Promoting the “Minimum Necessary” Rule

Understanding HIPAA Security Standards By Richard J. Mata; MD, MS www.HealthcareFinancials.com One concept that is stressed by HIPAA is the “minimum necessary” rule, which states the minimum use of personal health information [PHI] that can be used to identify a person, such as a social security number, home address, or phone number. Only the essential [...]

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders

Coding Classification By Staff Reporters The classification and coding systems used by mental health insurers both diagnosis-related groups (DRGs) and current procedural terminology (CPT®) are still being defined through historical methodologies and are vague compared to the medical classification coding structure. As an example, mental health insurers classify Tourette Syndrome (TS) as a “mental disorder.” In [...]

ME-P Holiday Publishing Schedule

“Bridging the Gap between Medical Mission and Profit Margin” By Ann Miller; RN, MHA [Executive Director] The ME-P does not usually close for the Holidays. So, if you are in need of some informative reading material during your down-time, try our archives of past articles. If that isn’t enough, on the middle left sidebar of our [...]

Notice of Healthcare Privacy Practices Explained

NPP “Game Changer” Replaced Use of Consents By Richard J. Mata; MD, MS www.HealthcareFinancials.com In its most visible change, the privacy regulations of HIPAA require covered health entities to provide patients with a Notice of Privacy Practices (NPP). The NPP replaces the use of consents, which are now optional, although they are recommended. The NPP [...]

Thanksgiving “Food-for-Thought” on “Money Driven Medicine”

View the “Money-Driven Medicine” Video [A Free Streaming Download] By Staff Reporters During the month of November, Money-Driven Medicine will stream for free as part of the Watch-In! for America’s Health. Based on Maggie Mahar’s Book “Money-Driven Medicine” provides the essential analysis Americans need if they are to become knowledgeable participants in healthcare reform during these [...]

Strategic Modern Portfolio Theory Considerations in Hospital Capital Formation

Understanding Risk for Doctors and Financial Advisors By Calvin W. Wiese; MBA, CPA www.HealthcareFinancials.com Hospital capital investments financial create risk. Risk is the uncertainty of future events. When hospitals make capital investments, they commit to costs that affect future periods. Those costs are known and relatively fixed. What are unknown are the benefits to be [...]

Techno-philic versus Patient-phobic Medical Care

Medicine Needs to get Back to Hands-on Basics, Rather than Focusing on Technology By Staff Reporters According to Rahul Parikh MD, there is plenty to criticize in our bungling trek toward health reform. Leaders on the right, left and at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue have sidestepped the crucial conversation of controlling the cost of care, in [...]

Top Ten Signs the ADA is Hunkering Down

About the American Dental Association By Darrell K. Pruitt; DDS Today, I especially cherish my right as a dues-paying member of the ADA – and as an American – to share my blunt, un-requested opinion as if you were a colleague, a patient or disinterested lawmaker. For by early 2011, such liberty could warrant official [...]

How Important is it for Doctors to have Computer Skills?

Very … It’s Imperative By Staff Reporters Emergency physician Shadowfax is recruiting doctors for his hospital, and balances the typical choices one must make balancing clinical knowledge versus interpersonal skills. Deal-Breaker One deal-breaker is the lack of modern computer skills. Unfortunately, in this modern age, if an employee can’t use a computer effectively … read [...]

Dr. Marcinko Invites Mr. Wilson [CEO Allstate] to Debate

Insured versus Insurer [A Polite Socratic Invitation] By Dr. David Edward Marcinko; MBA, CMP™ [Publisher-in-Chief] As an investigative reporter, and member of the fourth estate, I would like to offer this Medical Executive-Post platform for a discussion/debate between Mr. Thomas J. Wilson II and Ms. Hope Hetico, about her valid home owner’s insurance claim and – by [...]

Dear Doctor – “I’m from the Government and I’m Here to Help”

Only-in-America By Staff Reporters CMS Cuts Medicare 21% for Doctors Unless Congress Acts The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid [CMS] just reported to the American Medical News that the final 2010 Medicare physician fee schedule confirms 21.2% pay cut starting Jan. 1, 2010, unless Congress adopts legislation to avert it.   So, enter John Kerry to the [...]

Investment Returns Drop for Nonprofit Healthcare Organizations

A Commonfund Report By Roy Chernus SK Communication, LLC for Commonfund Did you know that nonprofit healthcare organizations reported average investment returns which dropped [minus] -21.2% in fiscal year 2008, ending December 31st 2008? Results Attached below is a press release with findings from the 2009 Commonfund Benchmarks Study of Healthcare Organizations. The 143 participating [...]

Joe Flowers New Healthcare Reform Strategy

Selling Patients like Baseball Players – Seriously By Staff Reporters Here is a health care reform strategy that we have not heard of before. It was formulated by healthcare futurist Joe Flowers, and is reposted below for your review. It first posits this question, and then gives a plausible answer, with unique new operational strategy. [...]

Part D Payer Shares of Prescriptions Dispensed Rise

Increase for Eight Major Drug Classes By Staff Reporters The shares of all prescriptions dispensed covered by Medicare Part D rose by at least three percentage points, between midyear 2007 and midyear 2009, in each of eight major drug classes profiled. Assessment The largest percentage increases over this period were in the osteoporosis (to 26.9% [...]

HCG Forecast: Fall/Winter 2009 Edition

The Health Care Group   By Cheryl Sprows Three new topics in this issue:   New Regulations for Business Associates New Breach Notification Requirement under HIPAA Workplace Harassment – Did you hear the one about? Link: https://www.thehealthcaregroup.com/Productdownloads/2009fallwinterforecast.pdf Visit HCG’s website: http://www.thehealthcaregroup.com Channel Surfing Have you visited our other topic channels? Established to facilitate idea exchange [...]

Recovery Asset Contractor Survey Poll

RAC RESULTS TO-DATE [Beta] By Staff Reporters According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services [CMS], RACs collected about $1-B in improper payments during their recent beta testing period. Of these payments; 96% were over-payments, 4% were under-payments; and 77% of providers failed to appeal, 7% appealed successfully and 15% appealed unsuccessfully.  Going forward [...]

About the PriceDoc Patient Opportunity

Increasing Health 2.0 Financial Transparency By Staff Reporters www.PriceDoc.com is a free online service that empowers consumers to take control of their healthcare costs. PriceDoc allows patients to search for medical providers in their local area and compare fee schedules for specific procedures.   Assessment With PriceDoc, healthcare providers are able to post their discounts in [...]

About the New Video-Launch of InvestorGov.com

Do You Trust Mary? By Dr. David Edward Marcinko; MBA [Publisher-in-Chief] Did you know that according to this new website, the mission of the US Securities and Exchange Commission [SEC] is to protect investors, maintain fair, orderly and efficient markets, and facilitate capital formation? Well, I did, but during the last two years you might [...]

Don’t Hide a Security Breach if You Can’t Do the Time

When Will Costs Outweigh Health Information Technololgy?  By Darrell K. Pruitt; DDS At what point will security data breaches become so costly that dentists will abandon computerization and return to pegboards and ledger cards? Senate Judiciary Committee A week ago, the Senate Judiciary Committee approved two separate bills which would mandate that dentists who store [...]

ME-P Advertising and Sales Opportunities

Sponsor the Medical Executive-Post Now, you can reach out and impress more than 100,000 physicians and nurse-executives, financial advisors, CEOs and medical management consultants in the Health 2.0 space. Sponsor the ME-P. Increase your sales. Our premium institutional e-journal: www.HealthcareFinancials.com and complimentary companion newsletter blog: www.HealthcareFinancials.wordpress.com has limited sponsorship and advertising opportunities available. So, be [...]

How Much Do “Financial Advisors” Pay for Doctor [Any Client] Prospect Leads?

More Than you Think in this Murky Advertising World – but – Are Matching Services Effective?  By Dr. David Edward Marcinko; MBA, CMP™ [Publisher-in-Chief] Recently, I received the sixth telephone cold call from one Mr. Tim Smith [866 952 4065], in as many months, regarding a service called Prospect Match of Concord California. It purports [...]

Don’t Tread on Me – Obama

Bite Me – CMS By D. Kellus Pruitt; DDS Shy but proud Texas Dental Association leaders still direct employees to encourage members to volunteer for permanent, mandated National Provider Identifier numbers. Why? “Just ‘cause.” As part of an agreement the TDA made with the state to help politicians out of a lawsuit they brought upon [...]

When to Change Portfolio Managers

Some Considerations for Medical Professionals By Clifton N. McIntire, Jr.; CIMA, CFP® By Lisa Ellen McIntire; CIMA, CFP® Sometimes even the best made physician financial plans just don’t work out. And, despite extensive time and energy spent on due diligence before hiring an investment or portfolio manager, it becomes evident that you must change managers.  [...]

More Health 2.0 Technologies

Become Privy to Some New Product Launchs By Staff Reporters Visit the virtual Health 2.0 Conference Exhibit Hall of piooner blogger Matthew Holt www.Health2con.com,  or click-on each individual product launch where you’ll see the introduction of  brand new technologies from the following vendors: Remedys eRX, Matt Wiggins Access DNA, Lee Essner CarePass, Jared Crapo Healthline, West Shell LiveStrong, [...]

Remembering the IOM Medical Quality Report

Despite the IOM Warning, Medical Errors May Have Killed 1 Million Plus In Past Decade By Fard Johnmar: First posted May 20, 2009 Much like remembering the fallen Berlin Wall, it is fitting during this time of political healthcare reform debate, to again consider the IOM report - now more than a decade old. In a scathing [...]

About Carena In-Home Medical Care

In-Home Medical Care Services for the Modern Era By Dr. David Edward Marcinko; MBA, CMP™ [Publisher-in-Chief] We have written about the high cost, questionable quality and scheduling burden of emergency room visits on the Medical Executive-Post before. And, for some non-emergency or after-hours needs, the ER may possibly be one of the worst places to [...]

Spotlight on the “Health Tech Today” Video Launch

Video Clip from Microsoft By Staff Reporters Health Tech Today is a new monthly, on-line video series at the intersection of health and information technology.  The show premiers November 10th 2009, but you can view a video trailer of their first show on the link below, right now HealthBog HealthBlog includes thoughts, comments, news, and reflections about healthcare [...]

Our Newest ME-P Milestone

Growing and Thriving – Thanks to You! By Ann Miller; RN, MHA [Executive Director] This month we passed the 145,000 reader mark. As you know, the ME-P was launched in 2007 and initially reached about a thousand Internet pioneers. It has grown exponentially, from our initial list-serve, to more than one hundred thousand readers and subscribers [...]

A New Remote Patient Monitoring Device

The Next Step in RPM Solutions   By Staff Reporters Long-term medical conditions create many challenges—for patients who have them, as well as for their attending physicians. This gadget reports to address those challenges What it Is The Intel® Health Guide is a comprehensive, next-generation remote patient monitoring (RPM) solution that combines an in-home patient device [...]

Update on HIPAA Administrative Simplification

New Enforcement Rules Federal Register: October 30, 2009 [Volume 74, Number 209] Rules and Regulations – Page 56123-56131 From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] DOCID: fr30oc09-12                         DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Office of the Secretary 45 CFR Part-160 [RIN 0991-AB55] HIPAA Administrative Simplification: Enforcement AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, HHS. ACTION: [...]

RFID versus WiFi Hospital Inventory Tracking Systems

Understanding Competing Wireless Technologies By Davd Piasecki, with Hope Hetico; RN, MHA www.HealthcareFinancials.com The two wireless technologies currently competing to provide hospitals with better systems for managing equipment inventories are (WiFi) and active RFID. Wireless-Fidelity [WiFi] WiFi is the name of the popular wireless networking technology that uses radio waves to provide wireless high-speed Internet [...]

How to Search the ME-P?

Efficient Information Seeking By Ann Miller; RN, MHA [Executive Director] A simple query that demands a cogent answer! First Explore our Archives Let’s say that you’ve reached the ME-P archives. Use this feature to explore articles on a monthly basis; since inception in 2007. To surf through the current month, click the first entry on [...]

ADA Opens a Facebook

Perhaps too Early? By Darrell K. Pruitt; DDS Something strange has happened to www.DentalBlogs.com I think they have partially shut down their Facebook account. They no longer feature original articles such as those by Dr. Rhonda Savage and Ms. Linda Miles, and in the last couple of weeks, they eliminated their collection of photos. Now [...]

How MCOs Intensify Accounting IBNRs

Understanding the Uncertainty of Loss By Staff Reporters www.HealthcareFinancials.com Because of the high degree of uncertainty inherent in the estimates of ultimate losses underlying the liability for unpaid claims, the IRS will not allow a Managed Care Organization to deduct an IBNR because the financial statements are based on an estimate (IRS, 134-155). Loss Based Deductions [...]

Tax Credits and Home Improvements for 2009-10

Income Tax Reduction Strategies By Sean G. Todd; Esq, CPA, MTax, CFP®  Let’s take a look at how all ME-P readers can directly reduce income taxes in 2009. The use of tax credits are a very effective way to reduce how much you pay the IRS. A tax credit is a dollar for dollar reduction in [...]

Grading the Public Options That Already Exist

Understanding Existing Healthcare Plans By Sabrina Shankman, www.ProPublica.org October 28, 2009 12:27 pm EDT What might a public health option look like in practice? One way to find out is to look at what’s already out there. Link: http://www.propublica.org/ion/health-care-reform/item/grading-the-public-options-that-already-exist-1028 Assessment Conclusion And so, your thoughts and comments on this Medical Executive-Post are appreciated. Feel free [...]

Doctors versus Retail Bankers

Understanding Modern Reality By Dr. David Edward Marcinko; MBA, CMP™ [Publisher-in-Chief] Doctors often carry notoriously heavy debt loads. Beyond the costs of a medical education are substantial costs for equipping, launching and staffing a practice. Technology changes fast these days and capital is required frequently. And, the era of eMRs, ARRA, HI-TECH and Obama-Care is [...]

Events Planner: November 2009

ADVERTISEMENT Events-Planner: NOVEMBER 2009 Staff Writers “Keeping track of important health economics and financial industry meetings, conferences and summits” Welcome to this issue of the Medical Executive-Post and our Events-Planner. It contains the latest information on conferences, news, and relevant resources in healthcare finance, economics, research and development, business management, pharmaceutical pricing, and physician/entity reimbursement!  [...]

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