Top Stories

HealthLeaders Media editors research more than 100 reputable news outlets daily and share the latest healthcare headlines with our readers. You may submit inquiries or suggestions to our online editor.

January 31, 2013
Texas Health, Baylor Stake Claims for DFW Market
White House Proposes Individual Mandate Rules
How to cut $9.4T from Medicare, in 150 easy steps
Mayo Clinic seeking state help for $5B expansion
NY's Bellevue Hospital back, but changed
W-2s list cost of providing a health plan
Hospital video mocks patient care under healthcare reform
Healthcare experts confront EHR-related medical errors
Hundreds pack VT House for death bill
MN Supreme Court: online post about doc is protected speech

January 30, 2013
Who Pays Hospital Costs for Patients in Police Custody?
4 in 10 Hospitalists Report Unsafe Patient Workloads
Specialty groups back IPAB repeal
GA hospital fee clears another hurdle
Medicaid expansion may save FL money
Aetna, Texas Health Resources establish ACO
Ambulatory surgery centers catching up to hospitals
Jackson Health System board approves union deal
Americans support Medicare, Medicaid and ACA expansions

January 29, 2013
Who wants to be a 'death panelist'?
CEOs Get a Medicare Compliance Checklist
Opinion: Congress can't cut Medicare hospital outpatient payments
Obama law pits insurance giants against MD co-op
5 findings in ONC HIE research
Retiring Medicare actuary reflects on why he almost quit
NY-Presbyterian to take over downtown hospital
So you want to start a health insurance plan

January 28, 2013
Moody's Still Bearish on Not-for-Profit Hospitals
Managed Care Contracts Need Scrutiny
Immigration reform could add millions under Obama health law
Intermountain analysis: Can hospitals cut waste without rationing care?
AZ bill would compel hospitals to check immigration status
Opinion: President should make medical errors a priority
FDA likely to add limits on painkillers
A hospital fee minus just one thing: A hospital
Medical malpractice: Why is it so hard for doctors to apologize?
An oil boom takes a toll on healthcare
A new market, black as ink, printer toner

January 25, 2013
Physician Groups Blast IPAB, Rally Behind Repeal Effort
AHA: Hospitals a $2T Economic Driver
Medicare paid $120M in illegal care
Highmark to pay docs at WPAHS higher rates
Ex-Medicare chief moves toward run for governor
IL medical licensing department faces backlogs
MU slowly increases EHR use in hospitals
Health Care Foundation wins $161.9M from HCA
MD designates 5 'health enterprise zones'
The drawn out process of the medical lawsuit

January 24, 2013
SLIDESHOW: Industry Survey—Strategic Imperatives in 2013
Citing Cost Reductions, Highmark to Expand PCMH Initiative
Docs praise bill to repeal Medicare cost-cutting board
WellPoint expects states to expand Medicaid
In MA law, states get a health overhaul model
FL hospitals urge delay on new Medicaid payment system
HIPAA changes could create new bureaucratic burdens
VA ends public access to hospital reports
FL hospitals face huge fed, state cuts

January 23, 2013
Don't Let DNFB Cripple Hospital Cash Flow
Groups Urge Feds to Issue Physician Payments Final Rule
Obamacare a tempting target for cuts
Moody's keeps negative outlook for non-profit hospitals
Many seek acute care within month of hospital release
Insurers prod docs, hospitals to stop elective early deliveries
Bedsores, nurse staffing remain on Parkland problem list
Opinion: End the 'doc fix' charade, once and for all
TX lawmakers considering hospital tax
Ex-Senator to run insurer watchdog group, NAIC

January 22, 2013
M&A Roundup: CT's Saint Francis Care to Join Ascension
HIPAA Final Rule Raises Fines for Non-Compliance
President defends Medicare, Medicaid in inaugural address
Obama officials ditch 'exchanges' in rebranding of healthcare reform law
AZ to tax hospitals to pay for Medicaid
NJ reviewing plan to run St. Mary's hospital in Passaic for profit
New data threaten deal with Highmark
The (so far) failed promise of EMRs
Opinion: Patients lose when hospitals take over docs
CO docs cracking down on painkiller abuse
Hospitals super-sizing equipment for obese patients

January 18, 2013
HHS Announces $1.5B in State Insurance Exchange Grants
Hospitals push White House to back change in healthcare law
HHS releases HIPAA final rule
Highmark to pay off WPAHS debt in $726M bond deal
Insurers may prove choosy with overhaul exchanges
CA health insurance exchange gets $674M fed grant
Judge rejects WakeMed settlement with fed prosecutors
Hospital 'bed tax' clears GA senate
A moral obligation to get a flu shot?
The future of medical records

January 17, 2013
Medical groups praise Obama's gun-control plan
House Dems push again for 'public option'
UnitedHealth, Mayo pool info to drop cost of care
Highmark to buy Pittsburgh health system
Opinion: A hospital network with a vision
Justice Department OKs gainsharing for NY hospital group
Parkland ER overhaul called substantially complete
Jackson Health asks for HCA trauma center to close
Less than 2% of hospitals are paperless as Medicare penalties loom

January 16, 2013
Providers Push for Slower Stage 3 MU Roll Out
Healthgrades Releases Clinical Excellence Hospital Rankings
In 'fiscal cliff' deal, a blow to Obamacare
'Surge plan' helps hospitals cope with flu
NY senator wants probe of VA mistake
ME governor announces proposal to pay hospitals
Pittsburgh health system in tentative deal to cut debt
Jackson Health, unions reach major agreement
TX Medical Board wants to let its investigators carry guns
Doc shortage? What doc shortage?
At Cleveland Clinic, Diane von Furstenberg talks patient gowns

January 15, 2013
HHS Unveils Proposed HIE Rules
Readmissions May be Triggered by 'Post-Hospital Syndrome'
Obamacare mandate may be 'mandate plus'
AZ governor opts to expand Medicaid
GA 'bed tax' plan: practical solution or cop-out?
Hospitals turn away visitors with flu symptoms
Opinion: Shining a light on Medicare payments
WakeMed clarifies statements on Medicare fraud settlement
Mining electronic records for revealing health data
Are providers ripe for a massive medical records heist?
Blue Cross, Emory discussing new initiative
Patients rarely told about hospital medication errors

January 14, 2013
HL20: Hiep T. Nguyen, MD—The Robotic Surgery Jedi
RAND Walks Back HIT Savings Estimates
A snapshot of influenza activity in all 50 states
21 states take aim at MA hospitals' Medicare windfall
Hospitals crack down on workers refusing flu shots
MO health providers aim to streamline delivery of care
CA legislator vows action on reckless prescribing of addictive pills

January 11, 2013
Medicare ACOs Add 106
HL20: Lori Swanson—Taking a Stand on Bill Collection Efforts
Early outbreak has officials bracing for worst flu season in years
Drugmakers report US shortages of flu vaccine, Tamiflu
US could save $2T on health costs
Medicare doesn't think its own cost controls will work
FL agency drops cost of healthcare overhaul
Tufts Health Plan CEO may get federal post
Layoffs loom for doctor watchdogs
Hospital wants to replace 'Durham' with 'Duke'

January 10, 2013
PwC Names Top Health Issues of 2013
Hospitals deal with flu 'surge' with tents, extra staff
UnitedHealth: Changes to govt. healthcare could save on costs
Sebelius to stay on as HHS secretary
Regional analysis: which hospitals got rewards, penalties based on quality
5 lessons in transparency from Cleveland Clinic CEO Toby Cosgrove
LifeBridge CEO Warren Green on challenges of healthcare reform
Former Parkland CEO wants to write Rx for Dallas County
Tucked away in cliff deal, millions for 2 small hospitals

January 9, 2013
Donald Berwick mulling run for governor of MA
HL20: Patrick McGuire, CPA—On the Path of Mutual Alignment
Republicans can't stop IPAB. But they might slow it down.
RAND: Health IT no bargain yet
Cuomo plans new rules in fight against sepsis
Most Medicare docs set to face performance penalties
Opinion: Healthcare and profits, a poor mix
Nurse with no flu shot refuses to wear mask, is fired

January 8, 2013
AHA to MedPAC: Raise, Don't Cut Hospital Payments
Unusual respite from surging healthcare costs
FL governor meets Sebelius on healthcare, bridles at cost
Debt may influence young docs' career plans
Athenahealth to buy Epocrates for $293M
Competition between medical centers affects liver transplant patients
CO hospitals on a $3.4B construction boom
Florida Heart Group sells to Florida Hospital
Mother accuses hospital staff of texting pictures of dead son

January 7, 2013
Hospitals flex lobbying muscle to bypass some cuts
Analysis: Obama may turn Medicare reform into wider health debate
HL20: Gerilynn Sevenikar—Helping Patients Navigate the High Cost of Care
Top 10 Quality Issues for 2013
US settles accusations that docs overtreated
Rivalry drives up medical charges in MO
Vast cache of Kaiser patient details was kept in private home
Health insurers raising some rates by double digits
Fiscal bill extends a Medicare lifeline to small, rural hospitals
Blue Cross overhaul back on MI legislative burner
Officials hurry to set up CA health benefit exchange
Mall of America: Mayo Clinic stops clinical services at retail outlet

January 4, 2013
UT and 6 others win OK to run state insurance markets
House rules aim to block controversial healthcare board's Medicare cuts
National Union of Healthcare Workers affiliates with CA Nurses Association
West Penn Allegheny Health System warned of default
Main NYU Langone hospital reopens post-Sandy
Opinion: To fix healthcare, turn patients into customers
11 experts on health IT for 2013
Could MANNA save the healthcare system?
Opinion: MO hospitals will benefit from expanded healthcare

January 3, 2013
HL20: Richard Merkin, MD—Competing to Convert Care Dollars Into Cure Dollars
Fiscal Cliff Stopgap Delays 'Doc Fix,' but Hits Hospitals
Fiscal cliff cuts $1.9B from Obamacare: here's how
Link between healthcare spending, quality unclear
In collecting bills, UNC Health Care has powerful friends
Exeter Hospital hires lawyer to find out who 'dropped ball'
Opinion: At the ER, bearing witness to gun violence
FL Hospital Medical Group buys FL Heart Group
FL Hospital to offer health insurance
Wyckoff Heights Medical Center honchos trash-talked surgeon, suit charges

January 2, 2013
HL20: Aaron Shirley, MD—Driving Force Behind Health Houses
Nonprofits Weigh Benefits of Buyer Joint Ventures
'Doc fix' in 'fiscal cliff' plan cuts Medicare hospital payments
Health reform may be headed back to Supreme Court in 2013
Drug makers losing a bid to foil generic painkillers
MI hospital blazes trail in fight against fungal meningitis
Hospitals going paperless to boost efficiency
Pete Stark, health policy warrior, leaves a long legacy