By Evelyn Pringle
Although the $2 million fine levied against Kaiser Permanente was the largest ever imposed by the California Department of Managed Health Care, it seems like small potatoes considering the damage caused by the HMO’s failed kidney transplant program.
The second largest fine ever levied against an HMO was $1 million back in 2002, following [...]

From the Sacramento Bee:
Case now includes accusations by 13 female patients.
By Christina Jewett — Bee Staff Writer
The former Kaiser plastic surgeon charged in June with sexually exploiting a patient now faces charges of sexual misconduct toward 13 patients, according to an updated criminal complaint.
Dr. Scott Takasugi is alleged to have unnecessarily touched and photographed women’s [...]

[kaiserthrive.org editor: Finally, vindication for the 'disgruntled' ex-members and -employees who have had their mental health questioned for complaining that Kaiser always handles grievances this way. We hope the DMHC will also investigate itself for pretending it hasn't been ignoring the problem for years.]
From the L.A. Times:
By Tracy Weber and Charles Ornstein, Times Staff Writers
August [...]

From the Los Angeles Times:
By Charles Ornstein and Tracy Weber, Times Staff Writers
August 10, 2006
Kaiser Permanente has agreed to pay a $2-million fine after state HMO regulators found that its Northern California kidney transplant program imperiled hundreds of patients, in some cases delaying critical surgeries or losing track of patients altogether, four people familiar with [...]

From San Francisco Business Times:
by Chris Rauber
A whistleblower who helped instigate regulatory and media investigations of Kaiser Permanente’s troubled Northern California kidney-transplant unit has filed a wrongful termination lawsuit, alleging that senior Kaiser medical-group officials ignored several warnings about mounting problems in the program.
In early May, under pressure from federal and state authorities, Oakland-based Kaiser [...]

Another case of retaliation for reporting illegal practices at Kaiser:
I hope you can take interest in my horrible experience with Kaiser.
UNLICENSED STUDENTS DID YOUR X-RAYS at SF KAISER HOSPITAL.
I was a x-ray student at Kaiser Permanente School of Allied Health Program at Richmond CA.
When I was interning at the SF Kaiser Hospital, I was told [...]

From San Francisco Business Times
by Chris Rauber
The former administrator of Kaiser Permanente’s troubled Northern California kidney transplant unit has filed a wrongful termination lawsuit against the health-care giant, seeking at least $5 million in damages.
The suit, filed Friday in San Francisco Superior Court by the former administrative head of the unit, David Merlin, alleges he [...]

From an outraged family member of a Kaiser Permanente kidney patient. Kaiser continues to deny that any patients were harmed by its bungling:
My sister, Kim, is currently under the Kaiser Program. Her kidneys failed 6 yrs ago, (March 2000) she went into a coma and was not expected to ever come out. She is [...]

From the Sacramento Bee:
6 more suits accuse doctor — Patients say plastic surgeon sexually exploited them.
By Mareva Brown — Bee Staff Writer
Six more patients of a Kaiser Permanente plastic surgeon have filed civil cases alleging he sexually assaulted and exploited them by improperly touching them and photographing them nude under the guise of medical care.
The [...]

From the Los Angeles Times:
U.S. Berates Kaiser Over Kidney Effort
A withering report says the transplant program was poorly planned, staffed and run. The HMO does not admit or rebut the accusations.
By Charles Ornstein and Tracy Weber, Times Staff Writers
June 24, 2006
Virtually every part of Kaiser Permanente’s massive kidney transplant program in San Francisco failed patients, [...]