We would be happy to review your current insurance coverage and make suggestions about how to better protect your practice with medical malpractice, dental malpractice and med-spa insurance.

This was the hope back in the day when IPAs touted improved patient delivery systems.  In the case of IPAs favorable claim outcomes never materialized.  Will the same happen with ACOs?  Time will tell but in the interim we are working to take advantage of the possibility of lower rates from the nations best companies by developing group purchasing programs for our ACO clients.

www.PresidioInsurance.com

The aggregate limit for a physician with separate limits is $50,000; for an entity with separate limits, $50,000 to $250,000, based on group size. DataShield™ covers costs for:

• Information & network security liability — Protection against claims alleging unauthorized release of personal information, violations of information privacy law, or unauthorized use of/access to your computer system.
• Media liability — Protection against claims arising from material published on a Web site, in ads, etc., including allegations of libel, slander, copyright infringement, or patent violations.
• Regulatory privacy proceedings & regulatory fines & penalties — Coverage for defense of HIPAA violations, state information privacy law violations, etc; and for certain related fines and penalties.
• Customer notification & credit monitoring expenses — Coverage for expenses incurred through information breaches, including costs of notifying affected parties and providing them with credit monitoring services.
• Electronic data recovery & replacement expenses — Coverage for expenses incurred to recover or replace electronic data lost or damaged because of a computer virus, hacking or other system invasion.

Each of the five areas of coverage has its own $50,000 aggregate limit, subject to a $50,000 total aggregate limit.

Norcal has advised us eligibility for the 2011 dividend will be based on the following:

• Policyholder was actively insured and in good standing with NORCAL Mutual on September 30, 2010. (The dividend amount is based on the premium written for each eligible policyholder on policies with effective dates beginning on or after October 1, 2009 through September 30, 2010.)
• Policyholder renews his or her NORCAL Mutual policy for 2011.
• Policyholder is a physician, a physician group or a healthcare facility (excluding most emergency rooms) written on NORCAL Mutual’s Individual/Entity, Facility, or Group Policy Forms. ER groups written on the IE Form are eligible for the dividend.

Please note that the 2011 dividend will be paid only to those policyholders who meet all of the criteria listed above.

As a Norcal approved broker, Presidio Insurance Solutions can provide information as well as rate comparisons for all interested clients.

www.PresidioInsurance.com

The state of California attempts to provide consumers with the information they need to obtain coverage from an insurer they deem financial stable.  Generally, the total written premium (all the money to be collected on policies the company issues to health-care providers like physicians and surgeons) and the incurred loss (a figure which represents claims paid out by the insurer plus this figure can include an adjustment for reserves set aside for claims to be paid) can provide a picture of medical malpractice insurers financial stability.  However, actual financial documents are also available on the insurance department website for further inquiry into the financial stability of any medical malpractice insurance company.

The Doctors Company easily topped the group market share list of medical malpractice insurance companies in California with over $200 Million ($210,609,883) in written premium.  Norcal Mutual Insurance Company a distant second with over $150 Million in written premium.  Medical Protective, the Berkshire Hathaway company, comes in at just under $30 Million in California.  Its worth noting  The Doctors Company acquired SCPIE (AHI) and this acquisition is reflected in thewritten premium, and Berkshire Hathaway remains strong on a national level though the California market share reflects a conservative and stringent underwriting approach offering medical malpractice insurance only for the best of the best.  A newer player in the medical malpractice industry, Fairway RRG reported just over $7 million in written premium for all of 2009 (and even more worrisome is the Fairway RRG incurred losses reported of over $3 Million for 2009).

California market share data should be considered prior to purchasing medical malpractice insurance - lest you find yourself with a medical malpractice carrier touting great discounted rates without the money to actually pay the claims.  With the exorbitant costs of medical malpractce insurance, you definetely need to consider if you get what you paid for.  Always, always, always check the AM Best Ratings and financial data before purchasing a policy because in medical malpractice insurance there is always safety in numbers!

However, with the proper training credentials verified, some medical malpractice insurance policies will extend coverage to OB’s and Gynecologists performing aesthetic procedures such as vaginal rejuvenation.  Presidio Insurance works with Medical Protective, The Doctors Company and Norcal Mutual Insurance who will generally consider extending coverage for some of the following aesthetic procedures: Tumescent Liposuction, Botox & Fillers, Cellulite treatment and Vaginal Rejuvenation Therapy, which can be done surgically or minimally invasive with lasers.   Laser Vaginal Rejuvenation Therapy can be done within an hour in the practitioner’s office and the convenience of a  very short recovery period.  However, this is a procedure that only recently has grown in popularity and many medical malpractice insurance policies are not designed to cover it. 

Anytime there is a change in scope of practice, removing or adding procedures, staff or even contracts, it is a good idea to check with your medical malpractice insurance broker and confirm your policy provides coverage. 

 Visit us at www.PresidioInsurance.com for more information on this coverage or call us directly at (800)317-6411.

 Norcal Mutual Insurance Company recently stressed its position of early claim reporting by its medical malpractice insureds. “NORCAL Mutual continually stresses that there is no penalty for early reporting of incidents. Early reporting means we can put the insured at ease and confirm that the matter is covered. Equally important, it means we can help insureds avoid making the situation worse by, for example, making additions to the medical record or giving the record to the wrong party.”

From Norcal’s point of view early reporting of medical incidents by physicians and surgeons seems to make sense.  And certainly its important not to alter the medical record inappropriately or incorrectly (and ESPECIALLY if there is a possible claim brewing).  However, from a physicians or surgeons point of view, early reporting can have a negative impact on the claims history report.  Every incident reported to Norcal Mutual Insurance Company is reflected in the claim history of the reporting physician insured. This claim history report is traditionally provided to hospitals, managed care organizations, insurance companies, surgery centers, IPAs, etc. ).  The Doctors Company and Medical Protective (other leading writers of medical malpractice insurance for physicians and surgeons) have virtually the same approach of encouraging early reporting of medical incidents.  Check your individual policies to determine the exact reporting requirements and if in doubt contact your carrier claim’s department and determine how to proceed.  Every policy is different so its vital to understand your obligations in reporting incidents and/or claims.

 hCG, or human chorionic gonadotrophin is a glycoprotein hormone produced in pregnancy.

During pregnancy, the placenta produces hCG which allows the body to mobilize fat and use it as energy for both mother and fetus.

Performed within Alternative Medicine Practices, although the process appears harmless (and reportedly has has little to no side effects), within a medical weight loss regimen, medical malpractice insruance companies are ballking at covering the hCG procedure.  The traditional “admitted” market carriers (for example,  Norcal, Medical Protective and The Doctors Company) will generally exclude this procedure altogether when seen within the alternative medicine setting.  A separate policy is available to cover this exposure.  We recommend alternative healthcare facilties specifically disclose the procedure to their medical malpractice insurance company to make sure the procedure is covered under their policy.

Presidio Insurance has a Medispa & Alternative Healthcare Practices Program that extends coverage for the hCG procedure, as well as any other alternative procedures (i.e. aesthetics, acupuncture, naturopathic medicine, etc.).

Visit our website wwww.PresidioInsurance.com or call us directly (800)317-6411 to speak with a Medispa/Alternative Healthcare Program Specialist.

NOTICE TO CONSUMERS
Medical doctors are licensed and regulated by the Medical Board of California
(800) 633-2322
www.mbc.ca.gov

The purpose of this new requirement (Title 16, California Code of Regulations section 1355.4) is to inform consumers where to go for information or with a complaint about California medical doctors.

Physicians may provide this notice by one of three methods:

Prominently posting a sign in an area of their offices conspicuous to patients, in at least 48-point type in Arial font. (See link “Sign for printing”, below, to print the actual notice.)

Including the notice in a written statement, signed and dated by the patient or patient’s representative, and kept in that patient’s file, stating the patient understands the physician is licensed and regulated by the board.

Including the notice in a statement on letterhead, discharge instructions, or other document given to a patient or the patient’s representative, where the notice is placed immediately above the signature line for the patient in at least 14-point type. The notice may be printed in sign form from the link below this article.

CCR 1355.4 (the actual regulation)

Sign For Printing

Presidio is providing this information as a courtesy for our California medical malpractice insurance clients.

The Doctors’ Company has announced an average rate decrease of 5.1% while Medical Protective has announced an overall premium decrease of 3%. These rate reductions are averages so individual physicians may see greater or lesser changes depending upon specialty, loss history and limits of liability. The Continental Casualty Company (CNA) has indicated that there will be no rate change this year.

Presidio Insurance Solutions provides Oregon physicians and surgeons a one-stop shopping experience. We find the lowest rates with the best coverage from all the top Oregon medical malpractice insurance companies.