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.
The Georgia trauma commission has called in a consultant to assess the state's needs and make recommendations on trauma care, officials said. State officials have declared a crisis in trauma care in Georgia, with some hospitals operating with outdated equipment and operating millions in the red on the service. In some parts of Georgia, an injured person can be 90 minutes or more from a trauma center.
Physician group practice operator IPC The Hospitalist Company Inc. will buy Hospitalists of America, allowing it to expand into Southeast Florida. By buying HOA, IPC said it will gain a network of independent physicians who will offer services to HOA's health plan and hospital customers in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties. IPC representatives said the company expects the deal to close in the third quarter but did not disclose financial terms.