Featuring hospital and health care headlines from the media and Web from September 12-18.

Iowa Headlines

 Few counties benefit from Iowa health care program
A state program offering health care to low-income adults without children is serving thousands of people who have never had health insurance, but more than half of those enrolling are from six Iowa counties.  That’s because people seeking care can only go to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City, except those who live in Polk County, who can seek a waiver to seek treatment at a Des Moines hospital.  (September 13, 2009, Nigel Duara, Chicago Tribune/Associated Press) 

Hospital ranks high nationally in care, value
St. Anthony Regional Hospital is celebrating its high national rankings for quality and affordable care.  A new study of more than 4,500 acute-care hospitals in the U.S. ranks the Carroll facility 24th in the U.S. in patient satisfaction, 75th nationally in value, and sixth in Iowa and 11th in a five-state Midwest region for value.  (September 16, 2009, Butch Heman, Caroll Daily Times Herald) 

Large crowd shows support for Cherokee MHI
Tuesday was the day that the State Legislature’s special Task Force came to the campus of the Cherokee Mental Health Institute – the first of four evaluation visits they will make to the state’s four mental health institutes.  Following the conclusion of their fourth visit, the task force will make a recommendation to the Iowa legislature to possibly close one of the four.  (September 17, 2009, Dan Whitney, Cherokee Chronicle Times) 

Congress should extend help with Medicaid
Iowa is facing a shortfall of between $900 million and $1 billion for the next budget year, and has about $133 million left in stimulus money. Everyone knew federal help was temporary, and there is likely little political will in Washington for passing another stimulus package.  But one provision Congress should consider extending is an increase in the federal matching rate for Medicaid.  (September 15, 2009, Des Moines Register) 

Health care reform: Loebsack supports House bill
Facing a skeptical crowd in Keokuk Saturday, U.S. Rep. Dave Loebsack supported the key provisions of a health care reform bill passed by the U.S. House of Representatives earlier this summer.  (September 14, 2009, Steve Dunn, Keokuk Daily Gate City) 

U.S.  Headlines 

Baucus pleases few with health care reform bill
His fellow Democrats shuddered and Republicans sneered when Sen. Max Baucus unveiled legislation to remake the health care system.  Now, the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee gamely insists that it can pass the Senate, core provisions intact. That’s precisely what many Democrats are hoping to avoid, and not even an attempt to choreograph a display of unity after a closed-door meeting could obscure it.  (September 18, 2009, David Espo, Washington Post) 

Illinois health plan is months behind on payments to doctors, hospitals
With the state’s budget in disarray, Illinois is more than six months behind in sending payments to doctors and hospitals that are due money from a state-funded health insurance plan. Left without payment for so long, some providers have grown anxious and employed debt collectors to apply some pressure. (September 15, 2009, Jon Yates, Chicago Tribune) 

Study gives high marks to retailers’ clinics
Walk-in medical clinics run by CVS, Wal-Mart and other retailers provide care for routine illnesses that is as good as, and costs less than, similar care offered in doctors’ offices, hospital emergency rooms and urgent care centers, according to a new Rand Corp. study.  The cost savings over emergency rooms, in particular, was quite dramatic.  (September 15, 2009, Margaret Shapiro, Washington Post) 

50 million new patients? More primary docs a must
As Massachusetts’ experience shows, extending healthcare to 50 million uninsured Americans will only further stress the system and could force many of those newly insured back into costly emergency rooms for routine care if they can’t find a primary care doctor.  To keep up with the demand for primary care doctors, the country will need to add another 40,000 to the existing 100,000 doctors over the next decade or face a soaring backlog, according to officials from the American Academy of Family Physicians.  (September 14, 2009, Steve LeBlanc, Associated Press) 

Hospital board wonders how it failed to notice scheme to inflate contracts
When MetroHealth System Board Chairman Bill Gaskill speaks publicly of the federal charges against a former executive of the county-owned hospital, he calls that person a criminal and the situation “dark and tragic.”  (September 13, 2009, Sarah Jane Tribble, Cleveland Plain Dealer) 

Maryland reins in hospital costs by setting rates
In the fight over a health-care overhaul, Maryland’s experience with setting hospital rates suggests the federal government could realize savings on health spending, but at a price of more regulation for health providers.  (September 14, 2009, Jane Zhang, Wall Street Journal) 

Young adults likely to pay big share of reform’s cost
As health care legislation advances through Congress, young adults are emerging as a significant beneficiary of reform, but they are also likely to play a major role in funding. A 2008 study by the Urban Institute found that more than 10 million young adults ages 19 to 26 lack health insurance coverage.  For many of those people, healthcare reform would offer relatively inexpensive individual policies. The trade-off is that young people would require individuals to buy at least minimal coverage.  (September 16, 2009, Shailagh Murray, Washington Post)