Innovation, influence and business in America's medical cities.

Highlights of the important and the interesting from the world of health care:How much does it cost to grow old? We know that health care U.S.A.-style is expensive and we know that it’ll cost more as we get older. But exactly how much it’ll cost once we retire is probably a mystery to most, and [...]

The worst possible scenario has come to life. The 21% Medicare cut for physicians has been implemented. For the seniors of this country, their Congress has failed them. What they have done to physicians is give them no choice. Walk away from Medicare or continue to suffer the consequences of economic reality.

It’s not exactly enough to get constantly bickering Congressional leaders to hold hands and sing glorious hymns, but there’s at least one point they can agree on: Rescissions by insurance companies are bad news. The practice of rescission, in which an insurance company cancels a person’s coverage after they’ve run up heavy bills, sounds vile to the public and is technically illegal. Yet it still happens.

A bill proposed in the Ohio House of Representatives would require insurance companies to formally notify health providers, pharmacists and consumers prior to changing what prescription drugs an health plan covers.Rep. Barbara Boyd, D-Cleveland and chair of the House Health Committee, introduced the proposal, House Bill 453. The bill applies to what are known as [...]

A Washington Post-ABC News poll revealed a somewhat surprising number: 63 percent of Americans say lawmakers in Washington should keep trying to pass “a comprehensive health-reform plan.” So much for the idea that Scott Brown’s election was a sign that the public rejected reform.

A growing body of scientific literature suggests problem docs not only threaten patient safety but expose hospitals to malpractice lawsuits and staff shortages, especially nurses bullied out of their jobs by intimidating physicians.

After some end-of -year optimism sparked by several notable deals, health care venture capitalists are mixing those happy thoughts with a dose of realism.

A post on Mayo’s Health Policy blog said some media reports incorrectly reported the organization was not seeing any Medicare patients in the state. Instead, Mayo’s decision impacts patients who see “only primary care office visits for the five Mayo family practice physicians at this site.”

Many people wants the Medicare “doughnut hole” fixed. David Williams thinks he has a better idea: take it away completely.

In what millions of Americans no doubt hope isn’t the start of a long-term trend, one primary care clinic in Arizona that’s affiliated with Minnesota’s highly acclaimed Mayo Clinic says it will stop seeing Medicare patients.