A petition drive to seek voter approval for universal healthcare in Michigan has ended as organizers admitted they were far shy of collecting the minimum number of signatures. Members of Health Care for Michigan said the petition drive would be replaced with a lobbying effort in the state Legislature and U.S. Congress. HCM Chairman John Freeman said the coalition of labor, religious and healthcare provider organizations collected about 130,000 signatures. The number was short of the 380,000 needed to qualify the proposed amendment to the state constituion for the November ballot.
Lee Memorial Health System President Jim Nathan is trying to reassure doctors he's not trying to buy them out. The remarks, made during a board of directors meeting, were in response to a Brett Hickman of PricewaterhouseCoopers suggesting Lee Memorial might want to consider employing community physicians as a means of streamlining care. Some doctors in the area worry it could mean doom for independent medical practices and patient choice.
Highmark Inc.'s contract with the Johnstown, PA-based Conemaugh Health System is set to expire, and those insured by Highmark Blue Shield already have received letters notifying them that their access to the system could be in jeopardy. But even if the two parties can't reach an agreement, most Highmark policyholders who use the Conemaugh system wouldn't see any immediate changes to their access or to the rates they pay. Both Highmark and Conemaugh say they hope to strike a deal on reimbursement rates between now and June 30, rendering moot the letters that have been sent out.
Florida has become the first state in the country to publicly disclose readmission rates of patients who return to hospitals because of errors, infections and other potentially preventable problems. The information was unveiled on the Web site FloridaHealthFinder.gov. State officials say the data can be invaluable for consumers trying to make better choices.
A pain treatment advocacy group has filed suit in federal court challenging restrictions Washington state officials have put on prescription pain medication. The nonprofit Pain Relief Network says that the guidelines for prescribing narcotics have influenced pain treatment across the country and have made doctors afraid to give opiate prescriptions. Representatives from the Network said the guidelines do not take into account the needs of individuals and make doctors afraid to give larger doses when necessary.
With about 80,000 meals to prepare each month for patients, doctors and staff, University of Minnesota Medical Center, Fairview is fighting an uphill battle against rising prices. Compared with a year ago, the cost of meal ingredients at Fairview has gone up 6%. So far, the hospital has raised its cafeteria prices only 3.2%. Fairview Riverside has summoned all its ingenuity to adapt menus and operations to stay within its $4.5 million annual budget, such as buying more local produce, cooking entrees in smaller batches, and switching to reusable kitchenware.