Advocacy Groups Ask Lockyer To Investigate Sutter Health
A group of labor and patient advocacy organizations have petitioned Attorney General Bill Lockyer (D) to investigate Sutter Health for allegedly violating state law, the Sacramento Bee reports. The groups -- including the Service Employees International Union, Health Access California, ACORN and Latino Issues Forum -- allege that the not-for-profit hospital chain has:
- Produced excessive profits;
- Used aggressive debt-collection methods; and
- Provided inadequate charitable care.
SEIU and Health Access California have both been critical of Sutter in the past.
Sutter spokesperson Bill Gleeson dismissed the allegations as the work of "an angry union and its allies" (Kasler, Sacramento Bee, 9/20). This is part of the California Healthline Daily Edition, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.