Highmark pays $21M to hospital; State requires insurers to cover clinical trials;

News From Around the Web

> Highmark will pay Jefferson Regional Medical Center an "unrestricted" $21 million when the insurer and hospital network close their deal in the next few weeks. The money is part of Highmark's capital improvement allocation to Jefferson, reported the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Article

> The Michigan state Senate has passed bills that would convert Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan into a nonprofit mutual company, Michigan Live reported. Article

> Insurers in Washington state must cover clinical trials procedures, including IV hookups for experimental drugs, if those services are covered with standard treatment, the Seattle Times reported. Article

Provider News

> Small doctor practices are increasingly looking at new ways to sustain a more traditional-feeling practice. Article

> Despite continued efforts to improve, hospitals in Minnesota are still committing preventable mistakes. Of the 314 reportable errors in a 12-month period, 14 involved patient deaths and 89 resulted in severe injuries. Article

Health IT News

> Online lifestyle intervention programs are more useful when users are prompted by frequent emails encouraging them to stay on track, a new study found. Article

And Finally... Assault with a deadly ... avocado? Article