As Hospital Chains Grow, So Do Their Prices For Care
The average patient stay costs $4,000 more at Sutter and Dignity hospitals than at other California medical centers, study shows.
Regulators Probing Whether Health Net Is Stiffing Drug Treatment Providers
Insurance officials in California have received widespread complaints that the insurer has not paid rehab centers for months, as the company sifts claims for fraud.
UnitedHealth To Exit California’s Obamacare Market
Though United’s presence was small, its departure from the nation’s largest state underscores insurers’ ongoing dissatisfaction with Obamacare exchanges.
Blue Shield ‘Lifts The Veil’ On Executive Pay
Consumer advocates say the nonprofit’s disclosures come too late for policy holders and the public.
Inspectors Find Calif. Hospital’s Pharmacy Posed Infection Risk
Thousands of patients at the San Diego-area hospital may have been exposed to infection last year because of unsanitary conditions in the compounding lab where IVs were mixed, officials found.
Three Firms Vie To Run CalPERS’ Drug Benefits
UnitedHealth’s OptumRx is the lowest bidder and wins a key endorsement ahead of final vote by California’s public retirement system.
Obamacare Premiums In California May Rise 8 Percent Next Year, State Predicts
The projected increase in premiums is expected to draw national attention in an election year — especially from foes of the Affordable Care Act.
FDA Retreats From Recall Of Scope-Cleaning Machines Tied To Outbreaks
After a wave of sometimes-deadly superbug infections, the agency last year ordered a recall of Custom Ultrasonics machines used to disinfect medical scopes. Now, with little explanation, it is backing off.
Tainted Scope Infections Far Exceed Earlier Estimates
House panel concludes inquiry on superbug outbreaks; one member prepares legislation “to make sure these situations don’t happen again.”
Major Employers Decry Sutter Health’s Tactics In Dispute Over Prices
Sutter Health, with dominant market share in Northern California, is insisting that employers sign arbitration agreements or face sharply higher out-of-network rates.
Device Maker Olympus Hiked Prices For Scopes As Superbug Infections Spread
The device manufacturer had a close relationship with Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles — until its scopes were linked to infections and the company raised the price for new ones by 28 percent.
Hackers Seek Ransom From Two More California Hospitals
A malware attack against two Prime Healthcare hospitals in South California, which federal authorities are investigating, comes soon after a case in which hackers demanded ransom from a Los Angeles hospital.
California Insurance Marketplace Wants To Kick Out Poor-Performing Hospitals
Providers and insurers are balking at a Covered California proposal to eject hospitals with inordinately high costs and low quality from its networks.
Retail Clinics Add Convenience But Also Hike Costs, Study Finds
Researchers say the clinics tucked in stores and pharmacies lead patients to seek more medical attention than they otherwise would for minor ailments.
Leading Scope Maker Olympus Agrees To Hefty Settlement In Kickback Cases
The company will pay $646 million to end civil and criminal probes. Olympus’ leaders acknowledge responsibility for ‘past conduct’ they say was inconsistent with the firm’s values.
Aetna CEO Answers Burwell’s Call, Vows Support For Exchanges Amid Losses
But Mark Bertolini wants the country’s marketplaces to better serve young people, who define
healthy as “looking good in their underwear.”
Urging Openness About Superbug Infections, Doctor Omits Cases In Own Hospital
In a respected medical journal, a specialist advises colleagues on protecting patients but doesn’t mention potential infections from a contaminated scope at his Philadelphia cancer center.
California Marketplace May Require Insurers To Pay Agent Commissions
Covered California’s Executive Director Peter Lee said the measure is needed to keep insurers from slicing commissions to avoid enrolling the sickest patients.
Blue Shield Top Choice On California Exchange
Anthem sign-ups are trailing, and UnitedHealth and newcomer Oscar are playing a minor role in coverage thus far, according to unofficial reports.
Head Of California Exchange Scolds UnitedHealth For Blaming Woes On Obamacare
Peter Lee, executive director of Covered California, says the giant insurer’s complaints about ACA exchanges are “total spin and unanchored in reality.”
