Modern Healthcare articles from June 2008

Modern Healthcare archives from June 2008

THE COST OF ERRORS; Medicare's new policy could cost the average hospital $23,772: study.(8th annual 100 Top Hospitals supplement)
June 2, 2008... Byline: Linda Wilson What will be the financial impact of Medicare's new policy to essentially stop paying the treatment costs of preventable medical complications? Just think about a pipe leak that begins with a trickle of water that, if...

The other big workforce shortage; As laboratory technology wanes as a career choice, a staffing crisis grows.(Opinions Commentary)(Report)
June 2, 2008... Byline: Lee Hilborne We in healthcare are all too familiar with "silent killers,'' those conditions or diseases that can devastate a body while producing vague symptoms or none at all. For example, hypertension taxes the heart and can...

Calculating the cost; Exploring the intersection of clinical quality, financial performance.(8th annual 100 Top Hospitals supplement)
June 2, 2008... Byline: David Burda If you're searching for the nexus of clinical care and financial performance, you've come to the right place. That's especially true if you don't want to lose $23,772. That's the projected average annual loss per...

Another comparison tool ... ... with Consumer Reports' online hospital rankings.(The Week in Healthcare)(ConsumerReportsHealth.org)
June 2, 2008... Byline: Jean DerGurahian Hospital executives say a new online hospital ranking tool launched by Consumer Reports last week could increase public awareness of quality information. Industry officials say the Web site,...

POA coding challenges; Concern grows over quality of documentation.(8th annual 100 Top Hospitals supplement)(present on admission)
June 2, 2008... Byline: Linda Wilson It's a classic Catch-22. Hospital coding specialists must rely only on doctor's notes to determine if a medical condition was present at the time a Medicare patient is admitted to the hospital. But it is often...

Saving lives, money; New model focuses on 'never events'.(The Week in Healthcare)
June 2, 2008... Byline: Andis Robeznieks If a hospital's physicians, nurses and other clinical staffers save money by preventing patients from developing hospital-acquired conditions, they should be rewarded for those efforts, according to the theory...

Hard recruitment for smaller markets; Report shows importance of physicians to rural hospitals' financial health.(Strictly Finance)
June 2, 2008... Byline: Vince Galloro Few would question the financial importance of recruiting physicians to rural hospitals. David Bachman is trying to put a dollar figure on that importance, while accounting regulations are making clear what the cost...

Beyond the hospital; More nurses are working outside hospitals, and the need is growing.(Workforce Report 2008)
June 2, 2008... Byline: Jessica Zigmond If hospital administrators think they face a nursing shortage now, they have more than another thing coming. That's because the looming problem has many parts to it, experts say. First, there continues to be great...

On the move...(News Makers)(Cape Cod Healthcare)(appoinment of Urbanowicz, Peter)(appoinment of Salluzzo, Richard)(appoinment of Marshall, Bert)(briefs)
June 2, 2008... CONSULTING Peter Urbanowicz, former general counsel and secretary for Tenet Healthcare Corp., was hired as a senior adviser to the healthcare industry group of Alvarez & Marsal, a management turnaround firm. Urbanowicz, 44, joined Tenet in...

A shove toward IT; Plan to lure providers to CPOE should be just part of a new way to pay for care.(Opinions Editorials)(information technology)(Computerized physician order entry)
June 2, 2008... Byline: Todd Sloane We may be inching toward the first federal mandate for information technology. Even Republicans and their close allies in organized medicine, who usually say regulation is the enemy of the good, are backing the stiff...

Midwest raises the bar; 100 Top Hospitals winners' balanced performance drives safety to new heights.(8th annual 100 Top Hospitals supplement)
June 2, 2008... Byline: Jean Chenoweth Once again, Thomson 100 Top Hospitals: National Benchmarks for Success winners show meaningful differences vs. peers in research performed for Modern Healthcare's annual 100 Top Hospitals supplement. This time the...

Two surveys under way.(The Week in Healthcare)
June 2, 2008... Modern Healthcare is now conducting its fifth annual Group Purchasing Survey as well as its third annual Healthcare Management Consultant Survey. To participate, please contact Rebecca Mielcarski, special projects/research editor, at...

A LITTLE OFF THE TOP; While overall healthcare hiring is up, some health systems are being forced to cut jobs, workers and find other savings.
June 2, 2008... Byline: Melanie Evans Healthcare's steady hiring has been a bright spot in the nation's souring economy. But even this growth industry is showing signs of strain. Hard-hit local economies, rising expenses and flat or poor payment from...

Leading the way; One doc group not resisting e-Rx.(The Week in Healthcare)
June 2, 2008... Byline: Jennifer Lubell When the subject of potentially adding an electronic prescribing mandate to pending Medicare legislation arose on Capitol Hill late last month, a chorus of protests rose up among physician groups. One group that...

Bumpy beginning for NPI.(The Week in Healthcare)(national provider identifier)
June 2, 2008... Byline: Joseph Conn The May 23 implementation of a requirement that a National Provider Identifier be used for billing claims resulted in a big jump in claims rejections on that day and continued for federal payers into last week,...

Hospital race across Rio Grande; Three providers tussle for Albuquerque's growth area.(The Week in Healthcare)
June 2, 2008... Byline: Vince Galloro In much of the country, the Rio Grande is a symbol of the national debate on immigration. In Albuquerque-at least in healthcare circles-the river is about to become a symbol of the competition between the three...

Humana exec joins board; DexCom appointment worth $330,000 over three years to Jonathan Lord.(The Week in Healthcare)
June 2, 2008... Byline: Jessica Zigmond Humana senior executive Jonathan Lord was appointed recently to the board of disease-management device company DexCom, and is expected to receive a package of cash, stock and options worth more than $330,000 during...

Costs per patient pose top threat to Medicare, Medicaid, CBO says.(Late News)(Congressional Budget Office)(Brief article)
June 2, 2008... While a surge of seniors heading into Medicare will have an impact on federal healthcare spending, it's not the primary driver nor is it unexpected, the Congressional Budget Office reiterated in a new report. Rather, higher healthcare costs per...

Veto promised of doc pay-cut reversal if Advantage targeted.(Late News)(Brief article)
June 2, 2008... The White House said that it would veto legislation meant to reverse a pending double-digit physician pay cut if lawmakers use the Medicare Advantage program to offset the bill's costs, according to a letter signed by HHS Secretary Mike...

West Penn revamps leadership as Rosenberg exits as COO.(Late News)(chief operating officer)(Brief article)
June 2, 2008... West Penn Allegheny Health System in Pittsburgh reorganized its corporate leadership, officials said. Effective immediately, the five-hospital system eliminated the position of executive vice president and chief operating officer held by James...

A primary-care pilot; The medical home passes a test in the West.(From the C-Suite)
June 2, 2008... Byline: Michael Soman Good primary care produces better outcomes at lower costs. Yet in spite of research affirming the value of primary care, its foundation is crumbling: Fewer physicians are choosing primary-care residencies,...

Outliers; Asides & insides.
June 2, 2008... On TV, it's harder to know when the commercials end Ever wonder how fictional hospitals on TV medical dramas such as "House'' and "ER'' are able to get their hands on the latest MRI machine long before your real-life facility has decided...

New Minn. law requires e-Rx, offers medical home certification.(Late News)(Brief article)
June 2, 2008... Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty signed a far-reaching healthcare bill that requires electronic prescribing by 2011 and creates new quality reporting rules. Also among the law's provisions is a newly created certification for healthcare homes,...

Trial set for Oct. in FTC challenge of Inova, Prince William deal.(Late News)(United States. Federal Trade Commission)(Brief article)
June 2, 2008... A trial in the Federal Trade Commission's administrative challenge of a northern Virginia hospital acquisition was scheduled for Oct. 6. The date was set after a barrage of contentious procedural motions in the three weeks since the FTC filed...

Finding the pulse; Book says good finances key to hospitals' heartbeat.(The Week in Healthcare)
June 2, 2008... Byline: Cinda Becker The Governance Institute is renewing attention among hospital trustees on hospital finance, recommending that hospital boards set the performance bar high with a highly disciplined and ongoing strategic, financial and...

AAFP's conversion; TransforMED's for-profit switch.(The Week in Healthcare)(American Academy of Family Physicians)
June 2, 2008... Byline: Andis Robeznieks The American Academy of Family Physicians jumped into the consulting business with the conversion of a subsidiary into a for-profit company offering consulting services to help practices and health systems adopt...

Other voices.(Opinions Editorials)(Editorial)(Brief article)
June 2, 2008... "Republicans in Congress may be out of gas, but that doesn't mean conservative ideas aren't percolating elsewhere, and even on the supposedly Democratic stronghold of healthcare. Take the news from Florida, where GOP Gov. Charlie Crist...

SIXTH ANNUAL REPORT ON THE HEALTHCARE WORKFORCE.(Workforce Report 2008)(Report)
June 2, 2008... As we have for the past five years, we examine the healthcare workforce shortage. This year's coverage focuses on the nursing crisis, but not the one found in hospitals. If anything, the nursing shortage is worse in nonacute-care settings,...

More kids with chronic disease; N.J. project putting nurse practitioners in schools.(Workforce Report 2008)(New Jersey)
June 2, 2008... Byline: Jessica Zigmond Obesity, asthma, food allergies, behavioral disorders, vision deficiencies and prescription-medication abuse are just some of the chronic health problems that children face today, making the need for school nurses...

The way to the top; High marks coincide with quality patient-safety measures.(8th annual 100 Top Hospitals supplement)
June 2, 2008... Byline: Jean DerGurahian When it comes down to performance, what separates the country's top hospitals from average performers could be their compulsive behavior around quality initiatives, data collection and analysis. Committed...

Collection urgency; Tenet-based startup to help with self-pay accounts.(The Week in Healthcare)
June 2, 2008... Byline: Vince Galloro ***** Correction: A June 2 story (p. 13) incorrectly identified Agency Manager, Connance's new tool for overseeing collection agencies. ***** Stephen Farber has heard it all about billing and collecting...

In IT for the long haul; This year's winners are committed to technology.(2008 CEO IT Achievement Awards)
June 9, 2008... Byline: Fawn Lopez Two weeks ago, the CMS launched an unprecedented advertising campaign in more than 50 U.S. newspapers advising patients to comparison shop using three dozen quality measures posted on a federal Web site (May 26, p. 8)....

Judge overrules CMS; HHS violated Medicare bad-debt policy.(The Week in Healthcare)
June 9, 2008... Byline: Gregg Blesch A recent court decision may allow hospitals to seek reimbursement for Medicare bad debt that's warehoused with outside collection agencies along with other delinquent accounts. A judge in U.S. District Court in...

Personal attention; Cecchettini recognized for improving patient-care processes at MultiCare.(2008 CEO IT Achievement Awards)
June 9, 2008... Byline: Linda Wilson When MultiCare Health System in Tacoma, Wash., launched an integrated electronic medical record at three of its hospitals in June 2007, President and Chief Executive Officer Diane Cecchettini watched as nurses hovered...

RWJF adds measures; Initiative to hit more target areas.(The Week in Healthcare)(Robert Wood Johnson Foundation)(Brief article)
June 9, 2008... Byline: Matthew DoBias In an effort to court providers to its national quality improvement initiative Aligning Forces for Quality, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation gave physicians a wide berth in shaping the reportable measures that will...

Inova Health scraps deal in face of FTC challenge.(Late News)(Federal Trade Commission)(Brief article)
June 9, 2008... An antitrust challenge from the Federal Trade Commission has prompted Northern Virginia's five-hospital Inova Health System to abandon plans to acquire Prince William Health System, which consists principally of 163-bed Prince William Hospital...

Baucus bill proposes Medicare doc payment fixes.(Late News)(Brief article)
June 9, 2008... Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus released his Medicare reform bill containing a physician-payment fix that increases payments by 1.1% in 2009. That increase is higher than what Baucus originally proposed in his draft bill several...

Outliers; Asides & insides.
June 9, 2008... Healthcare takes on key role in Hollywood's latest scripts It seems like Hollywood can't get enough of healthcare these days. With "Sicko'' not that far in the rearview mirror, two recent events show that the stars aren't content with...

MultiCare Health System, Tacoma, Wash.(2008 CEO IT Achievement Awards)
June 9, 2008... Hospitals: Four Employees: 8,300 Revenue: $2 billion Net income: $187.2 million Admissions: 35,308 Outpatient visits: 657,275 (including physician office, emergency department and outpatient surgery) Annual IT...

UPMC's new partner; GE deal plans 'virtual microscope'.(The Week in Healthcare)(University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and GE Healthcare)
June 9, 2008... Byline: Cinda Becker A new partnership between GE Healthcare and a prominent Pennsylvania academic medical center aims to speed innovation in the long-neglected pathology laboratory. GE and the 12-hospital University of Pittsburgh...

HHS shifts IT into high gear; New plan to promote information technology released to mostly good reviews, but concerns remain about its scope and funding.(Department of Health and Human Services)
June 9, 2008... Byline: Joseph Conn The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology at HHS last week released an updated version of a national healthcare IT promotion plan that will give healthcare leaders-and members of...

Prime numbers; Firm adds three facilities in Tenet deals.(The Week in Healthcare)(Prime Healthcare Services and Tenet Healthcare Corporation)
June 9, 2008... Byline: Vince Galloro Prime Healthcare Services is building a hospital empire across Southern California. Prem Reddy's company might want to take a look at the experience in the region of its most recent deal partner-Tenet Healthcare...

Stating their wishes; Healthcare IT initiatives gain in prominence among governors' priorities.(Information Edge)
June 9, 2008... Byline: Jean DerGurahian When the state of Georgia launches its new transparency Web site later this year, it will offer a tool to help residents plan an entire episode of care-from choosing a provider and planning a hospital stay to...

Reinforcing the "backbone'; Partners' Mongan led charge to set deadline to get docs onboard for EMR.(2008 CEO IT Achievement Awards)(James Mongan of Partners HealthCare System)(electronic medical record)
June 9, 2008... Byline: Elizabeth Gardner Sometimes a carrot alone isn't enough. Sometimes you need the stick. When James Mongan took the helm of Partners HealthCare System in Boston in 2003, he set a top priority on getting 4,300 physicians in its...

Making IT pervasive; Hawthorne has worked to immerse Texas Health Resources in technology.(2008 CEO IT Achievement Awards)
June 9, 2008... Byline: Elizabeth Gardner To Douglas Hawthorne, chief executive officer of Texas Health Resources, a healthcare organization is like a coat. And information technology is the lining. "It has to permeate the organization, and that's...

Partners HealthCare System, Boston.(2008 CEO IT Achievement Awards)
June 9, 2008... Hospitals: 12 (two academic medical centers, six community hospitals, four specialty hospitals) Employees: 50,000 Revenue: $6.5 billion Net income: $583 million Admissions: 145,000 Outpatient visits: 4.3 million ...

Texas Health Resources, Arlington.(2008 CEO IT Achievement Awards)
June 9, 2008... Hospitals: 13 Employees: 18,250 Revenue: $2.2 billion Net income: $193 million Admissions: 137,435 Outpatient visits: 1.2 million Annual IT budget: $97 million; operating/$25 million capital IT employees: 390 ...

N.Y. Medicaid program to stop reimbursing for 14 `never events'.(Late News)(Brief article)
June 9, 2008... The New York State Medicaid program said it will end reimbursements for avoidable hospital complications and medical errors deemed "never events.'' Beginning in October, the state will not reimburse for care needed as a result of 14...

Lynn, Glaser tabbed as co-chairs of NAHIT.(Late News)(George Lynn and John Glaser of the National Alliance for Health Information Technology)(Brief article)
June 9, 2008... The National Alliance for Health Information Technology named two prominent healthcare executives to co-chair the struggling Chicago not-for-profit. The alliance has operated with an interim chief executive officer since late March when Scott...

That's the competitive spirit; Series of newsworthy events could help anchor change in the marketplace.(Editorial)
June 9, 2008... Byline: David Burda In the decades-old tug of war between healthcare competition and regulation, competition is gaining ground of late, and we hope the rope keeps heading in that direction. As we've argued many times in this space,...

HHS breaks out flu guidelines ... ... but agency must support pandemic plan: sources.(The Week in Healthcare)(United States Department of Health and Human Services)
June 9, 2008... Byline: Jennifer Lubell HHS needs to support its proposed guidelines on preparing for an influenza pandemic by providing sufficient funding and resources to businesses and communities, healthcare officials said last week. The draft...

Focused on the patient; Honorees used technology to help coordinate care.(2008 CEO IT Achievement Awards)(Diane Cecchettini, Douglas Hawthorne and James Mongan)
June 9, 2008... Byline: Stephen Lieber It is with great honor that the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society, and our members, recognize the recipients of the 2008 CEO IT Achievement Award, co-sponsored by Modern Healthcare and HIMSS. ...

In high demand; Nurses spend most time away from bedsides: study.(The Week in Healthcare)
June 9, 2008... Byline: Melanie Evans Anyone stuck in a hospital bed will tell you where nurses often aren't: nearby. Now there's a study to prove it. That nurses constantly roam halls, travel between hospital floors or spend shifts anchored to the...

An American dream; A Cuban emigre finds success in U.S. healthcare.(Frank Perez)
June 9, 2008... Byline: Charles S. Lauer In 1962 Frank Perez' family fled Castro's Cuba at the age of 18. In order to support his mother and three sisters, he worked as a cabinetmaker in Maryland. A typical immigrant's tale? Perhaps. Perez did what...

Preparing for pumped prices; Fuel costs likely to raise production, delivery fees.(The Week in Healthcare)
June 9, 2008... Byline: Shawn Rhea From boardrooms to kitchens, the reverberating cost effects of rising oil prices may well be the hottest topic of conversation among those trying to live within a budget. And now a forthcoming report from the Health...

Finding the best CEOs in health IT; Cecchettini, Hawthorne, Mongan capture honor in 6th annual competition.(2008 CEO IT Achievement Awards)(chief executive officers)(information technology)(Diane Cecchettini, Douglas Hawthorne and James Mongan)
June 9, 2008... Byline: David Burda Welcome to Modern Healthcare's sixth annual CEO IT Achievement Award program, co-sponsored by the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society. In this special editorial section, you'll meet the three...

Not so fast; Joint Commission delays unpopular staff standard.(The Week in Healthcare)(Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations)
June 9, 2008... Byline: Jean DerGurahian Hospitals could claim a slight victory after the Joint Commission's decision to delay implementation of the revised MS 1.20 standard, the contentious medical staff standard providers have found reason to dislike....

Corrections & clarifications.(Correction notice)
June 9, 2008... A June 2 story (p. 13) incorrectly identified Agency Manager, Connance's new tool for overseeing collection agencies. A Strictly Finance story in the June 2 issue (p. 30) listed the wrong numbers for estimates for added earnings before...

Other voices.(Opinion Editorials)(Sawhill, Isabel)(Brief article)
June 9, 2008... "Congress is poised to approve a budget blueprint that would kick many long-term spending issues to next year. This budget offers no realistic way to pay for extending tax cuts for the middle class or for growing entitlement programs. In short,...

Judges.(2008 CEO IT Achievement Awards)(Charles Christian, Rodney Dykehouse, John Ferguson, George Hickman and Mike Murphy)(Brief article)
June 9, 2008... Modern Healthcare and the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society would like to thank the following five senior healthcare executives for serving as the judges for the 2008 CEO IT Achievement Award competition. We appreciate their...

2008 CEO IT Achievement Award: previous winners.(2008 CEO IT Achievement Awards)(chief executive officer)(information technology)(Brief article)(List)
June 9, 2008... Modern Healthcare and the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society created the CEO IT Achievement Award in 2003. Since then, 15 chief executive officers have received the award. Previous winners are: 2003 recipients: ...

Legal roadblocks; Lawsuits, Congress target Medicare bid demo.(The Week in Healthcare)
June 16, 2008... Byline: Gregg Blesch With attacks waged in multiple courts and Congress, sellers of home medical equipment may flip their calendars to July without the long-planned launch of a demonstration project requiring competitive bidding for their...

The debate turns real.(Opinions Editorials)
June 16, 2008... Byline: Todd Sloane Washington finds out that there are two problems to be solved by health reform The realization seems to be slowly sinking in among the nation's policymakers that we can't solve the growing crisis of the uninsured...

SAY WHAT? Looming mandate in California puts the onus on health insurers to provide their members with language-assistance services.(Payers and Purchasers)
June 16, 2008... Byline: Rebecca Vesely Who's ultimately responsible for providing language-assistance programs in healthcare? Is it the medical groups, hospitals and other providers? Or is it the health insurers? The question has long been debated,...

Outliers; Asides & insides.
June 16, 2008... As a nurse for a day, Obama finds he should stick to policy The newly minted presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, Barack Obama, spent part of an early morning last week shadowing a nurse in the cardiac-care unit at Barnes-Jewish...

CLOUDS GATHERING? Hospital systems post strong numbers, but rising bad debt among worries.(Special Feature)(Survey)
June 16, 2008... Byline: Melanie Evans and Vince Galloro Health systems face rising write-offs for patients who can't pay their bills, according to results of a new Modern Healthcare survey, a trend that spells even more trouble for providers as food and...

Cash infusion; White House seeks to boost oversight at FDA.(The Week in Healthcare)
June 16, 2008... Byline: Joseph Conn Following criticism in recent months that the Food and Drug Administration's oversight of foreign production of medical products and food is lacking, the Bush administration is looking to boost the agency's funding. ...

Psychiatric metrics debut.(The Week in Healthcare)
June 16, 2008... Byline: Andis Robeznieks The Joint Commission's new set of seven inpatient psychiatric measures is being heralded as both a significant step forward for behavioral health and another data-collection burden. Starting Oct. 1, the...

Underinsured, underprotected; `.(The Week in Healthcare)
June 16, 2008... Byline: Rebecca Vesely The number of underinsured adults nationwide has grown at a "startling'' rate over the past four years, researchers said, as the cost of healthcare keeps rising. The individual health insurance market is contributing...

Inpatient rules scrutinized; Too many new measures at once, providers say.(The Week in Healthcare)
June 16, 2008... Byline: Jennifer Lubell Most of the quality measures the CMS included in its proposed inpatient prospective payment system hospital rule for fiscal 2009 aren't yet ready for prime time, provider groups warned in comments to the agency. ...

Genesis agrees to purchase Haven Healthcare chain.(Late News)(Brief article)
June 16, 2008... Genesis HealthCare Corp.-through its parent company, private-equity firm Formation Capital-agreed to buy bankrupt nursing home chain Haven Healthcare, Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal said. Formation will pay approximately $84...

LETTERS.(Opinions Letters)
June 16, 2008... Take the time to educate RNs Jessica Zigmond's report on the nonhospital nursing worker shortage was nicely done ("Beyond the hospital,'' June 2, p. 26). We need a transformation of our work environments and our nursing education system...

Whistle-blowers need more proof.(The Week in Healthcare)
June 16, 2008... Byline: Gregg Blesch A Supreme Court opinion delivered last week offers providers lines of defense against False Claims Act lawsuits, though any solace may be tenuous and short-lived, particularly if Congress responds by fortifying the...

Progress in infection control ... ... but half say hospitals can do more: study.(The Week in Healthcare)(Survey)
June 16, 2008... Byline: Shawn Rhea A new survey of infection-control professionals indicates that progress is being made in the fight against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, but also that hospitals could do more. Seventy-six percent of...

Educating the uninsured; Millions miss out on existing coverage simply from lack of knowledge.(Opinions Commentary)
June 16, 2008... Byline: Phil Lebherz The crisis of the uninsured continues to grip the nation. Politicians, healthcare providers and consumer advocates bring us information on a daily basis of heartbreaking tragedies caused by a lack of coverage. Often...

L.A. anti-dumping law draws ire.(The Week in Healthcare)(Los Angeles)
June 16, 2008... Byline: Rebecca Vesely Hospitals in Southern California are considering taking legal action to block a Los Angeles ordinance on discharging patients on grounds that it could jeopardize millions in CMS funding. Signed by Los Angeles...

Doc groups back EHR study ... ... even though not all physicians will see payday.(The Week in Healthcare)(electronic health records)
June 16, 2008... Byline: Matthew DoBias A newly launched federal health information technology study has earned praise in the early going from the provider community, even while raising concerns by some that its payment system will end up benefiting only...

Synergy with a twist; Hospital seeks for-profit partner to deliver savings.(The Week in Healthcare)(Bannock Regional Medical Center acquired Pocatello Regional Medical Center)
June 16, 2008... Byline: Vince Galloro Six years after a merger of the only two hospitals in Pocatello, Idaho, county-owned 251-bed Portneuf Medical Center remains split between two campuses. Bannock County officials, however, expect to make a decision...

Congress misses deadline; Squabbling means doc payment cuts start July 1.(The Week in Healthcare)
June 16, 2008... Byline: Jennifer Lubell Congress' inability to meet the Bush administration's June 16 deadline to enact a law that would halt Medicare payment cuts to physicians is likely to cause at least a temporary hit to their reimbursement come July...

N.Y. Medicaid ups the ante; By refusing to pay for 14 'never events,' the nation's biggest Medicaid program could propel other states into action.
June 16, 2008... Byline: Jean DerGurahian In a relatively short period for the healthcare industry, several insurers and hospital associations have adopted positions of not paying for certain medical errors; now, with the New York state Medicaid program...

MGMA urges CMS to review Stark law before changes come.(Late News)(Medical Group Management Association)(Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services)(Brief article)
June 16, 2008... The Medical Group Management Association urged the CMS to review the Stark law rules on physician self-referral before the agency implements additional changes. In its comments about the CMS' proposed inpatient prospective payment system rule,...

MedPAC to Congress: Reform Medicare payment system.(Late News)(Medicare Payment Advisory Commission)(Brief article)
June 16, 2008... The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission in its June report to Congress made a series of recommendations to reform Medicare's payment system and make providers more accountable for the quality of care they provide. The commission made specific...

17 Ariz. hospitals back state on lawsuit seeking DSH funds.(Late News)(disproportionate-share hospital)(Brief article)
June 16, 2008... Seventeen hospitals in Arizona filed a motion backing the state in a lawsuit against a county healthcare district over the release of Medicaid disproportionate-share hospital, or DSH, funding, saying that the district is holding up some $26...

Express Scripts to acquire Medical Service's PBM division.(Late News)(Brief article)
June 16, 2008... Express Scripts, a St. Louis-based pharmacy-benefits management company signed an agreement to acquire the pharmacy services division of Medical Services Co., Jacksonville, Fla., for an undisclosed amount, according to news releases from both...