Kaiser Permanente to settle kidney transplant claims for $1 million

Kaiser Permanente has agreed to pay $1 million to settle claims on behalf of five patients alleging that the HMO mishandled its kidney transplant program, endangering lives and causing deaths. The arbitration claims were filed shortly after a Los Angeles Times investigation found that Kaiser's Northern California kidney transplant program jeopardized hundreds of patients by forcing them into a new program unprepared to handle an enormous caseload. Kaiser released a brief statement confirming the settlements.