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June 14: Negotiation advocates win, lose some The last week of May brought several events that augured the future of physician collective negotiation efforts
June 7: Upping the certification ante The ABMS plans to continually review diplomates and assess performance, not just knowledge
May 24/31: PhyCor libel lawsuit Seeking to prove libel, PhyCor moves to uncover online identities of physician posters on Yahoo!
May 17: Data driving Medicare pay swings Fluctuations in Medicare reimbursement predicted by MedPAC and the AMA appear to be happening
May 10: Battle over privacy bills All agree a federal law is needed, but differ over preempting state laws and patient consent
May 3: Bargaining unit plan rejected The AMA board votes not to form a collective bargaining unit
April 26: Patient restraints The debate intensifies as both use and removal of restraints is tied to injuries; and Disease management Some doctors think DM undermines their role, other embrace it on their own terms
April 19:Disease management A growing number of vendors offer DM programs, as reports suggest they cut cost and improve outcomes
April 12: Split livers could ease shortage UNOS plan to share a single liver between two recipients could eliminate pediatric waiting list
April 5: Reinventing Medicare Author of Medicare reform commission's stalled plan will introduce it as a bill in Congress
March 22/29: Data bank seeks more reports Proposed regulations aim to close loophole arising from corporate entities alone being named in suits
March 15: Panel OKs changes to Medicare pay formula MedPAC's changes to the sustainable growth rate would prevent large drops in reimbursement
March 8: Fed, seniors launch Medicare fraud campaign Physician groups decry the move for beneficiaries to scrutinize bills for fraudulent charges; and Anesthesia turf war over physician supervision Bills in 12 states to give nurse anesthetists independent practice rights stir debate
March 1: Unprecedented debate over informed consent Groups seek to balance the rights of patients with need to advance life-giving therapies
Feb. 22: Naturopaths seek wider roles Groups seek licensure in six states; at stake is $27 billion a year spent on alternative medicine
Feb. 15: Doctors charged with antitrust Florida doctors settle Justice Dept. charges for collective bargaining despite a "third-party messenger"
Feb. 8: Major Medicare reforms proposed Commission chair's proposal includes premium support and income-related payments
Feb. 1: Guideline depository on the Web Developers hope instant access will spur use of dust-gathering clinical tools; and JAMA editor removed Dismissal of Editor George D. Lundberg, MD, has raised concerns about the journal's continued editorial independence
Jan. 25: Commission examines Medicare reform Proposals to boost eligibility age and adopt federal models are among those studied
Jan. 18: New House speaker knows health care Rep. J. Dennis Hastert (R, Ill.) also praised for consensus-building skills
Jan. 11: First disease-specific report card A California plan's releases of asthma grades shows report cards are getting more discerning
Jan. 4: AMA and collective bargaining Frustrated delegates ask for more help in dealing with large health plans

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