July 2006

Cover Story

Employers' Stock in Wellness Rises With No End in Sight
Whereas before insurers used to devise new products and processes to attract purchasers, now more and more employers are going to the plans and insisting on preventive care

Martin Sipkoff

Banks Give Insurers an Offer Most of Them Cannot Refuse
Managing the assets of a health savings account has banks excited, but leaving charges in the hands of members makes providers nervous

John Carroll

Oncologic PET Study Seeks Basis for Coverage Decisions
A noble goal, though Medicare Advantage plans may suffer in the course of determining just what scans are appropriate

Lola Butcher

Managed Care Prepares For the Worst
Health plans are devising ways to function even when their providers are being overrun and the insurers themselves face a vastly depleted workforce

Ed Silverman

High-Tech Imaging Full of Kickback Dangers
Some managed care companies begin to take a hard look at what's behind the explosion in costs for radiological services

Michael Levin-Epstein

Editor's Memo

From the Grass Roots, A Demand for Health Security

John Marcille

Viewpoint

Can a Moose Inspire Leadership?
Talking honestly about problems can help organizations, so long as those in charge take a compassionate approach

Arthur Lazarus, MD, MBA

Ethics

Guide to Critical Care Ethics Not Ready for Prime Time
A potential useful volume on ethics in critical care falls short of expectations, often skimming the surface of important debates

Michael S. Victoroff, MD

Legislation & Regulation

Proposal Would Limit Profit of Some California Plans
John Garamendi, California's insurance commissioner, thinks some insurers have the potential to gouge the consumer, and wants to mandate a high medical loss ratio

John Carroll

Compensation Monitor

Physicians' real income continues to fall
The Formulary Files

Specialty anti-inflammatories see huge increase in utilization
Tomorrow's Medicine

Device Allows Doctors to See Inside the Small Intestine
How small is small? The latest digital camera takes images of a patient's 'inner space.'

Thomas Morrow, MD

Managed Care Outlook

Public payers foot greater pharmacy costs



News & Commentary

UnitedHealth Ruling Cites Flaws in System

Physician Satisfaction Study Surprises

AMA Lays Down Guidelines For Retail Clinics

Headlines On Deadline...

Education Concerns Push Back Florida's Medicaid Experiment