Senate Finance Committee to Limit Specialty Hospitals

Posted on January 26, 2008 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

Ban Due to Medicare Participation Prohibitions

Staff Reporters

 ho-journal9A new report outlining violations of health and safety standards at some physician-owned specialty hospitals has some lawmakers renewing efforts to ban the facilities. 

www.HealthcareFinancials.com

The American Medical News [AMN] recently reported that Department of Health and Human Services [HHS], Office of Inspector General [OIG], investigated 109 of the country’s orthopedic, cardiac and surgical hospitals and found that more than one-third of them may be in violation of Medicare’s conditions of participation. 

The OIG concluded that the administration should work to require all hospitals – not just specialty facilities – to meet Medicare’s hospital staffing rules. These include having the capability for evaluation and initial treatment of emergency patients, and to include necessary information in their written policies regarding how to manage medical emergencies.  

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services [CMS] concurred with the findings, and for those who oppose them, the report is more evidence that legislation is required to address potential problems. 

Conclusion: And so, what is your considered opinion of specialty hospitals?

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Questions Doctors Must Answer Before Retiring

Posted on January 26, 2008 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

Getting off the “Must-Work” Treadmill

By Dr. David Edward Marcinko; MBA, Certified Medical Planner™

Publisher-in-Chief 

“Other than facing up to the thought of never writing another prescription or studying another X-ray, perhaps the greatest challenge for a physician approaching retirement is making reliable assumptions about the future. Since the quality of life in retirement will be determined by the quality of a long-term financial plan, it is imperative to make prudent and conservative investment choices. Just like preparing for a complex medical procedure, even a slight miscalculation in planning could cause a wide margin miss to your desired result.”

-Robert B. Wolf; CFP® 

Many physicians feel that practicing medicine today just isn’t as much fun (or rewarding) as it used to be.  I am [was] one of them.

With healthcare reform, your income may be lower while your efforts have increased substantially. Perhaps even worse to the ego, your social standing has plummeted faster than your income.  

And so, have you ever wondered how you can get off the “must-work” employment treadmill?

I have – and so did my buddy, Dr. Bill Zientak.  

The Most Important Questions 

Just imagine being able to work because you want to practice medicine – not because you “must”; or be able to retire completely!  

So, like Dr. Bill, ask yourself these questions designed to provide some answers to making practice optional and joyous [again]; rather than the mandatory economic drudgery it has become for many medical colleagues:

· How do I maximize qualified retirement plans [401(k)-403-(b]) during my working years?

· Do I have enough money for retirement; forever; for a legacy?

· What lifestyle do I envision during retirement?

· How do I maximize these qualified plan benefits when fully retired?

· How should I invest money that’s not in a qualified retirement plan?

· Why retirement planning determines my investment approach – not my “risk-tolerance?”

· What role should Social Security play in my retirement planning; if any?

· Why and how do I integrate estate and retirement planning? 

Conclusion

Please comment if you believe an important interrogative has been omitted. 

More information: http://www.jbpub.com/catalog/0763745790

Speaker: If you need a moderator or a speaker for an upcoming event, Dr. David Edward Marcinko; MBA is available for speaking engagements. Contact him at: MarcinkoAdvisors@msn.com

 

 

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