About four million uninsured adults in Florida could soon receive coverage under the governor's "Cover Florida," a proposal by nine companies to offer low-cost healthcare plans. The health plans, which would cover preventative, primary, and urgent care, would ultimately cost members $150 a month.
More physicians are apologizing for medical errors, thanks to a growing national patient safety movement. Although it was rare in the past, several groups are beginning to urge hospitals and doctors to say they're sorry when mistakes happen.
Northeastern Pennsylvania nonprofit Wyoming Valley Health Care System has signed a nonbinding letter of intent to sell to Franklin, TN-based Community Health Systems Inc. The Wyoming Valley Health Care System has 3,200 employees, and its properties include Wilkes-Barre General Hospital.
Deutsche Bank analyst Darren Lehrich recently raised eyebrows by mentioning the possibility that hospital operator HCA Inc. might expand its psychiatric care offerings soon. Lehrich said he had word that Nashville-based HCA was assembling a team to develop a larger portfolio in that niche. There are concerns, however, including that HCA's plans will increase competition for smaller acquisitions of behavioral health hospitals or for personnel, thus driving up costs for competitors.
Nashville-based Southern Hills Medical Center says it will stop delivering babies at the end of August after a group of doctors who handled the service resigned. After Sept. 1, the four-physician Genesis Women's Care plans to consolidate its practice to deliver only at StoneCrest Medical Center in Smyrna, TN. Southern Hills delivers about 600 babies a year compared with more than 7,000 deliveries annually at Nashville market leader Baptist Hospital.
Joliet (IL) City Council members have 35 days to decide whether they will appeal a state decision allowing Silver Cross Hospital to move to New Lenox, a city official said. The deadline to appeal the ruling by the Illinois Health Facilities Planning Board was August 19, but the board issued a revised order the day before. When Silver Cross announced its relocation plan, the council was quick to oppose it. Officials accused the hospital of uprooting from a community it has anchored.