Healthcare

Navigating the HMO seas

May 15, 2001  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>New guidebook a life raft for patients</h3><p class="source">The San Francisco Chronicle</p> <p>Her long battle against the state's biggest health maintenance organization has made Terry Preston an expert in tenacity. "I learned the hard way that HMOs and the health care industry rely on the waiting game," said Preston</p>

Employers, Care Providers Join Forces to Fight Insurers

May 14, 2001  ·  Jamie Court

<p class="source">Los Angeles Business Journal</p> <p>Realizing there is strength in numbers, the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights is attempting to build a coalition of medical professionals and business leaders</p>

Patients get help on HMO disputes

May 9, 2001  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Sacramento Bee</p> <p>Consumers puzzled by the increasingly dense thicket of regulations surrounding HMOs now have a new place to turn for help resolving health care disputes.</p>

Medicare patients allowed to sue HMOs

May 4, 2001  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Top state court rules in denial-of-care case</h3><p class="source">The San Francisco Chronicle</p> <p>In a major victory for 1.5 million Californians, the state Supreme Court ruled yesterday that Medicare beneficiaries can sue health maintenance organizations for damages when they are denied adequate care.</p>

Medicare Patients Can Sue HMOs

May 4, 2001  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>State court rules in favor of consumers' right to seek redress if care is improperly denied.</h3><p class="source">Los Angeles Times</p> <p>Medicare patients in California may sue health maintenance organizations for denying necessary but expensive medical treatment, the California Supreme Court decided Thursday.</p>

California Court Upholds Patient’s Right to Sue an H.M.O.

May 4, 2001  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">New York Times</p> <p>In a decision that makes it easier for Medicare patients to sue their health maintenance organizations, the California Supreme Court ruled yesterday that the widow of an Orange County businessman was entitled to seek compensation under state tort law</p>

Limits and recourses

April 5, 2001  ·  Jamie Court

<p class="source">The Orange County Register</p> <p>A ruling by the California Supreme Court that Medicare-contracted HMO patients can sue their health maintenance organizations doesn't apply to people who receive their health coverage through a private employer.</p>

Arbitration records sealed

March 22, 2001  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Sacramento Bee</p> <p>The California Department of Managed Health Care has denied a consumer group's petition to make public the records of HMO arbitration hearings, citing its legal obligation to keep the information confidential.</p>

EDITORIAL: Disclosure vs. discretion – Should medical arbitration records be public?

March 15, 2001  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Sacramento Bee</p> <p>One of the first high-profile decisions for the new state Department of Managed Health Care is whether to release more information about arbitration cases between patients and their health plans.</p>

Aetna names new head of medical operations

March 15, 2001  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">The Associated Press</p> <p>Aetna Inc., still mending fences with physicians over its managed care policies, on Thursday appointed a California HMO executive to the position of chief of medical operations.</p>

Private matter; Managed care chief declines to release arbitration records

March 12, 2001  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Modern Physician</p> <p>California's managed care chief plans to evaluate health plan arbitration but has no plans to comply with a consumer group's petition to make arbitration records public.</p>

California Court Upholds Patient’s Right to Sue an H.M.O.

March 4, 2001  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">The New York Times</p> <p>In a decision that makes it easier for Medicare patients to sue their health maintenance organizations, the California Supreme Court ruled yesterday that the widow of an Orange County businessman was entitled to seek compensation under state tort laws.</p>