Health Plan & Provider Report Index Summary

UNFAIR TRADE PRACTICES

– HMOs, physician firing did not breach contract or violate state statute (Conn.), 68

UNINSURED PERSONS

– Bad debt, most incurred by insured, study, 1029
– Cal. ballot initiative to fund health coverage expansion, 34; initiative withdrawn, 237
– Chronic illness, limited access, study, In Brief, 890
– Conn., thousands seek information after plan launch, 807
– Consumer-directed plan growth, uninsured did not drop, survey, 350
– Cost of health care, treatment delays drive expenses up, hearing, 441
– Decrease, shift to public programs credited, report, 975
– Delayed care, thousands died in 2006, study, 57
– Fla. coverage reform bill passed, 524; new law, 578; 6 insurers chosen, 1179
– Guaranteed individual coverage, AHIP proposes plan for states, 11
– Hospitals

– – Cal., fewer now charge higher rates than for insured patients, study, 176
– – Care access expansion and financial transparency, new N.J. law, 933
– – Ill. Consumer Fraud Act, no violation for charging higher rates (Ill. App. Ct.), 480
– – N.J. facilities charged higher rates, dismissal of proposed class action upheld (3d Cir.), 735
– – Patients not entitled to discounts for insured (S.C.), 329

– HSAs, minimal impact, hearing, 543
– Immigrants without employer benefits, 55 percent of recent increase, report, 916
– Mandated benefits, increases linked, report, 752
– Massachusetts reform law implementation

– – Coverage up 439,000 since 2006, report, 969
– – Percent dropped, study, 648

– Minnesota

– – Ages 50 to 64, Medica offers plan, 999
– – Approved bill also covers underinsured, 581

– Nonprofits, proposed class action settlement of Scripps Health pricing dispute approved (Cal. Super Ct.), 158
– Ohio

– – Breach of contract, claims over excess hospital charges dismissed (Ohio Ct. App.), 1151
– – Demonstration projects, health clinic pilot for working Cincinnati residents authorized, 1153

– Or. board recommends provider tax increase, 999
– Population characteristics for 2007 examined, reports, 1054
– Public insurance costs and uncompensated care expenses up, report, 501
– Revised insurer business models likely, conference, 777
– 2005 and 2006, sharp increase despite economic expansion, study, 240
– Uncompensated care increasing, study, 974
– Unions, coalition launches campaign for reform proposals support, 841
– Young adults, fastest growing group without coverage, report, 614

UNIONS

– Retiree benefits

– – TWU, no ERISA fiduciary duty breach where broker chose health insurance policy (S.D.N.Y.), 782
– – UAW, critics say plan will fail absent cost cuts, 64

– UFCW, educational and psychiatric coverage arbitrarily denied for disabled son due to treatment center's billing codes (D. Colo.), 156
– Uninsured persons, coalition launches campaign for reform proposals support, 841

UNIVERSAL HEALTH COVERAGE

See ACCESS TO CARE

URAC

See UTILIZATION REVIEW ACCREDITATION COMMISSION (URAC)

UTAH

– AWP, state's claims over Medicaid program losses remanded in multidistrict suit (D. Mass.), 711
– Health system reform, bill passed to create task force for plan development, 325
– Medicare personal health records pilot, 908
– Mental health, ERISA does not preempt participant's state law claims for daughter's residential treatment coverage (D. Utah), 130

UTILIZATION REVIEW ACCREDITATION COMMISSION (URAC)

– Consumer satisfaction, public comments sought on case management tool, 614
– Health information privacy and security standards, 30 revisions released, 1210
– PBM programs, comments sought, 152
– Specialty and mail service pharmacies, 7 firms seeking accreditation, 889
– Wellness program standards, comments sought, 751