Healthcare

Health Care Disputes at Issue

March 11, 2002  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">The Los Angeles Times</p> <p>Policy: Arbitration provider breaks with HMOs, saying it will no longer handle such cases unless both sides agree to the out-of-court process.</p>

Health insurance companies that refuse to pay

March 6, 2002  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">ABC-TV World News Tonight</p> <p>PETER JENNINGS, anchor: Most Americans depend on their employers for health insurance. Some small businesses cannot afford traditional insurance. And with special insurers come special risks.</p>

State HMO regulator snagged in web of legal challenges

February 6, 2002  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">San Diego Union-Tribune</p> <p>A year-and-a-half into his tenure as the state's head regulator over the managed-care industry, Daniel Zingale is facing a series of legal challenges that could limit his department's ability to govern health plans.</p>

Bonus pay tied to patient care

January 16, 2002  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Six health plans are set to assess medical groups for their service quality and to reward good ones.</h3><p class="source">Sacramento Bee</p> <p>Six California health plans Tuesday unveiled a joint venture to pay bonuses to physician groups based on patient satisfaction and quality of care.</p>

QUOTE OF THE DAY

January 16, 2002  ·  Jamie Court

<p class="source">American Health Line</p> <p>"Fundamentally, it's a mirage. If they really wanted to change the quality of care patients received, they would pay doctors more for treating the sicker patients."</p>

PacifiCare to link doctors, cost

January 16, 2002  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">The Orange County Register</p> <p>PacifiCare of California plans next year to roll out new health-maintenance organizations in which members who choose "preferred" primary doctors will be rewarded with lower deductibles and co-payments.</p>

Health care plans sign on to rating system for doctors

January 16, 2002  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">San Francisco Chronicle</p> <p>A coalition of California health plans, employers and physician groups announced an effort yesterday designed to improve the quality of health care by paying doctors more for better performance.</p>

Health Plans to Pay Bonuses for Quality

January 16, 2002  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Pact by six state insurers is further sign of disenchantment with HMO system.</h3><p class="source">Los Angeles Times</p> <p>Six of California's largest health insurers said Tuesday they will begin paying bonuses to doctors for providing superior treatment, giving further evidence that the current system of fixed HMO payments for patient care rapidly is coming unglued.</p>

Critical Condition: California’s Department of Managed Health Care is fighting for its life.

January 16, 2002  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Will a court challenge from Kaiser strip the agency of its power to regulate HMOs after only nineteen months on the job?</h3><p class="source">East Bay Express</p> <p>Margaret Utterback awoke on the morning of January 26, 1996, with abdominal pain so severe that she wanted to see her doctor right away. The 74-year-old San Leandro resident and Kaiser health plan enrollee</p>

Bonus plan will reward doctors for quality of care

January 16, 2002  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">San Diego Union Tribune</p> <p>In a move aimed at improved health, six of the largest managed-care plans in California will award bonuses to doctors groups based on the quality of care they give their patients.</p>

Bonus time

January 15, 2002  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>California association plans to reward physicians for good patient care</h3><p class="source">Modern Healthcare</p> <p>A collaboration of California health plans, medical groups and employers is expected this week to unveil a statewide healthcare initiative that uses money from insurance premium increases to reward physicians for improving the quality of patient care.</p>

A Shift to Quality by Health Plans

January 14, 2002  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Newest approach would reward better care--but give consumers more responsibility.</h3><p class="source">Los Angeles Times</p> <p>Six California health plans are expected to announce Tuesday what they call an "unprecedented" effort to improve patient care and control spiraling health-care costs by rewarding doctors and hospitals for quality, not just efficiency.</p>