Author: Patsy Newitt

The recent minimum wage increase in California has presented financial challenges for many ASCs, forcing smaller physician-owned practices to compete with larger hospitals and organizations for staff.

Anesthesia regulations are evolving across many states as shifting practice standards and changing insurance policies face increased scrutiny.

Anesthesia providers are increasingly sounding the alarm over payer policies that threaten fair compensation, patient access and the sustainability of their profession. 

From layoffs to leadership moves, here are five updates from Oakland, Calif.-based Kaiser Permanente from the last month:

Three physicians and several healthcare entities agreed to pay $1.9 million to settle allegations of violating the False Claims Act through kickback schemes tied to lab testing referrals, according to a March 6 new release from the Justice Department.

Henry Goolsby, MD, his wife, Patricia Lenae Goolsby, and their clinic, Infinite Health Integrative Medical Center, agreed to pay $450,000 to settle allegations of improper Medicare billing.

Yen Luu, the former billing manager at San Jose (Calif.) Gastroenterology, filed a complaint against the GI group for harassment, unlawful retaliation, wrongful termination and other employment-related claims​, according to court documents reviewed by Becker's. 

The Medical Group Management Association is pushing for reforms to the Stark law, arguing that it no longer aligns with modern, value-based payment models, according to its 2025 Advocacy Agenda, released on March 5.

As physician employment shifts increasingly toward hospital and private equity-backed models, independent practices face mounting pressures. 

Office-based physicians play a critical role in the U.S. economy, contributing a combined economic output of $2.3 trillion, according to a new report from AMN Healthcare.