State Officials, Companies Examine Possible New Regulations

Los Angeles Times: "California's largest health insurer is teaming with hospitals and doctors throughout the state to better share ways to improve patient safety and cut costs, leaders of the initiative said Tuesday. ... Woodland Hills-based Anthem Blue Cross is contributing $6 million toward" a series of knowledge-sharing meetings over the next three years (Helfand, 1/20).

The Kansas City Star: "Missouri lawmakers Tuesday began debating legislation that would require state-regulated health insurers - roughly 40 percent of the private market - to cover diagnosis and therapy of autism spectrum disorders" (Noble, 1/19).

The Dallas Morning News: "With a booming health care market and no check on hospital growth, Texas looked ripe for more rehabilitation hospitals.  "But Dallas-based Reliant Healthcare Partners' plan to build 13 of the niche hospitals in Texas might turn out to have one major problem: It recruited physicians as investors." If a health reform bill passes Congress pass, it "would halt the growth of physician-owned hospitals and prevent any more from opening after Aug. 1" (Michaels, 1/20).

The Washington Post: Dozens of programs are ramping up "around the country to clean out America's medicine cabinets by setting up drop-boxes or other disposal methods for people to dump their unused and expired prescription drugs. At least 20 states now have collection programs for unused medications, and several saw record hauls in 2009," including Utah (Stark, 1/19).