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Article: The health care squeeze: Doing more with less; Health plan enrollments are up, doctors are busier than ever. But hospitals are closing, and layoffs and cost cutting are growing as employers refuse to accept higher rates.(BUSINESS)
- Article from:
- Star Tribune (Minneapolis, MN)
- Article date:
- February 3, 1997
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1997 Star Tribune Co. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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The health care business, one of the state's largest industries, is booming by some measures.
Enrollments in Minnesota's four largest health plans never have been higher. Last year, Medica surpassed the symbolic 1 million enrollment mark and Blue Cross exceeded some of its membership growth goals.
Patients have been streaming into metro area hospitals and clinics. Outpatient admissions continued to be the growth market for hospitals, but even inpatient admissions were relatively strong in 1996.
In spite of these growth trends, however, many organizations laid off or reshuffled workers, trimmed overhead, closed facilities or retooled.
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