The president of the Colorado Medical Society want HCA and UnitedHealth to hire a referee to settle an ongoing contract dispute. Article

> At Managed Care Matters, Joseph Paduda examines the trend of employers contracting with healthcare providers to cut out the middleman, i.e. insurance companies. Blog

> The hottest healthcare industry job is...medical technician? Report

And Finally... One hospital in New York is testing the healing powers of music. Article

BCBS of Ga. and Piedmont finally come to terms

Wed, 02 Aug 2006 20:01:33 -0400

After a stressful seven-month battle that included bitter public statements and a couple of lawsuits, plus a month-long contract gap that left patients scrambling for providers, Piedmont Healthcare and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Georgia have finally come to a new three-year agreement. Specific details are confidential. In a joint press release, both parties magnanimously invite those enrollees who changed primary physicians last month to come on back. More than 130,000 enrollees were affected by the contract dispute, though it's not known how many ditched Blue Cross, how many ditched Piedmont and how many just didn't go to the doctor and hoped for the best.

To get more detail on the new contract:
- check out the BCBS release here