Almost 4 million Floridians will be eligible for a discount on prescription drugs under a new program unveiled Thursday by Gov. Charlie Crist. Residents who qualify will be able to save between 5 percent and 42 percent on almost every brand-name and generic drug at more than 3,000 participating pharmacies.
Citing the controversy that has embroiled its $100 million pledge for a city high school scholarship program, the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center yesterday said it was dropping its request for a possible tax credit in exchange for its commitment to the Pittsburgh Promise.
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission said that employers could eliminate health benefits for retirees when they turn 65 and become eligible for Medicare. The new regulation allows employers to establish two classes of retirees, with more comprehensive benefits for those under 65 and more limited benefits for those older. More than 10 million retirees rely on employer-sponsored health plans as a primary source of coverage or as a supplement to Medicare.
California health insurers have a duty to check the accuracy of applications for coverage before issuing policies and should not wait until patients run up big medical bills, a state appeals court ruled recently. The court also said insurers could not cancel a medical policy unless they showed that the policyholder willfully misrepresented his health or that the company had investigated the application before it issued coverage. The unanimous decision by a panel of the 4th District Court of Appeal in Santa Ana is the latest blow to California insurance companies and the way they handle policy cancellations after patients get sick and amass major medical claims.
New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine said finding health insurance for the 1.4 million New Jerseyans who lack it ranks among the state's top problems, but he doesn't expect to solve it in 2008. He said the state--facing a projected $3 billion budget deficit for next year--cannot afford it.
An Atlanta nurse led a one-woman crusade to change what she saw as the hospital's bogus billing to the federal program, risking her livelihood and career security. The hospital was regularly filing claims for inpatient services that should have been billed as outpatient or observation services, according to the whistleblower. The hospital netted millions of extra dollars by billing for the more expensive services. For her trouble, the former Atlanta hospital employee will receive $4.9 million, according to the settlement.