News: Medical Malpractice Insurance and Physician Practices

By Lofton, Lynn
http://www.redorbit.com

Nurse practitioners are stepping in to help meet primary healthcare needs in Mississippi, and their number is growing. They are especially helpful in medically underserved rural areas. State law requires nurse practitioners to work under the supervision of a licensed physician, but they do not have to be on site with the physician. Under this supervision, nurse practitioners can diagnose and treat routine, common and self-limiting illnesses. They can also follow up and manage previous and chronic illnesses.

A recently released health policy brief by Jeralynn S. Cossman, Ph.D., details a survey taken among licensed physicians about their opinions of the role of nurse practitioners. More than 1,400 doctors responded to the survey that was sponsored by the Mississippi State Medical Association, the Mississippi Academy of Family Physicians, the American Academy of Family Physicians and the Social Science Research Center at Mississippi State University. Read the rest of this entry »

BY HILLARY S. MEEKS
http://www.visaliatimesdelta.com

If it seems like a cold always strikes on a Friday night, or the doctor’s office doesn’t have any space for another three weeks, there is a medical alternative that is quickly becoming more popular in Tulare County: walk-in clinics.

Because these offices usually have extended hours and are open on weekends, many customers have found they can get seen at a walk-in much faster than trying to make an appointment ahead of time at their regular primary care physician office.

“I’m kind of in-between doctors, so this is convenient for me,” said 21-year-old Laura Christensen of Visalia as she waited at the Visalia Walk-In Clinic on Caldwell Avenue. “You can just drop what you’re doing and come in when you can, not when they can fit you in.” Read the rest of this entry »

http://www.marketwatch.com

BOSTON, MA, Jul 21, 2008 (MARKET WIRE via COMTEX) — ProMutual Group recently announced a rate reduction for individual physicians and surgeons in the state of Pennsylvania. All Individual Professional Liability (IPL) policyholders will receive a 6 percent decrease in their base rate. Rate changes became effective July 1, 2008, for both new and renewal policies.

“We are pleased that our overall stability as a company has allowed us to lower rates for individual physicians and surgeons in Pennsylvania,” said Richard W. Brewer, president and CEO for ProMutual Group. “Although there are cycles of highs and lows in the insurance industry, ProMutual Group has been able to keep rates relatively level for physicians so that they can focus on patient care rather than premiums.” Read the rest of this entry »

By GETAHN WARD
http://www.wbir.com

Margie Derryberry has been a patient of Dr. John Chauvin for 15 years. But that’s about to change because Derryberry can’t afford to pay a new $1,500 annual fee that Chauvin plans to charge patients on top of the cost of their insurance.

The fee is part of Chauvin’s bid to trim his patient rolls to about 600 people - down from 2,500 - so he can spend more time with each one and offer what he sees as extra preventive care.

But for Derryberry, 71, of Robertson County - and for other middle-income patients - the hefty fee raises questions about equal access to medical care at a time when some national studies say 40 percent of U.S. adults are already uninsured or under-insured. Read the rest of this entry »

By Amy Lynn Sorrel
http://www.ama-assn.org

The U.S. Supreme Court recently narrowed the application of the False Claims Act in a decision experts say could have implications in health care fraud cases.

The ruling in Allison Engine Co. Inc. v. United States comes at a time when some federal lawmakers are seeking to broaden the scope of the act — which carries a penalty of triple damages. The decision could either force some reversal of those efforts or fuel the legislative fire, experts said.

The June opinion stemmed from a conflict in the lower courts over whether those who do not bill the government directly, but go through another entity that contracts with the U.S., can be held liable under the False Claims Act for fraudulently obtained funds. Read the rest of this entry »

By Maggie Mahar, Health Beat
http://www.alternet.org

This article originally appeared on Health Beat.

More and more doctors are fed up with private insurers. It’s not just a question of how stingy they are, but how difficult it is to get reimbursed. Paperwork, phone calls, insurers who play games by deliberately making reimbursement forms difficult to interpret …

Some physicians have just said “no” to insurers.

What does this mean for patients? Business models vary. Some doctors charge by the minute. I recently read about a physician who punches a time clock when the appointment begins. She has calculated that her time is worth $2 per minute. Fifty-nine minutes = $118. Will you be paying cash, or by charge today? Somehow, I think the meter would make me nervous. I suspect I might begin talking very quickly. But this is only one model. Read the rest of this entry »

http://www.marketwatch.com

OLDWICK, N.J., Jul 18, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) — A.M. Best Co. has affirmed the financial strength rating of B+ (Good) and issuer credit rating of “bbb-” of Risk Assurance Company of Saint Peter’s University Hospital (RAC) (Cayman Islands). The outlook for both ratings is negative.

Concurrently, A.M. Best has withdrawn the ratings and assigned a category NR-4 (Company Request) to RAC. These rating actions reflect RAC management’s decision to withdraw from A.M. Best’s interactive rating process.

The affirmations recognize RAC’s good capitalization, experienced management team and conservative investment strategies. Partially offsetting these positive rating factors are the company’s fluctuating results, limited market scope, short operating history and high retention levels. Read the rest of this entry »

http://www.foxbusiness.com

CHICAGO, Jul 18, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) —-Recently, CNA insurance companies issued a client bulletin to provide healthcare managers with risk management guidance on responding to serious medical errors or so-called “never events” because they never should have happened.

Also known as “hospital-acquired conditions” and “serious reportable events,” these medical errors are the subject of recently issued policy statements from the federal government, healthcare and consumer groups, and private insurers. Among the issues addressed in these policy statements is the need for no-charge policies, whereby fees are waived when a never event occurs. Read the rest of this entry »