Search: 2010

Emergency rooms, the only choice for patients who can't find care elsewhere, may grow even more crowded with longer wait times under the nation's new health law.

Non-profit hospital chiefs who think they've been dragged through the wringer with the credit crunch and the recession should not think the worst is over, according to a new Moody's Investor Service report, which could be summed up in short: Brace yourselves for more bad news and changes for many years ahead.

With many in California's primary care physician community approaching retirement, the Golden State needs a significant increase in providers, particularly doctors who will accept Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries, a study released July 16 said. (Physician Participation in Medi-Cal, 2008 CHCF)

With many in California's primary care physician community approaching retirement, the Golden State needs a significant increase in providers, particularly doctors who will accept Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries, a study released July 16 said.

Health care accounts for a remarkably large slice of the U.S. economic pie. Each year health-related spending grows, often outpacing spending on other goods and services, meaning that the size of that slice increases. These cost increases have a significant effect on households, businesses, and government programs.

The Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS), Labor, and Treasury issued regulations to implement a new Patient’s Bill of Rights under the Affordable Care Act. These new protections apply to nearly all health insurance plans. Here’s how these new rules will help you.

 The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, also known as national health reform, or, perhaps derisively as ‘Obamacare’, will change the way hospitals are paid. Since hospitals are major employers in the Central Valley and are drivers of local economies, the question is what exactly will the new law mean? The short answer is no one really knows precisely

California could pursue deeper cuts to health care and other services after congressional lawmakers backed off plans to extend $24 billion in Medicaid assistance to cash-strapped states, the Los Angeles Times reports.

Hospitals and physicians are bracing for possible Medi-Cal reductions as the state budget is once again on life support and could remain that way for months.

Higher Medicare copays, sometimes just a few dollars more, led to fewer doctors visits and to more and longer hospital stays, a large new study reveals.