BOARD CERTIFICATION EXAM STUDY GUIDES Lower Extremity Trauma
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John English, of the Ford Foundation, once observed that:
[T]he thing that is most interesting to me is that every one of the managers is able to give me a chart that shows me he was in the first quartile or the first decile. I have never had a prospective manager come in and say, ‘We’re in the fourth quartile or bottom decile’.
According to Wayne Firebaugh CPA, CFP® CMP™ most medical endowment funds today, even those with internal investment staff, rely heavily upon consultants and external managers.
In fact, a 2006 Commonfund Benchmarks Healthcare Study revealed that 85% of all surveyed institutions relied upon consultants with an even greater percentage of larger endowments relying upon consultants. The common reasons given by endowments for such reliance are augmenting staff and oddly enough, cost containment. In essence, the endowment staff’s job becomes one of managing the managers.
Manager Selection
Even those endowments that use consultants to assist in selecting outside managers remain involved in the selection and monitoring process. Interestingly, performance should generally not be the overriding criterion for selecting a manager. Selecting a manager could be viewed as a two-step process in which the endowment first establishes its initial allocation and determines what classes will require an external manager. The second part of the process is to select a manager that due diligence has indicated to have two primary characteristics: integrity and a repeatable and sustainable systematic process. These characteristics are interrelated, as a manager who embodies integrity will also strive to follow the established investment selection process.
Of Medical-Managers
In medicine, obtaining the best care often means consulting a specialist. As a manager of managers, the average endowment should seek specialist managers within a given asset class. Just as physicians and healthcare institutions gain additional insight and skill in their area of specialty, investment managers may be able to gain informational or system advantages within a given concentrated area of investments.
Assessment
Since most plan managers are seeking positive alpha by actively managing certain asset classes, many successful endowments will use a greater number of external managers in the concentrated segments than they will in the larger, more efficient markets.
Conclusion
Your thoughts and comments on this ME-P are appreciated. Feel free to review our top-left column, and top-right sidebar materials, links, URLs and related websites, too. Then, subscribe to the ME-P. It is fast, free and secure.
Speaker: If you need a moderator or speaker for an upcoming event, Dr. David E. Marcinko; MBA – Publisher-in-Chief of the Medical Executive-Post – is available for seminar or speaking engagements. Contact: MarcinkoAdvisors@msn.com
OUR OTHER PRINT BOOKS AND RELATED INFORMATION SOURCES:
Posted on October 15, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
By Staff Reporters
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Kaiser Permanente and unions representing 75,000 of its employees reached a tentative deal for a new contract in the wake of the largest healthcare strike ever in the US.
The UAW did not expand its strike against Detroit’s Big Three automakers, but the union’s president said more workers could be added to the picket lines at any time and urged carmakers to “pony up.”***
Posted on October 15, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
By Staff Reporters
More than 7 million 23andMe customers were the victims of a data breach, with the hackers specifically targeting users of Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry. The data includes users’ names, profile photos, genetic ancestry results, date of birth, and geographical location. The hackers are attempting to sell the data, asking for between $1 and $10 per account, depending on how many accounts a buyer wants to purchase.
How’d they do it? By “credential stuffing”—acquiring the login credentials from one site and using them on other sites in order to gain access to sensitive information. 23andMe reported the incident to law enforcement and is asking all customers to change their passwords and use two-factor authentication.
Posted on October 14, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
By Staff Reporters
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The sun and the moon don’t typically run in the same circles but, for a fleeting moment today, they’ll participate in a rare joint appearance: the annular solar eclipse. That’s when the moon lines up directly between the Earth and the sun, blacking out all of the star except the outer rim, forming a “ring of fire.” So, provided the skies are clear, people in the Western US will be able to see the full ring of fire, while the further east you go, the more “partial” the eclipse becomes. Wherever you live, experts warn that you shouldn’t look directly at the eclipse without eye protection.
The following companies had stock price moves driven by quarterly earnings, analyst ratings, or other news:
BlackRock (BLK) fell 1.3% after the world’s largest money manager posted third-quarter revenue that fell short of expectations.
Boeing (BA) fell 3.3% following reports the aerospace company had widened the scope of an investigation into potential defects in its 737 MAX 8 aircraft.
Citigroup was about 0.2% lower despite reporting stronger-than-expected earnings per share and revenue.
Dollar General (DG) rose 9.2% after a Gordon Haskett analyst upgraded the stock to “buy” from “hold” after the company announced that former CEO Todd Vasos would be returning immediately.
JPMorgan rose 1.5% after country’s biggest bank reported better-than-expected quarterly earnings and revenue, helped by favorable net-interest income, or the money it made lending minus what it paid to customers.
PNC Financial Services Group (PNC) fell 2.6% after reporting mixed third-quarter results, as earnings per share topped expectations but revenue missed.
Post Holdings (POST) rose 2.6% after JPMorgan initiated coverage of the St. Louis-based breakfast cereal maker with an overweight rating, citing strong cash flow.
Progressive Corp. (PGR) gained 8.1% after the insurance company reported better-than-expected quarterly results.
UnitedHealth Group (UNH) rose 2.6%, leading Dow gainers, after quarterly earnings and revenue exceeded expectations.
Wells Fargo was up 2.8% after reporting stronger-than-expected quarterly revenue and higher earnings.
More large banks are due to report next week, with Bank of America (BAC) and Goldman Sachs (GS) expected to report results Tuesday and Morgan Stanley (MS) on tap Wednesday.
Netflix (NFLX) and Tesla (TSLA) are among the other notable companies on the calendar. Netflix shares have been slipping since early September, touching a five-month low Friday, but are still up 20% so far this year. Abbott Labs (ABT), American Airlines (AAL), CSX (CSX), Johnson & Johnson (JNJ), Union Pacific (UNP), and United Airlines (UAL) will also be reporting.
Posted on October 14, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
By Staff Reporters
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Citigroup chief Jane Fraser has unveiled a plan to eliminate five layers of management in what is poised to become the bank’s largest restructuring in two decades, according to a presentation unveiled Friday. Since major reorganization changes were announced last month, Citigroup has scrapped its two core operating units — which had focused on institutional and consumer clients — and reorganized into five key business units including trading, banking, services, wealth management, and US consumer offerings. The stock price was up 3%.
JPMorgan Chase’s third-quarter profit soared 35% from last year, fueled by a rapid rise in interest rates, but the bank’s CEO, Jamie Dimon, issued a sobering statement about the current state of world affairs and economic instability.
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Here is where the major benchmarks ended:
The S&P 500 Index was down 21.83 points (0.5%) at 4,327.78, up 0.4% for the week; the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) was up 39.15 points (0.1%) at 33,670.29, up 0.8% for the week; the NASDAQ Composite (COMP) was down 166.98 points (1.2%) at 13,407.23, down 0.2% for the week.
The 10-year Treasury note yield (TNX) was down about 9 basis points at 4.623%.
CBOE’s Volatility Index (VIX) was up 2.63 at 19.32.
Technology shares were among the market’s weakest sectors Friday, with the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index (SOX) tumbling more than 2%. Regional banks and transportation were also lower.
The small-cap focused Russell 2000 Index (RUT) extended a recent slide and was down 1.5% for the week. Energy shares led sector gainers as WTI crude oil futures soared more than 5%, capping a gain of nearly 6% for the week, after reports the U.S. had tightened sanctions against Russian crude exports.
Did you know that desperate doctors of all ages are turning to knowledgeable financial advisors and medical management consultants for help? Symbiotically too, generalist advisors are finding that the mutual need for knowledge and extreme niche synergy is obvious.
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But, there was no established curriculum or educational program; no corpus of knowledge or codifying terms-of-art; no academic gravitas or fiduciary accountability; and certainly no identifying professional designation that demonstrated integrated subject matter expertise for the increasingly unique healthcare focused financial advisory niche … Until Now!
So, if you are looking to supplement your knowledge, income and designations; and find other qualified professionals you may want to consider the CMP® program.
Enter the Certified Medical Planner™ charter professional designation. And, CMPs™ are FIDUCIARIES, 24/7.
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Conclusion
Your thoughts and comments on this ME-P are appreciated. Feel free to review our top-left column, and top-right sidebar materials, links, URLs and related websites, too. Then, subscribe to the ME-P. It is fast, free and secure.
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Speaker: If you need a moderator or speaker for an upcoming event, Dr. David E. Marcinko; MBA – Publisher-in-Chief of the Medical Executive-Post – is available for seminar or speaking engagements. Contact: MarcinkoAdvisors@msn.com
OUR OTHER PRINT BOOKS AND RELATED INFORMATION SOURCES:
Posted on October 13, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
By Staff Reporters
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Triskaidekaphobia, or fear of the number 13, does not fit neatly into a clinical definition of a specific phobia. The number 13 is not an object or a situation, and it can be impossible for the sufferer to avoid. Moreover, in order for a phobia to be diagnosed, it must significantly impact the sufferer’s life. Most people with triskaidekaphobia find that their fear only arises in certain situations, and does not significantly impair their lives. But could this phobia just be linked to superstition?
Experts have long debated the scientific validity of triskaidekaphobia. Some feel that it should be classified as superstition or even taken as a sign of magic, which in conjunction with other symptoms, could point to a delusional disorder.
Fearfully, stocks dropped yesterday as fresh inflation data renewed fears that the Fed will keep rates higher for longer. The Consumer Price Index in September held steady at 3.7%—still a ways off from the Fed’s 2% target for inflation. News was better for Walgreens, whose shares jumped 7% after the pharmacy giant reported smaller losses and showed progress in its plan to cut costs.
Posted on October 13, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
By Staff Reporters
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Here is where the major benchmarks ended today:
The S&P 500 Index was down 27.34 points (0.6%) at 4,349.61; the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) was down 173.73 points (0.5%) at 33,631.14; the NASDAQ Composite was down 85.46 points (0.6%) at 13,574.22.
The 10-year Treasury note yield (TNX) was up nearly 11 basis points at 4.703%.
CBOE’s Volatility Index (VIX) was up 0.58 at 16.67.
Small-cap stocks led the way lower Thursday, as the Russell 2000 Index (RUT) sank more than 2% to a one-week low.
Retailers and utilities were also lower. Semiconductors and energy producers were among the few areas of strength, the latter posting modest gains even after a larger-than-expected increase in U.S. crude stockpiles sent oil futures lower.
Posted on October 12, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
By Staff Reporters
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Markets: Stocks notched their fourth winning day in a row yesterday as investors digested the news that the Fed was split about future rate hikes at its last meeting while waiting for this morning’s report on how much consumer prices rose last month.
Ozempic continues eating into investors’ appetites for other industries. Its maker, Novo Nordisk, rose on the news that the diabetes drug may help treat kidney failure, but dialysis providers DaVita and Fresenius Medical Care plunged.
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Earnings season is back: PepsiCo, Delta, Dominos, and big banks headline the start of earnings season, one that will have investors looking at how slowing inflation has affected the ability of companies to pad their profit margins. Pepsi’s report will be closely watched as its snack division, Frito-Lay, could be tested by the increasing popularity of weight-loss drugs like Wegovy. Major banks like JPMorgan are expected to post strong results.
US consumer spending: Has remained surprisingly strong despite rising interest rates, and a senior spending spree could explain it. According to the Department of Labor, Americans aged 65 and older accounted for 22% of consumer spending last year, the highest percentage since records began in 1972. It also helps that 17.7% of the US population is 65 and older, the highest on record dating to 1920. Better health, longer lifespans, and changes in attitude toward saving for a rainy day after the pandemic have boomers feeling OK about their finances.
The markets are down again and stocks continued their September slump with tech companies getting hit especially hard as investors fretted about another possible Fed rate hike because of data showing prices for manufacturing and services trending upward. It was a mixed bag for the meme stock faithful, with AMC hitting an all-time low after releasing a plan to sell new shares and GameStop rising after-hours thanks to better-than-expected sales last quarter.
This all may demonstrate that private companies looking to fund growth in this high-interest rate environment are facing a tough time raising capital amidst falling valuations, according to a new Deloitte survey.
The problem is particularly acute for smaller companies. Many of the companies challenged by capital raising saw themselves putting out the “For Sale” sign within the next six months, which could lead to an M&A boom later this year.
“The No. 1 largest factor that people saw as a challenge or a barrier was a decrease in valuations of their business,” Wolfe Tone, vice chair and US and Global Deloitte Private leader, told CFO Brew. “Clearly, increasing interest rates and pricing was closely behind that. Liquidity challenges not far behind that.”
Private companies have been looking to raise capital to fund a range of growth initiatives; meeting talent needs and expanding tech capabilities are at the top of the list, Tone said. Not far behind was “increasing productivity and improving cost structures.”
Posted on October 12, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
By Staff Reporters
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Resilient economic and earnings data, an expected end to Fed rate hikes, lower market volatility, and a broader recovery in the equity markets are favorable signs for IPO activity. With 8 of the 10 largest tech IPOs ever, the NYSE is ready when you are. Learn more.
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Here is where the major benchmarks ended:
The S&P 500 Index was up 18.71 points (0.4%) at 4,376.95; the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) was up 65.57 points (0.2%) at 33,804.87; the NASDAQ Composite was up 96.83 points (0.7%) at 13,659.68.
The 10-year Treasury note yield (TNX) was down nearly 10 basis points at 4.558%.
CBOE’s Volatility Index (VIX) was down 0.93 at 16.10.
Real estate and utilities were among the market’s strongest sectors Wednesday, with the Dow Jones Utility Index (DJU) jumping more than 1% to a two-week high. Communication services and technology shares were also higher.
Energy stocks led sector decliners as crude oil futures fell more than 2%, pressured by reports Saudi Arabia will support efforts to stabilize oil markets to account for uncertainty caused by the fighting in Israel.
Posted on October 12, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
By Darrell Pruitt DDS
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Even though the American Dental Association officially disagrees, if you haven’t adopted electronic dental records, now is not the time.
“Ransomware attack threatens to expose McLaren Health patient data” – Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel notes: “This attack shows, once again, how susceptible our information infrastructure may be”. Organizations that handle our most personal data have a responsibility to implement safety measures that can withstand cyber-attacks and ensure that a patient’s private health information remains private.”
I’d give it a few more years. Otherwise, your digital records could be the cause of your bankruptcy.
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Ransomware hits small businesses too
Business Tips from SCORE: Hackers focusing on small businesses. Here’s how to protect yourself, by Marc L. Goldberg for Cape Cod Times, October 8, 2023.
“Ransomware is the type of malware that has been on the rise over the last couple of years. After the ransomware infects the device, you’ll know right away. It encrypts files (or parts of the infrastructure) and displays the ransom message on the screen of the victim. Some strains can steal data making the organization vulnerable. Those that are most vulnerable gather and store lots of data — health care, insurance, banking and credit card providers.”
If a dental office is hacked, and it becomes known in the community that patients’ identities are appearing on the dark web, it is likely to cause bankruptcy.
Costly problem. Cybersecurity is the ultimate risk factor: In 2023, the average cost of a data breach worldwide was $4.45 million, marking a 15% increase in the last three years, according to a 2023 IBM report.
Posted on October 11, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
By Staff Reporters
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After months of speculation, Birkenstock made its first move to go public in September, sending its prospectus document to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. In the filing, Birkenstock stated it would sell close to 32.26 million shares priced between $44 and $49 per ordinary share to raise about $1.58 billion for the company and its private equity owner L Catterton, which is backed by the French luxury fashion house LVMH. At the low end, the valuation would hover around $8.3 billion, and at the high end about $9.2 billion, according to the numbers revealed in the filing. The prospectus also stated that LVMH CEO Bernard Arnault’s family holding company Financière Agache is interested in buying up to $325 million in shares. Alexandre Arnault, Bernard’ son, will join Birkenstock’s board of directors after the offering. While no date has been confirmed for when the company will officially go public, Birkenstock’s debut on the stock exchange could come as soon as Wednesday, Oct. 11th, 2023.
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A sustained rise in long-term Treasury yields could be bringing the Federal Reserve’s historic rate hiking cycle to an anticlimactic end. Top central bank officials have signaled in recent days that they could be done raising short-term interest rates if long-term rates remain near their recent highs and inflation continues to cool.
The S&P 500 Index was up 22.58 points (0.5%) at 4,358.24; the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) was up 134.65 points (0.4%) at 33,739.30; the NASDAQ Composite was up 78.60 points (0.6%) at 13,562.84.
The 10-year Treasury note yield was down about 13 basis points at 4.653%.
CBOE’s Volatility Index (VIX) was down 0.66 at 17.04.
Shares of retailers, regional banks, and technology companies were among the market’s strongest performers Tuesday, with the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index (SOX) up more than 1% to a three-week high.
Small-caps also strengthened, with the Russell 2000 Index (RUT) up about 1.5%, outpacing their large-cap counterparts. WTI crude oil futures fell for the first day in three, while the U.S. dollar index (DXY) eroded for the fifth day in a row to touch its lowest level in more than a week.
Posted on October 10, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
By Staff Reporters
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Pharmacy employees at Walgreens across the country walked off the job yesterday, citing harsh working conditions created by undersized staff that leave them unable to safely fill prescriptions while meeting the demands of a busy vaccine season. The three-day walkout was organized entirely via social media, as the group lacks a centralized labor union like the WGA and UAW.
Posted on October 10, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
By Staff Reporters
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Walgreens’ corporate management have announced that they would be closing 150 of its nearly 9,000 stores in the United States by the end of August 2024 as profits have declined. In an earnings call the Chief Financial Officer James Kehoe said that earnings sunk from $289 million to $118 million from the year prior in the third quarter, CEO Rosalind Brewer said.
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Hospitalizations from COVID-19 pose a “continued public health threat”, particularly to those adults aged 65 and above. This is the warning of a study by researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC), which analyzed hospitalizations between January and August this year.
Markets: Investors will be focused on the outbreak of war in Israel and Gaza, which could lead to volatility in global stock markets and oil prices, depending on the escalation of the conflict. US oil futures jumped. Later in the week, the consumer price index report will give an update on the Fed’s fight against inflation.
Here is where the major benchmarks ended (the bond market was closed for Columbus Day):
The S&P 500 Index was up 27.16 points (0.6%) at 4,335.66; the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) was up 197.07 points (0.6%) at 33,604.65; the NASDAQ Composite was up 52.90 points (0.4%) at 13,484.24.
CBOE’s Volatility Index (VIX) was up 0.25 at 17.70.
Posted on October 9, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
The Institute of Medical Business Advisors is a leading national scope provider of healthcare economics, finance, investing, managerial accounting, policy, management and business administration education and medical practice management textbooks, reports, hand-books, dictionaries, journals, white-papers, fair-market valuations [FMV] and legal advisory opinions using multi-platform and traditional seminars and channels of knowledge distribution. iMBA helps the nation’s financial, healthcare and education professionals make decisive improvements in their direction and performance by empowering them through unbiased information, consultants and proprietary tools, books, templates and B-school styled case models.A virtuous “win-win” situation for all concerned.
The firm serves universities, medical, business, graduate and nursing schools; physicians, dentists, attorneys and legal societies – accountants, financial service providers, stock brokers, RIAs, wealth and hedge fund managers – emerging entities, hospitals, clinics, outpatient centers, CXOs and their BODs – the press, media and related academic entities.
Posted on October 9, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
By Staff Reporters
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Be alert and ready for the S&P 500 to crash by 50%, house prices to slide, and a recession to strike, Jeremy Grantham says.
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It has been a difficult couple of years for BlackRock, the world’s biggest money manager. The firm is still enormously profitable, though it has recently taken some big hits because of its promotion of ESG investments.
Under a new proposal from the Post Office, the cost of a First Class stamp would rise to $.68 from $.66. The price was increased from $.63 to $.66 in July. Last January, the price rose from $.60 to $.63. If the new plan is accepted, First Class mail prices will rise 13% over the period.
Posted on October 8, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
By Staff Reporters
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will no longer print or issue COVID-19 vaccination cards, the agency said in guidance updated this week. The agency also said it does not maintain vaccination records. According to the CDC, your state health department immunization information system can provide you a digital or paper copy of your full vaccination record, including your COVID-19 vaccinations, but cannot issue you a new vaccination card.
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The more than 6 million-barrel weekly rise in U.S. gasoline supplies reported by the Energy Information Administration wasn’t just a surprise, but the strongest sign yet that prices for oil and its products have reached the breaking point for consumers.
Experts estimate that it can cost more than $1 million to recruit and train a replacement for a doctor who leaves the profession because of burnout. But, as no broad calculation of burnout costs exists, Dr. Tait Shanafelt [Mayo Clinic researcher and Stanford Medicine’s first Chief Physician Wellness Officer] said Stanford, Harvard Business School, Mayo Clinic and the American Medical Association (AMA) are further cost estimating the issue. Nevertheless, Shanafelt and other researchers have shown that burnout erodes job performance, increases medical errors, and leads doctors to leave a profession they once loved.
Fortunately, we can help. From formal coaching to second career opinions, mentoring and advising, we can help with our remediation executive career programs. Regardless of what is happening in your life, it is wonderful to have a non-partial, confidential and informed career coach and sounding board on your side.
CITE: JAMA Internal Medicine [Effect of a Professional Coaching Intervention on the Well-Being and Distress of Physicians].
Posted on October 7, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
By Staff Reporters
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Here is where the major benchmarks ended this week:
The S&P 500 Index rose 50 points (1.2%) to 4,308.52 and gained 0.5% for the week; the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) was up 288 points (0.87%) at 33,407.58 but was down 0.3% for the week; the NASDAQ Composite was up 211 points (1.6%) at 13,431.34 and gained 1.6% for the week.
The 10-year Treasury note yield was up eight basis points at 4.788%.
CBOEs Volatility Index (VIX) fell one point to 17.47.
Energy shares were among the market’s strongest sectors behind a rebound in crude oil futures, though oil prices still ended down more than 8% for the week. Technology and industrial stocks were also strong.
Small-caps joined the upswing as the Russell 2000 Index (RUT) gained over 1% Friday but still ended the week with a loss of nearly 2%.
Posted on October 6, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
By Staff Reporters
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Citigroupannounced a major reorganization aimed at eliminating unnecessary management layers. It will involve layoffs, but the bank didn’t say how many.
One day after the CDC recommended that everyone above six months old get the new Covid booster,Moderna stock shot up. But it was mostly because the company showed it’s got a future beyond the virus with encouraging flu-shot trial results.
Elon Muskcalled for a regulator to ensure that AI development proceeds safely following a closed-door meeting with US lawmakers that also included Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai and Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg—which was probably an awkward run-in for Musk.
Posted on October 5, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
By Darrell Pruitt DDS
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Less than a week after the American Dental Association pushed dentists to adopt electronic dental records, Infosecurity Magazine announced “Record Numbers of Ransomware Victims Named on Leak Sites.”
So whom does the ADA protect? It’s not dentists and their patients.
Posted on October 5, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
By Staff Reporters
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Here is where the major benchmarks ended Thursday:
The S&P 500® Index (SPX) was down 5.56 points (0.1.%) at 4,258.19; the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) was down 9.98 points at 33,119.57; the ASDAQ Composite (COMP)was down 16.18 points (0.1%) at 13,219.83.
The 10-year Treasury note yield (TNX) was down about 2 basis points at 4.716%.
CBOE’s Volatility Index (VIX) was down 0.14 at 18.44.
Consumer staples and retail shares were among the market’s weakest sectors Thursday. Energy shares were also under pressure as WTI crude oil futures extended a sharp selloff, sinking more than 2% to a five-week low. Since topping $95 a week ago, oil futures have tumbled 13% amid concerns that global demand may slow.
Financial stocks were among the strongest performers, with the KBW Regional Banking Index (KRX) gaining more than 2%.
Posted on October 4, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
By Staff Reporters
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More than 75,000 workers employed by Kaiser Permanente, one of the largest nonprofit healthcare providers in the US, plan to walk off the job for three days—starting today.
Healthcare workers across the industry are experiencing challenges, which Kaiser acknowledged in response to the looming strike. According to a statement by the company, up to two-thirds of healthcare staff everywhere are burnt out. That’s exacerbated by the issues Kaiser employee unions say they’re striking over, including:
Acute staffing shortages: Short-staffing is a common problem in healthcare, but union members say that it has worsened between the pandemic and the Great Resignation—and patient safety is in danger.
Wage increases: The union wants what it describes as competitive compensation that accounts for the increased cost of living: a $25/hour wage floor and increases between 6.25% and 7% over the next four years.
Kaiser insists it pays a decent and denied claims of being short-staffed, saying it hired 22,000 people already this year.
Posted on October 4, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
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On Wednesday at 11:20 am and 2:20 pm 2023, Eastern, most Americans will simultaneously feel their cellphones vibrate, hear them make a loud sound and see a push alert pop up on their screens. Most radio and television stations will broadcast an alert at the same time for about one minute.
It’s a test of the national emergency alert systems, which are designed to let the government reach hundreds of millions of people in the United States immediately if there is a disaster affecting the entire country. The Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Federal Communications Commission are conducting the coordinated test to see if the technology is working as designed and if any improvements are needed.
The sound is a unique tone that probably will interrupt classes and meetings, reveal the locations of hidden phones, and jar anyone not expecting it. The test itself is already leading to baseless conspiracy theories about how the powerful communication tool could be abused.
There is no national emergency, no reason to panic and nothing you need to do about the alerts.
Did you know that desperate doctors of all ages are turning to knowledgeable financial advisors and medical management consultants for help? Symbiotically too, generalist advisors are finding that the mutual need for knowledge and extreme niche synergy is obvious.
***
***
But, there was no established curriculum or educational program; no corpus of knowledge or codifying terms-of-art; no academic gravitas or fiduciary accountability; and certainly no identifying professional designation that demonstrated integrated subject matter expertise for the increasingly unique healthcare focused financial advisory niche … Until Now!
So, if you are looking to supplement your knowledge, income and designations; and find other qualified professionals you may want to consider the CMP® program.
Enter the Certified Medical Planner™ charter professional designation. And, CMPs™ are FIDUCIARIES, 24/7.
Channel Surfing the ME-P
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Speaker: If you need a moderator or speaker for an upcoming event, Dr. David E. Marcinko; MBA – Publisher-in-Chief of the Medical Executive-Post – is available for seminar or speaking engagements. Contact: MarcinkoAdvisors@msn.com
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Posted on October 4, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
By Staff Reporters
President Joe Biden announced yesterday that the manufacturers of all of the first 10 prescription drugs selected for Medicare’s first price negotiations have agreed to participate, clearing the way for talks that could lower their costs in coming years and give him a potential political win heading into next year’s election.
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Wall Street SANK Tuesday as it focuses on the downside of a surprisingly strong job market.The S&P 500 was 1.5% lower in late trading and nearly back to where it was in May. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 475 points, or 1.4%, at 32,957 and wiped out the last of its gains made for the year so far. The NASDAQ composite was leading the market lower with a 2% drop as Big Tech stocks were among the market’s biggest losers.
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The 16-year high on 10-year yields is probably the biggest factor weighing on equities. So, here is where the major benchmarks ended:
The S&P 500 Index was down 58.94 points (1.4%) at 4,229.45; the Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 430.97 points (1.3%) at 33,002.38; the NASDAQ Composite was down 248.31 points (1.9%) at 13,059.47.
The 10-year Treasury note yield was up about 11 basis points at 4.791%.
CBOE’s Volatility Index was up 2.17 at 19.78.
Energy shares were among the few gainers, as WTI crude oil futures rose for the first time in four sessions after dropping sharply from a 13-month high above $95 a barrel. The U.S. dollar index (DXY) strengthened for a third-straight day, touching its highest level since November, reflecting expectations that rates will remain high.
Posted on October 3, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
MEDICINE: By Staff Reporters
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Dr. Katalin Karikó and DrewWeissmanMD PhD just received the Nobel Prize in medicine. Their study of mRNA led to the development of the Covid-19 vaccine.
Oiginally from Hungary, Kariko joined the University of Pennsylvania as a research assistant professor in 1989 to study mRNA. Her grant proposals were constantly rejected, while the rest of the scientific community was slow to catch on to her groundbreaking research. She was never paid more than $60,000 a year. And it was only through a chance encounter at the photocopier that she began to work with Weissman, currently the director of the Penn Institute for RNA Innovation.
The two made the discovery of a lifetime in 2005—that mRNA can be manipulated and injected into the body to activate an immune response. The major academic journals Science and Nature rejected their paper, which received little fanfare even after being published in a less prestigious journal.
So, in 2013, Karikó left Penn for a job at BioNTech where she still works today. And, of course, their breakthrough came in handy during the global pandemic.
Thanks largely to Karikó and Weissman, mRNA vaccine technology, Moderna and BioNTech are working on mRNA vaccines for RSV, HIV, Zika, malaria, shingles, flu, and cancer.
And, three scientists won the Nobel Prize in physics yesterday for their work on how electrons move around the atom during the tiniest fractions of seconds, a field that could one day lead to better electronics or disease diagnoses.
The award went to Pierre Agostini, Ferenc Krausz and Anne L’Huillier for their study of the tiny part of each atom that races around the center and that is fundamental to virtually everything: chemistry, physics, our bodies and our gadgets.
The movements of electrons inside atoms and molecules are so rapid that they are measured in attoseconds – an almost incomprehensibly short unit of time. “An attosecond is to one second as one second is to the age of the universe,” the committee explained.
“They were able to, in a sense, provide an illumination tool that allows us to watch the assembly of molecules: how things come together to make a molecule,” Bob Rosner, president of the American Physical Society and a professor at the University of Chicago, told CNN.
Posted on October 3, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
By Staff Reporters
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Thecost of oil continues on an upward trend, and Americans are seeing yet another increase in the average cost to fill up at the gasoline pump. The average cost across the nation is up twenty cents per gallon year-over-year, at around $3.88 as of yesterday’s data release.
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Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said Monday that unfair tactics used by Google led to its dominance as a search engine, tactics that in turn have thwarted his company’s rival program, Bing.
Nadella testified in packed Washington, D.C., courtroom as part of the government’s landmark antitrust trial against Google’s parent company, Alphabet. The Justice Department alleges Google has abused the dominance of its ubiquitous search engine to throttle competition and innovation at the expense of consumers, allegations that echo a similar case brought against Microsoft in the late 1990s.
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Here is where the major benchmarks ended:
The S&P 500 Index ® (SPX) was up 0.34 point at 4,288.39; the Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 74.15 points (0.2%) at 33,433.35; the NASDAQ Composite (COMP) was up 88.45 points (0.7%) at 13,307.77.
The 10-year Treasury note yield was up about 12 basis points at 4.691%.
CBOE’s Volatility Index (VIX) was up 0.07 at 17.59.
Energy stocks were among the market’s weakest performers as crude oil futures dropped for a third-consecutive session to $90 a barrel. Financial shares were also lower, with the KBW Regional Bank Index (KRX) dropping more than 2% to a three-month low. Technology shares were among the few areas of strength.
The U.S. Dollar Index (DXY) strengthened to a 10-month high thanks to expectations that interest rates are likely to remain high for some time.
As a new physician investor, it’s important to know the distinctions between like measurements because the market allows firms to advertise their numbers in ways not otherwise regulated. Often companies will publicize their numbers using either GAAP or non-GAAP measures. GAAP, or generally accepted accounting principles, outlines rules and conventions for reporting financial information. It is a means to standardize financial statements and ensure consistency in reporting.
When a company publicizes its earnings and includes non-GAAP figures, it means it wants to provide investors with an arguably more accurate depiction of the company’s health (for instance, by removing one-time items to smooth out earnings). However, the further a company deviates from GAAP standards, the more room is allocated for some creative accounting and manipulation.
When looking at a company that is publishing non-GAAP numbers, new physician investors should be wary of these pro forma statements, because they may differ greatly from what GAAP deems acceptable.
GAAP is set forth in 10 primary principles, as follows:
Principle of consistency: This principle ensures that consistent standards are followed in financial reporting from period to period.
Principle of permanent methods: Closely related to the previous principle is that of consistent procedures and practices being applied in accounting and financial reporting to allow comparison.
Principle of non-compensation: This principle states that all aspects of an organization’s performance, whether positive or negative, are to be reported. In other words, it should not compensate (offset) a debt with an asset.
Principle of prudence: All reporting of financial data is to be factual, reasonable, and not speculative.
Principle of regularity: This principle means that all accountants are to consistently abide by the GAAP.
Principle of sincerity: Accountants should perform and report with basic honesty and accuracy.
Principle of good faith: Similar to the previous principle, this principle asserts that anyone involved in financial reporting is expected to be acting honestly and in good faith.
Principle of materiality: All financial reporting should clearly disclose the organization’s genuine financial position.
Principle of continuity: This principle states that all asset valuations in financial reporting are based on the assumption that the business or other entity will continue to operate going forward.
Principle of periodicity: This principle refers to entities abiding by commonly accepted financial reporting periods, such as quarterly or annually.
Posted on October 3, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
Hospitals are Dropping Medicare Advantage [Part C] Plans – Left and Right
By Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA
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Hospitals SayBye-Bye?
Medicare Advantage provides health coverage to more than half of the nation’s seniors, but a growing number of hospitals and health systems nationwide are pushing back and dropping the private plans altogether. Among the most commonly cited reasons are excessive prior authorization denial rates and slow payments from insurers. Some systems have noted that most MA carriers have faced allegations of billing fraud from the federal government and are being probed by lawmakers over their high denial rates.
“It’s become a game of delay, deny and not pay,” Chris Van Gorder, president and CEO of San Diego-based Scripps Health, told Becker’s. “Providers are going to have to get out of full-risk capitation because it just doesn’t work — we’re the bottom of the food chain, and the food chain is not being fed.” Van Gorder said the health system is facing a loss of $75 million this year on the MA contracts, which will end December 31st for patients covered by UnitedHealthcare, Anthem Blue Cross, Blue Shield of California, Centene’s Health Net and a few more smaller carriers.
Source: Becker’s Hospital Review [9/27/23]
COMMENTS APPRECIATED
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Cigna to Pay $172M Over Alleged Medicare Advantage Fraud
The Cigna Group will pay $172.3 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by submitting incorrect Medicare Advantage patient data to CMS to receive higher payments from the agency. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania alleged Sept. 30 that Cigna also falsely certified that the submitted data was accurate, failed to withdraw the “untruthful” data, and did not repay CMS.
Cigna will use $135.3 million from the settlement to resolve the allegations from the Justice Department. The remaining $37 million will resolve allegations related to unsupported diagnoses for Medicare Advantage enrollees that received in-home services from Cigna. As part of the settlement, Cigna has entered into a five-year accountability and auditing agreement with HHS’ Office of Inspector General, which will require company executives and board members to certify Cigna’s compliance moving forward. The payer must also conduct annual risk assessments and submit to independent risk adjustment audits.
Source: Jakob Emerson, Becker’s Payer Issues [10/2/23]
Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization
A company’s earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization is an accounting measure calculated using a company’s earnings, before interest expenses, taxes, depreciation, and amortization are subtracted, as a proxy for a company’s current operating profitability. Though often shown on an income statement, it is not considered part of the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles by the SEC.
Posted on October 3, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
By Health Capital Consultants, LLC
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On September 18, 2023, the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) published a study comparing online hospital pricing and pricing given over the telephone for shoppable hospital services. Hospitals in the U.S. are required to post pricing online for specified services, but it was unknown whether or not hospitals quoted the same prices to telephone callers as they posted online.
This Health Capital Topics article will discuss the topic of price discrepancy and the difficulties with cost comparison. (Read more…)
A medical practice name should be easy to say, hear, spell, and remember-unlike prescription drugs. It should be appealing and resonate with your target patient base. Here are some common naming methods for small to medical medical practices use.
We, and most experts, recommend against naming a new medical practice with your own name because it limits future growth and you may lose the benefits that a more descriptive name would bring. Your business name will likely be incorporated using your practice’s name, although larger (multi-specialty group) practices may use a more general name for the entire enterprise; and then having multiple “dba’s” (”Doing Business As”) for the individual practices under the umbrella.
It is important to discuss these options with an attorney if you believe this arrangement has advantage; others find it confusing. Usually, your medical specialty can be used as a base-name, and then some descriptor to differentiate it from local competing practices. Selecting a name like “The Medical Allegiance Partners” does not indicate that medicine is your service. On the other hand, naming your practice “Dental Associates of Your Town” won’t be helpful to patients looking for you in the yellow pages, or internet search engines, and finding your practice listed just before “Your Town Dental Partners”. It is therefore good to be cognizant of your competitors’ names when choosing your own.
And, you should select a name that will hopefully grow with you into a larger enterprise.
For example: You are a solo doctor, but are pretty sure you’ll take on one or more partners in the future? Then besides not naming your practice after yourself, you may choose to add “Group” or “Partners” to your name initially even if you’re the only doctor.
Moreover, is there any possibility you’ll open a second office in another town? Naming your medical practice something like the ”Apple Street Internal Medicine Group” may not make sense when your second office is opened on Main Street in a nearby city, in a few years.
Posted on October 2, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
By Staff Reporters
The stock markets ended Q3 last week with a whimper despite new data showing that the Fed’s favorite CPI inflation measure cooled in August. September was the worst month of the year for the S&P 500 and the NASDAQ. But Blue Apron soared on the news that it’s being bought by Wonder Group, a food delivery startup helmed by a former Walmart exec.
America’s debt today stands at $33 trillion, a figure some politicians, finance mavens and everyday citizens find astonishingly high.
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Carmot Therapeutics, which is developing drugs for diabetes and weight-loss, is reportedly mulling an IPO or possible sale to a large pharmaceutical company at a valuation of at least $1B. The biotech company has two injectable GLP-1 drug candidates in Phase 2 development for type 1 and type 2 diabetes, according to the company’s website.
Carmot enlisted JP Morgan and Bank of America as underwriters on an IPO, which could come as early as this year if market conditions are favorable. The company has also received “takeover interest” from large drug makers at a valuation of over $1B, according to a Bloomberg report. Carmot had a post-money valuation of $1.25B following a $150M funding round in May, Bloomberg added.
DEFINITION: An initial public offering (IPO) or stock launch is a public offering in which shares of a company are sold to institutional investors and usually also to retail (individual) investors An IPO is typically underwritten by one or more investment banks who also arrange for the shares to be listed on one or more stock exchanges. Through this process, colloquially known as floating, or going public, a privately held company is transformed into a public company. Initial public offerings can be used to raise new equity capital for companies, to monetize the investments of private shareholders such as company founders or private equity investors, and to enable easy trading of existing holdings or future capital raising by becoming publicly traded.
After the IPO, shares are traded freely in the open market at what is known as the free float. Stock exchanges stipulate a minimum free float both in absolute terms (the total value as determined by the share price multiplied by the number of shares sold to the public) and as a proportion of the total share capital (i.e., the number of shares sold to the public divided by the total shares outstanding). Although IPO offers many benefits, there are also significant costs involved, chiefly those associated with the process such as banking and legal fees, and the ongoing requirement to disclose important and sometimes sensitive information.
Cite: Wikipedia
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Now, the NYSE is the world’s largest stock exchange, and for good reason. From thrilling new entries into the public market to a relentless commitment to transformative tech, the NYSE is constantly upping their game.
Posted on October 1, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
By Staff Reporters
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The SEC’s new cybersecurity regulations went into effect last week. Most companies are “largely ready” to comply, Matt Gorham, senior managing director and leader of PwC’s Cyber & Privacy InnovationInstitute, told CFO Brew, “but that doesn’t mean there isn’t work to do.”
As their companies’ finance leaders, CFOs are instrumental in determining whether a cybersecurity incident is material, but they have other roles to play as well. Gorham shared his advice for how CFOs can help their organizations comply with the new regs. Now, aAs a reminder, the regulations consist of what Gorham refers to as three “buckets.” Companies that file with the SEC are required to:
Declare any material cybersecurity incidents to the SEC on Item 1.05 of Form 8-K within four business days of determining materiality
Disclose information about their cyber risk management and strategy on a new section of the 10-K called Item 1C
Disclose information about their boards’ and management’s role in overseeing cybersecurity risk
The first two “buckets,” Gorham said, will likely require the most work to comply with.
If you’re looking at this tab, chances are you are fed up, burned out, seeking better work-life balance, looking for a new non-clinical career, thinking of retirement, or all of the above. Perhaps you are just looking to regain the joy and meaning in your medical career.
Posted on October 1, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
By Staff Reporters
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CPI: Here’s a breakdown of how different aisles and departments rose over the past 12 months:
Cereals and bakery: increase 6%
Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs: unchanged
Remaining products (ranging from dairy to beverages): increase 0.3% to 4.8%
Food in general is up 4.3%
Food away from home: increase 6.8%
Used cars and trucks fell 1.2% year-over-year, but new cars and trucks rose 0.3%. Those may not seem like much, but a new car still costs an average of more than $48,000 — as of May 2023 only three models were available in the U.S. market for $20,000 or less.
Transportation similarly rose 10.3% over the same period but shelter, which rose 7.3%, “was the largest factor in the monthly increase in the index for all items less food and energy,” according to the August CPI.
Not to put a damper on your Sunday morning (the relentless rain is already doing that to the North East USA), but the government still appears headed for a shutdown. Among the immediate impacts: Many federal employees will be furloughed, the IRS will stop picking up your calls, you won’t be able to get married in DC courts, and most national parks—and their social media handles—will go dark.
And even more rain as New York City was hit with its heaviest rain in decades, which flooded roads and subway stations and delayed air travel. Both the mayor and New York’s governor declared states of emergency as images of the waterlogged city filled social media.
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It appears that Mark Zuckerberg’s new “Threads” social media platform is struggling with a massive decline. The social media platform called “Threads” was launched by Facebook (now called Meta). The platform is essentially a clone of Elon Musk’s Twitter, which is now called X. Threads struggling to maintain momentum and gain new users.
Among major social platforms, Threads is reportedly only ahead of Tumblr in the race for user acquisition. Forecasts by Insider Intelligence predict a U.S. user base of 23.7 million for Threads in 2023. The company reportedly anticipated 56.1 million U.S. users. In comparison, X has roughly 528.3 million monthly users.
Posted on September 30, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
By Staff Reporters
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Here is where the major benchmarks ended today:
The S&P 500 Index was down 11.65 points (0.3%) at 4,288.05, down 0.7% for the week; the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) was down 158.84 points (0.5%) at 33,507.50, down 1.3% for the week; the NASDAQ Composite (COMP) was up 18.05 points (0.1%) at 13,219.32, up slightly for the week but down 5.8% for the month.
The 10-year Treasury note yield (TNX) was down about 1 basis point at 4.583%.
CBOE’s Volatility Index (VIX) was up 0.18 at 17.52.
Energy stocks were among the market’s weakest performers as crude oil futures extended a pullback from a rally earlier in the week that sent prices to 13-month highs above $93 a barrel.
Health care and financial sectors were also soft. Regional banks, retailers, and consumer discretionary shares were among the strongest performers.
Posted on September 29, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
By Staff Reporters
Today is National Coffee Day
To celebrate, enjoy a free coffee from a breakfast chain, and while you wait for it to cool, reflect on the fact that the cup of coffee in your hand is one of about 3 billion being consumed around the world just today—a number that has nearly doubled over the past three decades and is expected to double again by 2050, per the Financial Times.
BTW: Over the next two years, Starbucks is on pace to open a new store in China every nine hours.
Brew method: Lattes are made with an espresso base, while coffee is brewed with hot water.
Taste: Lattes are sweeter and creamier than coffee.
Caffeine: Lattes are less caffeinated than coffee.
Calories: Coffee is lower in calories than a latte.
Price: Lattes are typically more expensive than coffee due to the espresso base and the addition of milk.
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Today is World Heart Day
Today is also World Heart Day, a reminder for patients to not miss a (heart) beat and check in on their cardiovascular health. Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, exercising regularly, and not smoking can help lower your risk for heart disease, the CDC found.
DSOs are companies that take on all the business-related tasks necessary to run a dental practice, like IT support, accounting and billing, marketing, and facility maintenance, Lisa Ward, VP of communications at industry trade group the Association of Dental Support Organizations, told Healthcare Brew.
A DSO can own the dental practice it operates, or a private practice can contract with a DSO. Some DSOs are owned by a group of dentists, but private equity firms own many large DSOs, according to the Academy of General Dentistry.
The idea behind a DSO is that the “dentist can focus on patient care and not have to worry so much about the business side,” Ward said.
The DSO business model was created in 1975 but didn’t become popular until the 1990s, as dentists graduated with piles of student debt and found it hard to open their own practice, according to Huron Consulting Group.
Today, 10.3% of dentists are affiliated with a DSO, per investment banker Harris Williams. In 2020, 30% of dental school seniors said they planned to join a DSO-affiliated practice, compared to 12% in 2015, a survey from the American Dental Education Association found.
The rise in popularity of DSOs has brought about the decline of private practice ownership. In 2021, the number of dentists who owned their practices fell to 73%, according to research from the ADA.
Posted on September 29, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
By Staff Reporters
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The Stock Markets are bouncing back after days of pronounced volatility, aided by the slowdown in Treasury yields and Thursday’s dip in the value of the dollar. Newly released data confirmed that U.S. economic growth was at an annualized rate of 2.1% in Q2, while initial jobless claims have held near their over-eight-month low, defying expectations of a more significant increase.
The surge in risk appetite is fueling solid gains in tech stocks and Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) during the trading sessions. The cryptocurrency has gained 2.9% by midday, marking its strongest session in September.
The S&P 500 Index was up 25.19 points (0.6%) at 4,299.70; the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) was up 116.07 points (0.4%) at 33,666.34; the NASDAQ Composite was up 108.43 points (0.8%) at 13,201.28.
The 10-year Treasury note yield (TNX) was down about 5 basis points at 4.577%.
CBOE’s Volatility Index (VIX) was down 0.88 at 17.34.
Crude oil futures,meanwhile, retreated from 13-month highs to fall more than 2% to less than $92 a barrel.
Did you know that desperate doctors of all ages are turning to knowledgeable financial advisors and medical management consultants for help? Symbiotically too, generalist advisors are finding that the mutual need for knowledge and extreme niche synergy is obvious.
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But, there was no established curriculum or educational program; no corpus of knowledge or codifying terms-of-art; no academic gravitas or fiduciary accountability; and certainly no identifying professional designation that demonstrated integrated subject matter expertise for the increasingly unique healthcare focused financial advisory niche … Until Now!
So, if you are looking to supplement your knowledge, income and designations; and find other qualified professionals you may want to consider the CMP® program.
Enter the Certified Medical Planner™ charter professional designation. And, CMPs™ are FIDUCIARIES, 24/7.
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Conclusion
Your thoughts and comments on this ME-P are appreciated. Feel free to review our top-left column, and top-right sidebar materials, links, URLs and related websites, too. Then, subscribe to the ME-P. It is fast, free and secure.
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Speaker: If you need a moderator or speaker for an upcoming event, Dr. David E. Marcinko; MBA – Publisher-in-Chief of the Medical Executive-Post – is available for seminar or speaking engagements. Contact: MarcinkoAdvisors@msn.com
OUR OTHER PRINT BOOKS AND RELATED INFORMATION SOURCES:
Posted on September 28, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
By Staff Reporters
“Uber Health is foraying deeper into healthcare with a new feature that allows providers to order prescriptions to be dropped off at patients homes same-day. The same-day prescription delivery is meant to help patients adhere to a medication schedule.”
Uber Health is foraying deeper into healthcare with a new feature that allows providers to order prescriptions to be dropped off at patients homes same-day.
The same-day prescription delivery is meant to help patients adhere to a medication schedule. The service is made possible through an integration of Uber Health’s dashboard with ScriptDrop, a tech platform connecting patients and pharmacies with couriers nationwide.
The company also said it expects to soon launch delivery of healthy food and over-the-counter medicine for patients, including Medicare Advantage and Medicaid beneficiaries.
Posted on September 28, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
By Staff Reporters
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Stocks are diving recently, giving the Dow its worst day since March as new data on declining home sales and consumer confidence gave investors the recession-could-be-coming jitters again.
And, Amazon dipped after the FTC filed its long-awaited anti-monopoly suit against the company. The FTC and 17 states delivered a sweeping lawsuit accusing the trillion-dollar e-commerce company of being an illegal monopoly. It’s the fourth lawsuit levied by the FTC against Amazon this year and easily the one with the most profound consequences for US antitrust legislation. The FTC and state attorneys general allege that Amazon abused its power by punishing sellers if they offered lower prices on other platforms, a practice that led to higher prices for consumers. Sellers on the marketplace were also allegedly coerced to use Amazon’s logistics and advertising services or face penalties like reduced visibility.
Meanwhile the FTC is also looking to break up both Google and Facebook but it is unclear if that’s the real goal here. The FTC asked for a permanent injunction to stop alleged misconduct. Bad news for Google which celebrates its’ 25th birthday today.
Posted on September 28, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
By Staff Reporters
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Consulting firm McKinsey & Co has agreed to pay $230 million to resolve lawsuits by hundreds of U.S. local governments and school districts alleging it fueled an epidemic of opioid addiction through its work for bankrupt OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma and other drug companies.
The S&P 500 Index was up about 1 point (0.02%) at 4,274.51; the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 69 points (0.20%) to 33,550.27; the NASDAQ gained 29 points (0.22%) to 13,092.85.
The 10-year Treasury note yield was up 7 basis points at 4.613%.
CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) fell half a point to 18.42.
Energy stocks were among the best performers Wednesday, with the S&P 500 Energy Sector rising 2.5%. The U.S. Dollar Index (DXY), which has been rising since July as investors digested the likelihood of “higher-for-longer” interest rates, remained at its highest level so far this year.
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