California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger conceded that long-standing delays in disciplining errant health professionals were "absolutely unacceptable" and promised broad reforms to better protect patients from dentists, pharmacists, therapists, and others accused of misconduct. Among the proposed changes: adding more investigative and legal staff, appointing an official to audit the boards and seeking legislation that would allow quicker suspension of uncooperative or jailed professionals' licenses.
Connecticut officials are calling for major changes in how rate increases are granted on individual health insurance policies. "Consumers must be empowered to stop chronic colossal rate hikes," said Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, who was joined by Kevin P. Lembo, the state healthcare advocate, and lawmakers. The heart of the reforms they're seeking is a rule that rate hikes must be "reasonable," rather than simply "not excessive," as the current rule is written.
A Dallas-based company with plans for a medical trade center in Nashville has hired the former head of a Vanderbilt-linked think tank as a senior adviser. David Osborn will have responsibility for strategic development of the Nashville Medical Trade Center. Osborn was executive director of the Health Care Solutions Group, a public policy organization created by Vanderbilt University Medical Center and the Nashville Health Care Council.
As debate over his healthcare overhaul heats up, President Obama is taking off for a family vacation that combines with the challenge of trying to sell his ideas to audiences out West. The president plans to hold town halls in Montana and Colorado to address problems facing the healthcare system and pitch Democratic plans to fix them.
MeritCare of Fargo and Sanford Health of Sioux Falls, SD, plan to serve about 2 million people in five Midwestern states under a planned merger. Leaders of the hospitals faced the general public on for the first time since merger talks began nearly five months ago and repeated promises that no workers would lose their jobs and no services would be cut. They added that the merger should help both hospitals recruit more doctors to the area, including some of the smaller satellite clinics.
Physicians Prompt Care Centers, a suburban Chicago-based doctors' group, announced it will open a clinic inside a Jewel-Osco store that will be staffed by physicians. It's the first retail health clinic in the Chicago area for Jewel-Osco parent Supervalu Inc., which has 14 retail clinics in its stores elsewhere in the country.
Though the number of retail health clinics has grown to more than 1,100 nationally, most are staffed by nurse practitioners. Just a half-dozen clinics are staffed by physicians.