S.C. Fails to Make List of Top Hospitals

South Carolina’s hospitals have some catching up to do with the rest of the country, according the annual Best Hospitals rankings published by U.S. News & World Report today.

Since the news organization began ranking hospitals in 1990, none of South Carolina’s 90 hospitals have made the prestigious honor roll. That list is described on usnews.com as “an unusually exclusive club, one that makes up less than 0.4 percent of the nearly 5,000 hospitals nationwide.” Each of the 17 on the list is ranked in six or more of 16 medical specialties.

This year was no different. Even Medical University Hospital, No. 1 in South Carolina with three nationally ranked specialities, didn’t make the cut.

Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore was named No. 1 in the country. Massachusetts General in Boston and the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., were named No. 2 and 3.

“I definitely believe that MUSC will move up the rankings — we have done so in recent history and there is every reason to think that it will continue into the future,” said Medical University of South Carolina President Ray Greenberg. “Part of the ranking system involves an institution’s reputation, and for a place that is an ‘up and comer’ there is always a bit of a reputational lag.”

Greenberg announced last week that he will soon leave MUSC for a position within the University of Texas health care system. It includes the prestigious MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, named No. 1 for cancer treatment in the country in the new rankings.

Three of MUSC’s specialities — ear, nose and throat, nephrology, and rheumatology — made top 50 lists in the nation.

“It is a nice recognition of the work that our faculty and staff do,” said Dr. Richard Silver, an MUSC rheumatologist.

U.S. News & World Report ranked MUSC’s rheumatology program the 17th best in the country. The hospital’s ear, nose and throat and nephrology departments were ranked 27th and 40th, respectively.

The rankings recognized seven other South Carolina hospitals as high-achievers in the state, including Roper Hospital (No. 4) and St. Francis Hospital (No. 6), both part of the Roper St. Francis Healthcare system.

U.S. News & World Report: Best hospitals in S.C.

1. Medical University Hospital

2. Greenville Memorial Hospital

3. Spartanburg Regional Medical Center

4. Roper Hospital

5. AnMed Health (Anderson)

6. Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital

7. McLeod Health (Florence)

8. Mary Black Memorial Hospital (Spartanburg)

Source: 2013-2014 U.S. News & World Report hospital rankings

Full story here

State Newspaper Reports 14 Percent Jump in Home Sales

Home sales soared in South Carolina during June, up 14 percent from the previous year.

The State of Columbia reports (http://bit.ly/12Ek7BQ ) that the S.C. Realtors trade group reports almost 6,000 more houses were sold in June than in the same month in 2012.

In Columbia, sales jumped 26 percent with more than 900 houses sold, according to figures released Monday by the trade group.

Halfway through the year, sales are up 19 percent statewide with more than 30,000 homes sold. If that pace continues for the year, it would be the best year statewide since the housing decline during the Great Recession.

The median price of homes that sold statewide in June was up more than 4 percent from the previous year to just under $165,000. 

Information from: The State, http://www.thestate.com

S.C. Insurance Chief Expects Rates to Rise

Health care experts are bracing for insurance rates to jump next year as many of the federal Affordable Care Act’s major reforms go live, including one regulation requiring insurers to cover individuals no matter how sick they may be.

But exactly how much those premiums may increase is still speculation.

“I will tell you that rates will not be going down under the Affordable Care Act,” said S.C. Department of Insurance Director Ray Farmer. “Expect an increase.”

Patti Embry-Tautenhan, a spokeswoman for Blue Cross Blue Shield of South Carolina, the largest insurer in the state, said the company expects prices to go up, but could not estimate by how much.

“Most consumers will see an increase in their health insurance premium, particularly the young and the healthy,” Embry-Tautenhan said. “The regulatory process for approving the new products and premiums is not complete, so we cannot give specifics on our products and premiums at this time.”

The S.C. Department of Insurance is now evaluating insurance-plan proposals and rates submitted by companies for consumers to purchase on the federal health insurance exchange starting Oct. 1. Coverage under those plans would begin Jan. 1.

“We’ll have companies writing on the exchange and a large number of companies writing off the exchange,” he said.

One insurance company just announced that it won’t be offering insurance plans next year at all — at least not in South Carolina.

Ohio-based Medical Mutual, currently the second-largest health insurer for individual plans in South Carolina, recently said it is leaving this market because the Affordable Care Act makes it too hard to do business here.

“It takes a great deal of resources and effort to comply with (health care) reform,” said Medical Mutual spokesman Ed Byers. “New regulations put us in a position of focusing our efforts and spending our resources on our core Ohio business. It is critical for the company to do well in Ohio.”

Full Story Here

Council to Hold Final Vote on Tethering; Hear Finance Report

Anderson County Council will take a final vote on a new dog tehtering ordinance as part of Tuesday night's meeting at 6:30 p.m. in the historic courthouse downtown. The agenda also includes a report from the finance committee. 

Full agenda here

State: S.C. State Universities' Tuition Among Highest in Nation

South Carolina public colleges are among the country’s most expensive state-backed schools.

S.C. college officials blame their high tuitions and fees, in part, on the small amount of money that they get from the state, compared to public schools in other states. But top S.C. politicians say the state’s public colleges should do a better job of finding savings so that they can keep students’ costs down.

The cost of attending South Carolina’s public colleges is expected to be an issue in the gubernatorial campaign next year.

“The math doesn’t lie,” said state Sen. Vincent Sheheen, a Camden Democrat running for governor. “It’s a tax on young people to get educated.”

Republican Gov. Nikki Haley, expected soon to announce her re-election bid, said she hopes a proposed plan to reward schools for meeting various standards could help end large tuition hikes.

“This is ... not getting (funding) based on football tickets, not getting it based on alum,” Haley said. “This will make sure that schools get what they need, based on what they’ve done to perform well.”

South Carolina’s 12 four-year public colleges had the nation’s seventh-highest average tuition among all state-backed schools in 2011-12, according to The State’s analysis of data released by the U.S. Department of Education last month.

Tuition and fees at Palmetto State schools averaged $9,899 – 39 percent more than the national average of $7,135. Tuition and fee costs in South Carolina, a poor state comparatively, were the highest in the South, just ahead of Virginia.

Part of the problem, S.C. schools say, is that four-year public colleges in only two states received a smaller percentage of their total revenue from state funding, compared to South Carolina in 2010-11, according to a report from the Atlanta-based Southern Regional Education Board that was released last month.

State funding for S.C. four-year colleges dropped 40 percent, or $167 million, between 2002 and 2011, according to the state Commission on Higher Education records.

S.C. schools have made up for the loss of state money, in part, by boosting their enrollment. The number of students at four-year S.C. colleges grew by 9 percent, or about 8,000 students, between 2007 and 2011, according to state higher education data.

Read more here: http://www.thestate.com/2013/07/13/2860484/sc-colleges-lead-the-league-in.html#storylink=cpy

WYFF: S.C. Botanical Garden Damaged by Heavy Rains

The heavy rains are creating major problems at the South Carolina Botanical Garden. The worst of the flooding hit Saturday morning, when Clemson saw almost 9 inches of rain in a matter of hours.

Officials said the water was too much for the sensitive beds of rare plants. The worst of the damage appears to have affected the Natural Heritage Garden, the Botanical Garden's newest and one of the most popular exhibits. Many of the walking bridges were washed away and a piece of history was threatened.

Officials said the foundation underneath the hunt cabin that was built in 1828 was nearly compromised.

"These are very sensitive and some endangered plants. These are things that you can't see anywhere other than the Botanical Garden, and in some cases, they are irreplaceable and we have lost some of that. It's going to take a lot of time, a lot of funding to fix this," said Patrick McMillan, director of the South Carolina Botanical Garden.

There is no estimate on how much repairs could cost, but McMillan said it is expected to be a lengthy process. Anyone interested in donating to the repairs is asked to visit the garden's website.

Read more: http://www.wyff4.com/news/local-news/oconee-pickens-news/heavy-rains-flood-botanical-garden/-/9654906/20975128/-/ud720d/-/index.html#ixzz2Z56zINVT

Herald: State Failed to Prove Case Against Zimmerman

After five weeks of trial and 56 witnesses, few legal observers believed prosecutors came close to proving Sanford neighborhood watchman George Zimmerman committed second-degree murder when he shot and killed Trayvon Martin in February 2012.

So for many legal analysts, it was no surprise that jurors rejected even a lesser “compromise” verdict of manslaughter, acquitting Zimmerman outright of all criminal charges and deciding he acted in a reasonable way to protect his own life.

The acquittal was a stinging blow for prosecutors and their decision to file the second-degree murder charge against Zimmerman, who was not initially arrested by Sanford police after claiming self-defense. And it was a resounding embrace of the defense’s strategy during closing arguments not just to establish that prosecutors hadn’t proven Zimmerman guilty, but also to show he was “absolutely” innocent.

“Justifiable use of force is one of the most difficult areas of the law,” State Attorney Angela Corey acknowledged Saturday after Zimmerman’s acquittal. “Make no mistake, Trayvon Martin had every right to be on the premises as did George Zimmerman ... that’s what makes this case unique.”

Zimmerman defense attorney Don West Zimmerman defense attorney called the prosecution’s case a “disgrace.”

“We proved that George Zimmerman was not guilty,” he said.

Jude M. Faccidomo, the former president of Miami’s Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers said the jury clearly believed in the right to self-defense: “Especially when cases are so gray, like this one was, self-defense really resonates because people can associate with being afraid.”

And while some also have questioned the state attorney’s office acceptance of a mostly white jury, a more diverse panel would have returned the same verdict, lawyers who have watched the case believe.

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/07/13/3499114/state-never-proved-its-case-legal.html#storylink=cpy

Verizon Gives $10,000 for AIM's WACS Program

The Verizon Foundation has selected Anderson Interfaith Ministries to receive a $10,000 grant for its Women and Children Succeeding (WACS) program. WACS provides intensive case management and financial assistance to mothers who wish to return to school, overcome poverty and establish self-sufficiency.  

“South Carolina has one of the highest rates of women living in poverty in the country,” said Vernita Boone-Brown. “The Women and Children Succeeding program was built on the philosophy that education is the means to breaking generational poverty for women and children, and this grant from Verizon will allow us to offer assistance to more women this year.” 

Anderson Interfaith Ministries provides a case manager to each program participant for guidance, support and accountability. Participants are required to maintain 12 credit hours and a 2.5 GPA, as well as serve one hour of community service for every $100 of support they receive. 

“WACS has been AIM’s most successful program to date, and we’re proud to support it,” said Doug Curry, Verizon Wireless leader in Anderson. “Verizon is committed to investing in programs that improve quality of life for residents of South Carolina.” 

Verizon will present a check to Anderson Interfaith Ministries at 10 a.m. on July 23 at the Verizon Wireless store at 3513 Clemson Blvd. in Anderson.

Humane Society Celebrates Birthday with Yard Sale

The Anderson County Humane Society is celebrating two key milestones with a yard sale. The sale will be held at its clinic located at 407 Pearman Dairy Rd. (28 bypass) July 20 from 8:00 AM to Noon. The clinic just began its fourth year of operation in May and to date has performed in excess of 10,500 spays/neuters. The clinic offers spay/neuter to the general public at a fraction of the normal commercial rate. To make an appointment, please call 864-367-7220.

The Anderson County Humane Society not only operates the clinic but also offers adoptions through PetFinder and Petsmart. The Humane Society is a 501c3 corporation that operates through the generosity of its donors. All donations are tax deductible will all monies used for the benefit of the animals. Please come out and support us on July 20.

AnMed Arts Infusion Sale Aug. 9-30

The AnMed Health Foundation will host the 4^th annual Arts Infusion Art Show & Sale August 9 - 30. The juried art show features work by local artists which is available for viewing and purchase at the AnMed Health Cancer Center atrium. Proceeds from art sales will benefit patients undergoing chemotherapy and other treatments at the AnMed Health Cancer Center Infusion Center who are unable to pay for their medical care. The event is open and free to the public. 

At the Infusion Center, patients battling cancer and other chronic medical conditions receive critical treatments, including transfusions, chemotherapy infusions, IV medications and other procedures. A majority of Infusion Center patients are unable to pay for these necessary treatments due to financial hardship and insufficient health insurance. Funds raised through the Arts Infusion event will help relieve some of the financial despair by helping offset the costs for treatments, which can run in the tens of thousands of dollars each month. 

“Fighting cancer and other chronic diseases is a stressful time in someone’s life,” says Cindy Simmons, nurse manager for the AnMed Health Cancer Center Infusion Center. “Adding the heavy burden of the costs associated with their treatments only multiplies their stress and financial worries. The Arts Infusion is our way to help families in need during an already difficult time.”

The Arts Infusion will feature more than 70 pieces of art, including oil paintings, watercolors, photography, jewelry and other creative pieces.  Art is available for purchase from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the AnMed Health Cancer Center atrium August 9-30. A preview of the art show is scheduled for August 1, providing attendees with a first look – and opportunity to pre-purchase – artwork. Tickets for the Sneak Peek Preview party are $15 per person or $25 per couple. For more information about the 2013 Arts Infusion Show & Sale, go to www.anmedhealth.org/foundationevents or call the Foundation office at 864-512-3477.

State Report: Haley, Sheheen Fundraising on Record Pace

Republican S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley and her expected Democratic opponent next year, state Sen. Vincent Sheheen, raised more than $1.2 million during the last three months, taking in more money than they brought in during the same period in 2010, when they also faced off for governor.

Haley, who has not formally announced her re-election bid but has been raising money throughout her first term, had her best quarter of this election cycle, raising $619,218 from April 1 through July 10, according to a report filed with the S.C. Ethics Commission. The Lexington Republican has $2.45 million on hand.

Sheheen, a Camden attorney, raised $611,314 from April 1 through June 30 – his first full quarter of fundraising since he announced he would run for governor again.

In 2010, Haley beat Sheheen by less than five percentage points. In that election, the two candidates raised nearly $8 million combined.

During the past quarter, a little more than 90 percent of Sheheen’s donors lived in South Carolina. About 27 percent of his donations came from attorneys, more than any other occupation.

Read more here: http://www.thestate.com/2013/07/11/2856779/candidates-for-sc-governor-raised.html#storylink=cpy

Extension Service Expects Smaller, Higher-Quality Peaches

A slightly smaller harvest may yield higher-quality peaches this summer, according to a Clemson University Extension agent who specializes in fruit and vegetable crops in the Upstate.

"Our best peaches are coming in right now," said Andy Rollins. "We just started picking some of the top varieties, like Caroking, and the quality of them this year is superb.
"We're not having a full crop on some of the early varieties because of the cool, wet weather this spring," he said. "But the fruit that was damaged dropped off before the second swell, and what ripened was beautiful."

The South Carolina peach harvest will continue through August or early September as other varieties mature.

At this stage, fresh-market peaches are especially plentiful in the Upstate, Rollins said.

"There are so many varieties to choose from right now," he said. "A lot of stands give you an option to taste. I recommend that. We have a lot of newer varieties with less acidity that are popular in many markets, but aren't the traditional flavor known in this region. It's really a good idea to taste them before you get a basket of them."

South Carolina is consistently the nation's second-largest peach-producing state behind California. While peaches are the state's most widely produced fruit and generate the most revenue, South Carolina farmers also produce other fruits and berries for the fresh market.

"This is the busiest time of year for fruit and berry farmers," Rollins said. "Nectarines are ready now, too. Without the fuzz that peaches have, nectarines are more susceptible to disease and this has been a wet year. But the fruit that is coming in now is superior.

"We're also just starting to pick our commercial Navaho blackberries, which have a higher sugar content than the early season Natchez variety," he said. "And blueberries are starting to come in as well.”

S.C. To Stop Separating HIV-Infected Inmates

One of the two U.S. states that separates its HIV-infected inmates from its general prison population says it plans to stop doing so. The South Carolina Department of Corrections said Wednesday it intends to stop housing its HIV-positive inmates in facilities separate from the rest of its prisoners, as it has done since 1998.

The state currently houses 366 HIV-positive inmates at two different institutions in Columbia. No date for the policy change is set, but officials hope it will happen in the next six months, department spokesman Clark Newsom said.

"Our medical staff has examined all the facets of this issue, and we believe it is safe to make a change in our current policy," department Director William Byars Jr. said.

Alabama also separates its HIV-positive inmates from the rest of its prisoners, though a federal judge ordered it to end the practice in December following a lawsuit by the American Civil Liberties Union. Litigation in that case continues.

Mississippi dropped a similar policy in 2010.

The ACLU, which has campaigned to end such policies, hailed South Carolina's decision.