The hospitals in the Health Alliance of Greater Cincinnati provided more than $44 million in free medical care to people who could not afford to pay in 2007--more than double the amount in 2006. The Health Alliance includes Jewish, University and Fort Hamilton hospitals and the Drake Center.
Thousands of people insured by UnitedHealthcare soon could face disruption in their services if Community Health Network and UnitedHealthcare do not reach an agreement for a new contract. Letters were sent to about 18,000 UnitedHealthcare members in the Indianapolis area who might be affected if negotiations fail. The current contract is set to expire on Feb. 22, 2008.
A pair of highly unusual ballot measures to rebuild Children's Hospital in Oakland, CA, appear to be headed toward defeat. Supporters say the nonprofit hospital is not earthquake safe, and they want to build a new, 250-bed hospital near the existing structure. Opponents said it is unfair for a private business to saddle taxpayers with debt, adding that it would set a bad precedent because other hospitals in the region would seek similar financing.
Several members of DeKalb County's Board of Commissioners said that they need time to digest the details of the proposal to transfer day-to-day administration of Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta to a nonprofit corporation. The authority that runs the public hospital approved the new arrangement last month, but both DeKalb and Fulton counties also must approve the change because of their debt arrangements with the hospital system.
Iowa Legislators have announced a healthcare package that would extend coverage to all children in the state. The state would extend existing programs to an additional 25,000 youngsters who are eligible for healthcare but excluded because the state can't afford to pay for their coverage. An additional 19,000 children without coverage would get a state subsidy to enroll them in private plans. Supporters of the plan said they hoped to have all children covered within about three years.
The top two legislative leaders in Massachusetts are considering raising the cigarette tax as one of several funding and cost-cutting strategies for the state's healthcare initiative. The lawmakers said they would also consider stiffer penalties on businesses that fail to insure their workers as a means to raise additional funds. And they are seeking ways to reduce healthcare costs, despite promising not to scale back the health insurance initiative.