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Patients Sue HMOs and Insurance Companies Over Lack of Inspections Before Hepatitis Crisis

Excerpt: HMOs and health insurance companies have a reputation for being immune to patients' lawsuits, but an avalanche of court cases has been filed against them in connection with a hepatitis outbreak in Southern Nevada. Health maintenance organizations and health insurance companies must be held accountable for telling people which doctors they must use, say the attorneys of people who contracted or were exposed to hepatitis C at Dr. Dipak Desai's Las Vegas Valley endoscopy clinics.

State, Local Government Workers in Nevada to Pay Higher Pension Premiums

Excerpt: They face a 1.125 percent increase to bring their contribution rate to 11.87 percent.

Suit Claims IGT Employees Harmed by Retirement Plan Investment

Excerpt: There's a new twist in the shareholder legal actions against International Game Technology over the decline in IGT's stock price since 2007. The casino supplier is now being sued by two groups of employee retirement plan participants who say the plan made a poor investment decision when it invested in the company's own stock. Two lawsuits seeking class-action status to represent past and current IGT employees were filed against IGT on Friday in U.S. District Court for Nevada, charging the employees were harmed when the company's retirement plan invested in IGT stock at a time when IGT stock allegedly was inflated by false statements about the company's prospects.

Health Care Costs for Small Businesses Considered

Excerpt: [Health] and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius hosted a live health care discussion on Facebook, where she said that small business owners have the most to gain from the bill, The Las Vegas Sun reports. 'The bill proposes the creation of a pool that small businesses can buy into with other companies, lowering costs and premiums for businesses and employees. 'Health reform will be good for small businesses, make them competitive in the global marketplace and be able to attract and retain good employees,' she said'[.]

Domestic Partners in Nevada Must Wait for Insurance Coverage Until July 2010

Excerpt: Nevada will begin offering insurance coverage to the domestic partners of state and some other government employees in July 2010 -- nine months after the new state law granting such benefits takes effect. Officials with the Public Employees Benefits Board voted unanimously Thursday to delay extending the benefits, saying more time is needed to set rates and coverage plans that include domestic partners and their children.