Health News 1996

APRIL | 1996

• Employer Group Re–Thinks Commitment to Big HMO’s
• Columbia–HCA Announces Purchase of Blue Cross Blue Shield in Ohio
• Aetna Announces Plan to Purchase U.S. Healthcare
• ADA Does Not Require the Creation of Permanent Light Duty Positions
• New Drug Testing Amendments
• New England Journal of Medicine on Internet
• OSHA Regulations Shrink Slightly

[top]

MAY | 1996

• Workers’ Compensation Legal Reform Continues: Insurance Rates Down, Profits Up
• Large Indiana Merger Announced
• Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Releases Injury Study
• NIOSH Publishes National Occupational Research Agenda
• After Three Years of Battling, Maine’s Innovative IME System Begins
• OSHA Seeks Comments on Workplace Violence Guidelines
• US Healthcare Found Guilty of Violating Anti–Trust and Racketeering Laws
• Insurance Mergers Continue: Anthem to Buy New Jersey BC/BS
• AHCPR Will No Longer Issue Clinical Practice Guidelines
• US House of Representatives Holds Hearing on Managed Care "Gag Rules"

JUNE | 1996

• OSHA Publishes Final Rule on Shipyard Personal Protective Equipment
• WC Trend Continues: Kansas Cuts Rates; Pennsylvania Seeks Further Reform
• California HMO Patient Rights Initiative Reaches Ballot
• HMO Patient Rights Trend Continues: NJ Regulations Near Approval
• New Study: WC Changes Improving Insurance Profitability
• EEOC Charges Nerve Conduction Testing "Too Speculative"
• New Study: Wide Disparity in Blood Lead Laboratory Tests
• AIHA Issues Position on OSHA Recordable Hearing Loss
• Governor Signs Pennsylvania WC Reform

[top]

JULY | 1996

• Clinton Administration Backs Away from HMO Rules
• U.S. House of Representatives Allows OSHA’s Repetitive Stress Injury Efforts
• OSHA Presents New Record Keeping Proposal
• Provisional Public Health Service Recommendations For Chemoprophylaxis After Occupational Exposure to HIV
• New HIV Exposure Guidelines and Hotline Announced
• New York Passes Workers’ Compensation Reform
• Oregon Phasing Out 24 Hour Coverage Program

[top]

AUGUST | 1996

• New Study: Nonprofit HMO’s Lead in Quality
• Mergers Continue: PacifiCare Acquires FHP International
• Columbia/HCA Purchase of Ohio BC/BS Reaches Critical Stage as Charges Fly
• JCAHO and OSHA Join Forces to Regulate Healthcare Safety
• New Drug Testing Regulations Take Effect
• NJ Officials Charge Mob Involvement with Managed Care Organization
• FTC and Justice Department Become More Flexible on Physician Networks

[top]

SEPTEMBER | 1996

• Trends: Hospital Ownership of HMO’s Growing
• OSHA Announces Nursing Home Initiative
• OSHA and NIOSH Plan Ergonomics Course
• Trends: Employer–Sponsored Health Insurance Continues Decline
• Columbia University Sues Columbia/HCA over Name Use
• Ohio Occupational Health Providers Form Managed Care Organization
• OSHA Backs Away from Second–Hand Smoking Regulation

OCTOBER | 1996

• New JAMA Study: No difference between managed care and traditional insurance costs for critically ill patients.
• US Supreme Court to Hear Drug Testing Case
• New Accreditation Standards for Workers’ Compensation Managed Care
• Blue Cross Association Revokes Ohio Plan’s License
• OSHA Cites Strong Enforcement in 1996
• NIOSH Considers Audiometric Age Correction "Not Scientifically Valid"
• Florida Department of Insurance Takes Control Of Workers’ Compensation Insurer
• NRC Reports "No Threat" from Residential EMF Exposure
• Humana Drops "Gag Rules"

[top]

NOVEMBER | 1996

• Judge Orders Ohio BC/BS to Stop Using Trademark
• Ohio BWC Announces Certified Managed Care Organizations
• Managed Care Ballot Initiatives Fail
• California Attorney General Moves to Block Columbia/HCA Takeover
• Study Critical of Illinois WC System
• California Approves Ergonomics Regulations

[top]

DECEMBER | 1996

• Fibromyalgia: New Study Finds Brain Abnormality
• US Bans "Gag Rules" for Medicare
• ADA: Eighth Circuit Court Upholds Standards for Firefighter Evaluation
• Two Computer Keyboard Cases Yield Opposite Results

[top]