Healthcare

Ruling backs states’ power over HMOs

April 3, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Sacramento Bee</p> <p>In a unanimous opinion, the justices upheld a 1994 Kentucky law allowing HMO patients to seek treatment from doctors, hospitals, pharmacists or other caregivers outside a prescribed network as long as the provider agreed to accept the HMO's rates and</p>

HMOs must open up;

April 3, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Justices rule that states can force health care plans to accept more doctors in network.</h3><p class="source">Long Beach Press-Telegram</p> <p>The Supreme Court ruled unanimously Wednesday that states can force HMOs to open up their doctor networks, upholding a practice used in about half the states to give patients broader health care choices.</p>

Drug prices: why so high?

April 3, 2003  ·  Jerry Flanagan

<h3>What you can do to bring them under control.</h3><p class="source">Orange County Register</p> <p>Jerry Flanagan of The Foundation for Taxpayers and Consumer Rights explained why American consumers pay the most for their prescription drugs and have to resort to buying out of the country to meet their medical needs.</p>

COURT: STATES CAN FORCE HMOS TO ACCEPT DOCTORS

April 3, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">The Daily News of Los Angeles</p> <p>The Supreme Court ruled unanimously Wednesday that states can force HMOs to open up their doctor networks, upholding a practice used in about half the states to give patients broader health care choices.</p>

Supreme Court Expands Right of States to Regulate HMOs;

April 3, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>The unanimous ruling upholds willing provider laws, which let group member go to physician not part of network. Calif. excluded because it doesn't have statute</h3><p class="source">The Los Angeles Times</p> <p>Though California does not have such a law, Jamie Court, executive director of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights in Santa Monica, called the ruling a victory for consumer regulation of the HMO industry.</p>

Man With Wrong Kidney Removed Denied Adequate Compensation

April 2, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Harry Jordan - Long Beach, California</h3>

After Being Denied an $800 CAT Scan by Doctor, Boy is Blind and Brain Damaged

April 1, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Steven Olsen - Chula Vista, California</h3>

Under the MICRAscope; Caps on noneconomic damages intensely debated, little understood

April 1, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Modern Physician</p> <p>..even as Congress and many states consider enacting MICRA look-alikes, the 28-year-old California law is little understood and subject to intense debate on whether it keeps premiums in check or restricts patients' rights.</p>

Limiting malpractice awards needs exception

March 28, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">The Journal News (New York)</p> <p>Bipartisan efforts in Congress to cap portions of jury awards in medical malpractice suits hit a snag this week, and it's for the good. In any talk of a cap, exceptions in cases of egregious medical error and severe injury or death must be allowed if</p>

U.S. consumer watchdog takes aim at MD protest:

March 25, 2003  ·  Doug Heller

<h3>E-mails regarding february doctors' protest published</h3><p class="source">Medical Post</p> <p>FTCR, a non-profit, non-partisan organization that has studied the medical malpractice crisis, said the doctors "have shown their real intention is not to protest insurance premium hikes but to terrorize patients, colleagues and the public"</p>

To cap or not to cap;

March 24, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Medical community lobbies for limits on noneconomic damages</h3><p class="source">Modern Healthcare</p> <p>The dual-track effort is a "cynical," back-door attempt to win support at any level for caps on damages that hurt victims of malpractice, said Jamie Court, executive director of the Santa Monica, Calif.-based Foundation for Taxpayer & Consumer Right</p>

Patients to be able to check doctors on Web;

March 21, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Washington, Idaho putting malpractice records online</h3><p class="source">Spokesman Review (Spokane, WA)</p> <p>Both states will soon unveil online databases that will include civil judgments from malpractice cases and disciplinary actions against doctors. But much information, such as any punishment handed out by state medical boards or out-of-court settlements, w</p>