Index 2006: Regional coverage list - map

West - Midwest - Northeast - South - State roundups - Map - 2005 - 2007

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The West 2006

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

Regence halts network opposed by Washington state doctors - Dec. 25
Doctors catalysts for pay-for-performance program - Dec. 25
California public hospital set to close residencies - Dec. 11
Oregon to consider universal coverage proposals next year - Dec. 4
Ruling: MCAT must adapt for learning disabled - Nov. 27
California physicians to launch retail health clinic without the store - Nov. 27
Hawaii physicians can sue state's biggest health plan - Nov. 13
Regulator cited in United-PacifiCare merger - Nov. 13
Oregon nixes use of term "physician-assisted suicide" - Nov. 6
California expands oral surgeons' scope of practice - Nov. 6
Individual health plans come under scrutiny in California - Nov. 6
California to track, post doctors' race, languages spoken - Oct. 23/30
In-store clinic operator pulls out of Oregon market - Oct. 23/30
Washington doctors sue Blues plan over performance standards - Oct. 16
Montana specialty hospital fight goes to state's high court - Oct. 9
Oregon appeals court strikes down state liability limits - Oct. 9
Court vindicates Nevada doctor in latest twist of fraud case - Sept. 4
California moves to stop balance billing by emergency physicians - Aug. 28
San Francisco plan to cover everyone - Aug. 21
California high court shields peer reviewers - Aug. 21
Aetna to offer discount cards, starting in Denver, New Jersey - Aug. 14
California doctors, hospitals battle Blues' new fee schedule - July 17
California doctor who spoke against hospital wins lawsuit - July 17
United spins off members to Cigna - July 10
Debate arises over paying for eggs for research - June 26
Arizona doctor sees immigration bill as a hope for himself, others - June 19
New law lets states get tough on benefits for Medicaid patients - June 12
California high court to rule on peer reviewer shield - June 12
California doctor fights slander lawsuit on grounds of patient advocacy - June 5
Tenet settles case on referral kickbacks - June 5
2 states aim to boost med student enrollment - May 8
Oregon wrongful death liability cap is upheld - May 1
Fraud probes don't override doctor-patient privileges - April 17
California court: Balance billing sometimes OK - In the Courts April 10
California group unveils new quality award - April 10
Oregon assisted-suicide rate stable - Quick View April 3
Expansion of EMR program for California migrant workers - April 3
No role for physicians in executions: Going against the oath - Editorial March 27
Controversial California ruling focuses on physician role in execution - March 13
Nevada Supreme Court to decide limit of obstetrician's liability - March 13
Oregon computer theft spurs patient privacy lawsuit - March 6
Technology firms pushing tech bonus pay for doctors - Feb. 27
Ruling may ease DEA pressure on pain prescribers - Feb. 13
Shorter hours said to shortchange residents - Feb. 13
Impact of Oregon ruling: Will more states allow assisted suicide? - Feb. 6
Nevada drug importation program gets go-ahead - Jan. 30
California law aims at medical board makeover - Jan. 16

Last year's index - Back to top

1 in 5 prescriptions is written off-label. Read more

The Midwest 2006

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

South Dakota votes down law to make performing abortions a felony - Nov. 27
Election 2006: No veto-proof majority on stem cell funding - Nov. 27
Illinois hospital denied property tax exemption - Nov. 6
Probe of hospital research group expands - Oct. 23/30
Illinois Supreme Court issues abortion parental consent rules - Oct. 16
Woman's death in hospital emergency department ruled a homicide - Oct. 16
Cancer, families and physicians (book excerpt: A Lion in the House) - Oct. 9
Doctor shows how to make "reel" money - Oct. 2
Michigan high court lets physician sue over bad peer review - Sept. 18
Gathering moss in the land of sky blue waters - Aug. 28
Measles outbreak in Indiana linked to failure to immunize - Aug. 28
Physicians wary of insurers covering OTC medications - Aug. 21
Wisconsin families can sue on 2 counts in death cases - Aug. 14
Transplant surgeon recounts what it's like to wait for organ - Aug. 7
Doctor offers medals to patients with mettle - July 24/31
Pistachio ranching: A family tradition - July 17
Medical staff autonomy a must: Courts take note - Editorial July 17
Court rules hospital not bound by bylaws - June 26
WellPoint drops blended-rate doctor payment policy in Ohio - June 12
Surgeon fired up about glass art - June 12
School aims to boost organ donation in brain-death cases - June 5
Court considers South Dakota law on abortion consent - May 22/29
Court sides with doctors on reporting teen sex - May 15
Kansas is testing a Medicaid database to aid decision-making - May 8
More mumps cases reported in the Midwest - May 8
Indiana Medicaid pays for teleconsultations - May 1
Rewriting the hidden curriculum: Keeping empathy alive - April 24
Ohio lawsuit merit rule faces test - April 17
Med school's Web site adds student blogs - April 17
Wisconsin governor signs liability cap - April 10
Ohio Supreme Court limits what parents can win in wrongful birth cases - April 10
Wisconsin lawmakers OK $750,000 tort cap - March 27
Safety by design: Starting from the ground up - March 27
Minnesota report card on patient safety - Quick View March 27
Humana publishes some procedure prices in Wisconsin online - March 27
South Dakota abortion law to challenge Roe v. Wade - March 20
Less distractions equal safer handoffs - March 6
Wisconsin jury award is largest since caps dissolved - Feb. 27
Missouri practice files antitrust suit against hospital - Feb. 20
Courts set limits on confidentiality in disciplinary actions - Feb. 20
Empowering patients with humor and a T-shirt - Feb. 20
Ohio clarifies doctor role in patient privacy - Feb. 13
Missouri tries to apply abortion consent law in other states - Jan. 30
Location, location, location: The geographic facts about noncompete clauses - Jan. 30
Wisconsin ruling nixes key statute of limitations provisions - Jan. 30
Wisconsin group to measure physician quality, efficiency - Jan. 23
Illinois court hears hospital's appeal of staff bylaws ruling - Jan. 16

Last year's index - Back to top

More than 70% of off-label prescriptions were for indications in which the drug ordered had little or no scientific support. Read more

The Northeast 2006

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

New York health plan merger sparks fears of insurer monopoly - Dec. 18
Court looks at consent in emergencies - Dec. 18
New York doctors, hospitals see a onetime critic become an ally - Dec. 18
Massachusetts judge allows liability claim by plaintiff who was not a patient - In the Courts Dec. 11
New Hampshire wants everyone to e-prescribe - Nov. 20
Connecticut court upholds doctors' right to pay only part of jury award - Nov. 6
Massachusetts coalition creates tracking form for patients' medications - Nov. 6
New York doctors sue health plan over "all products" policy - Oct. 16
Delaware Blues plan disassociates from parent company CareFirst - Oct. 16
Some medical schools say no to drug reps' free lunch - Oct. 9
Physicians get Senate's ear on plan mergers - Oct. 2
Connecticut groups sue to find out Medicaid HMO physician pay rates - Sept. 18
New culture for coping: Turning to peer support after medical errors - Sept. 11
Dr. POW (book excerpt: Conduct Under Fire) - Aug. 14
Aetna to offer discount cards, starting in Denver, New Jersey - Aug. 14
Connecticut investigates research group - Aug. 7
Rhode Island moves toward statewide health information network - July 17
Doctor donates own blood in midst of surgery - June 19
Vermont passes health insurance reform plan - June 5
Study tracks quality of professional life: Practice climate shows a decade of decline - May 15
Doctor tackles teen health issues on radio call-in show - May 15
Some New York physicians join the Teamsters - May 15
New York appeals court allows single-case evidence - May 1
Boston hospital tests tracking system in emergency department setting - May 1
Mass. appeal: A plan to cover the uninsured - Editorial May 1
Massachusetts mandates insurance coverage for all; costs at issue - April 24
Legacy of an ill-fated vaccine (book excerpt: The Cutter Incident) - April 10
Doctors take Pennsylvania antitrust case to U.S. Supreme Court - April 3
Doctor swaps medicine for robotics - April 3
Rhode Island stalls expansion of retail MinuteClinic - March 13
Delaware physician whistle-blower wins free-speech appeal - Feb. 27
Age of angst (book excerpt: False Alarm) - Feb. 27
Health plan pushing personal medical records - Feb. 27
Massachusetts state agency creates tiered doctor networks - Feb. 27
Large-scale test set for smart cards - Feb. 13
Supreme Court sends New Hampshire abortion notification law back for fix - Feb. 6
WellPoint, WellChoice complete merger - Jan. 23
Diabetes A1c registry is launched in New York City - Jan. 23
Pennsylvania groups sue over automatic Medicare enrollment - Jan. 16

Last year's index - Back to top

Out-of-pocket health costs for adults with employer coverage rose 34% from 2004 to 2007. Read more

The South 2006

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

Physician-run HMO in Florida is going out of business - Dec. 11
Florida Supreme Court: Expert can't rely on others' views - Dec. 4
Right to reimbursement - Editorial Dec. 4
Florida health system wants vendors that insure workers - Nov. 27
Washington Supreme Court upholds doctor's right to sell medication - Nov. 20
Florida Supreme Court rules that out-of-network doctors can sue HMO - Nov. 20
Medical liability: Florida voters speak, but no one listens - Editorial Nov. 20
Virginia law school gives doctors new perspective on liability litigation - Nov. 13
Florida doctors and lawyers turn to waivers after tort ruling - Nov. 6
Texas dermatologist running for Congress - Oct. 23/30
North Carolina company drops plan for overseas care - Oct. 23/30
Kentucky surgeons save Sundays for charity care - Oct. 2
Texas physicians challenge new chiropractic rules - Oct. 2
Lawsuit challenges state licenses for expert witnesses - Oct. 2
Starting over on common ground: Care must go on - Sept. 25
Mississippi health system trying for normalcy - Sept. 25
Exploring the intersection of biology and art - Sept. 18
North Carolina project aims to shorten wait times for pediatric subspecialists - Sept. 11
Georgia doctors take on Medicaid HMOs over slow pay - Sept. 11
South Carolina Supreme Court halts out-of-state expert witness rule - Sept. 11
Wrongful birth case crosses state lines - Sept. 4
Florida hospital that says HMO paid too little can sue - Sept. 4
North Carolina considers limits on physicians' role in executions - Aug. 28
Federal court overturns Md. employer mandate - Aug. 14
Georgia liability plaintiffs don't have to waive privacy - Aug. 14
Doctor, nurses arrested in Katrina deaths - Aug. 7
Contracts don't let hospitals refuse doctors, Georgia court rules - July 24/31
Mississippi board approves expert witness regulations - June 19
Neurologist dreams up patient-friendly pillow - June 19
New law lets states get tough on benefits for Medicaid patients - June 12
Florida Supreme Court may look at peer review confidentiality - June 12
Tennessee passes health insurance reform package - June 12
Cities following business lead to employee clinics - June 12
New Orleans now a physician shortage area - June 5
Federal court lets Texas peer review ruling stand - May 22/29
A victory for medical staff autonomy: Physicians win in Florida - Editorial May 15
2 states aim to boost med student enrollment - May 8
Florida passes bill limiting doctors' liability share - April 24
HHS offers physicians funds for Katrina care - April 17
Florida judge upholds status of medical staff bylaws - April 17
West Virginia passes bill to create preventive care pilot program - April 10
Reservist sues after hospital calls in loan - March 6
Washington state bill offers safe harbor for retainer practices - March 6
More states are allowing bare-bones health coverage - Feb. 20
Washington state hospital sees 96% compliance with flu shots - Feb. 13
Location, location, location: The geographic facts about noncompete clauses - Jan. 30
Texas surgeons sue network over hospital "monopoly" - Jan. 23
Latest Katrina aftermath: Louisiana medical schools lay off faculty doctors - Jan. 23
Florida doctors wary of Medicaid overhaul - Jan. 2/9
Florida Blues will push PPO option over HMO plan - Jan. 2/9
West Virginia looks at retainer model - Jan. 2/9

Last year's index - Back to top

If defensive medicine accounts for 1% of the annual health care bill, that's $22 billion. Read more

State Roundups 2006

(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.)

SCHIP renewal expected, but funding remains the question - Dec. 11
Medicaid Commission adopts reform plan - Dec. 11
National health priorities shift as Democrats take control of Congress - Nov. 27
States' voters speak, and smoking is out - Nov. 27
States ramp up efforts to keep residents - Nov. 20
Grant aids effort to share licensing data - Nov. 13
Consumer group decries lack of physician discipline info - Nov. 13
Medicaid payment inching up - Nov. 6
Oregon nixes use of term "physician-assisted suicide" - Nov. 6
Connecticut groups sue to find out Medicaid HMO physician pay rates - Sept. 18
North Carolina project aims to shorten wait times for pediatric subspecialists - Sept. 11
Georgia doctors take on Medicaid HMOs over slow pay - Sept. 11
States cautious about tort reform success - Sept. 11
Paperwork, low pay driving physicians from Medicaid - Sept. 4
Database on foreign med schools in works - Sept. 4
Salmonella outbreaks linked to hospitals; doctors warned - Sept. 4
Limiting access: Will Medicaid fail its citizenship test? - Aug. 7
States focus on doctor arrangements with imaging centers - Aug. 7
U.S. Supreme Court leaves medical issues to states - Aug. 7
Medicaid citizenship rule eased, but access concerns persist - July 24/31
States to get pain policy report cards - July 24/31
IOM panel seeks lead federal agency on emergency care - July 10
Local physicians, attorneys team up - July 3
Strengthen prompt-pay laws: Insurer payment still too slow - Editorial July 3
New law lets states get tough on benefits for Medicaid patients - June 12
States' hospital associations share charity care numbers - June 12
House panel debates pros, cons of state "Wal-Mart" bills - May 22/29
2 states aim to boost med student enrollment - May 8
Kansas is testing a Medicaid database to aid decision-making - May 8
Indiana Medicaid pays for teleconsultations - May 1
Medicaid anti-fraud effort launched - April 17
West Virginia passes bill to create preventive care pilot program - April 10
More states considering gift-disclosure legislation - March 20
21 reasons why we need tort reform now: The case for states - Editorial March 20
Controversial California ruling focuses on physician role in execution - March 13
Medicaid to offer HSA pilot program - March 13
Broader conscience clauses would expand physicians' right of refusal - March 6
Medicaid changes will hurt patient access, doctors say - Feb. 27
More states are allowing bare-bones health coverage - Feb. 20
Tort reform: The truth of the matter - Editorial Feb. 20
States' governors use varied approaches to focus on covering the uninsured - Feb. 13
Impact of Oregon ruling: Will more states allow assisted suicide? - Feb. 6
Few states get high marks in report on liability environment - Feb. 6
Missouri tries to apply abortion consent law in other states - Jan. 30
Disclosure an important step in patient referral - Jan. 23
Quality concerns spur scrutiny of Caribbean medical schools - Jan. 16
UnitedHealth-PacifiCare deal approved, with conditions - Jan. 16
States target serious medical errors that never should happen - Jan. 2/9
Dollars for disaster readiness, bioterrorism tricky to spend - Jan. 2/9
Florida doctors wary of Medicaid overhaul - Jan. 2/9

Last year's index - Back to top

Solo and small-group practices deliver the most primary care but have the lowest rates of EHR adoption. Read more

Vote refines AMA stance on health reform
The AMA House of Delegates rejected attempts to rescind support of a U.S. House health reform bill and any new government-sponsored health insurance plan during the 2009 Interim Meeting.
Story - AMA House - Slideshow