Franklin-based hospital operator Community Health Systems has announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to purchase the assets of Memorial Health Systems in York, PA. CHS will buy the 100-bed Memorial Hospital, the Surgical Center of York and other outpatient and ancillary services. Among the deal's provisions is a promise to build a larger replacement hospital within five years of the closing date. The deal, which covers about 1,000 workers, is still subject to regulatory approvals.
University of Maryland officials soon will begin working to help Prince George's County overhaul its healthcare system. The university will conduct a survey of county residents in late January and will question residents on their state of health, access to primary care, and general attitude toward the quality of health care facilities in Prince George's County. Feedback will help the county and university officials as they make plans to build a new $600 million regional medical center in the county.
A jury has awarded Garth Brooks $1 million in a civil dispute involving the country music entertainer and a naming-rights' promise he said was made by Integris Rural Health Inc., the largest health-care system in Oklahoma. In awarding the fraud claim, the jury of nine women and three men found that Integris acted in "reckless disregard" and "intentionally with malice toward others."
An influential U.S. senator is grilling officials in nearly three-dozen states, demanding to know how they are cracking down on physicians who prescribe massive amounts of potentially dangerous prescription drugs. Iowa Republican Charles Grassley sent letters to 34 states Monday asking what steps they had taken to investigate doctors whose prescribing of antipsychotics, anti-anxiety drugs and painkillers to Medicaid patients far exceeds that of their peers.
Chances are the Republicans—and a not-insignificant number of House Democratic allies—won't be able to kill the Independent Payment Advisory Board this year. But for another year or two, at least, politicians don't have to lift a finger to block the Medicare cost-control agency from doing anything. For another year or two, it doesn't have much to do. Or anyone to do it.
Leaders of the Jackson Health System and the University of Miami are developing a plan that will dramatically alter their sometimes testy relationship by creating a clear dividing line between UM doctors who work at Jackson and those who work for UM's own health enterprise. Under the plan, Jackson would "lease" some faculty doctors, paying the medical school for their salaries. Those doctors would work exclusively for Jackson, and Jackson would get any insurance payments made for their work.