News

Community Health Systems to pay $75 million for alleged New Mexico Medicaid scheme

Investor-owned hospital chain Community Health Systems and three affiliated New Mexico hospitals will pay the federal government $75 million to settle allegations that they made illegal donations to county governments to reap more federal dollars under a now-discontinued matching program.

Lisa Schencker, ModernHealthCare.com

February 5, 2015

Verdugo Hills Hospital nurses bring their case to COO

Disgruntled employees from USC-Verdugo Hills Hospital on Wednesday marched to the office of the hospital’s chief operating officer, Paul Czajka, where they delivered a community petition bearing as many as 1,300 signatures collected in Glendale, Montrose and La Cañada.

Sara Cardine, Glendale News Press

February 5, 2015

Unbought Slate Wins Against Democrats-for-Chevron

It's not often that a city council race in a city of 100,000 draws national attention. It happened in Richmond, California, this fall because one big corporation was so shameless in its open attempt to buy the election.

Jane Slaughter, Labor Notes

February 4, 2015

Populist Movement’s “Ground Zero”: The Effort To Reclaim Chicago

Since the midterm elections, the media has been buzzing about the growing schism between Wall Street Democrats and the populist wing of the party. Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s recent victories give evidence for the idea that the populists are rising. With their eyes fixed on 2016, many are asking how we can stop a coronation and nominate a populist alternative to former Sen. Hillary Clinton for president.

Jacob Swenson-Lengyel, Campaign for America's Future

February 4, 2015

Medical Debt Still a Problem Under Health Law — Despite Protections

In 2013, medical debt was the largest cause of personal bankruptcy – 1.7 million people lived in households experiencing bankruptcy because of health costs. But the law hasn’t eliminated the problem. Many states haven’t expanded Medicaid and even those with insurance can rack up big bills, a problem exacerbated by the growing number of plans with high deductibles.

Shefali Luthra, Kaiser Health News

February 4, 2015

EPA should strengthen the standards for clean air

When I was just starting as a nurse, I had a patient that had never touched a cigarette but struggled daily with the simple act of breathing. Her health issues were not because of her ancestors, poor decisions or back luck; it was because she lived near polluting oil refineries.

Heather Albright, RN, Sacramento Bee

February 3, 2015

Let Prime Healthcare buy Daughters of Charity's hospitals

Dughters of Charity Health System, a Catholic nonprofit that operates six hospitals primarily for poor and elderly Californians, is reaching the last bead on its fiscal rosary. The chain is losing money at an alarming rate and wants to sell itself to Prime Healthcare Services, but prominent Democrats and a powerful union have called on Atty. Gen. Kamala Harris to block the deal.

The Times Editorial Board, Los Angeles Times

February 2, 2015

International Nurse News Round-Up

See a collection of links to news stories about nurses in other nations, and how they are advocating for their patients.

Global Nurses United

January 30, 2015

Flu fills up Worcester hospital beds; nurses say staffing not safe

WORCESTER — Elective surgeries at UMass Memorial Medical Center were canceled a week ago because no hospital beds were available for patients, in or out of the UMass Memorial network. Over the holidays, the UMass Memorial pediatric intensive care unit was closed for a few days because it was full.

Susan Spencer, Telegram.com

January 23, 2015

Brigham Shooting Sheds New Light on Hospital Violence Legislation

It's a level of preparedness that some in the medical community said is not consistent at every hospital in the state, and the incident has shed new light on recently filed legislation that seeks to mandate training around workplace violence at every health care facility in the state.

Jessica Bartlett, Boston Business Journal

January 22, 2015