LocumLife - February 2009 - (Page 16)

RESOURCES Med Ec-cerpts Highlights from Medical Economics Practice management TORT REFORM DRIVES DOWN MALPRACTICE PREMIUMS Some pockets of the country are experiencing a drop in medical malpractice insurance liability rates, thanks to tort reform occurring in state legislatures, according to research by an insurance brokerage firm. Most notably, Texas, which in 2003 passed a $750,000 constitutional limit for non-economic damages in professional liability cases, has experienced a 25% to 30% drop in premiums with some insurance carriers, says Kathleen Pinkham of CBIZ Medical Professional Solutions in Leawood, Kansas. West Virginia, Mississippi, Florida, and Missouri have also passed tort-reform statutes this decade, which have helped reduce rates by as much as 10% to 25% for some physicians, Pinkham says. Premium rates are partially based on the amount of malpractice cases in the area, so caps on damages tend to coincide with fewer lawsuits, she points out. HEALTH INSURERS FLOAT PLANS FOR UNIVERSAL COVERAGE Two of the nation’s largest commercial health insurance organizations unveiled pledges to provide coverage for all Americans despite their pre-existing conditions—as long as all health plans comply with the mandate. America’s Health Insurance Plans, an industry group representing insurers who cover more than 200 million What to do with patient charts when closing your practice Q: I’m planning to leave my private practice at the end of the year to take a salaried position. If I’m unable to get another physician to take over my charts, what options do I have for storing them? I don’t want to deal with the possibility of multiple providers requesting multiple copies. A: Call your local medical society or state medical association. They will be able to explain your legal responsibilities in this matter. A hospital will sometimes take the records, especially if it is recruiting to ﬁll the physician vacancy. Other colleagues in the same specialty may be willing to accept the records in hopes they can retain the business. If your new employer treats patients, it may accept the records or know a source that will. If no other option is available, you might need to seek a commercial storage company that will charge a fee for retrieval and copying. 16 LocumLife FEBRUARY 2009 http://www.locumtenenscenter.com

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LocumLife - February 2009 Editorial Insights Contents From Nalto Stat! Money Matters Resources Last-Minute Luxury Opening the Door Med Ec-cerpts Winning the Battle Career Center Advertisers' Index Opportunities Direct Residency Corner Destinations Contest Rules Anyone's Guess La Vita Locum

LocumLife - February 2009

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