By Matt Gracey As we enter 2017 there are a number of unclear predictions about the medical malpractice insurance market in Florida, but one that I feel very confident about is that, for the first time in at least a decade, that market is on the verge of change for the worse. The biggest
By Tom Murphy Less than two months ago I wrote an article titled “Prepare for Increase in Workers’ Comp Premiums.” It is official: The Florida Office of Insurance Regulations (OIR) has issued its final order approving the National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI) request to increase rates on a statewide average of 14.5%. This was
In 1899, Dr. A.P. Buchman, a practicing physician in Fort Wayne, Indiana, helped father a law through the state legislature making possible the organization of insurance companies to cover malpractice hazards. Out of this legislation was born the creation of medical malpractice insurance, and with it, the company that is known today as MedPro Group. Over 100
Florida Supreme Court Overturns Legislative Reforms By Tom Murphy Florida employers have enjoyed a series of decreases in workers’ compensation rates since the 2003 legislative overhaul that has led to a reduction of over 50% in rates over the past 13 years. It appears the good times are about to come to an end for
By Bill Gompers During the last decade, many of my friends and clients have made the decision to abandon their own practices and move to the employment model. Some have gone to academic settings while others have opted to join hospitals, larger independent groups, or corporations. The driving factors compelling these actions include declining reimbursement
Confused by cyber threats to your practice? You just might consider the Orient Express! By Matt Gracey According to the Ponemon Institute Sixth Annual Benchmark Study on Privacy & Security of Healthcare Data, published in May 2016, “Data breaches in healthcare are increasingly costly and frequent, and continue to put patient data at risk. Based on
MedMal Direct settles 95% of their medical malpractice claims with payments to the plaintiffs, recent study in Florida shows. By Matt Gracey This is a classic story of cheap vs. good. With the extremely competitive climate in the Florida professional liability insurance market for physicians and surgeons, one can often lose sight of the most-important
By Tom Murphy We are reminded almost daily of the consequences of a mentally ill person is being allowed to work in a profession in which they place others at risk, in addition to themselves. Some examples are police, military, aviation, and even school-bus drivers. This sometimes-fatal combination reminds us of the ongoing argument about
By Tom Murphy The Office of Civil Rights (OCR), a division of Health and Human Services (HHS), is the entity within the federal governments responsible for enforcing HIPAA. This is the storing, accessing and sharing of personal health information (PHI). The OCR has provided a list of the top five HIPAA compliance issues they have
By Tom Murphy Behavioral healthcare, and specifically addiction treatment, is rapidly growing and changing as the United States tries to move away from the failed “war on drugs” to the “demand reduction” model. Additionally, the Affordable Care Act has not only increased the number of insured patients seeking care, it has managed to bring behavioral