Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Lawsuit Seeks Reform Of Conn. Mental Health System; Thousands of Calif. Nurses Protest Contract Plan
The CT Mirror: Lawsuit Charges State Hospitals Hold Committed Patients Too Long
After months of scrutiny over an egregious patient-abuse case, the Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services is now facing a class action lawsuit that alleges committed patients are languishing in state hospitals long after they have been deemed stable because the state has failed to create an adequate system of community-based care. ...The suit is being filed in Superior Court on behalf of patients who have been civilly committed to state mental health facilities and names the mental health department and its inpatient facilities as defendants. (Rigg, 1/26)
Sacramento Bee: UC Hospital Leaders, Nurses Clash Over Contract
Amid an impasse in negotiations, registered nurses all around the University California system rallied Thursday at hospitals and on campuses to protest contract proposals that they say would impede their ability to provide quality patient care and undermine their well-being in retirement. ...Roughly 14,000 RNs at the five major UC medical centers, 10 student health centers, and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory are represented by the California Nurses Association in these contract negotiations. (Anderson, 1/27)
The Washington Post: D.C.'s Only Public Hospital Is Bankrupt, Chief Financial Officer Says. Board Hires New Operator.
The board of the District’s troubled public hospital voted Friday to hire a national business consulting firm to help rescue the facility from organizational and financial turmoil, setting the stage for new leadership at a hospital plagued by allegations of mismanagement and questions about patient safety. Mazars USA, an accounting and financial consulting firm that is headquartered in New York and has offices in nine states, is the board’s unanimous choice to run United Medical Center in Southeast Washington. If approved by the D.C. council, Mazars would take the reins from Veritas of Washington, whose contract the council terminated in November. (Jamison, 1/26)
Nashville Tennessean: Mayor Megan Barry Proposes $13.2M Nashville General Hospital Subsidy — With Strings Attached
Nashville's cash-strapped public hospital would get $13.2 million in emergency funds to keep it afloat until the end of its fiscal year under a proposal unveiled Friday by Mayor Megan Barry's administration, but the plan comes with some strings attached. Barry's plan for the first time ties the funding for the hospital to cuts in other Metro programs. The administration is proposing $2.4 million in cuts to Metro programs and an across-the-board hiring freeze for all Metro Departments. (Boucher and Wadhwani, 1/26)
Boston Globe: Partners HealthCare Gets Key State Backing For Mass. Eye And Ear Takeover
Partners HealthCare, the state’s largest health system, is poised to get even bigger, after two state regulators said they wouldn’t block its acquisition of Massachusetts Eye and Ear despite concerns the deal could raise health care costs for consumers. The blessings from regulators are a welcome victory for Partners, which has faced intense scrutiny in its efforts to expand within the state. (Dayal McCluskey, 1/26)
The Star Tribune: St. Cloud's CentraCare Health Is Buying More Clinics
St. Cloud-based CentraCare Health has spent more than $40 million over the past 18 months buying three physician practices in central Minnesota — moves that the health system says were needed to make sure patients in the region didn’t lose access to doctors and services. Health systems have been buying physician practices for many years, and health economists have argued the consolidation contributes to higher health care prices as systems gain market power in negotiating with health insurers. (Snowbeck, 1/26)
