Latest from The Spokesman-Review

• WA Legislature to consider abortion insurance

  January 6, 2012 in News, Region In the session that begins next week in Olympia, the Washington Legislature will consider a bill that would require private insurance companies that cover maternity care to also pay for … 17

• Rates keep rising, and long-term care insurers hold the reins

  December 28, 2011 in City on Page A5 John Thielbahr got an unpleasant holiday surprise this year: an enormous increase in the “level” premiums for his long-term care insurance policy. Within a couple of weeks, he and his … 12

• Rates down, but only for those in know

  November 23, 2011 in City on Page A5 When Patti Redmond discovered in October that she was paying almost twice the going rate for her insurance policy, she called her company to ask them why. A representative from … 9

• Patients, families reach out for help with medical expenses

  August 21, 2011 in City on Page A1 They are neighbors, friends and family, ensnared by chance cruelties of life. Most often they did nothing to bring about their pain and worry. They are accident victims, tots taken … 51

• Police pension group OKs hypnosis

  July 15, 2011 in City on Page A6 A retired Spokane police officer will have his hypnosis weight-loss therapy paid for by city tax money. Members of the Spokane Police Pension and Relief Board unanimously approved the unusual … 3

• Washington orders Regence to resurrect child-only plans

  October 15, 2010 in City, Region Washington’s top insurance regulator says Regence BlueShield must resume selling child-only health insurance. 7

• Insurance policies allow protections from windstorms

  May 3, 2010 in City, Idaho Standard insurance policies typically cover wind damage to homes and businesses, but not to vehicles unless the auto policy-holder has optional comprehensive coverage, according to the Northwest Insurance Council. 1

• Insurance bridge coming

  May 1, 2010 in City on Page B1 Washington is set to start a new federally funded high-risk health insurance program. It is designed to cover people who are unable to obtain insurance, such as former and current … 1

• HHS warns of double-digit spike in health premiums

  February 18, 2010 in Nation/World Eye-popping health insurance premium increases of up to 39 percent are not an exception but a worrisome sign of the times, the Obama administration said in a report Thursday. 11

• Editorial: Insurance reform would give options to workers

  January 6, 2010 in Opinion on Page A11 Washington state’s industrial insurance program is notoriously unconventional. This is one of only four states where private insurance carriers can’t compete for workers’ compensation business. Only in Washington is the …

• Washington on track for 1 million uninsured

    November 19, 2009 in City Washington state will have more than 1 million uninsured residents by 2011, Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler said in Spokane this afternoon. 6

• Falling premiums heighten interest in life insurance

  May 4, 2009 in City on Page A7 David Boley is a Farmers Insurance agent who’s seeing life insurance from both sides lately. On the one hand, despite the poor economy, there’s a steady interest in life insurance …

• Latest AIG bailout likely won’t be last

  March 3, 2009 in Business on Page A8 WASHINGTON – A new definition of desperate times: Even as the government threw a stunning new $30 billion lifeline to American International Group on Monday, the beleaguered insurance giant confirmed …

• New liver, new law

  January 1, 2009 in City on Page B1 Fred Watley rode a bike last summer. He roller-skates with his son. A couple of weeks ago, he shoveled snow until his wife shooed him back inside their Spokane home. …

• Focus health system on patient, not profit

  August 13, 2008 in Opinion on Page B5 On Aug. 1, my wife was diagnosed with breast cancer. The biopsies of both the lymph node and breast came back positive with “poorly differentiated” cancer. This means the cancer …

• Wildfires, tax breaks don’t mix

  August 28, 2007 in Business on Page A6 The West is in the middle of another devastating fire season, with flames threatening posh communities like Sun Valley and smoke filling the valleys of Montana. So far, knock on …

• Audit Finds Fraud, Poor Care Under Medicare Services Gao Investigation Alleges Rampant Abuse

  July 27, 1997 in Nation/World on Page A4 Federal investigators say they have found widespread fraud, overcharges and substandard care in the medical services provided to frail homebound elderly people under Medicare. The General Accounting Office, an auditing …

• ‘Drive-Through’ Births Criticized Early Discharge Of New Mothers Increases Chance Of Clinical Problems, UW Study Finds

  July 23, 1997 in Nation/World on Page A3 Newborns discharged from the hospital after so-called “drive-through” deliveries are more likely to return to the hospital for treatment than infants who are allowed longer stays, according to a new …

• Fed Health Plans Won’t Cover Abortion Senate Approves Restriction; Critic Calls It ‘Gratuitous Slap’

  July 23, 1997 in Nation/World on Page A8 The Senate voted Tuesday to continue barring federal workers’ health plans from covering costs of most abortions, overriding objections from Democratic women that government employees were being denied benefits available …

• Kaiser/Group Health President Defends Diplomas Nudelman Received Degrees From Alleged California Diploma Mill

  May 27, 1997 in City on Page B2 The Group Health Cooperative’s longtime president, recently named head of the newly merged Kaiser/Group Health, says he worked hard on advanced degrees from an unaccredited school characterized as a degree …

• Who’s Homebound? With Home Health Care Benefits Now Accounting For Nearly 10 Percent Of Medicare Spending, The Administration Wants Limits On Who Is Eligible.

  May 27, 1997 in Nation/World on Page A2 Trying to fight fraud and stem a stunning rise in Medicare home health costs, the Clinton administration wants to change the definition of who is “homebound” and legally entitled to …

• Critics Rip Hmo Takeover

  January 30, 1997 in Nation/World on Page A11 Consumer and doctors groups urged state regulators Wednesday to block PacifiCare Health Systems’ takeover of FHP International Corp., which would create the largest Medicare-based managed care company. PacifiCare wants to …

• Health Care Merger Plan Advances Group Health Directors Vote

  December 13, 1996 in Nation/World on Page A16 A vote in Seattle Wednesday night moved Group Health in Seattle and Spokane a step closer to merging with Kaiser Foundation Health Plan Inc. of Portland. The joint venture would …

• Qual Med Parent Agrees To Merger

  October 2, 1996 in Nation/World on Page A12 Foundation Health Systems Inc. has agreed to combine with competitor Health Systems Inc. The deal, announced Tuesday, joins two of the largest managed care companies in the nation, both based …

• Groups Brace For Medicaid Changes

  September 28, 1996 in Idaho on Page B4 Changes are coming to Idaho’s Medicaid program and a lot of groups are anxious about what’s coming. The Governor’s Medicaid Reform Advisory Council met in Idaho Falls Thursday, another in …

• Council Studying Medicaid But Complexity Of System May Delay Implementation

  September 20, 1996 in Idaho on Page B1 A governor’s Medicaid reform council expects to recommend more than 100 ways to cut waste, save money and add flexibility to the program that offers health care to Idaho’s poorest …

• Group Health Discusses Merger With Giant Hmo Joining With Kaiser Permanente Wouldn’t Affect Care, Officials Say

  September 14, 1996 in Nation/World on Page A1 Group Health Northwest would become part of the nation’s largest health-maintenance organization if talks disclosed Friday lead to a merger with Kaiser Permanente. But officials said a consolidation, should one …

• Msc Health Plans Gain Accreditation

  July 31, 1996 in Nation/World on Page A10 Managed-care plans offered by Medical Service Corp. of Eastern Washington have received full accreditation from the National Committee for Quality Assurance. The non-profit organization had granted full accreditation to 89 …

• New Rules Aim To Keep Doctors Focused On Patients

  March 28, 1996 in Nation/World on Page A9 New rules restricting HMOs’ power to reward doctors for limiting health services were issued Wednesday to protect Medicare and Medicaid patients. Managed-care groups suggested more and wider rules were coming. …

• Qualmed Workers Pinched For Christmas

  November 28, 1995 in Nation/World on Page A12 With just 27 days until Christmas, employees at QualMed Health Plan in Spokane have learned that their Christmas week pay will be delayed as part of a shift to a …

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