Hospital mergers with health systems, insurers and other hospitals trigger disputes

Modern Healthcare: County Attorney Seeks Documents On Ky. Merge
The legal back and forth over public records continues in Kentucky as the Jefferson County attorney's office, which represents Louisville, filed a lawsuit against the University of Louisville demanding the release of documents related to the pending three-hospital merger involving the university's hospital. Jefferson County Attorney Mike O'Donnell filed the lawsuit Tuesday and held a news conference. He said it's the public's right to see financial records regarding the deal that would give Catholic Health Initiatives the majority stake in University Hospital in Louisville (Selvam, 11/30).

Kaiser Health News: Capsules: Clash Between Hospital, Insurer May Reach Pa. Statehouse
State lawmakers are signaling a willingness to referee a fight between southwest Pennsylvania's dominant health insurer and the region's largest medical system (English, 11/30).

Detroit Free Press: Michigan Patients Caught In The Middle Of Beaumont-Blue Cross Dispute
A dispute between the Beaumont Health System and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan is being watched closely all over the state, as health chiefs wonder: Will cardholders with the state's largest insurer still be able to get care at most Michigan hospitals? The fight spilled into the public in October, when the Royal Oak-based hospital system and the Blues took out full-page ads to convey their side of the issue. If the dispute is not resolved, Beaumont -- starting Jan. 12 -- will no longer will accept the insurance of about 100,000 people insured through Blue Care Network, a Blue Cross subsidiary (Anstett, 12/1).

Meanwhile, in California, Sutter Health completes its rehabilitation center expansion-

Sacramento Bee: Sutter Finishes Rehab Center Expansion
Sutter Health's rehabilitation center in Roseville has a new look after an expansion project doubled the size of the facility. … Sutter officials said donors covered nearly a quarter of the project's $8 million price tag, contributing more than $1.6 million to the expansion. … The 106,000-square-foot center, which specializes in brain and spinal injury care, houses an inpatient gymnasium, therapeutic area and family education center (Smith, 12/1).