GnanaDev

www.iepolitics.com

Well another “I told you so” for iePolitics.com and inlandpolitics.com.  We’ve been called liars and such over accusations about patient care, billing, and malpractice at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center (ARMC).  Now we learn that ARMC’s Medi-Cal and Medicare contracts are in jeopardy.

Both hospital director, Patrick Petre, and San Bernardino County Fifth District Supervisor, Josie Gonzales, attempt to downplay the significance of the actions taken by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services; however, a loss of these contracts would be substantial.  The hospital is required to provide care whether it gets paid for the services it provides or not and that includes care to Medicare and Medicaid patients.

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By Jeanne Sahadi, Senior Writer
May 7, 2010: 10:06 AM ET

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) — Technical glitch. Violence in Greece. Historic U.K. elections. A combination of these factors sent the Dow plummeting nearly 1,000 points Thursday before regaining two-thirds of the ground lost.

But here’s the thing: the market could be in for a very bumpy ride in the coming months — except it won’t have technical glitches to blame. U.S. debts, more likely than not, could be an underlying culprit.

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Joe Nelson and Jim Steinberg, Staff Writers
Posted: 05/06/2010 07:15:56 PM PDT

COLTON – Arrowhead Regional Medical Center, the county’s public hospital, has until May 17 to provide a plan to federal officials as to how it will improve its patient care, or face losing its contract for Medicare and Medical services.

In November, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) launched an investigation at the hospital based on four patient complaints, reported to CMS by hospital administrators, said Patrick Petre, hospital director.

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10:00 PM PDT on Thursday, May 6, 2010

By LORA HINES
The Press-Enterprise

Federal regulators have warned officials at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in Colton that the hospital is in jeopardy of losing its Medicare reimbursements because of problems including patients’ rights, infection control and surgical services discovered during at least two recent inspections.

Officials with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services in an April 30 letter told hospital administrators that they “are initiating a process that could result in termination of the hospital’s Medicare provider agreement on or before July 30, 2010.”

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Chantal M. Lovell, Staff Writer
Posted: 05/06/2010 08:48:33 PM PDT

REDLANDS – The City Council has voted unanimously to move forward in putting a longtime practice on the books.

The council on Tuesday ordered the city attorney to draft an ordinance adding to the Redlands Municipal Code that legal settlements and real estate transactions approved by the council in closed session be disclosed publicly. The ordinance would pertain to settlements and transactions that require subsequent approval from another party.

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The Associated Press
Created: 05/06/2010 07:23:55 PM PDT

NEW YORK – A computerized sell-off possibly caused by a simple typographical error triggered one of the most turbulent days in Wall Street history Thursday and sent the Dow Jones Industrials to a loss of almost 1,000 points, nearly a tenth of their value, in less than half an hour. It was the biggest drop ever during a trading day.

The Dow recovered two-thirds of the loss before the closing bell, but that was still the biggest point loss since February of last year. The lightning-fast plummet temporarily knocked normally stable stocks such as Procter & Gamble to a tiny fraction of their former value and sent chills down investors’ spines.

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May 06, 2010 4:39 PM
Natasha Lindstrom

SAN BERNARDINO • Days after claiming he’d been harassed and threatened for helping investigators in a corruption probe, the top aide to a county supervisor has been placed on paid administrative leave.

The county has informed Matt Brown, chief of staff to 2nd District Supervisor Paul Biane, that he should not return to work while the county looks into his allegations, county spokesman David Wert said.

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Curt Hagman

Assemblyman Curt Hagman
Posted: 05/05/2010 06:03:06 PM PDT

One hundred years ago, the Boy Scouts of America was founded, inspiring generations of young men to become outstanding citizens and community leaders. Why did the Assembly Democrats adopt a resolution recognizing the Girl Scouts, yet at the same time reject the proposal to honor the 100th anniversary of the Boy Scouts?

It is disappointing that in today’s California political climate, equality for atheists, gays and lesbians is now brought into the arena of Scouting. The State Capitol’s political agenda has gotten in the way of recognizing a great institution. As an Eagle Scout, and co-author of the Boy Scout resolution, I am one of the millions of young men who proudly served as a Scout.

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By Kevin Yamamura
kyamamura@sacbee.com
Published: Friday, May. 7, 2010 – 12:00 am | Page 1A
Last Modified: Friday, May. 7, 2010 – 12:10 am

LOS ANGELES – In their only on-camera debate, the three Republicans seeking to replace U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer did their best to run to the right, as each supported Arizona’s new immigration law and opposed California’s restriction on greenhouse gas emissions.

On major topics, Assemblyman Chuck DeVore, former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina and former Rep. Tom Campbell were often in alignment Thursday. They all, for example, said hedge-fund managers shouldn’t pay higher tax rates.

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Poizner

May 7, 2010 | Christina Jewett

The New America Foundation released a report this week that tackles everything from sugary drinks to medical malpractice in suggesting how the state could save $300 billion on health care over the next decade.

Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner

There were no signs that the nonpartisan group was attempting to avoid wading into the race for the next governor.

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Meg Whitman

May 6th, 2010, 4:01 pm · posted by Martin Wisckol, Politics reporter

Steve Poizner has been trying to sully fellow GOP governor candidate Meg Whitman for receiving preferential initial public offering stocks from Goldman Sachs in 2002, so it was natural she was asked about it when she visited the Register this morning.

A major investor with the investment firm, Whitman received the stocks, then sold them for a profit when they went public and prices increased – a practice called “spinning.” She was eBay CEO at the time and also served on Goldman Sachs’ board.

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By Marc Lifsher, Los Angeles Times

May 7, 2010

A state lawsuit targeting two top former officials of the California Public Employees’ Retirement System could be the first in a series of state and federal actions focused on the nation’s largest public pension fund.

“This is not the end of this case or the end of the investigation,” Atty. Gen. Jerry Brown said at a news conference Thursday. “Other things could follow.”

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Carly Fiorina

May 6th, 2010, 12:58 pm · posted by Dena Bunis, Washington Bureau Chief

Sarah Palin said she was going to get involved in this year’s primary elections and she’s stepping into the California GOP primary race for U.S. Senate and has endorsed former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina.

The Fiorina campaign just put out a statement from the former Alaska governor and vice presidential candidate saying that “Carly is the common sense conservative that California needs and our country could sure use in these trying times. She’s not a career politician. She’s a businesswoman who has run a major corporation…We can trust Carly to do the right thing for America’s economy and to make the principled decisions she has throughout her professional career.”

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May 6th, 2010, 5:14 pm · posted by Tony Saavedra, Register investigative reporter

The battle over whether taxpayers should be allowed to see Orange County public pension data finally landed today in Superior Court.

Faced with the prickly question of whether to release the names and pension amounts of retirees making more than $100,000–information that other Superior Court judges have said is clearly public–Judge Luis Rodriguez seemed to lean toward splitting the baby: perhaps giving out the information but replacing the names with a “unique identifier.”

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