Healthcare

Congress Urged to Support Patient’s Bill of Rights

September 19, 2000  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Troy Record</p> <p>ALBANY, NY- The husband of Judith Packevicz, the Saratoga Springs woman who died after battling her HMO over a liver transplant, joined with other advocates in Albany Monday to call on New York's congressional delegation to support a patients bill of righ</p>

PATIENTS’ RIGHTS: New Compromise Bill Targets GOP Votes

September 13, 2000  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">American Healthline</p> <p>Four patients' rights champions -- Reps. Charles Norwood (R-Ga.), John Dingell (D-Mich.), Greg Ganske (R-Iowa) and Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) -- have proposed a new compromise bill, ho</p>

Insurance-Reform Group Criticizes Northup’s HMO Votes

September 13, 2000  ·  Jamie Court

<p class="source">Louisville Courier-Journal</p> <p>A non-profit group pressing for a patients' bill of rights said in Louisville yesterday that U.S. Rep. Anne Northup should change her vote on the issue or give up her right to sue HMOs - a right government employees have but most Americans don't.</p>

Doctors, Advocates Like Aetna’s Choice

September 7, 2000  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Hartford Courant</p> <p>Aetna's appointment of Dr. John Rowe as its next chief executive gave hope to the medical community and consumer advocates Wednesday for further change at the nation's largest health insurer, while Wall Street weighed in with a bit of skepticism.</p>

Anger From The Coast…California Physicians and Groups Lash Out At HMOs

August 1, 2000  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Modern Physician</p> <p>Physicians in California, like Peter Finch's newsman Howard Beale in the movie Network, are as mad as hell and not going to take it anymore.</p>

Guided Imagery May Smooth Road To Recovery

July 24, 2000  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Sacramento Bee</p> <p>Allen Hackett was feeling lousy. Hours earlier, surgeons had transplanted his son's healthy kidney into his abdomen.</p>

Insurers: Plan Would Ease Health Services

July 19, 2000  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">USA Today</p> <p>Top executives from many of the nation's health insurers outlined a plan Tuesday that they say is the first unified effort to reduce hassles for patients and physicians. The reforms can be accomplished within 12 months and mark the beginning of a more</p>

Are Patients Now Corporate Chattel?

July 18, 2000  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<!-- excerpt --><p>The sale of "covered lives," as patients are called in the industry, without the sale of a company, a bankruptcy, or a merger turns patients into no more than corporate chattel and threatens to make the continuity of individuals' medical care as volatile</p>

United to Shift its Members to Blue Shield

July 15, 2000  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">San Diego Union-Tribune</p> <p>The 225,000 members of United Healthcare, a subsidiary of the United Health Group, will be moved to Blue Shield of California, the companies announced yesterday. The $40 million deal covers members in United Healthcare's HMOs, preferred-provider organ</p>

INSURERS SET TO TRADE 225,000 MEMBERS

July 15, 2000  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>UNITED HEALTHCARE, BLUE SHIELD IN DEAL</h3><p class="source">Sacramento Bee</p> <p>The nation's No. 2 health insurance company plans to pass off about 225,000 members to Blue Shield of California in a deal that could boost Blue Shield's membership in the state by more than 10 percent. Under the agreement announced Friday, members of</p>

Rapid retreat; 2 Area Medicare HMOs Call It Quits

June 30, 2000  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Houston Chronicle</p> <p>Two of Houston's biggest Medicare HMOs said Thursday they will be pulling out of the market, reflecting the rapid national decline of these once-promising health plans for seniors.</p>

HMO Czar’s Bedside Manner Lauded

June 19, 2000  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Sacramento Bee</p> <p>The state's new HMO czar hasn't levied a single fine or issued even one formal recommendation yet, but the health plans he'll regulate and other managed care stakeholders have already passed judgment: They like him.</p>