Healthcare Partners Medical Group

Concerned about being also-rans in the race toward health care reform, doctors across California are selling their practices to large investor-owned companies that are piecing together giant regional physician networks. These companies offer worried doctors a sense of security and greater access to the three out of four Californians who are insured by managed-care health plans.

California's largest private physician practice has become one of the first doctor groups in the nation, and almost certainly the largest, to make prices for its medical procedures widely available to consumers.

California's largest private physician practice has become one of the first doctor groups in the nation, and almost certainly the largest, to make prices for its medical procedures widely available to consumers.

HealthCare Partners Inc., one of the largest medical groups in Southern California, has acquired two regional physician practices groups in a bid to broaden its patient base throughout the San Fernando Valley. HealthCare Partners acquired Greater Valley Medical Group and Greater Valley Physician Associates, which will add three clinics, 55,000 patients and 68 doctors to its roster.

HealthCare Partners Inc., one of the largest medical groups in Southern California, has acquired two regional physician practices groups in a bid to broaden its patient base throughout the San Fernando Valley. HealthCare Partners acquired Greater Valley Medical Group and Greater Valley Physician Associates, which will add three clinics, 55,000 patients and 68 doctors to its roster.

HealthCare Partners, the medical-group giant acquired last year by dialysis chain DaVita Inc. for $4.4 billion, is seeking a state license to operate as a managed-care plan after questions were raised about its compliance with California law. The California Department of Managed Health Care has been looking into the nation's largest operator of physician groups since last fall when a patient sued the Torrance company and accused it of acting like...

I can't tell you how refreshing it was to read James Flanigan's column on health care ["For All the 'Patients' Rights' Politics, Medical Costs Are Flaring Up Again," Nov. 22]. I have despaired that the public will ever be offered some intelligent thinking on this subject, rather than the endless stream of moronic, self-serving polemics against managed care. In our organization we conceive of managed care as taking care of one's own family with one's own money. That concept permits a healthy notion of limits, instead of the neurotic idea of entitlement to unlimited "care," no matter how expensive, futile or even harmful.

James Barber President and chief executive Healthcare Assn. of Southern California John Chen President, Lotus Herbs Inc. Gray Davis Governor, State of California Dr. Jonathan E. Fielding Director of public health and health officer Los Angeles County Dr. Alan M. Heilpern President, Horizon Health Services Dr. Jeffry Huffman Chief executive USC Care Medical Group Inc. Peter Lee Executive director Center for Health Care Rights Dr. Susan M.

In one of the first attempts to compile a health care report card on physician groups, a California employers' organization recently published a report that used patient surveys and data on preventive care to compare doctors. The study's sponsor, the Pacific Business Group on Health, hopes that employers and consumers will use the information to help select doctors during open-enrollment periods for health plans.

Concerned about being also-rans in the race toward health care reform, doctors across California are selling their practices to large investor-owned companies that are piecing together giant regional physician networks. These companies offer worried doctors a sense of security and greater access to the three out of four Californians who are insured by managed-care health plans.

Californians are generally satisfied with the performance of their managed-care physicians and health insurance plans but want better access to medical specialists and less time spent in doctor waiting rooms, the Davis administration said Tuesday. The conclusions were contained in a second annual state government "report card" that rated the 10 biggest HMOs, covering 95% of Californians enrolled in managed-care health plans.

* Cost of downtown street-meter violation: $30 * Price of palm reading at Psychic Star at Hill Street and Olympic Boulevard: $10 * Price of tarot reading: $30 * Price of basic carwash at Downtown Car Wash at Olympic Boulevard and Figueroa Street: $9.