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Article: California blood banks operating in the red; testing costs blamed.(Brief Article)
- Article from:
- Medical Laboratory Observer
- Article date:
- August 1, 2000
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2000 Nelson Publishing. 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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Blood banks in California warn that if federal Medicare reimbursements don't increase, they will be unable to continue meeting the blood needs of hospitals. Managed care, increased testing costs, and dwindling donor support have all combined to dramatically inflate the overhead of their business, and California--traditionally a precursor of healthcare tends for the rest of the nation--has seen its blood suppliers hemorrhage millions in the past few years. Blood banks nationwide face the same issues, and those in the industry fear the woes may spread.
One of the major problems the banks are facing is increased testing costs mandated by the federal government. ...