Healthcare

The unkindest cut : More patients and doctors avoid unnecessary surgery

August 5, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Press Enterprise (Riverside, CA)</p> <p>Most overdone surgeries, Jamie Court of FTCR said, are "high-ticket items with the biggest price tags for the doctors and chains." His assessment echoes various studies that have reported similar findings.</p>

Ensuring better health?

August 5, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Insurance companies enlist disease-management firms to assist chronically ill and trim costs, but some docs are skeptical</h3><p class="source">The Tennessean</p> <p>Jerry Flanagan of FTCR, a California-based advocacy group, says the information insurers collect through disease-management programs might be used as an excuse to deny people coverage if they were to try to change plans.</p>

Kaiser aims bonuses at group quality, satisfaction levels, individual longevity.

August 1, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Physician Compensation Report</p> <p>Pursuant to a January 2003 settlement of a lawsuit filed by the California-based Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, seeking disclosure of physician incentives, Kaiser's national office in Oakland, Calif., released information in July</p>

Group questions Frist’s HCA ties amid debate over tort reform

July 14, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Modern Healthcare</p> <p>FTCR, a consumer advocacy group is asking Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn) to recuse himself from any action on the bill, saying his family's ties to the country's largest for-profit hospital chain make him a less than impartial observer</p>

Senate Becomes O.K. Corral For a Surgeon and a Lawyer

July 11, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">The New York Times</p> <p>Now that the Senate has blocked President Bush's plan to cap jury awards in medical malpractice cases, the battle will only intensify during next year's elections. At its essence, the fight comes down to doctors versus lawyers.</p>

Senate rejects malpractice cap based on California model law

July 10, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Press Enterprise (Riverside, CA)</p> <p>Consumer advocate Jamie Court attributes California's stable rates to Prop. 103. The measure included a one-time reduction of 20 percent for all types of insurance, including medical malpractice. It also froze insurance rates for a year.</p>

Mixed reaction; Molina’s IPO goes well, but not all observers cheer

July 7, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Modern Healthcare</p> <p>"Molina has a record of diverting patient dollars to profits," said Jerry Flanagan, consumer advocate with the Foundation for Taxpayer & Consumer Rights, Santa Monica, Calif. "And that trend will become even more dramatic now that it's gone public."</p>

Independence From The Corporation

July 4, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">San Diego Union Tribune</p> <p>The ultimate definition of America's cultural freedom is the Declaration of Independence. Remarkably, many of the grievances against King George III in the Declaration also can be made against the modern corporation.</p>

Independence From The Corporation

July 4, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<!-- excerpt --><p>The ultimate definition of America's cultural freedom is the Declaration of Independence. Remarkably, many of the grievances against King George III in the Declaration also can be made against the modern corporation.</p>

Survey lets patients rate, research hospitals

June 25, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Ten facilities in O.C. take part in the evaluation and get average scores</h3><p class="source">Orange County Register (California)</p> <p>Critics discredit the rating system, saying that a range of three stars does not reveal much about the severity of problems in hospitals. The report authors said the survey should not be used as the sole tool to evaluate a hospital's performance.</p>

Cost of Practicing Medicine Is Skyrocketing

June 16, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">The News & Advance (Virginia)</p> <p>Doug Heller, senior consumer advocate for the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights in California, said one of the factors should involve regulatory oversight of the insurance industry to stabilize the rates</p>

California gives insight on medical malpractice;

June 8, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">The Tallahassee Democrat</p> <p>"The important part of Proposition 103 is consumers have the right to challenge," Heller said. He observed that by contrast, "Doctors don't have any tool to fight back against insurance companies, so they fight back against their patients."</p>