Ralph Nader Targets Kaiser Patient Care

Kaiser Permanente is under fire from consumer advocate Ralph Nader, who wants California to place a moratorium on new business at the state’s largest health-maintenance organization. In a letter to Department of Corporations Commissioner Keith Bishop, who regulates HMOs, Nader cited wrongful-death cases against Kaiser at a Richmond hospital and the Texas Department of Insurance’s decision to fine Kaiser $1 million for failing to pay for emergency care. Nader said reducing business at Kaiser would mean the HMO could redirect advertising resources toward fixing safety problems. Kaiser said it is doing its own investigation of problems in California and is no longer admitting overnight patients to its Richmond facility.