By Valerie Bauman http://www.insurancejournal.com/ State lawmakers say New York Gov. David Paterson’s proposal to increase doctor oversight and prevent misconduct has a good chance of passing this session — but with changes. Assembly Health Committee Chairman Richard Gottfried, a New York City Democrat, says both legislative chambers will have a few concerns about Paterson’s proposal […]

http://www.kaisernetwork.org Physicians in Massachusetts pay lower premium rates for malpractice coverage than they did in 1990, despite previous claims that high rates are causing them to leave the state, according to a study published in the current issue of Health Affairs, the Boston Globe reports. For the study, researchers at Suffolk University’s Law School, led […]

By Tim Talley http://www.insurancejournal.com Oklahoma Gov. Brad Henry’s veto of legislation intended to make it tougher to file some lawsuits was sustained when House Democrats blocked a Republican-led override attempt. House members voted 55-42 on a motion to override the governor’s veto, less than the two-thirds majority needed for it to become law without the […]

By Nick Kotik http://www.gatewaynewspapers.com During the last days of April, we recognized National Cover the Uninsured Week. I say “recognized,” because “celebrate” would be the incorrect word. The designation helps raise the awareness that not just tens of thousands, but hundreds of thousands of people in Pennsylvania and other states are living without health insurance. […]

By Winston Ross http://www.registerguard.com FLORENCE — In a bigger city, the departure of two primary care physicians from a hospital network in a single month isn’t a big deal. Patients can be absorbed into other practices, and more doctors can be counted on to move in and fill the void. In a town the size […]

BY RIDGELY OCHS http://www.newsday.com Gov. David A. Paterson introduced a wide-ranging patient safety bill yesterday that would give the state more authority in health investigations and, for the first time, make public names of doctors under scrutiny. The bill follows the case of Dr. Harvey Finkelstein, a Long Island doctor whose poor infection control practices […]

By KEVIN FREKING, Associated Press Writer http://news.yahoo.com/ WASHINGTON – Legislation that would require prescription drug makers to disclose payments to doctors got a boost Tuesday when Eli Lilly and Co. broke ranks with the industry and endorsed the bill. Lawmakers gained Eli Lilly’s support after they agreed to raise the payment limit requiring disclosure from […]

By DIBYA SARKAR http://www.chicagotribune.com WASHINGTON – Losing the audio feed during “Monday Night Football” may seem like a crisis for some sports fans, but it’s nothing compared to losing the signal that monitors a critically ill hospital patient. The technical glitches share a potential source: the proposed use of unoccupied TV airwaves for high-speed Internet […]

By Lory Pounder News BRECKENRIDGE — Instead of going to the emergency room after ripping the side of his leg open while riding rails in the park, the uninsured snowboarder decided to duct tape it together. About 10 days later, he heard about Dr. David Gray and gave him a call. “He’d done a pretty […]