> Despite boasting quite a collection of medical specialists and treating 100,000 patients, Lewis-Gale Clinic in Roanoke, VA filed for bankruptcy in February 2006. What can healthcare providers learn from Lewis-Gale's mistakes, and how can they avoid the same fate? Article
> University of Michigan Hospitals and Health Centers has netted a $79 million surplus this year, which it plans to reinvest into patient services. Report
> Prominent conservative organization Citizens for a Sound Economy has gained more funds and more members by selling its own insurance. But critics say the group is tricking people into supporting their cause. Article
> St. Mary's Hospital in Madison, WI could lose its Medicare funding due to a medical error that cost a teenage girl her life. Report
> In Kentucky, a woman and her father have been arrested for healthcare fraud. They submitted false billing forms to Medicare through her husband's medical practice, stealing a total of over $342,808 since 1997. Report
> Iasis Healthcare has signed a deal to acquire 242-bed Glenwood Regional Medical Center in West Monroe, LA, for $82.5 million. Report
> CMS is defending its plan to revamp the DRG (diagnostic-related groups) system, which is used to used to classify patient cases that determines how much Medicare will reimburse the hospital. Report
And Finally... Walk into Dr. Maria Greaves's practice is Santa Cruz, CA and you might notice something missing… like a receptionist, nurse and insurance paperwork. The physician has cut down on her overhead--and passed the savings on to her patients--by cutting out all the bureaucracy that accompanies a typical medical practice, including insurance. Article