sutter health

WellPoint proceeds with $11.8M settlement with hospitals, despite dropouts

Anne Zieger — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 04:17:37 -0400

Though nearly 20 percent of the hospitals it approached have decided not to participate, WellPoint subsidiary Anthem Blue Cross of California is proceeding with its $11.8 million class action settlement with the California Hospital Association. The settlement pays hospitals for claims related to patients whose policies were retroactively canceled, establishing an $11.65 million fund to pay hospitals for services to members, and a $150,000 fund for patients who paid some or all of the bill after their policies were canceled. The hospitals, for their part, will agree not to make any further attempts to collect from the patients.

While the majority of California Hospital Association members went for the deal, three entities opted out. Sutter Health, Catholic Healthcare West and St. Joseph Health System decided not to participate. Sutter said that the deal was not in the best interest of its affiliate hospitals; St. Joseph said it wanted to resolve the issue without going to court; and CHW said that it plans to proceed with its own suit against Anthem to collect money owed to its facilities. Collectively, the three entities represent 74 hospitals, or less than one-quarter of the Association's membership.

To learn more about the settlement:
- read this Sacramento Business Journal article

Related Articles:
WellPoint pays hospitals $11.8M to settle bills from rescissions
California hospitals, MDs join Blue Cross payment suit
BC of California fined $1M for cancellations
Kaiser forced to reinstate coverage
Blue Cross of California settles plan-cancellation suits

ALSO NOTED: Sutter claims nurse strike won't affect operations; Wash. group pushes for patient care reporting; and much more...

Mon, 24 Mar 2008 07:59:50 -0400

> With thousands of its nurses poised to go on a 10-day strike, Sutter Health is telling the public that business will still go on as usual. Article

> The Puget Sound Health Alliance has been given access to Medicare information, which it plans to use to foster public reporting on patient care. Report

> The recent merger between health IT vendors Allscripts and Misys Healthcare could be a sign that the industry is due for consolidation. FierceHealthIT

> Here's a striking number: Apparently, almost one-third of New York City residents are enrolled in the state's Medicaid program. Article

And Finally... As if one batch of contaminated heparin wasn't enough... Article

Sutter nurses plan 10-day strike

Wed, 05 Mar 2008 06:59:57 -0500

Labor troubles are continuing within the Sutter Health system hospitals, where Bay Area nurses are now planning a 10-day strike. Nurses at Atla Bates Summit Medical Center campuses in Berkeley and Oakland, Calif., as well as at San Leandro Hospital, voted this week to prepare for a strike. The union, the California Nurses Association, previously got permission from Nurses at California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco and Sutter Solano Medical Center in Vallejo. Nurses at Sutter are striking for the third time in less than a year, but this is the longest strike they've yet attempted.

Union leaders say that the key issue sparking the strike is Sutter's unwillingness to schedule RNs to care for patients when nurses are on meal, rest or bathroom breaks. Sutter, for its part, is saying that the group is striking because its contracts with CNA don't offer the same systemwide organizing terms the group has with other hospital systems.

To learn more about the planned strike:
- read this Sacramento Business Journal piece

Related Articles:
Nurses at 13 Sutter hospitals plan two-day strike. Report
Sutter nurses threaten to strike. Report
5,000 CA nurses set plans for strike. Report
After battle with SEIU, Sutter officials must pay staff for lockout. Report
Hundreds of Appalachian nurses go on strike. Report
Beth Israel, union fight war of words. Report
SEIU plans to form healthcare unit. Report

ALSO NOTED: Walgreen boots CVS Caremark plans; Cardinal funds 5 Million Lives participation; and much more...

Tue, 04 Dec 2007 06:59:50 -0500

> National chain pharmacy Walgreen has announced that it will no longer accept four of CVS Caremark's prescription drug plans. It says reimbursement under these plans is too low. Article

> The Cardinal Health Foundation is distributing $537 million to 37 U.S. hospitals to foster participation in the Institute for Healthcare Improvement's 5 Million Lives Campaign. Article

> Sutter Health has set plans for a massive electronic medical records rollout--one which could cost $500 million over the next several years. FierceHealthIT

> Atlanta's struggling Grady Memorial Hospital is in big trouble. The Joint Commission, which found lots of problems there during a recent inspection, may strip Grady's accreditation if it doesn't fix things fast. Article

And Finally... I know catching counterfeiters is good, but why did they have to drag Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck into it? Article

Sutter nurses threaten to strike

Mon, 03 Dec 2007 06:59:58 -0500

After several weeks of fruitless discussion, the California Nurses Association has warned Sutter Health that it nurses plan to stage a two-day walkout in mid-December. Hospitals affected include California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco, Alta Bates Summit Medical Center in Berkeley and Oakland and Burlingame's Peninsula Medical Center. The walkout reprises an earlier two-day strike in October, under which 5,000 Sutter nurses at 13 hospitals left their jobs. The two parties have been in talks since then, but the two sides are still pretty far apart. To date, the nurses still cite issues of patient safety, nurse staffing ratios, medical benefits, pension improvements and questions over ongoing operations of community hospitals as reasons for the conflict.

To find out more about the proposed strike:
- read this San Francisco Business Times piece

Related Articles:
Sutter union votes to authorize strike. Report
Appalachian nursing strike continues. Report
5,000 CA nurses set plans for strike. Report
Hundreds of Appalachian nurses go on strike. Report
Beth Israel, union fight war of words. Report
SUI plans to form healthcare unit. Report
After battle with SEIU, Sutter officials must pay staff for lockout. Report

Competition for doctors heats up in northern CA

Mon, 19 Nov 2007 06:59:54 -0500

While there's always competition for good physicians, things have gotten particularly hot in northern California, where two powerful healthcare organizations have gone into recruitment overdrive. Both Kaiser Permanente and Sutter Health have ramped up aggressive recruitment efforts there in recent times, with Kaiser's Permanente Medical Group hiring almost 1,000 physicians over the last three years alone. That's a big number even for a large group like Permanente Medical, which now employs about 6,200 doctors across northern California. Meanwhile, Sutter's Palo Alto Medical Foundation has hired 302 physicians over the past three years, a smaller but still significant number.

The two players have some significant leverage over competitors in the region. For one thing, they simply pay more. For example, Kaiser apparently offers $140,000 starting annual salaries, plus guaranteed income and mortgage insurance, while the region's smaller groups typically pay more like $90,000 to $125,000 in annual salary. Add that to the fact that many physicians feel Kaiser and Sutter have the market locked up, and independent practice doesn't look so good, observers say. That's led to many groups selling out to Kaiser, which has been on a practice buying spree.

To find out more about northern CA's recruitment trends:
- read this San Francisco Business Times piece

Related Articles:
SPOTLIGHT: Group physician salaries stalling. Report
Report: Primary care MD pay rose 3.9 percent in 2005. Report
Shortage of primary care docs in MA. Report
Study: Pay jumps for key specialists. Report

Palo Alto Medical Foundation adds MDs, hospital

Mon, 22 Oct 2007 06:59:57 -0400

Things are humming along for the Palo Alto (CA) Medical Foundation (PAMF), which has just announced not only approval for its $375 million-odd dollar hospital project but also a merger with two area medical groups. PAMF, which is part of Sutter Health, is merging with Camino Medical Group and the Santa Cruz Medical Clinic as of January 1, 2008; the combined entity will have a roster of about 850 physicians. Meanwhile, PAMF has gotten the green light to move ahead with its planned 97-beds, $375 million hospital and medical complex in San Carlos, despite strong opposition from the Service Employees International Union and Catholic Healthcare West-affiliated competitor Sequoia Hospital. In the future, PAMF hopes to bulk up to about 1,500 doctors, a move which should help Sutter compete with Kaiser Permanente in northern California.

To learn more about PAMF's plans:
- read this San Francisco Business Times article

Some striking Sutter nurses face lockout

Fri, 12 Oct 2007 06:59:56 -0400

Over the past two days, thousands of nurses at hospitals affiliated with Sutter Health staged a two-day walkout. While the majority of nurses plan to return to their jobs today, nurses at three of the 13 hospitals affected won't have that option right away. At Alta Bates Summit, Eden and Sutter Solano medical centers, contracts with replacement nurses extend beyond today, so some staff nurses won't return to the job until next week.

The nurse strike, which also affected two non-Sutter facilities, was called by the California Nurses Association, which contends that the Sutter facilities aren't hiring enough nurses to provide safe care.

To learn more about the lockout:
- read this San Francisco Chronicle piece

Related Articles:
Hundreds of Appalachian nurses go on strike. Report
Beth Israel, union fight war of words. Report
SEIU plans to form healthcare unit. Report
After battle with SEIU, Sutter officials must pay staff for lockout. Report

5,000 CA nurses set plans for strike

Wed, 10 Oct 2007 06:59:58 -0400

After months of unsuccessful talks, nurses at 15 hospitals in northern California are set to begin a 48-hour strike today. The strike, which involves about 5,000 RNs, mostly impacts Sutter Health, which operates 13 of the facilities. Working with the California Nurses Association, Sutter has been hoping to negotiate individual labor contracts, but this approach hasn't worked. The hospitals have temporary replacements on board to work during the duration of the walkout.

Among other concerns, the CNA and individual hospital organizers contend that Sutter hospital affiliates aren't providing safe levels of staffing and that they're not providing a safe workplace. Sutter, for its part, contends that the union is grandstanding, and is largely working to recruit new members and ultimately, get a master contract into place with the Sutter affiliates.

To learn more about the strike:
- read this San Francisco Chronicle piece

Related Articles:
Hundreds of Appalachian nurses go on strike. Report
Beth Israel, union fight war of words. Report
SEIU plans to form healthcare unit. Report
After battle with SEIU, Sutter officials must pay staff for lockout. Report

ALSO NOTED: Tenet offers more hospital ownership stakes; Sutter nurses consider strike; and much more...

Tue, 28 Aug 2007 06:59:50 -0400

> Tenet is continuing its program of offering ownership interests in its hospitals, this time at Houston Northwest Medical Center. Article

> Nurses at five Sutter Health hospitals are poised to strike in the near future. Article

> Two healthcare facilities in the Buffalo, N.Y. area are hoping to get certified as "nurse magnets" by an affiliate of the American Nurses Association. Article

> Growing rates of patient obesity are changing the ways hospitals design their new facilities. Article

And Finally ... Now here's a charisma summit for you. Article