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News from the » West - Midwest - Northeast - South - States - 2000 - 2002

The West 2001

(Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming)

A little help from their friends: San Francisco Free Clinic cares for the uninsured - Dec. 17
Nev. doctors get universal authorization form - Dec. 17
West Coast group will offer managed care alternative - Dec. 17
Report details reasons for Arizona physician shortage - Dec. 10
Calif. laws to address physician shortages - Dec. 3
Power struggle: Doctors get mixed results in HMO fight - Dec. 3
Feds say target is assisted suicide, not pain control - Nov. 26
California requires doctors take CME in pain management - Nov. 19
Supreme Court rejects challenge to Medicare HMO ruling - Nov. 5
Rx surveillance: Watch out for prescribing over the Internet - Oct. 22/29
Hawaii reports outbreak of dengue fever - Oct. 15
HMO alternative gives doctors and patients more freedom - Oct. 8
Judge favors physicians in Hawaii antitrust case - Oct. 1
CMA sues managed care agency over financial disclosure - Oct. 1
Patient survey spotlights problem areas for Calif. hospitals - Sept. 24
Suit reveals Aetna-Wellpoint merger talks - Sept. 24
Dismissal of fraud investigation ends five-year ordeal - Sept. 17
California halts sales of discount doctor lists - Sept. 10
Rural exposure: Med students practice giving care in the wild - Sept. 10
California law allows doctors to sit out prison executions - Sept. 10
Doctors reject N.M. hospital's ad claim - Sept. 10
Calif. Supreme Court raises standard for withdrawing life support - Sept. 3
Calif. county firms studying insurance woes - Sept. 3
Regence overpaid doctors, suit says - Sept. 3
Former Health Net executive sues over prompt pay - Aug. 27
Rulings spell out specifics for peer review immunity - Aug. 6
Dissatisfied docs may soon be singing "California, here I go" - Aug. 6
California HMO: Doctor bonuses based on patient satisfaction - July 30
Arizona IPA reels as Health Net pulls contract - July 30
Doctor guilty of elder abuse for undertreating pain - July 23
Groups squabble over use of "enforcement" tag - July 9/16
Collaborative effort to curb medical errors - July 9/16
Due process: First things first in peer review - Editorial July 2
Nevada approves bill on medical use of marijuana - June 25
Suspended California physician's hearing put on hold - June 18
Ritalin foes lose two rounds against drug maker, APA - June 11
Doctors bristle at quality Web ratings in two cities - June 11
Idaho doctors settle with Regence Blues - June 4
California Supreme Court says patients can sue Medicare HMOs - May 21
Arizona plan reinstitutes preauthorization - May 14
California physicians upset with work force study - May 7
California begins asking physician groups about finances - April 23/30
PacifiCare hopes to regroup financially in Colorado - April 23/30
Three state medical societies join HMO racketeering lawsuit - April 16
California decision hits physicians for fraud against Allstate - April 2
In Arizona, multispecialty groups are facing extinction - April 2
Physician-assisted suicide: When pain trails other concerns - Editorial March 19
Colorado center teaches doctors to be better doctors - March 19
California doctors jolted by power crisis - Feb. 26
Calif. lawsuit charges American Red Cross with unfair business practices - Feb. 19
Managed care plans accuse Hawaii physicians of antitrust violations - Feb. 5
Security breach: Hacker gets medical records - Jan. 29
California insurer WellPoint boosts bid to seal merger with Georgia Blues - Jan. 1/8

Last year's index - Back to top

No case of mental retardation being caused by the HPV vaccine ever has been documented. Read more

The Midwest 2001

(Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin)

Mich. doctors find paper still works best - Dec. 10
WellPoint expands Blues operations into Maryland - Dec. 10
Kan. doctors have say in Anthem merger - Dec. 10
The joy of (illegal) skating: She fought the law and the law won - Dec. 3
Sprint calls for direct contracting in Kansas City - Dec. 3
Safety awards honor 2 groups - Nov. 26
States seek to streamline credentials verification process - Nov. 12
Medicaid HMO company to offer stock - Nov. 12
Major connection: Hospital links physicians to online clinical information - Nov. 12
Ohio doctors sue over debt repayment responsibility - Nov. 5
Coalition's goal is to keep Mich. Blues healthy - Nov. 5
WellPoint acquires its first Blues plan in the Midwest - Nov. 5
Suit against HMO gets class action status - Oct. 8
HMO alternative gives doctors and patients more freedom - Oct. 8
Okla. doctors sue state over Medicaid pay, access woes - Sept. 24
U. of Michigan suspends a top researcher - Sept. 24
Mich. Blues plan pushes generic drugs - Sept. 10
Western, Midwest Blues giants drop alliance plans, stay open to other deals - Sept. 3
Doctor indicted under Michigan adult abuse law for recklessness - Aug. 27
Ohio group tells drug reps: We'll listen -- if you pay - Aug. 20
Iowa medical center lays off new osteopathic residents - Aug. 20
"For sale" sign goes up at Wisconsin Blues - Aug. 20
Life after death: Doctors thrive after clinic closes - July 23
Duluth school to unify with four-year school - June 25
Anthem to buy Kansas Blues for $190 million - June 18
Chicago businesses, doctors team up to improve diabetes care - June 18
Doctors bristle at quality Web ratings in two cities - June 11
Ohio judge says SummaCare illegally terminated doctor - June 11
Tap class: Learning to use a handheld - June 11
HCFA officials take a field trip to Kansas - June 4
Elections for AMA board, councils slated for Chicago Annual Meeting - June 4
Michigan practice refuses lump-sum deal from Wellness - May 28
Physicians call for excision of "sick tax" - May 14
AMA Annual Meeting slated for June in Chicago - May 14
Minnesota plans unite to set "best practices" - April 2
Hospital medical staff privileges: Troubling precedent from South Dakota - Editorial March 5
Michigan neurosurgeon sues specialty society over suspension - Feb. 12
South Dakota hospitals can choose which physicians get privileges, state Supreme Court rules - Feb. 5
Prompt-pay bill veto may spur broader bill in Michigan - Jan. 29
Bush picks Wisconsin Gov. Thompson, a health program innovator, as HHS secretary - Jan. 22

Last year's index - Back to top

34% of U.S. physicians and 39% of primary care physicians had EMRs in 2011. Read more

The Northeast 2001

(Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont)

Pa. hospital appeals fine after self-reporting error - Dec. 10
N.Y. investigates leaving doctors' names on panels - Dec. 10
Liability rates squeezing out specialties - Dec. 3
Patients slow to return for care in New York City - Dec. 3
Unhealthy aftereffects for rescuers and New Yorkers - Nov. 26
Rhode Island Blues plan to boost doctors' pay - Nov. 19
Hospital deals can benefit physicians, too - Oct. 15
HHS offers more money, less red tape in attempt to help New York recover - Oct. 8
All in a day's work: The harried life of a medical resident - Oct. 8
New York-based insurer adapts, keeps working - Oct. 8
Pennsylvania Blues shun closer ties, split - Oct. 8
Okla. doctors sue state over Medicaid pay, access woes - Sept. 24
"Claims pending" letters cause a stir - Sept. 10
N.Y. medical society sues six insurers - Sept. 3
Battling the bulge: Philadelphia trims the fat - Aug. 27
Dressed for success: Re-covering patients - Aug. 27
Doctors say goodbye to high costs of Philadelphia - Aug. 20
How tough is life? One state has the facts and figures - Aug. 13
Connecticut physicians win round in court against HMO - Aug. 13
Pa., Va. latest states to offer physician data online - Aug. 13
Conn. State Medical Society adds United to legal action - Aug. 13
Delaware plans statewide reporting system - Aug. 13
Tufts Health Plan contracts with claims review firm - July 30
Teacher scores singing songs of sickness - July 2
In Senate, left's gain boosts patients' rights - June 11
Rhode Island insurer must pay back co-pay overcharges - June 11
Maine discounted drug program withstands legal challenge - June 4
Pennsylvania court rules that ERISA does not exempt health plans from liability - May 7
Massachusetts tobacco restrictions being challenged - May 7
N.J. hospital drops length-of-stay plan - April 23/30
N.J. court rules doctors can be sued for embellishing credentials - April 16
New York interns, residents get NLRB nod to join union - April 16
New York medical society takes insurers to task - April 16
Patients can expect doctors, not HMOs, to decide care - April 9
Records privacy extended to pharmacies - April 2
Connecticut medical society sues six managed care plans - March 5
New York mulls IPA reserve requirement - Feb. 19
New Jersey requires health plans to cover annual physicals - Feb. 19
New Jersey loosens HMO drug formularies - Feb. 5
Break a leg: Free health care for performers - Jan. 29

Last year's index - Back to top

Hospital demand is growing for family physicians, internists and psychiatrists. Read more

The South 2001

(Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia)

Recovering physicians beating the odds - Dec. 24/31
Report blasts insurer's plan to be for-profit - Dec. 24/31
Don't get caught unaware if your IPA fails - Dec. 17
Texas Supreme Court weighs Medicaid abortion coverage - Dec. 17
Texas doctors say restitution pay is meager - Dec. 17
WellPoint expands Blues operations into Maryland - Dec. 10
Liability rates squeezing out specialties - Dec. 3
Liability bite puts Miss. physicians in the hospital - Dec. 3
Aetna connects with North Carolina doctors - Dec. 3
Safety awards honor 2 groups - Nov. 26
Losing members and money, Tennessee Blues drops HMO - Nov. 26
Florida doctors challenge Medicare fraud convictions - Nov. 19
Court dumps liability on doctors - Editorial Nov. 19
La. ruling could hurt emergency care - Nov. 12
Texas doctors shouldn't expect a big check for late claims pay - Nov. 12
N.C. court derails law meant to curb frivolous malpractice suits - Nov. 5
Texas doctors sue CIGNA over service "theft" - Oct. 22/29
Texas investigating pay practices in state's HMOs - Oct. 22/29
Maryland examines doctors' influence - Oct. 15
Fla. lawyers press for constitutional right to sue HMOs - Oct. 8
Ruling bans research where children are at "any risk" - Oct. 8
Only "clear and convincing" evidence can trigger living will - Oct. 8
Physician's jackpot will benefit others - Oct. 8
Alabama HMO teeters near bankruptcy - Oct. 8
Illegal care? Treating undocumented immigrants in Texas - Oct. 1
Okla. doctors sue state over Medicaid pay, access woes - Sept. 24
11 Texas physicians given green light to bargain collectively - Sept. 24
Soaring premiums force doctors to close practice - Sept. 10
Court drafts exception to keeping peer reviews closed - Sept. 10
PhRMA sues Florida over Medicaid formulary - Sept. 3
More Florida physicians sue Blues for dumping them - Aug. 27
Death fuels brouhaha over OxyContin prescribing practices - Aug. 20
Texas takes on slow-paying health plans - Aug. 20
Aetna's new fee schedule bad news for Fla. doctors - Aug. 20
Physicians oppose Medicare dialysis policy - Aug. 13
Pa., Va. latest states to offer physician data online - Aug. 13
IPA law comes too late for some doctors - Aug. 13
Texas researchers regroup after Tropical Storm Allison - Aug. 13
HHS sued over medical privacy rules - Aug. 6
N.C. Blues considers for-profit status after plan acquisition - July 9/16
Florida doctors, Blues argue over extent of physician cuts - July 2
Texas ensures paper-claims pathway - June 25
Mandatory in-hospital referrals banned - June 25
Georgia makes them mind: Making insurers pay their bills - June 18
Ritalin foes lose two rounds against drug maker, APA - June 11
Exposing history: A physician's photos of Natchez, Miss. - June 11
Florida hospitals send SOS to doctors to help keep nurses - June 11
Unborn child meets legal definition of "a person" - June 4
Texas trial: HMO liability law - May 28
Virginia gears up for Internet database on state's doctors - May 28
Kentucky doctors want to know what insurers pay - May 21
West Virginia says yes to HMO liability - May 21
Physicians call for excision of "sick tax" - May 14
Physicians reconsidering TennCare role - May 14
Nashville doctors wield clout over Aetna - May 7
Texas bill puts spotlight on pay for women's procedures - April 23/30
Three state medical societies join HMO racketeering lawsuit - April 16
Alabama firm plans all-digital hospital - April 16
Florida plan stops paying for fertility tests, treatment - April 16
Tennessee doctors fight against economic credentialing - April 9
Texas considers another medical school - March 26
Special licensing test still under fire in Fla. - March 26
TennCare trying to win physicians back - Feb. 19
Georgia fines Cigna for not paying promptly - Feb. 19
Texas court overturns ruling on resuscitation of premature baby - Feb. 5
West Virginia Supreme Court upholds limits on malpractice awards - Feb. 5
Physicians, Southwest Texas HMO sue to force Texas IPA into bankruptcy - Feb. 5
Florida doctors charge racial discrimination by Humana after being dropped from panel - Jan. 1/8
California insurer WellPoint boosts bid to seal merger with Georgia Blues - Jan. 1/8

Last year's index - Back to top

Visits to physicians by insured patients fell 17% from 2009 to 2011. Read more

State Roundups 2001

(Our coverage of trends in state legislatures and regulatory bodies is also a good source of information about developments in different parts of the country.)