August 10, 2001 - Allina Health System has named a new board of directors for its hospitals and clinics. The move means the group's 17 hospitals and 47 clinics are now legally separate from its HMO, Medica. The shakeup follows months of pressure from Attorney General Mike Hatch, who has alleged Allina executives mis-spent millions of dollars on excessive consulting fees, administrative expenses, and executive perks. Hatch says he's winding up his audit of the big health group, and will make the report public by Labor Day. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports...
July 25, 2001 - Last week's announcement that Allina Health System will split its health plan, Medica, from its hospitals and clinics has some state officials calling for a closer look at the state's health care system. In the early nineties, the government began encouraging consolidation of health care services. Some observers say it is time to revive that policy discussion. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports...
July 20, 2001 - Attorney General Mike Hatch's audit of Allina Health System has prompted some concern by other non-profit health care organizations in the state and non-profit organizations overall. Allina announced yesterday it will split off it's Medica HMO from its hospitals and clinics. Under Minnesota law, the attorney general has the right to investigate any charities or non-profits that operate in the state. Legal experts say such investigations are rare, but many non-profits say Hatch's audit of Allina may change the way they do business. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports...
July 18, 2001 - According to a newspaper report, the Minnesota Attorney General's office is calling on Allina Health System to split into two companies. The Star Tribune reports that in a confidential report to Allina's board of directors, the Attorney General called on the state's largest non-profit health care organization to separate the one million members in its HMO from its 19 hospitals and health clinics. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports...
July 6, 2001 - The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services says it has notified Fairview Southdale Hospital in Edina that it will lose Medicare funding on July 16th. The decision comes after a Minnesota Department of Health investigation discovered that a patient entered the hospital emergency room in April complaining of chest pains but waited in the hospital lobby for three and a half hours. Officials say the problem happened nearly two months before nurses started striking at the hospital, but it may adds further financial problems to the Edina hospital. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports...
July 2, 2001 -
June 29, 2001 - With time running out to avoid a partial government shutdown, a House-Senate working group trying to put together a transportation funding bill broke off talks without an agreement at 4:30 this morning. The two sides plan to get back together later this morning after they accused each other of breaking earlier deals. Meanwhile, lawmakers working on the state government bill are negotiating behind closed doors and expect the full working group to take up the bill later today. Lawmakers did reach an agreement on another major bill funding health and human services. Both sides say they still hope to pass all the bills by tomorrow night's deadline and avoid the shutdown. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports...
June 27, 2001 - Patient groups, right to life advocates and researchers at the University of Minnesota and the Mayo Clinic are anxiously waiting for a decision by President Bush regarding the public funding of embryonic stem cell research. The controversial procedure has been hailed by scientists as a way of curing diseases like diabetes and parkinsons. Opponents say the procedure is immoral and unethical because scientists need to destroy a fertilized egg to isolate the precious cells. They say a similar procedure taking similar cells from adults will be just as useful. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports...
June 26, 2001 - The Minnesota Nurses Association says the 13 hundred and fifty nurses at Fairview Southdale in Edina and Fairview Riverside in Minneapolis will go back to work on Friday morning after ratifying a new contract yesterday (Mon). The ratification vote ends a 23-day strike by the nurses and puts an end to bitter negotiations between the union and 13 Twin Cities hospitals. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports...
June 25, 2001 - Nurses from Fairview Riverside in Minneapolis and Fairview Southdale in Edina will complete voting on a new contract this afternoon. The votes will be counted this evening. The Minnesota Nurses Association reached the tentative agreement on Friday and say they expect the ratification vote to be a close one. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports...