Healthcare

Measure Inspired By Drunk-Driving Deaths Of Danville Children Qualifies For Nov. Ballot

May 15, 2014 · Mark Reback

DANVILLE -- A voter initiative spurred by the drunk-driving deaths of two Danville siblings in 2003 has garnered enough signatures to qualify for the November ballot, the Secretary of State's office said Thursday.

Medical Malpractice Initiative Qualifies For November Ballot

May 15, 2014 · Mark Reback

Measure to lift ceiling on medical malpractice judgments qualifies for California's November ballot - Voter initiative would require drug testing for doctors in California - California ballot measure rekindles fight between insurers, doctors and trial lawyers, consumer advocates What promises to be a hotly contested statewide voter initiative to raise the ceiling on medical malpractice judgments and require drug testing for physicians qualified Thursday for the November ballot.

Peeved

May 14, 2014 · Mark Reback

Peeved: A "Pee in the Cup" initiative to require random drug testing for doctors in California could qualify for the November ballot this week, setting up a battle royal between trial lawyers backing the measure and the medical industry. In addition to the drug-testing provision, the measure would lift the state's long-standing $250,000 cap on pain-and-suffering awards in medical malpractice lawsuits.

Local Hospitals Prepare Patients For Costs

May 12, 2014 · Mark Reback

<div class="entry-content"> <div id="story"> As more people switch to health insurance policies with high deductibles in an effort to reduce their premiums, some hospitals around the country are asking patients undergoing elective procedures to pay more at the time of service rather than waiting to collect what they are owed. The reason, apparently, is that more patients are unable to pay the high deductibles, leaving their health-care providers stuck with bad debt. In Fort Wayne, though, the trend has not taken hold, local health care officials said.

Report: Rate-Regulation Measure Would Shake Up Covered California

May 8, 2014 · Mark Reback

A California ballot initiative allowing the state insurance commissioner to reject health insurance <a class="lingo_link lingo_link_hidden" href="http://topics.sacbee.com/rate+increases/" rel="nofollow" style="cursor: pointer; display: inline; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",Times,serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal;">rate increases</a> would disrupt the new health care overhaul, destabilizing negotiations between the exchange and insurance companies and inviting costly legal challenges by outside organizations, according to an analysis released Thu

5 Questions About Secret Deal Between Hospitals, Union

May 7, 2014 · Mark Reback

At least five big questions remain about the secret deal <a href="http://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/news/2014/05/06/california-hospitals-reach-a-deal-with-seiu.html">announced with fanfare</a> Tuesday between California hospitals and the largest health care union in the state. The California Hospital Association and Service Employees International Union-United Healthcare Workers West heralded a “visionary agreement” to work together to address issues of cost, efficiency and quality of care, but offered few specifics.

SEIU, California Hospitals Will Create $100 Million State Medicaid Fund

May 6, 2014 · Mark Reback

Nation's Biggest Health-Care Union and the State's Hospital Industry Will Use Fund to Improve State Medicaid System The nation's biggest health-care union and the California hospital industry said Tuesday they had reached a multiyear deal to create a $100 million fund to improve a state-run Medicaid system they say falls short on hospital reimbursements.

Consumer Watchdog Campaign: California Nurses Rally Against Kaiser’s $21.7 Billion In Excess Reserve And Endorse Health Insurance Rate Regulation Initiative To Return Billions Of Dollars To Patients

May 6, 2014 · Jamie Court

At a rally and press conference today, Kaiser nurses and consumer advocates exposed the fact that Kaiser Permanente has accumulated a reserve that is $21.7 billion – 1626 percent

San Diego Hunger Coalition: Our Health Cost Has Increased By 58% Since 2007

May 1, 2014 · rob

<img class=" alignright size-full wp-image-2828" alt="" src="https://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/images_san_diego_hunger_c_-_jennifer_tracy_pic.jpg" style="width: 250px; height: 250px; margin: 7px; float: right;" width="120" height="120" />My name is Jennifer Tracy, and I am the Executive Director of the San Diego Hunger Coalition (SDHC). SDHC was founded in 2007 with the mission to reduce hunger and food insecurity in San Diego. Between 2007 and 2011, the number of households relying on the help of CalFresh (formerly known as food stamps) to put food on their tables has grown by 185% i

More Scrutiny For UCLA’s School of Medicine

April 25, 2014 · Mark Reback

In the wake of a $10-million payout to a whistleblower, UCLA's School of Medicine is drawing more scrutiny over its financial ties to industry and the possibility that they compromised patient care.

New Database Reveals Medicare Payments To North Coast Doctors

April 25, 2014 · Mark Reback

More than 1,000 physicians on the North Coast received upward of $114 million in Medicare payments in 2012, according a new federal database that gives consumers an unprecedented look inside their doctors' practices. The amount is part of $77 billion Medicare paid out to more than 880,000 doctors across the United States under the Medicare Part B fee-for-service program. The federal government says release of the data is aimed at giving the public, policymakers and researchers a detailed view of government health care spending and physician practice patterns.

Health Insurance Rate Regulation Foes Flex Fundraising Muscle

April 21, 2014 · Mark Reback

Good Friday was a good day for opponents of a ballot initiative to regulate health insurance prices. The coalition of doctors, hospitals and insurance companies last week reported collecting nearly $24 million from <a class="lingo_link" href="http://topics.sacbee.com/Blue+Shield/" rel="nofollow" style="cursor: pointer; display: inline; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",Times,serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal;">Blue Shield</a> of California and Kaiser Foundation Health Plan. Half of the money was listed as loans to the campaign.

Fairness for Injured Patients

Medical Board of California Announces Maternal Mortality Task Force

Patient Voices