Week in review: 10 biggest healthcare stories this week

Stay in the know with Becker's Hospital Review's weekly roundup of the nation's biggest healthcare news. Here's what you need to know this week.

1. Geisinger to begin offering refunds to unsatisfied patients
Geisinger Health System President and CEO David Feinberg, MD, said the Danville, Pa.-based health system will start offering a money-back guarantee to patients who receive care at its facilities, according to a Times Leader report. According to Dr. Feinberg, after patients receive care at a Geisinger facility, they will be able to use a smartphone app to tell the system about their experience and then request a refund if they are unhappy with the care they received.

2. Colorado could be 1st state with universal healthcare
Coloradoans are set to vote on a single-payer state healthcare system, according to a report from The Denver Post. If the measure passes, Colorado would apply for a waiver under the Affordable Care Act and become first state to fund comprehensive healthcare for residents, according to the report. Proponents petitioned to add universal healthcare to the 2016 ballot. They needed at least 98,492 valid signatures. 

3. 9 thoughts on healthcare from the Republican debate 
Eight Republican candidates for the presidential nomination took the stage in Milwaukee Tuesday at the Fox Business debate. Carly Fiorina and Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) discussed their views that the Affordable Care Act needs to be repealed. Ms. Fiorina also talked about the need for a free market for health insurance, as well as increased price transparency. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) touched on the Congressional exemption from the ACA, which allows members of Congress to use employer subsidies to cover premiums, saying he believes the "law should apply evenly to every American." For more comments from the other candidates, click here.

4. Aetna, Anthem, Cigna, Humana and UnitedHealth disclose Q3 results
The five major U.S. health insurers posted strong results for the third quarter of fiscal year 2015, with each reporting revenue growth for the period. UnitedHealth Group reported the largest increase in revenue: $41.5 billion for the third quarter of fiscal year 2015, up 27 percent from the same period a year ago.

5. AMA asks DOJ to block health insurer mega-mergers
The American Medical Association has asked the Department of Justice to block Aetna's proposed acquisition of Humana and Anthem's proposed acquisition of Cigna. The AMA sent a letter to the head of the DOJ's antitrust division on Wednesday, saying the two proposed mega-mergers will reduce competition and could harm patient care.

6. CHS, Tenet, UHS, LifePoint and HCA disclose Q3 results
For-profit hospital operators struggled in the third quarter of fiscal year 2015, with CHS, Tenet and HCA seeing profits fall compared to the same period a year ago.

7. Texas hospital to close Nov. 16, affecting 138 employees
Bowie (Texas) Memorial Hospital will officially close Nov. 16, according to a KFDX report. The hospital board had hoped to save the financially ailing hospital through the creation of a new hospital district, but the measure was denied when 53 percent of voters turned down the tax district. Bowie Memorial's closure will affect 138 hospital employees and an additional 336 jobs within the community.

8. FTC moves to block hospital merger in West Virginia
The Federal Trade Commission has authorized action to block the merger of Cabell Huntington (W.Va.) Hospital and Huntington-based St. Mary's Medical Center. In an administrative complaint filed Nov. 6, the FTC alleges the two hospitals — which are located just 3 miles apart — are each other's closest competitor for health plans and patients, and that the acquisition would substantially lessen competition between the hospitals for patients and for inclusion in health plan networks.

9. NJ hospital files for bankruptcy amid sale to Prospect Medical Holdings
Financially troubled East Orange (N.J.) General Hospital filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy Nov. 11. The hospital is to be acquired by Prospect Medical Holdings, a for-profit hospital chain based in Los Angeles. However, Martin Bieber, the interim CEO of EOGH, said the hospital's liquid resources have been depleted to a point that it is unable to complete the transaction without restructuring operations. After EOGH announced it filed for bankruptcy protection, Prospect Medical Holdings released a statement reiterating its commitment to take over the hospital.

10. Active shooter who locked down St. Luke's Hospital killed by police
An armed man who scaled a construction site near St. Luke's Hospital in San Francisco and was aiming one of his guns at the healthcare facility was fatally shot by police officers late Wednesday afternoon, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. Before being shot by the police, the man was able to fire at least one round, but police officials will not say whether the shot was directed at St. Luke's. They have confirmed, however, that no one was hit. As a precaution, the hospital locked down for several hours Wednesday afternoon.

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