Daily Rounds: Major Privacy Breach; Hospital Disparity Fix; Health Law Block; Stealing From Partners

Stanford Hospital Patients’ Private Data Was Posted Online - NYTimes.com "A medical privacy breach led to the public posting on a commercial Web site of data for 20,000 emergency room patients at Stanford Hospital in Palo Alto, Calif., including names and diagnosis codes, the hospital has confirmed. The information stayed online for nearly a year." (nytimes.com)

Bill seeks fewer disparities in Mass. health rates - BusinessWeek "Massachusetts health insurers would be required to pay lower rates to some of the state's most expensive health care providers, while boosting rates for some of the lowest-paid providers, under legislation introduced Tuesday by a top lawmaker. The measure proposed by Rep. Ronald Mariano, the House majority leader, takes aim at price disparities between larger hospitals — those that use their market clout to charge higher rates — and smaller, community hospitals that often are paid less for delivering the same services to patients." (businessweek.com)

Mass. nursing care found lacking - Boston.com "Massachusetts ranks 30th of all states when it comes to overall affordability, quality, and availability of services for residents who need long-term care in a nursing facility or in their own home, according to a new national study. The analysis ranked Massachusetts as one of the most expensive states in the country for the one in seven seniors who are paying for nursing home care out of their own pockets." (articles.boston.com)

Court Blocks Suit Against Health Law - NYTimes.com "A federal appellate court in Richmond, Va., on Thursday threw out a pair of cases challenging the constitutionality of President Obama’s 2010 health care law, ruling for varying reasons that the plaintiffs did not have legal standing to sue. In the process, however, two of the three judges on the panel volunteered that they would have upheld the law, known as the Affordable Care Act, if they had been able to rule on the substance of the cases." (nytimes.com) Couple sentenced to one year in jail for stealing from Partners HealthCare - Boston Medical News - White Coat Notes - Boston.com "A woman who served as executive director of two medical offices affiliated with Partners HealthCare and her husband have been sentenced to spend a year in jail, with more time suspended, after they pleaded guilty in Norfolk Superior Court to stealing nearly $500,000. Carol and Robert Peterson, formerly of Westwood, also must perform 250 hours of community service. The couple was accused of creating fake companies and fraudulently billing the medical offices for $450,000. Carol Peterson, 59, also billed the company for about $36,000 in personal expenses." (boston.com)