Consumer Watchdog

Expose. Confront. Change.

Consumer Watchdog

Healthcare

Kaiser settles two lawsuits;

Kaiser settles two lawsuits;

<h3>Accused of holding back on care, the HMO will post its treatment guidelines.</h3><p class="source">The Sacramento Bee</p> <p>Kaiser Permanente agreed to make public the treatment guidelines its physicians follow and to disclose how they get paid as part of a settlement of two lawsuits that accused the HMO of misrepresenting how decisions about patient care were made.</p>
Kaiser Settles Lawsuit With Consumer Group;

Kaiser Settles Lawsuit With Consumer Group;

<h3>State's largest HMO will post its medical care guidelines, doctors' pay structure on Web site.</h3><p class="source">The Los Angeles Times</p> <p>As part of the settlement to the false-advertising and fraud lawsuit, Kaiser also agreed to step up physician recruitment and to encourage members to select personal physicians rather than seeing a different doctor on each visit.</p>
Kaiser to reveal incentives for physicians

Kaiser to reveal incentives for physicians

<p class="source">USA TODAY</p> <p>The agreement, announced Thursday, settles a lawsuit brought by several consumer groups that struck at the heart of the public's misgivings about managed care: the fear patient care is influenced by financial incentives.</p>
Experts Debate Relief from Rising Drug Costs

Experts Debate Relief from Rising Drug Costs

<p class="source">CNNFN - STREET SWEEP</p> <p>The lure of lower prices has led U.S. consumers to hop on buses headed north of the border, or to surf the Internet seeking out online pharmacies. Drugmakers and others say the practice is illegal and potentially harmful to consumers. However, not everybo</p>
Bush Calls for Curbs on Medical Malpractice Suits;

Bush Calls for Curbs on Medical Malpractice Suits;

<h3>Plan is viewed as a way to limit health costs. It would cap non-economic damages at $250,000, but stiff opposition is expected in Congress.</h3><p class="source">The Los Angeles Times</p> <p>Critics of the proposal argue that a cap on compensation for a patient's "pain and suffering" would be unfair and allow poor medical practice to go unpunished.</p>
Bush seeks medical malpractice reform

Bush seeks medical malpractice reform

<p class="source">United Press International</p> <p>Groups representing trial lawyers and consumers were outraged, saying Bush's action would severely limit the rights of injured patients. They blame insurers for the current crisis.</p>