Bills Would Revise Ban on Public Hospitals Hiring Docs

A California law preventing state hospitals from directly hiring doctors has hampered efforts to increase the number of care providers in rural areas of the state. The state Legislature is set to consider two bills (AB 646 and AB 648) that would allow public hospitals to hire doctors and establish a pilot program to allow rural health facilities to directly employ doctors.

• "Rural Areas Push To End Ban on Hiring Doctors" (Calvan, Sacramento Bee, 4/19).