Valleywide Legal Blog

The Many Faces of a Heart Attack

Many times a year we see a case in which someone has a heart attack (known medically as a myocardial infarction), seeks medical attention, and dies when they should not have.  We also know that there are many, many more … Read More

Posted in Doctors, General Health, health, healthy living, heart attack, Heart Attacks, Misdiagnosis |

Pay Me Now Or Pay Me Later

Maybe you remember the old television advertisement in which the auto mechanic told the audience that they could pay him now to install a new oil filter or they could pay him later when their car broke down due to … Read More

Posted in Doctors, Fee for Service, General Health, health, Health Care Costs, Health Insurers, Hospitals, Medical Costs, Medicare |

Nurses Get The Short End Of The Stick.

It is never easy to be a nurse serving on the front lines of health care delivery.  Nurses know this.  Perhaps you have seen the stories about the number of nurses leaving the profession.  The reasons for their leaving are … Read More

Posted in Doctors, General Health, health, Health Care Costs, Hospitals, Nurses |

Doctors Need Help, Cue the Robots

One of the most fertile fields for malpractice is the humble diagnosis.  Errors in diagnosis lead doctors down the wrong path and result in either no treatment for a serious condition or a delay in treatment.  The best available evidence … Read More

Posted in Doctors, electronic medical records, General Health, health, medical charts, medical errors, Medical Malpractice, medical mistakes, Medication Errors, Misdiagnosis, science news |

Medical Debt Is Coming To A Household Near You

Medical debt is coming to a household near you, unless you are well-off.  If you are among the poorer Americans, the chances are high that you are carrying medical debt and that at least some of it is past due. … Read More

Posted in Doctors, Fee for Service, General Health, Health Care Costs, Health Insurers, healthy living, Hospitals, Medical Costs, medical ethics, Medicare |

Hard To Believe But Insurance Company Policies Hurt Patients

I get it.  Insurance companies are in business to make money.  I don’t begrudge them a reasonable profit.  However, as evidenced by their behavior over the years, they can’t seem to operate without taking advantage of patients and patients are … Read More

Posted in Birth Injuries, Doctors, Fee for Service, General Health, Health Care Costs, Health Insurers, healthy living, Insurance Law, Medical Costs, Medicare, Obesity, Type 2 Diabetes |

Do I Really Need That Surgery?

Many patients have wondered what to do when the surgeon tells them they need surgery.  One thing you should not do is just say, “OK” without first asking some questions. Of course, not all surgeries are the same.  Some are … Read More

Posted in Doctors, General Health, healthy living, Hospitals, Infection, Informed Consent, medical ethics, medical mistakes, Surgical Errors |

Covid and the Bad Doctor

A Utah plastic surgeon has been charged by the United States with health care fraud and conspiracy arising out of a year-long scheme to sell fake Covid vaccination cards.  The cards were sold for $50 each.  It is unclear exactly … Read More

Posted in Fraud, General Health, medical ethics, Vaccines |

Our Broken Health Care Delivery System.

Next time you are visiting someone at the hospital and have a few minutes to spare, take a drive through the doctor’s parking lot.  If you live in a major metropolitan area, you will see luxury car after luxury car.  … Read More

Posted in Doctors, drug companies, Fee for Service, General Health, health, Health Care Costs, Health Insurers, Hospitals, Medical Costs, medical ethics, Medicare, Obesity, Secrecy |

Some Medicare Advantage Plans Are Taking Us For A Ride

In 2003, Congress made a major change to Medicare.  In the hopes of reducing costs through privatization, it created what are called Medicare Advantage plans.  The idea was that private companies would be paid a fixed amount to provide Medicare … Read More

Posted in Fee for Service, Fraud, General Health, Health Care Costs, Health Insurers, medical charts, Medical Costs, Medicare, Secrecy |