Health Care Law Blog

According to the Los Angeles Times, a private program called the Illinois Professionals Health Program (IPHP), in charge of monitoring doctors who are receiving substance-abuse treatment in the state, has been expanded to reach health care workers who may be guilty of sex offenses.  The program, which monitors treatments outside of the public view, has been highly criticized because of its secrecy and supposed lack of regulation.  Critics say that sexual misconduct by health care professionals must be met with public disciplinary actions, not covert treatments.

Former medical prosecutor John Goldberg …(read more)

As baby boomers advance in age, the demand for long-term care in skilled nursing facilities has increased dramatically.  The average monthly cost for nursing home care in California is $6,300.  Potential sources of payment include Medicare, Medicaid/Medi-Cal, and supplemental and long-term care insurance.  This blog is part of a series that will focus on Medi-Cal planning.

What is Medi-Cal?

Medi-Cal is California’s version of the federal Medicaid program that provides additional health insurance for qualified individuals who are at least 65 years of age, blind, or disabled.  Medi-Cal is often used to …(read more)

As part of the new Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the website Healthcare.gov has went live on the internet in July.  This website is a government-created service which aims to help people find and compare health insurance plans.  The site contains no marketing material, but instead allows each user to enter their personal information and see a list of insurance options in their area that best suit their individual needs.  A person searching for insurance plans simply enters the state in which he or she lives, and whether the …(read more)

A $7 million settlement has been reached in a whistleblower lawsuit that alleged newborns were double-bunked in an intensive care unit at the now-defunct Wyler Children’s Hospital, a University of Chicago Medical Center.  Placing two sick newborns in one bed space is a violation of Illinois regulations because it increases a hospital’s risk of medical errors and can spread infections.

The case began in 2003 when two nurses filed a whistleblower lawsuit to stop the hospital’s illegal practices.  A spokesperson for the hospital claims that no child was harmed by the …(read more)