Prime Again Criticizes California Watch; UCSF, Safeway Team On Smoking Cessation

Prime Again Criticizes California Watch

Ontario-based hospital operator Prime Healthcare Services has again lashed out at the investigative journalism website California Watch, which reported last week that the chain had disclosed it was the target of a federal investigation.

According to California Watch, Prime made the disclosure as part of a filing with Rhode Island regulators to purchase a hospital in that state.
Prime has been investigated by California Watch for its hospitals in California billing Medicare for septicemia and malnutrition at rates far higher than state average. Prime has steadfastly claimed it was the target of inaccurate reporting, abetted by the Service Employees International Union/United Healthcare Workers labor organization.

The company, which operates 21 hospitals and in the past year has purchased several facilities outside of California, said in a statement the report was “the latest chapter in SEIU-UHW's vicious and epeatedly discredited anti-corporate campaign, promoted by its political surrogates and rehashed by a complicit media organization.”

Prime, a for-profit that also has a not-for-profit affiliate that operates several hospitals, has threatened legal action against California Watch, but has not filed a lawsuit against the organization, which won a George Polk Award for its reporting on Prime's billing practices.

UCSF, Safeway Team On Smoking Cessation

The University of California San Francisco's School of Pharmacy and the Safeway grocery store chain will collaborate on a smoking cessation program that is expected to expand nationally.

Under the program, Safeway pharmacists will be trained in a smoking cessation program created by UCSF faculty, which includes asking all new pharmacy customers whether they smoke, and offering medication options and referrals to the California Smokers' Helpline if they answer yes. Non-prescription nicotine replacement products – such as nicotine gum – will also be placed near the pharmacy area in stores.
“Pharmacists are often the most accessible healthcare provider for patients within their own communities, but we haven’t maximized their expertise in that setting,” said B. Joseph Guglielmo, interim dean of the UCSF School of Pharmacy. “This project offers Safeway customers the full patient-care skill set of pharmacists with a goal of helping customers prevent and manage their chronic medical conditions.”
The effort will start at 20 Safeway stores with pharmacies in California, and is expected to expand nationwide later this year.

Molina Moves Toward Private Offering

Long Beach-based Medicaid managed care plan Molina Healthcare will make a private offering of $450 million in senior notes to institutional buyers.

The company said the placement would be priced at 24.5 shares per $1,000 placed, or about a 30% premium over Molina's current share prices.

Molina officials say money infusion from the notes will be used  for working capital and to pay debt.