Morning Breakouts

Latest California Healthline Stories

President Bush Urges Medicare Conferees To Reach Compromise

In a meeting Thursday at the White House, President Bush urged members of the conference committee charged with reconciling the House and Senate Medicare bills (HR 1 and S 1) to work together to reach a compromise, but he did not make specific recommendations on how to find agreement on contentious issues, the Washington Times reports.

San Joaquin Board of Supervisors Rejects Plan To Move American Indian Treatment Center to French Camp

The San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday rejected a proposal by representatives of the Three Rivers Indian Lodge near Manteca to move its drug and alcohol treatment center to 140 acres of farmland in French Camp, the Stockton Record reports.

HMOs Offer Reward Programs for Healthy Choices

Dow Jones/Wall Street Journal on Thursday looks at the increasing number of health plans that are rewarding members who exercise, lose weight or quit smoking with “everything from health club memberships to European vacations.”

King/Drew Medical Center Asks Group Not To Withdraw Accreditation for Surgery Residency Program

Officials from Martin Luther King Jr./Drew Medical Center on Wednesday formally requested that the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education not withdraw accreditation for a surgery residency program at the hospital, the Los Angeles Times reports.

Oct. 17 Deadline Established To Reach Agreement on Final Medicare Bill

Republican congressional leaders on Wednesday met with Republican members of the conference committee charged with reconciling the House and Senate Medicare bills (HR 1 and S 1) to lay out a four-week timetable that would have negotiators reaching a final agreement by Oct. 17, the AP/Las Vegas Sun reports.

Farmers Insurance To Drop Medical Malpractice Coverage in 18 States

Farmers Insurance Group announced Wednesday that it plans to stop selling medical malpractice insurance, a decision that will affect physicians in the 18 states that it serves, the AP/Houston Chronicle reports.