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On March 15th, 2025, President Donald Trump signed a continuing resolution (CR) that avoided a government shutdown and funds the federal government for the rest of the fiscal year, i.e., through September 30th, 2025.
Perhaps more notable than what was included in the spending bill was what was once again excluded. While the COVID-era tele-health waivers were temporarily extended, Medicare physician payment rates were not addressed, meaning physicians will continue experiencing a 2.93% pay cut for 2025.
This Health Capital Topics article discusses the healthcare provisions included in and excluded from the CR, and the impacts on healthcare providers. (Read more…)
Posted on April 2, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
By Ann Miller RN MHA CPHQ CMP™
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Suppose that in a new Accountable Care Organization [ACO] contract, a certain medical practice was awarded a new global payment or capitation styled contract that increased revenues by $100,000 for the next fiscal year. The practice had a gross margin of 35% that was not expected to change because of the new business. However, $10,000 was added to medical overhead expenses for another assistant and all Account’s Receivable (AR) are paid at the end of the year, upon completion of the contract.
Cost of Medical Services Provided (COMSP):
The Costs of Medical Services Provided (COMSP) for the ACO business contract represents the amount of money needed to service the patients provided by the contract. Since gross margin is 35% of revenues, the COMSP is 65% or $65,000. Adding the extra overhead results in $75,000 of new spending money (cash flow) needed to treat the patients. Therefore, divide the $75,000 total by the number of days the contract extends (one year) and realize the new contract requires about $ 205.50 per day of free cash flows.
Assumptions
Financial cash flow forecasting from operating activities allows a reasonable projection of future cash needs and enables the doctor to err on the side of fiscal prudence. It is an inexact science, by definition, and entails the following assumptions:
All income tax, salaries and Accounts Payable (AP) are paid at once.
Durable medical equipment inventory and pre-paid advertising remain constant.
Gains/losses on sale of equipment and depreciation expenses remain stable.
Gross margins remain constant.
The office is efficient so major new marginal costs will not be incurred.
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Physician Reactions:
Since many physicians are still not entirely comfortable with global reimbursement, fixed payments, capitation or ACO reimbursement contracts; practices may be loath to turn away short-term business in the ACA era. Physician-executives must then determine other methods to generate the additional cash, which include the following general suggestions:
1. Extend Account’s Payable
Discuss your cash flow difficulties with vendors and emphasize their short-term nature. A doctor and her practice still has considerable cache’ value, especially in local communities, and many vendors are willing to work them to retain their business
2. Reduce Accounts Receivable
According to most cost surveys, about 30% of multi-specialty group’s accounts receivable (ARs) are unpaid at 120 days. In addition, multi-specialty groups are able to collect on only about 69% of charges. The rest was written off as bad debt expenses or as a result of discounted payments from Medicare and other managed care companies. In a study by Wisconsin based Zimmerman and Associates, the percentages of ARs unpaid at more than 90 days is now at an all time high of more than 40%. Therefore, multi-specialty groups should aim to keep the percentage of ARs unpaid for more than 120 days, down to less than 20% of the total practice. The safest place to be for a single specialty physician is probably in the 30-35% range as anything over that is just not affordable.
The slowest paid specialties (ARs greater than 120 days) are: multi-specialty group practices; family practices; cardiology groups; anesthesiology groups; and gastroenterologists, respectively. So work hard to get your money, faster. Factoring, or selling the ARs to a third party for an immediate discounted amount is not usually recommended.
3. Borrow with Short-Term Bridge Loans
Obtain a line of credit from your local bank, credit union or other private sources, if possible in an economically constrained environment. Beware the time value of money, personal loan guarantees, and onerous usury rates. Also, beware that lenders can reduce or eliminate credit lines to a medical practice, often at the most inopportune time.
4. Cut Expenses
While this is often possible, it has to be done without demoralizing the practice’s staff.
5. Reduce Supply Inventories
If prudently possible; remember things like minimal shipping fees, loss of revenue if you run short, etc.
6. Taxes
Do not stop paying withholding taxes in favor of cash flow because it is illegal.
Hyper-Growth Model:
Now, let us again suppose that the practice has attracted nine more similar medical contracts. If we multiple the above example tenfold, the serious nature of potential cash flow problem becomes apparent. In other words, the practice has increased revenues to one million dollars, with the same 35% margin, 65% COMSP and $100,000 increase in operating overhead expenses.
Using identical mathematical calculations, we determine that $750,000 / 365days equals $2,055.00 per day of needed new free cash flows! Hence, indiscriminate growth without careful contract evaluation and cash flow analysis is a prescription for potential financial disaster.
SPEAKING: Dr. Marcinko will be speaking and lecturing, signing and opining, teaching and preaching, storming and performing at many locations throughout the USA this year! His tour of witty and serious pontifications may be scheduled on a planned or ad-hoc basis; for public or private meetings and gatherings; formally, informally, or over lunch or dinner. All medical societies, financial advisory firms or Broker-Dealers are encouraged to submit a RFP for speaking engagements: CONTACT: MarcinkoAdvisors@outlook.com
In the latest iteration of Trump Administration healthcare cuts, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced on March 12th, 2025 that four Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) payment models would be sunset at the end of 2025, earlier than originally scheduled.
Cutting these models, which decision was based on “a comprehensive and data-driven review of [CMS’s] model portfolio,” are anticipated to save nearly $750 million (although the source of these savings was not detailed).
This Health Capital Topics article discusses the models being ended and the impact on healthcare stakeholders. (Read more…)
In the first month of 2025, hospital revenue and expenses both increased, balancing each other out and resulting in continued steady financial performance for hospitals, according to Kaufman Hall’s January 2025 National Hospital Flash Report.
Revenues grew more quickly in the inpatient setting, as more patients were treated in the hospital and emergency department than in outpatient settings. While expense increases were largely driven by drug costs, the rate of that growth has significantly slowed.
This Health Capital Topics article reviews the report and the current state of hospital operations. (Read more…)
Posted on March 29, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
By Dr. David Edward Marcinko; FACFAS MBA MEd
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NATIONAL PHYSICIANS WEEK
National Physicians Week sets out March 25-31 to honor the healers dedicated to the art of medicine. In 2017, National Physicians Week highlighted the shortage of physicians in the United States against a growing landscape of minorities joining the ranks.
#NationalPhysiciansWeek
“In hindsight, I am proud of what we have accomplished in a short period of time, including raising the recognition of our group and spotlighting the years of sacrifice by those in our profession to serve our patients. We are poised to initiate actionable efforts to engage and educate our physician community.”
Cite: Dr. Kimberly Funches Jackson, President
Today in 2025, let’s explore the invaluable contributions of physicians, celebrate their hard work during National Physicians Week, and highlight the essential role that locum doctors play in enhancing healthcare delivery.
A Week to Honor All Physicians
National Physicians Week is a celebration of the remarkable work that doctors do every single day. From diagnosing complex conditions to providing life-saving treatments, physicians dedicate themselves to improving the health and well-being of their patients. It’s a week for healthcare professionals, patients, and communities to come together and show appreciation for the doctors who make a difference in our lives.
Physicians work long hours, face immense pressure, and make critical decisions daily. Their contributions go beyond the walls of the hospital, as many are also involved in research, teaching, and community outreach.
So, this week, it’s important to acknowledge not only their professional expertise but also the compassion and resilience they exhibit in their work.
SPEAKING: Dr. Marcinko will be speaking and lecturing, signing and opining, teaching and preaching, storming and performing at many locations throughout the USA this year! His tour of witty and serious pontifications may be scheduled on a planned or ad-hoc basis; for public or private meetings and gatherings; formally, informally, or over lunch or dinner. All medical societies, financial advisory firms or Broker-Dealers are encouraged to submit a RFP for speaking engagements: CONTACT: MarcinkoAdvisors@outlook.com
Posted on March 28, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
By Staff Reporters
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Dental care in America divides people into two camps: those who can afford regular preventive care and cleanings, and those who can’t.
These so-called dental deserts contribute to a deep disparity in overall health. People who live in these places are more likely to get tooth decay and develop severe health problems. They also spend more money on care, and more time seeking health assistance in an emergency.
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Stat: 25 million. That’s how many US residents live in areas without enough dentists, according to a recent Harvard University study.
A growing movement against fluoride is adding to the risk of tooth decay in these “dental deserts.” (NPR)
The recent horrifying murder of UnitedHealthcare Group CEO Brian Thompson has called attention to the anger many Americans feel about our health care system. This tragedy has thrust the very real issue of health care costs back into the headlines.
One article on the topic, from Ken Alltucker for USA Today, offered seven reasons why Americans pay so much for health care with such poor results. When I saw the headline, I thought, “Finally, someone’s going to bring up the elephant in the room: taxes.”
The seven reasons included bloated administrative costs, lack of price transparency, overpaid specialists, higher prescription drug prices, and more. But I didn’t see a word about how, compared to other developed nations with “cheaper” health care, Americans pay far lower taxes. That omission feels like leaving a critical piece of the puzzle off the table.
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In reality, countries with universal health care are not pulling off some magic trick of efficiency. They are simply collecting the money differently—through significantly higher taxes. Americans, on the other hand, pay for health care more directly, through out-of-pocket costs and insurance premiums.
In a column last year, I did the math. Americans spend about 17.8% of GDP on health care, plus 27.7% of GDP in taxes. That’s a total of 45.5%. Now compare that to twelve European countries with universal health care. They spend a median of 11.5% of GDP on health care and collect 41.9% of GDP in taxes. Total? 53.4%. In other words, Americans are spending 7.9% less overall on healthcare and taxes combined.
The saving isn’t what it appears, though. A fair comparison of healthcare costs and taxes needs to account for the fact that universal healthcare systems cover 100% of their populations, while the U.S. system currently leaves about 8% uninsured. If you factor in the cost of covering our uninsured residents, the U.S. likely spends a comparable percentage of income on healthcare as European countries with universal systems.
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Our system is far from perfect. As the USA Todayarticle points out, administrative costs are bloated. Harvard’s David Cutler estimates up to 25% of our health spending goes toward paperwork, phone calls, and processing. Price transparency is practically nonexistent. The cost of a diagnostic test might vary from $300 to $3,000 depending on where you go. We pay much more for prescription drugs and many procedures than those same treatments cost in other developed nations. Another issue is the fee-for-service model that rewards doctors for ordering more tests and procedures, whether or not patients get better.
We can do better. Innovations like value-based care, where providers are paid for outcomes rather than procedures, could help shift the system toward real results. Greater price transparency would empower patients to make informed choices and force providers to compete. And addressing administrative inefficiencies could save billions.
Yet fixing the system requires being honest about trade-offs. If we want universal health care at European price rates, we need to accept European tax rates. That’s the part of the conversation that often gets left out. It’s easy to be angry at hospitals, insurance companies, and drug manufacturers—and yes, they all have plenty to answer for. But we also need to face the reality that we’ve chosen a system that prioritizes lower taxes over centralized health care.
Anger may have put the flaws in our health care system in the spotlight. Finding genuine solutions will require moving beyond expressions of anger and frustration. It will demand thoughtful discussions about what kind of health care system, as individuals and as a nation, that we want and how we are willing to fund it.
Posted on March 22, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
By Staff Reporters
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While some medical practitioners and facilities can operate without Professional Liability Insurance coverage, one business related insurance that cannot / should not be avoided is Worker’s Compensation. Employers in all but seven states – so-called “monopolistic” states because they have their own state funds, are under statutory obligation to provide coverage for their employees. Historically, Worker’s Compensation pre-dates Social Security entitlements and well before the emergence of employer sponsored group benefits.
The coverage under worker’s compensation provides for lost income due to on-the-job accidents or work-related disability or death and the amount of benefits vary by state. In some instances, the coverage will reimburse the employee for medical expenses incurred with the accident.
The four general benefits covered under Worker’s Compensation are:
Medical Care – for expenses incurred usually without limitations on amount or period of care.
Disability Income – payable for both total and partial disability and is usually based on 66 2/3 percent of their wage base.
Death Benefits – generally fall into two categories; one a flat amount for “burial” insurance; and two, survivor benefits. Though varying by state, these benefits are similar to the disability payment (a percentage of weekly base wages) but may be capped as to total benefit, such as $50,000 or a period, such as 10 years
Rehabilitation Benefits – includes not only medical rehabilitation, but vocational rehabilitation, vocational counseling, retraining or educational benefits, and job placement
Traditionally, the secondary purpose of Worker’s Compensation was to reduce potential litigation because employees accepting the benefits from a Worker’s Compensation claim generally waived their right to sue their employer.
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However, in our litigious society, this “protective shelter” has been severely tested and is crumbling.
Employers may provide their Worker’s Compensation three ways:
Private commercial insurance
State government funds
Self-insurance
Very few factors drive the premium structure – the occupation of the workers is the single most important determinant of premiums. An office worker may have premiums as low as $.10 per hundred of wages and a coal miner may exceed $50.00 per hundred of wages. Generally speaking, however, Worker’s Compensation premiums for the medical profession or healthcare worker are among the lowest available.
Therefore, for the medical practice, some physicians may consider self-insurance because the weekly benefits are typically below $500, thus making this decision attractive.
Alternatively, because officers and owners can elect not to be covered by Worker’s Compensation, the decision to purchase coverage from a private insurance company may afford inexpensive assurance that the benefits will be conveniently provided, and administered, by a private insurance company for their employees.
Posted on March 22, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
A CONTROVERSY?
By Staff Reporters
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DEFINITION
State medical boards are the agencies that license medical doctors, investigate complaints, discipline physicians who violate the medical practice act, and refer physicians for evaluation and rehabilitation when appropriate. The overriding mission of medical boards is to serve the public by protecting it from incompetent, unprofessional, and improperly trained physicians. Medical boards accomplish this by striving to ensure that only qualified physicians are licensed to practice medicine and that those physicians provide their patients with a high standard of care.
The right to practice medicine is a privilege granted by the state. Each state has laws and regulations that govern the practice of medicine and specify the responsibilities of the medical board in regulating that practice. These regulations are laid out in a state statute, usually called a medical practice act. State medical boards establish the standards for the profession through their interpretation and enforcement of this act.
Assembling a quality physician population to meet the needs of the public begins with licensure. During the process of evaluating applicants for medical licensure, state medical boards’ primary focus is on a physician’s qualifications, including undergraduate and graduate medical education, work history, and personal character.
Candidates for licensure also must successfully complete a rigorous examination designed to assess their ability to apply knowledge, concepts, and principles of health and disease that constitute the basis for safe and effective patient care.
The Federation of State Medical Boards of the United States, Inc., and the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) have collaborated to establish a single, 3-step examination for medical licensure in the United States, known as the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE). The USMLE provides state medical boards with a common evaluation system for all licensure applicants. To assure the continued relevance of the exam, the NBME uses basic science and clinical faculty from the nation’s medical schools as well as practicing physicians, some of whom serve on state medical boards, to generate the examinations.
“… I am persuaded that licensure has reduced both the quantity and quality of medical practice…It has reduced the opportunities for people to become physicians, it has forced the public to pay more for less satisfactory service, and it has retarded technological development…I conclude that licensure should be eliminated as a requirement for the practice of medicine”
-Milton Friedman, Nobel prize-winning economist
“As a rule, regulation is acquired by the industry and is designed and operated primarily for its benefit”
-George J. Stigler Nobel Prize-winning economist
“Licensing has served to channel the development of health care services by granting an exclusive privilege and high status to practitioners relying on a particular approach to health care, a disease-oriented intrusive approach rather than a preventive approach….By granting a monopoly to a particular approach to health care, the licensing laws may serve to assure an ineffective health care system”
-Lori B. Andrews, Professor of Law, Chicago-Kent College
“Let us allow physicians, hospitals and schools to spring up where they’re needed, abolish the restrictive licensure laws, and simply invoke the laws against fraud to insure honesty among all providers of health care …That will make health care affordable for everyone”
Posted on March 22, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
MEDICAL EXECUTIVE-POST–TODAY’SNEWSLETTERBRIEFING
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Essays, Opinions and Curated News in Health Economics, Investing, Business, Management and Financial Planning for Physician Entrepreneurs and their Savvy Advisors and Consultants
“Serving Almost One Million Doctors, Financial Advisors and Medical Management Consultants Daily“
A Partner of the Institute of Medical Business Advisors , Inc.
The S&P 500 edged up 0.1%. The index finished with a 0.5% gain for the week. It’s still down 4.8% so far this month. The Dow Jones Industrial Average eked out a 0.1% gain, while the NASDAQ composite rose 0.5%.
It appears Medicare coverage for tele-health is here to stay—at least for the next six months. When the House of Representatives and Senate passed a budget on March 11t and 14th, respectively, they not only avoided a government shutdown, but also extended a resolution for Medicare to cover non-behavioral health tele-health appointments until September 30th.
Visualize: How private equity tangled banks in a web of debt, from the Financial Times.
9. We act with honesty, integrity and are always straightforward. 8. We strive to be innovative, creative, iconoclastic, and flexible. 7. We admit and learn from mistakes and don’t repeat them. 6. We work hard always as competitors are trying to catch up. 5. We treat others with dignity and respect. 4. We are the onus of consulting advice for the well being of others. 3. We fight complacency as former success is in the past. 2. The best management styles are timeless, not timely. 1. Our clients are colleagues and always come first.
SPEAKING: Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd will be speaking and lecturing, signing and opining, teaching and preaching, storming and performing at many locations throughout the USA this year! His tour of witty and serious pontifications may be scheduled on a planned or ad-hoc basis; for public or private meetings and gatherings; formally, informally, or over lunch or dinner. All medical societies, financial advisory firms or Broker-Dealers are encouraged to submit a RFP for speaking engagements.
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CONTACT: Ann Miller RN MHA at: MarcinkoAdvisors@outlook.com
When analyzing a set of financial statements to determine practice value, adjustments (normalizations) generally are needed to produce a clearer picture of likely future income and distributable cash flow. It also allows more of an “apples to apples” line item comparison. This normalization process usually consists of making three main adjustments to a medical practice’s net income (profit and loss) statement.
1. Non-Recurring Items: Estimates of future distributable cash flow should exclude non-recurring items. Proceeds from the settlement of litigation, one-time gains/losses from the selling of assets or equipment, and large write-offs that are not expected to reoccur, each represent potential nonrecurring items. The impact of nonrecurring events should be removed from the practice’s financial statements to produce a clearer picture of likely future income and cash flow.
2. Perquisites: The buyer of a medical practice may plan to spend more or less than the current doctor-owner for physician executive compensation, travel and entertainment expenses, and other perquisites of current management. When determining future distributable cash flow, income adjustments to the current level of expenditures should be made for these items.
3. Non-cash Expenses: Depreciation expense, amortization expense, and bad debt expense are all non-cash items which impact reported profitability. When determining distributable cash flow, you must analyze the link between non-cash expenses and expected cash expenditures.
The annual depreciation expense is a proxy for likely capital expenditures over time. When capital expenditures and depreciation are not similar over time, an adjustment to expected cash flow is necessary. Some practices reduce income through the use of bad debt expense rather than direct write-offs. Bad debt expense is a non-cash expense that represents an estimate of the dollar volume of write-offs that are likely to occur during a year. If bad debt expense is understated, practice profitability will be overstated.
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Balance Sheet Adjustments
Adjustments also can be made to a practice’s balance sheet to remove non-operating assets and liabilities, and to restate asset and liability value at market rates (rather than cost rates). Assets and liabilities that are unrelated to the core practice being valued should be added to or subtracted from the value, depending on whether they are acquired by the buyer.
Examples include the asset value less outstanding debt of a vacant parcel of land, and marketable securities that are not needed to operate the practice. Other non-operating assets, such as the cash surrender value of officer life insurance, generally are liquidated by the seller and are not part of the business transaction.
SPEAKING: Dr. Marcinko will be speaking and lecturing, signing and opining, teaching and preaching, storming and performing at many locations throughout the USA this year! His tour of witty and serious pontifications may be scheduled on a planned or ad-hoc basis; for public or private meetings and gatherings; formally, informally, or over lunch or dinner. All medical societies, financial advisory firms or Broker-Dealers are encouraged to submit a RFP for speaking engagements: CONTACT: MarcinkoAdvisors@outlook.com
Posted on March 12, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
Drugs: (List of Schedule I-V Controlled Drugs)
By Staff Reporters
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Any discussion on narcotics, prescription drugs, or other controlled substances is usually peppered with the word schedule. One substance may be Schedule I, while another is Schedule II, III, IV, or V.
Drugs, substances, and certain chemicals used to make drugs are classified into five (5) distinct categories or schedules depending upon the drug’s acceptable medical use and the drug’s abuse or dependency potential. The abuse rate is a determinate factor in the scheduling of the drug; for example, Schedule I drugs have a high potential for abuse and the potential to create severe psychological and/or physical dependence. As the drug schedule changes — Schedule II, Schedule III, etc., so does the abuse potential — Schedule V drugs represents the least potential for abuse.
A Listing of drugs and their schedule are located at Controlled Substance Act (CSA) Scheduling or CSA Scheduling by Alphabetical Order. These lists describes the basic or parent chemical and do not necessarily describe the salts, isomers and salts of isomers, esters, ethers and derivatives which may also be classified as controlled substances. These lists are intended as general references and are not comprehensive listings of all controlled substances.
Please note that a substance need not be listed as a controlled substance to be treated as a Schedule I substance for criminal prosecution. A controlled substance analogue is a substance which is intended for human consumption and is structurally or pharmacologically substantially similar to or is represented as being similar to a Schedule I or Schedule II substance and is not an approved medication in the United States.
Schedule I Schedule I drugs, substances, or chemicals are defined as drugs with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse. Some examples of Schedule I drugs are: heroin, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), marijuana (cannabis), 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (ecstasy), methaqualone, and peyote.
Schedule II Schedule II drugs, substances, or chemicals are defined as drugs with a high potential for abuse, with use potentially leading to severe psychological or physical dependence. These drugs are also considered dangerous. Some examples of Schedule II drugs are: combination products with less than 15 milligrams of hydrocodone per dosage unit (Vicodin), cocaine, methamphetamine, methadone, hydromorphone (Dilaudid), meperidine (Demerol), oxycodone (OxyContin), fentanyl, Dexedrine, Adderall, and Ritalin
Schedule III Schedule III drugs, substances, or chemicals are defined as drugs with a moderate to low potential for physical and psychological dependence. Schedule III drugs abuse potential is less than Schedule I and Schedule II drugs but more than Schedule IV. Some examples of Schedule III drugs are: products containing less than 90 milligrams of codeine per dosage unit (Tylenol with codeine), ketamine, anabolic steroids, testosterone
Schedule IV Schedule IV drugs, substances, or chemicals are defined as drugs with a low potential for abuse and low risk of dependence. Some examples of Schedule IV drugs are: Xanax, Soma, Darvon, Darvocet, Valium, Ativan, Talwin, Ambien, Tramadol
Schedule V Schedule V drugs, substances, or chemicals are defined as drugs with lower potential for abuse than Schedule IV and consist of preparations containing limited quantities of certain narcotics. Schedule V drugs are generally used for antidiarrheal, antitussive, and analgesic purposes. Some examples of Schedule V drugs are: cough preparations with less than 200 milligrams of codeine or per 100 milliliters (Robitussin AC), Lomotil, Motofen, Lyrica, Parepectolin
During the January 2025 J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference, Teladoc’s executives announced the company has partnered with Amazon Health Services, joining its Health Benefits Connector program. The program was rolled out in January 2024 and connects Amazon customers with virtual care benefits covered by their insurance plan or employer; if eligible, customers are able to apply to join the program(s).
Teladoc is the fifth company to join Amazon’s Health Benefits Connector program (formerly known as Health Conditions Programs), along with digital physical therapy company Hinge Health; chronic condition management company Omada; online therapy and mental health firm Rula; and behavioral healthcare provider Talkspace. (Read more…)
Posted on March 9, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
DEFINITION
By Staff Reporters
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FACILITY CHARGEDEFINED
Classic: Service fee submitted for payment by a healthcare facility, such as a clinic, hospital or ambulatory care center.
Modern: Facility fees are expenses charged by hospitals to cover their overhead – the funding needed to keep the lights on, machines running, and doors open, etc. People who receive outpatient care at hospital-owned buildings are charged a facility fee, in addition to treatment costs and fees charged, individually, by doctors.
Examples: How to Fight Facility Fees:
Check with your health agent or insurer. Many insurers don’t cover facility fees or cover only a portion.
Talk to your doctor. It’s hard to tell whether a facility is hospital-run or whether your doctor works for a health system.
Posted on March 9, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
DENTAL ADA DEGREES
By Colgate and Staff Reporters
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DDS vs. DMD Degree
DDS and DMD are the acronyms of the degrees dentists earn after finishing dental school. DDS means Doctor of Dental Surgery, and DMD can mean either Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry or Doctor of Dental Medicine. While the names are different, the American Dental Association (ADA) explains that they represent the same education. Some universities may grant dental graduates with a DDS, and others grant a DMD, but both degrees have the same requirements.
According to the ADA, the Baltimore College of Dental Surgery established the first Doctor of Dental Surgery degrees in 1840. When Harvard University started its dental school in 1867, their degrees were called Dentariae Medicinae Doctorate (Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry) because Harvard uses Latin names for their degrees. Even though these degrees are based on the same educational requirements, they still have different names.
Difference Between a DDS and a DMD Degree?
Today, many universities award a DMD degree. Dentists with either a DDS or a DMD are educated to practice general dentistry. All dentists receive a rigorous education. First, dental schools typically require a four-year undergraduate education. Afterward, graduates go to dental school for another four years of classroom training, clinical training, and dental laboratory training.
Dental students spend the first two years of dental school studying biomedical sciences courses like anatomy, biochemistry, pathology, and pharmacology. The last two years are focused on clinical and laboratory training.
After graduating from dental school, dentists must pass a national written examination called the National Board Dental Examination, followed by a regional clinical board examination. Dentists must also pass a jurisprudence examination about state laws before being given a license to practice dentistry in that state.
Post Graduate Education After a DDS or DMD
Most dentists stick with practicing general dentistry. However, some choose to specialize in a particular area of dentistry after earning their degree. Training programs range from two to six years, depending upon the specialty area. There are several dental specialties, including endodontics, orthodontics, periodontics, prosthodontics, oral surgery, and pediatric dentistry. The ADA can help you find a dentist with a specialty that fits you best.
Dentists receive a rigorous education and have to pass several exams to be able to practice. Whether they have a DDS or DMD after their name, you should choose a dentist based on their skills, types of services provided, communication, and professionalism.
RISK MANAGEMENT, LIABILITY INSURANCE AND ASSET PROTECTION ABBREVIATIONS
[Glossary of Important Acronyms]
Much has been written and much has been opined on the topic of medical risk management, insurance, asset protection and professional liability for physicians and healthcare providers in this textbook; and elsewhere.
But occasionally, we all still get lost in a wide array of abbreviations, acronyms, and initialisms that are constantly changing in this ecosystem.
And so, this glossary serves as a ready reference for those who want to know about these medical risk management definitions in a quick and ready fashion.
Acronyms and Abbreviations
AAASC American Association of Ambulatory Surgery Centers
AAHP American Association of Health Plans
ABN advance beneficiary notice
ABQAUR American Board of Quality Assurance and Utilization Review
ACE acute care episode
ACHCE American College of Health Care Executives
ACS American College of Surgeons
ADA Americans with Disabilities Act
ADC average daily census
ADL activities of daily living
ADT Admission/Discharge/Transfer
AHA American Hospital Association
AHIMA American Health Information Management Association
AHRQ Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
AI average inventory
AIMR Association for Investment Management and Research
AIR assumed interest rate
ALE annualized loss expectancy
ALF assisted living facility
ALOS average length of stay
AMA American Medical Association
AMBAC AMBAC Indemnity Corporation
AMGA American Medical Group Association
ANSI American National Standards Institute
AP accounts payable
APA American Psychiatric Association
APC ambulatory payment classification
APG ambulatory payment group
APR annual percentage rate
AR accounts receivable
ASA American Society of Appraisers
ASC ambulatory surgery centers; also Accredited Standards Committee
ASHA American Surgical Hospital Association
ASO administrative services only
ASTC ancillary service technical component
ATM asynchronous transfer mode
AVG ambulatory visit group
BANTA best alternative to negotiated agreement
BBA Balanced Budget Act of 1997
BBRA Balanced Budget Refinement Act [1999]
BCP business continuity planning
BEA break-even analysis
BEP break-even point
BIPA Benefits Improvement and Protection Act [2000]
BLS Bureau of Labor Statistics
BPD border protection device
BS balance sheet
BSA Bank Secrecy Act
BVS business valuation standard
CA certificate authority
CAC Carrier Advisory Committee
CAS cost accounting standards
CASB Cost Accounting Standards Board
CC common criteria [for IT Security Evaluation —ISO/IEC 15408]; complication or comorbidity [for MS-DRGs]
CCA certified cost accountant
CCC cash conversion cycle
CCEVS common criteria evaluation and validation scheme
CCHIT Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology
CCU critical care unit
CDC Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
CDH consumer-directed healthcare
CDHP consumer-directed healthcare plan
CDPM Clinical Data Project Manager
CDSS clinical decision support system
CEO Chief Executive Officer
CF conversion factor
CFA Chartered Financial Analyst
CFO Chief Financial Officer
CFR Code of Federal Regulations
CHAMP Children’s Health and Medicare Protection Act of 2007
CHAMPUS Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Uniformed Services
CHE Certified Healthcare Executive
CHIPS Center for Healthcare Industry Performance Studies
CIA Corporate Integrity Agreement
CIO Chief Information Officer
CIP Customer Identification Program
CIS computer information systems
CLIA Clinical Laboratory Improvement Act
CLT capitation liability theory
CME continuing medical education
CMI case mix index
CMIO Chief Medical Information Officer
CMIS contribution margin income statement
CMN Certificate of Medical Necessity
CMP Certified Medical Planner ™
CMS Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services [formerly HCFA]
COD cash on delivery
COGME Council of Graduate Medical Education
COH cash on hand
COLA cost of living allowance
CON Certificate of Need
COO Chief Operating Officer
COSO Committee of Sponsoring Organizations
COTS commercial off-the-shelf
CPHQ Certified Physician in Healthcare Quality
CPIM Certificate in Production and Inventory Management
CPI-U Consumer Price Index—urban
CPM critical (clinical) path method
CPOE computerized physician order entry [system]
CPR computer-based patient record
CPT current procedural terminology
CQI continuous quality improvement
CRL Certification Revocation List
CRM customer relationship management
CRVS California Relative Value Studies
CSO Chief Security Officer
CT scan computed tomography scan [also called CAT scan]
CUSIP Committee on Uniform Security Identification Procedures
Candid CIO: Will Weider, CIO of Ministry Health Care and Affinity Health System, offers his perspectives on administration issues in this blog.
Christina’s Considerations: Christina Thielst is a hospital and healthcare administrator and entrepreneur with a deep desire for continually improving the health of the community being served. This is her blog.
Healing Hospitals — Formerly Ask a Hospital President: F. Nicholas “Nick” Jacobs has more than 20 years experience in hospital management, with an acknowledged reputation for innovation and consumer-centered leadership.
Hospital Impact: Part of the Fierce network of health sites, this site is becoming popular among healthcare administrators for its news updates, tips and opinions on health care matters.
Leading the Way to Medical Excellence: the president of McLeod Health non-profit institutions provides weekly insights into his facilities and health care in general.
Let’s Talk Health Care: Bruce Bullen, Interim Chief Executive Officer at Harvard Pilgrim in Massachusetts, provides and open and ongoing conversation about health care administration.
Life as a Healthcare CIO: Dr. John Halamka records his experiences with infrastructure, applications, policies, management, and governance as he supports 3,000 doctors, 18,000 faculty and about three million patients.
Managed Care Matters: Joe Paduda shares his knowledge on managed care for group health, health policy, health research, and medical news for insurers, employers, and healthcare providers.
More than Medicine: Tom Quinn, president and CEO of Community General Hospital in Syracuse, New York, began his career as a hospital kitchen worker. His perspective on administration reflects his knowledge on how hospitals work from every angle.
Running a Hospital: A CEO of a large Boston hospital shares thoughts on hospitals, medicine and health care issues.
St. Joseph Medical Center: Chief Executive Officer at St. Joseph Medical Center in Missouri, Mr. Kashman, provides personal insight into administrative matters and general topics.
Todd’s Perspective: Todd Linden, president and CEO of Grinnell Regional Medical Center, offers insights into medical administration and guest bloggers provide insight into various departments.
Wachter’s World: This blog focuses on hospitals, hospitalists, quality, safety, policy and much more from Robert M. Wachter, MD, Professor and Associate Chairman of the Department of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco.
Legal Matters
Drug and Device Law: This blog contains an attorney’s personal views (and those of several other Dechert attorneys) on topics that arise in the defense of pharmaceutical and medical device product liability litigation.
Drug Injury Watch: Learn more about drug injury lawsuits from an attorney who represents patients and their families.
FDA Law Blog: Hyman, Phelps & McNamara, P.C. is the largest dedicated food and drug law firm in the country. Their knowledge about laws and regulations governing drugs, medical devices, foods, dietary supplements, and cosmetics is helpful to anyone interested in these topics.
Health Care Law Blog: Bob Coffield’s expertise lies in helping businesses and health care providers weave through a variety of state and federal health care regulations and assisting them in business transactions.
Health Plan Law: This site contains information about group health plans, claims administration and related ERISA fiduciary issues. This site also contains tutorials.
HealthBlawg: this is David Harlow’s popular health care law blog, offering expert insights and easy-to-understand analysis.
Healthcare Law Blog: Holland & Hart’s healthcare practice provides insight into this arena, including HIPAA, Stark law, the Anti-kickback Statute and more.
HIPAA Blog: Join in on this discussion of medical privacy issues often buried in “political arcana.”
HIPAA, HiTech & HIT: This updated blog brings insight into legal issues, developments and other pertinent information that relates to the creation, use and exchange of electronic health records.
HIT Blawg: This blog is focused on national health information technology legal trends and current news on this topic.
Home Care Law Blog: Learn more about legal and policy issues in the home health care, private duty and hospice industries from Gilliland & Markette LLP.
Med Law Blog: This law blog focuses on topics that range from compliance to contracts and from employee benefits to HIPAA and HIT.
Physician Law: This blog provides and easy way to stay on top of current news, updates and useful tips relating to legal issues that affect physicians and non-institutional providers.
eHealth and Health IT
Chilmark Research: This blog provides perspectives on key IT trends in the healthcare sector.
davidrothman.net: David is the Information Services Specialist at the Community General Hospital Medical Library, but he also provides great ideas for 2.0 tools and tips for healthcare industry professionals on this blog.
e-CareManagement blog: Vince Kuraitis, owner of Better Health Technologies, LLC, has a passion for disease management and care coordination that dates back to 1995.
e-HealthExpert: A non-profit organization provides a free and open forum to support the development of expertise in the field of eHealth, Healthcare Information Systems, and Health IT (Clinical IT).
eHealth: John Sharp is an IT Manager for a major medical center in Northeast Ohio, with a focus on ehealth, personal health records, Web 2.0 technologies, Windows Sharepoint Services and project management.
Found In Cache: If you would prefer a professional’s take on social media matters, Web sites and all things technological, then follow Ed Bennett, a technology expert for a Maryland medical care system.
Future Health IT: A health IT and EPR advocate from the UK provides a format to discuss the future of health care and IT.
Informaticopia: This UK blogger provides eclectic news and views on health informatics and elearning.
MedGadget: Stay ahead of the gadget curve with this site, which offers information about the newest health care gadgets on the market as well as emerging medical technologies.
Neil Versel’s Healthcare IT Blog: A healthcare journalist’s provides his views on the major segment of the industry he covers — and, he provides a ton of links to other sites as well.
Schwartz Healthcare IT Blog: A variety of authors from Schwartz Communications provide insights into ways to use IT effectively within healthcare facilities.
The Health IT Channel: For a different perspective on IT and EHR as well as other health care issues, watch a few videos at this site.
The Healthcare IT Guy: The CEO of Netspective, a Java/.NET consultancy that specializes in healthcare IT with an emphasis on e-health, EMRs, data integration, and legacy modernization, supplies tips and information for physicians and healthcare administration.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: To Mackenzie H. Marcinko PhD of iMBA Inc., Perry D’Alessio CPA CMP™ [Hon] New York, NY; and Daniel B. Moisand CFP®, Principal for Moisand Fitzgerald Tamayo, Melbourne, FL.
Posted on March 8, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
MEDICAL EXECUTIVE-POST–TODAY’SNEWSLETTERBRIEFING
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Essays, Opinions and Curated News in Health Economics, Investing, Business, Management and Financial Planning for Physician Entrepreneurs and their Savvy Advisors and Consultants
“Serving Almost One Million Doctors, Financial Advisors and Medical Management Consultants Daily“
A Partner of the Institute of Medical Business Advisors , Inc.
Walgreens Boots Alliance says it has agreed to be acquired by private equity firm Sycamore Partners as the struggling retailer looks to turn itself around after years of losing money. Walgreens said Thursday that Sycamore will pay $11.45 per share, giving the deal an equity value just under $10 billion. Shareholders could eventually receive up to an
Posted on March 6, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
By Staff Reporters
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March 6th is National Dentist Day, a day to celebrate the men and women who keep our chompers chomping, our gnashers gnashing, and our whites pearly.
Dentists (DDS/DMD) are doctors who specialize in oral health. It’s their job to prevent, diagnose, and treat oral diseases, monitor the growth of our teeth and jaws, and perform surgical procedures on our teeth and mouths!
Dental health is integral to our overall health, so today we salute them not just for keeping our teeth looking good, but keeping our bodies in tip-top shape.
Posted on March 1, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
Rx – What Dentists Can’t Do
By Staff Reporters
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Dentists are limited to prescribing medications that address oral and dental health only.
For example, they cannot provide prescriptions for conditions unrelated to dentistry, such as chronic illnesses like diabetes or respiratory infections. Additionally, dentists do not prescribe medications for mental health or hormonal issues.
These limitations ensure that dental professionals focus strictly on oral health and leave more complex medical issues to general physicians or specialists. This distinction helps protect patients from receiving inappropriate or harmful treatments outside the dentist’s expertise.
Posted on February 26, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
BREAKING NEWS
By Staff Reporters
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WASHINGTON, Feb 25 (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Tuesday aiming to improve price transparency on healthcare costs by directing federal agencies to strictly enforce a 2019 order he signed during his first term.
The order directs the Departments of the Treasury, Labor, and Health and Human Services to within 90 days come up with a framework to enforce Trump’s 2019 executive order forcing health insurers and hospitals to disclose healthcare cost details.
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This includes requiring the disclosure of actual prices not estimates, update existing guidance or proposing new regulations that ensure price information is standardized, and updating or issuing enforcement policies that guarantee compliance.
“You’re not allowed to even talk about it when you’re going to a hospital or see a doctor. And this allows you to go out and talk about it,” Trump told reporters as he signed the order. “It’s been unpopular in some circles because people make less money, but it’s great for the patient.”
Posted on February 26, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
AMERICAN DENTAL ASSOCIATION
By ADA and Staff Reporters
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Every day should be about children’s dental health
This is the message behind the ADA’s National Children’s Dental Health Month resources for 2025. Observed nationally each February, the recognition brings together thousands of dedicated professionals, health care providers and educators to promote the benefits of good oral health to children, their caregivers, teachers and many others.
The ADA is offering new materials to celebrate and promote the importance of children’s dental health, not only during the month of February, but all year.
Posters and flyers emphasizing the importance of brushing are available for free download in two kid-friendly, topical designs and two sizes, 8.5″x11″ and 11″x17″. Matching coloring sheets are offered in 8.5″x11″. All materials have instructions for proper brushing and are available in English and Spanish from ADA.org/NCDHM.
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In addition, the ADA’s 2025 Brushing Calendar is available for free download. This 12-month calendar is valuable year-round for promoting healthy behaviors like brushing twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste to help prevent dental disease. Kids can track their daily brushing and flossing routines and exercise their creativity by coloring the calendar image for each month.
Another tool, the NCDHM Program Planning Guide, provides resources for program coordinators, dental societies, teachers and parents to promote the benefits of good oral health to children. The guide includes easy-to-do activities, program planning tips, a sample NCDHM proclamation and more.
“The sooner children understand the value of good oral health habits, the more likely they are to continue these habits well into adulthood,” said ADA President Brett Kessler, D.D.S. “The ADA is proud that NCDHM will once again equip some of the most influential figures in kids’ lives — like parents, educators and health care providers — to help set our nation’s kids on the path to a lifetime of healthy smiles and healthier lives.”
National Children’s Dental Health Month observances began with a one-day event in Cleveland and a one-week celebration in Akron, Ohio, in February 1941. Since then, the concept has evolved into a nationwide program.
The ADA held the first national observance of Children’s Dental Health Day on February 8th, 1949. The one-day event became a week long event in 1955, and in 1981 the program was extended to a month long celebration known today as National Children’s Dental Health Month.
Posted on February 23, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
By Staff Reporters
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ORIGINAL: May 2021 | Matt Cohlmia
As the future of healthcare becomes digitized, the threat of disruption to health systems has never been greater. Despite their best intentions, the flood of new competitors and ever-proliferating modalities of care each compete for patient attention, creating the potential for a fragmented, confusing, and impersonal patient experience. At the same time, health systems possess the breadth of care, the access to data, and the patient trust to become their community’s preferred partner in care.
But to achieve success, they must leverage these resources to create easy to navigate and personalized experiences for their patients, and for the first time ever, those are within reach.
9. We act with honesty, integrity and are always straightforward. 8. We strive to be innovative, creative, iconoclastic, and flexible. 7. We admit and learn from mistakes and don’t repeat them. 6. We work hard always as competitors are trying to catch up. 5. We treat others with dignity and respect. 4. We are the onus of consulting advice for the well being of others. 3. We fight complacency as former success is in the past. 2. The best management styles are timeless, not timely. 1. Our clients are colleagues and always come first.
SPEAKING: Dr. Marcinko will be speaking and lecturing, signing and opining, teaching and preaching, storming and performing at many locations throughout the USA this year! His tour of witty and serious pontifications may be scheduled on a planned or ad-hoc basis; for public or private meetings and gatherings; formally, informally, or over lunch or dinner. All medical societies, financial advisory firms or Broker-Dealers are encouraged to submit a RFP for speaking engagements: MarcinkoAdvisors@outlook.com
Posted on February 19, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
By Staff Reporters
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Optometry Doctor [OD]: An optometrist has an Optometry Doctor (OD) degree and can assess overall eye health and the quality of a person’s vision through a comprehensive examination. They diagnose and treat many eye disorders that do not require surgery or further specialized care. An optometrist can also identify symptoms of other health conditions that may affect the eyes, such as diabetes. Some also specialize in a field like pediatric care.
Optometrists [OD] and ophthalmologists [MD/DO] are both eye doctors, but they have different types of training and areas of expertise. If you need an eye exam—and think you may need glasses or contact lenses—an optometrist is a good first choice. To become an optometrist, a person needs to complete four years of additional education after a bachelor’s degree. Sometimes they complete a residency as well.
Now, ODs are licensed doctors and can prescribe medication. However, optometrists have a defined scope of practice that that revolves largely around the eyes. Optometrists can not prescribe all the same medications that your family doctor or ophthalmologist can.
So, if your eye issue requires surgery, or for specific conditions related to your eyes or overall health, you’ll want to visit an ophthalmologist [MD/DO].
On average, an optometrist in the U.S. makes about $131,860 per year, according to 2023 statistics.
Posted on February 18, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
DEFINITION
By Staff Reporters
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Variable Universal Life Insurance: Permanent life insurance that allows the policyholder to vary the amount and timing of premiums and, by extension, the death benefit. Universal life insurance policies accumulate cash value which grows tax deferred. Within certain limits, policyholders can direct how this cash value will be allocated among sub-accounts offered within the policy.
Several factors will affect the cost and availability of life insurance, including age, health, and the type and amount of insurance purchased. Life insurance policies have expenses, including mortality and other charges. If a policy is surrendered prematurely, the policyholder also may pay surrender charges and have income tax implications. You should consider determining whether you are insurable before implementing a strategy involving life insurance.
Any guarantees associated with a policy are dependent on the ability of the issuing insurance company to continue making claim payments.
Posted on February 17, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
MSFT-HUG Update
By Dr. David Edward Marcinko; MBA MEd
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MSHUG: Microsoft Healthcare Users Group (MS-HUG) unified with the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) as part of the HIMSS Users Group Alliance Program in October 2003.
Today, the unification strengthens the commitment of HIMSS and MS-HUG to better serve their members and the industry through a shared strategic vision to provide leadership and healthcare information technology solutions that improve the delivery of patient care.
Posted on February 15, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
By Staff Reporters
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Bigorexia is a psychological condition and type of body dysmorphic disorder which involves a distorted self-image that focuses specifically on muscle size and physical appearance,” Kara Becker, a certified eating disorder therapist and national director of eating disorder programs at Newport Healthcare, told HuffPost.
With bigorexia, the afflicted person is obsessed with becoming more muscular and preoccupied with the idea that their body isn’t brawny enough ― even if they actually have the physique of a bodybuilder. And, although muscle dysmorphia can affect anyone, it’s more common in males, and research indicates the disorder is on the rise.
In fact, a 2019 study indicated that 22% of adolescent boys engaged in “muscularity-oriented disordered eating behaviors” in an attempt to bulk up or gain weight and found that supplements, dietary changes and even steroid use were common among young adult males.
Posted on February 13, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
By Staff Reporters
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The “Second Wind” paradox is a sudden period of increased wakefulness in individuals deprived of sleep that tends to coincide with the individual’s circadian rhythm.
Although the individual is more wakeful and aware of their surroundings, they are continuing to accrue sleep debt and thus are actually exacerbating their sleep deprivation.
Posted on February 12, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
By Staff Reporters
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PharmD – Doctor of Pharmacy
A Doctor of Pharmacy [ParrmD] is the professional degree required to become a pharmacist in the US. Practicing pharmacists complete an average of six years in school—including their pre-pharmacy education—before passing required exams and completing post-graduate training.
Here’s where things often get confusing. The word “pharmacist” is sometimes used in casual conversation to refer to healthcare professionals who aren’t technically licensed to be pharmacists.
For example, pharmacy technicians assist licensed pharmacists. They work behind the counter among the medications right alongside the pharmacist. However, they don’t need a Doctor of Pharmacy to do their job. A pharmaceutical sales representative typically needs four years of a bachelor’s degree with a foundation in chemistry and biology, though this is not always a requirement. Neither of these professionals is technically a pharmacist, although laypeople may mistakenly describe them that way.
And pursuing a PharmD doesn’t always mean you’ll work in a community pharmacy. In fact, just slightly fewer than half of all PharmD recipients end up in this role. Another 15 percent practice in other healthcare settings—hospitals, nursing homes, and managed care centers, for example. Other pharmacy students pursue research roles, government regulation positions, or work in highly specialized areas like oncology or geriatric pharmacy.
A PharmD or RPH [registered pharmacist] fills the electronic or written prescriptions of a MD/DO/DPM/DDS/DMD. They generally can not prescribe drugs or write prescriptions, however.
As of February 01, 2025, the average annual pay of Doctor of Pharmacy in the United States was $196,904. While Salary.com suggests that a Doctor of Pharmacy salary in the US can go up to $236,908 or down to $149,197, most earn between $171,932 and $217,844.
Posted on February 12, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
By Staff Reporters
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DEFINITION BAR SLIDES LEFT TO RIGHT
Understanding Insurance Jargon
1. Premiums
When you purchase an insurance policy, you'll be required to make regular payments, known as premiums. These payments are typically made monthly or annually and are the cost of maintaining your insurance coverage.
2. Deductible
Think of a deductible as the money you have to shell out from your own pocket before your insurance kicks in to help cover your expenses. It's like the upfront cost you need to cover before your insurance really starts working for you.For example, if you have a $500 deductible and make a claim for $1,000, you'll need to pay $500, and your insurer will cover the remaining $500.
3. Policyholder
The policyholder is the person who owns an insurance policy. This individual is responsible for paying premiums and making claims under the policy.
4. Coverage Limit
Every insurance policy has a coverage limit, which is the maximum amount your insurer will pay out for a covered claim. It's crucial to understand your policy's limits to ensure you have adequate coverage.
5. Underwriting
Underwriting is the process insurers use to assess the risk of providing coverage to an individual or entity. It involves evaluating factors such as age, health, and driving record to determine premium rates and eligibility.
Types of Insurance
6. Auto Insurance
Auto insurance provides financial protection in case of accidents, theft, or damage to your vehicle. It's a legal requirement in many places and typically includes liability, collision, and comprehensive coverage.
7. Health Insurance
Health insurance covers medical expenses, including doctor visits, hospital stays, and prescription medications. It can be provided by employers or purchased individually.
8. Homeowners Insurance
Homeowners insurance is like a safety net for your home and stuff. It steps in to help if your place or belongings get damaged or stolen. Plus, it's got your back with liability coverage in case someone gets hurt while on your property.
9. Life Insurance
Life insurance pays out a death benefit to beneficiaries when the policyholder passes away. It can provide financial security to loved ones and cover funeral expenses.
10. Liability Insurance
Liability insurance covers you in case you're responsible for injuring someone or damaging their property. It's often included in auto and homeowners insurance policies.
Navigating Insurance Policies
11. Exclusions
Exclusions are specific events or circumstances that your insurance policy doesn't cover. It's essential to review these carefully to understand what situations won't be reimbursed.
12. Riders
Riders are add-ons to insurance policies that provide additional coverage for specific situations. For example, you can add a rider to your homeowners policy to cover expensive jewelry.
13. Claim
A claim is a formal request to your insurance company for coverage or reimbursement for a loss or damage. It's essential to follow the claims process outlined in your policy.
14. Grace Period
The grace period is the amount of time you have to pay your premium after the due date without your coverage lapsing. Be aware of your policy's grace period to avoid a lapse in coverage.
15. No-Claims Discount
Many insurance companies offer a no-claims discount to policyholders who haven't filed any claims within a specified period. This can lead to lower premiums over time.
Specialized Insurance Terms
16. Subrogation
Subrogation is the process by which an insurance company seeks reimbursement from a third party for a claim it has already paid out. This often occurs in auto accidents when your insurer goes after the at-fault driver's insurance company.
17. Actuary
An actuary is a professional who uses mathematics and statistics to assess risk and set premium rates for insurance policies. They play a crucial role in the insurance industry's financial stability.
18. Adjuster
An insurance adjuster is responsible for investigating claims, evaluating damage, and determining how much the insurance company should pay. They work to ensure fair settlements for policyholders.
19. Premium Credit
Premium credit is a discount offered by insurers to policyholders who meet specific criteria, such as having a good driving record or installing safety features in their home.
20. Salvage Value
When an insured item is damaged or totaled, it may still have some value. Salvage value refers to the amount the insurer can recover by selling the damaged item.
Protecting Your Financial Future
21. Risk Management
Effective risk management involves identifying potential risks and taking steps to minimize or mitigate them. Insurance is one tool in your risk management toolkit.
22. Beneficiary
A beneficiary is the person or entity designated to receive the proceeds of a life insurance policy when the policyholder passes away. It's essential to keep this information up to date.
23. Policy Term
The policy term is the duration for which your insurance policy is valid. It's crucial to renew your policy before it expires to maintain coverage.
24. Umbrella Policy
An umbrella policy provides additional liability coverage beyond the limits of your primary insurance policies. It can protect your assets in the event of a costly lawsuit.
25. Coinsurance
Coinsurance is the percentage of costs that you and your insurance company share after you've met your deductible. It's often seen in health insurance policies.
Insurance in Practice
26. Premium Increase
Your insurance premium may increase due to factors such as claims history, changes in coverage, or external economic conditions. It's essential to shop around for the best rates.
27. Depreciation
Depreciation is the decrease in the value of an asset over time. Insurance policies may account for depreciation when settling claims for damaged property.
28. Reinstatement
If your insurance policy lapses due to non-payment, you may have the option to reinstate it by paying any outstanding premiums and fees.
29. Excess
Excess, also known as a deductible, is the portion of a claim that you're responsible for paying. It's designed to prevent small, frequent claims.
30. Pre-Existing Condition
In health insurance, a pre-existing condition is a medical condition you had before obtaining coverage. Within the framework of the Affordable Care Act, insurance providers are prohibited from refusing coverage or imposing elevated premiums due to pre-existing medical conditions.
Insurance Regulations
31. State Insurance Department
Each state in the United States has a department or commission responsible for regulating insurance within its borders. They oversee insurers' operations and protect consumers.
32. Consumer Reports
Consumer reports provide information on insurance companies' financial strength, customer satisfaction, and claims-handling. They can help you choose a reputable insurer.
33. Guaranteed Renewal
Guaranteed renewal is a provision in some insurance policies that ensures the insurer cannot refuse to renew your policy as long as you pay your premiums.
34. Non-Cancelable Policy
A non-cancelable policy is one that the insurer cannot cancel or change the terms of as long as you pay your premiums. This provides certainty in coverage.
35. Market Conduct Examination
Insurance regulators conduct market conduct examinations to assess insurers' business practices and ensure they comply with laws and regulations.
Insurance for Businesses
36. Business Interruption Insurance
Business interruption insurance provides coverage for lost income and expenses when a covered event, such as a fire or natural disaster, forces your business to close temporarily.
37. Workers’ Compensation
Workers' compensation insurance covers medical expenses and lost wages for employees who are injured on the job. It's typically required by law for businesses with employees.
38. Professional Liability Insurance
Professional liability insurance, often called errors and omissions insurance, protects professionals from liability claims resulting from errors or negligence in their work.
39. Business Owner’s Policy (BOP)
A business owner's policy bundles essential coverages, such as property and liability insurance, into a single policy designed for small businesses. It's a cost-effective option.
40. D&O Insurance
Directors and officers (D&O) insurance protects the personal assets of company leaders in case they are sued for alleged wrongful acts while managing the business.
Advanced Insurance Concepts
41. Aggregate Limit
The aggregate limit is the maximum amount an insurance policy will pay out during a policy term, regardless of the number of claims made.
42. Risk Pooling
Insurance works on the principle of risk pooling, where policyholders collectively share the financial burden of covered losses.
43. Loss Ratio
The loss ratio is a measure of an insurance company's claims payouts compared to its earned premiums. A high loss ratio may indicate financial instability.
44. Surplus Lines Insurance
Surplus lines insurance covers risks that standard insurers won't or can't cover. It's often used for unique or high-risk situations.
45. Rescission
Rescission is the cancellation of an insurance policy retroactively, often due to misrepresentation or fraud on the policyholder's part.
Future of Insurance
46. Insurtech
Insurtech refers to the use of technology, such as artificial intelligence and data analytics, to streamline and improve the insurance industry's processes.
47. Telematics
Telematics devices track driving behavior and can lead to personalized auto insurance rates based on individual habits.
48. Microinsurance
Microinsurance provides affordable coverage to low-income individuals and communities, helping them mitigate risks and protect their assets.
49. Blockchain in Insurance
Blockchain technology can enhance transparency and security in insurance by creating immutable records of policies and claims.
50. Climate Change and Insurance
Climate change poses significant challenges to the insurance industry as it leads to more frequent and severe weather events. Insurers must adapt to these changing risk landscapes.
Insurance is a complex field with a language of its own, but understanding these 50 common insurance terms can help you navigate the world of insurance with confidence. Whether you're looking for auto, health, home, or any other type of insurance, being informed about these terms and concepts is essential to making informed decisions about your coverage.
Posted on February 12, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
MEDICAL EXECUTIVE-POST–TODAY’SNEWSLETTERBRIEFING
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Essays, Opinions and Curated News in Health Economics, Investing, Business, Management and Financial Planning for Physician Entrepreneurs and their Savvy Advisors and Consultants
“Serving Almost One Million Doctors, Financial Advisors and Medical Management Consultants Daily“
A Partner of the Institute of Medical Business Advisors , Inc.
Blue Cross Blue Shield will soon begin paying out $2.67 billion to customers follow a years-long lawsuit alleging that the health insurance giant broke antitrust laws. The litigation began in 2013, when a class-action lawsuit was filed against more than 35 Blue Cross Blue Shield health insurance plans. The lawsuit claims the company broke antitrust laws by limiting market competition, resulting in increased premiums and reduced options for customers.
US stocks closed mixed on Tuesday as investors assessed more tariff policy shifts from President Donald Trump and looked ahead to upcoming inflation data.
Traders also digested the start of Federal Chair Jerome Powell’s two-day testimony in Congress. In his opening remarks, Powell told lawmakers the Fed is not in a rush to adjust interest rates and reiterated the central bank’s stance of not commenting on trade policy.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) edged around 0.3% higher, while the benchmark S&P 500 (^GSPC) closed just above the flatline. The tech-heavy NASDAQ Composite (^IXIC) pulled back about 0.4%.
Posted on February 10, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
EVIDENCE BASED DENTISTRY
By Staff Reporters
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Evidence Based Dentistry?
Despite the high praise for evidence-based dentistry, there are a number of limitation and criticism that has been given to the process. Chambers DW provides quite a bit of criticism, as well as a number of limitations that evidence-based dentistry provides. In no particular order of importance, a number of mentioned objections towards this format are:
Evidence-based dentistry is too clumsy due to the concept being poorly defined
The implementation of evidence-based dentistry has been distorted by too heavy of an emphasis of computerized searches for research findings that meet the standards of academics
Although EBD advocates enjoy sharing anecdotal accounts of mistakes others have made, faulting others is not proof that one’s own position is correct
There is no systematic, high-quality evidence that EBD is effective
Patient and practitioner values are the shortest leg of the stool. As they are so little recognized, their integration in EBD is problematic and ethical tensions exist where paternalism privileges science over patient’s self-determined best interests.
Although dentists, dental hygienists, and dental assistants may not formally recite the Hippocratic Oath, its principles undeniably apply in their practice, particularly in the high-stakes context of emergency medical care.
By embodying these principles, dental professionals not only fulfill their commitment to ethical patient care but also ensure the safety and well-being of those they serve.
Posted on February 8, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
By Staff Reporters
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Implicit or unconscious bias is not intentional, but it has a detrimental impact. Implicit bias in nursing affects nurses’ quality of life and patient outcomes. In a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation study, researchers found that 79% of nurses experienced or observed racism or discrimination from patients and 59% saw or experienced it from colleagues.
Asian and Black nurses are particularly likely to have experienced racial aggression, and 94% of Asian and 93% of Black nurses report that it has affected their mental well-being.
Explore more about implicit bias, including how it impacts nurses and patients. Discover some components of effective implicit bias training for nurses.
Posted on February 6, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
By Staff Reporters
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Cognitive bias is a pattern of thinking in humans that, although flawed, is repeated mindlessly, sometimes resulting in irrational behavior and decisions. Dental personnel need to understand how cognitive biases impact both their patients and their team members. Left unchecked, these automatic associations can cause grave mistakes and injuries, and result in real harm.
This course is designed to help dental team members recognize their own biases and see the need to introspect and self-regulate to change them.
Posted on February 5, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
DEFINITION
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Naturopathic Doctors are educated and trained in accredited naturopathic medical colleges. They diagnose, prevent, and treat acute and chronic illness to restore and establish optimal health by supporting the person’s inherent self-healing process.
Rather than just suppressing symptoms, naturopathic doctors work to identify underlying causes of illness, and develop personalized treatment plans to address them. Their Therapeutic Order™, identifies the natural order in which all therapies should be applied to provide the greatest benefit with the least potential for damage.
Posted on February 4, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
MEDICAL EXECUTIVE-POST–TODAY’SNEWSLETTERBRIEFING
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Essays, Opinions and Curated News in Health Economics, Investing, Business, Management and Financial Planning for Physician Entrepreneurs and their Savvy Advisors and Consultants
“Serving Almost One Million Doctors, Financial Advisors and Medical Management Consultants Daily“
A Partner of the Institute of Medical Business Advisors , Inc.
Just moments after he was appointed by President Donald Trump to be the new acting director of the Consumer Financial Protections Bureau, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent moved to halt the agency’s work investigating financial abuses and regulating deceptive banking practices impacting American consumers, according to a memo sent to employees and obtained by Scripps News.
This year is expected to be busy with healthcare mergers and acquisitions (M&A).Consulting company PwC reported that annual healthcare deals shot up 70% through November 15th compared to pre-Covid trends, and projected the trend will continue into 2025.
US stocks fell on Monday in reaction to the Trump administration’s scheduled tariff rollout against Canada and China, though the major averages pared heavier losses after President Donald Trump said the US would delay duties on Mexican imports by a month.
The tech-heavy NASDAQ Composite (^IXIC) closed down 1.2%, recouping a chunk of its earlier losses. Meanwhile, the S&P 500 (^GSPC) fell roughly 0.7%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) fell 0.3%.
Book Dr. David E. MarcinkoMBA MEd CMPfor your Next Medical, Pharma or Financial Services Seminar orPersonal and Corporate Coaching Sessions
Dr. Marcinko enjoys personal coaching and public speaking and gives as many talks each year as possible, at a variety of medical society and financial services conferences around the country and world. These have included lectures and visiting professorships at major academic centers, keynote lectures for hospitals, economic seminars and health systems, keynote lectures at city and statewide financial coalitions, and annual keynote lectures for a variety of internal yearly meetings.
His talks tend to be engaging, iconoclastic, and humorous. His most popular presentations include a diverse variety of topics and typically include those in all iMBA, Inc’s textbooks, handbooks, white-papers and most topics covered on this blog.
A certified financial planner (CFP®) helps individuals plan their financial futures. CFPs are not focused only on investments; they help their clients achieve specific long-term financial goals, such as saving for retirement, buying a house, or starting a college fund for their children.
To become a CFP®, a person must complete a course of study and then pass a two-part examination. The exam covers wealth management, tax palnning, insurance, retirement planning, estate planning, and other basic personal finance topics. These topics are all important for someone seeking to help clients achieve financial goals.
Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA)
A CFA, on the other hand, conducts investing in larger settings, normally for large investment firms on both the buy side and the sell side, mutual funds or hedge funds. CFAs can also provide internal financial analysis for corporations that are not in the investment industry. While a CFP® focuses on wealth management and planning for individual clients, a CFA focuses on wealth management for a corporation.
To become a CFA, a person must complete a rigorous course of study and pass three examinations over the course of two or more years. In addition, the candidate must adhere to a strict code of ethics and have four years of work experience in an investment decision-making setting.
Generative artificial intelligence (AI) is the utilization of algorithms to create content—such as text, code, imagery, videos, and even simulations—in mere seconds. The goal of AI in general is to mimic the intelligence of humans to perform tasks. “Generative” AI aims to learn from data without the assistance of humans. While today’s generative AI bots are not yet prepared for widespread utilization in patient care settings, AI is garnering significant interest in the healthcare industry as providers begin to test its capabilities in clinics and offices.
This article reviews the role that generative AI is beginning to play in the U.S. healthcare system, the potential of AI in healthcare, and concerns related to the technology.
Posted on February 1, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
MEDICAL EXECUTIVE-POST–TODAY’SNEWSLETTERBRIEFING
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Essays, Opinions and Curated News in Health Economics, Investing, Business, Management and Financial Planning for Physician Entrepreneurs and their Savvy Advisors and Consultants
“Serving Almost One Million Doctors, Financial Advisors and Medical Management Consultants Daily“
A Partner of the Institute of Medical Business Advisors , Inc.
US stocks lost ground on Friday after the White House said tariffs against Mexico, Canada, and China will take effect on Saturday, reigniting fears of a coming trade war with the nation’s closest trading partners. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the president would impose 25% tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada, as well as a 10% tariff on goods from China.
All three major gauges fell into the red Friday. The S&P 500 (^GSPC) lost 0.5% at the closing bell, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) shed 0.8%. The tech-heavy NASDAQ Composite (^IXIC) gave up 0.3%, reversing earlier gains.
The dramatic tariff news pushed aside more optimistic updates from earlier in the day, which had buoyed stocks. Solid earnings from Apple (AAPL) and an inflation reading that matched expectations lifted market sentiment for much of the day.
Finally, the S&P and the Nasdaq posted losses for the week of 1% and 1.6%, respectively. The Dow, meanwhile, recorded a weekly gain of 0.3%.
Posted on January 31, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
By Health Capital Consultants, LLC
In the first days of his second (nonconsecutive) presidential term, Donald Trump and his administration took a number of actions that will affect the healthcare industry in the near- and long-term. Further, the Trump Administration is reportedly poised to take a number of additional actions to pause, end, or otherwise change Biden-era initiatives.
Meanwhile, President Trump’s cabinet pick for the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) hangs in the balance. This Health Capital Topics article reviews the new administration’s actions impacting the healthcare industry as of the date of publication. (Read more...)
Posted on January 22, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
MEDICAL EXECUTIVE-POST–TODAY’SNEWSLETTERBRIEFING
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Essays, Opinions and Curated News in Health Economics, Investing, Business, Management and Financial Planning for Physician Entrepreneurs and their Savvy Advisors and Consultants
“Serving Almost One Million Doctors, Financial Advisors and Medical Management Consultants Daily“
A Partner of the Institute of Medical Business Advisors , Inc.
Stocks ended firmly higher on Tuesday, with the S&P 500 rising 0.88% and reclaiming the 6,000 point mark amid a pullback in Treasury yields and optimism over Donald Trump’s focus on deregulation, focused tariff strategies and the prospect of solid corporate earnings into the fourth quarter reporting season.
Tech stocks are likely to pace early gains in the Wednesday session, however, following the unveiling of a new AI joint venture called ‘Stargate’ that will include an initial $100 billion investment from SoftBank, Oracle Corp. (ORCL) and OpenAI.
Executive Order 14009, titled “Strengthening Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act,” includes several key components designed to increase access to affordable health care and reduce the number of uninsured Americans:
Reversal of Trump administration policies: The order sought to undo measures that limited ACA provisions or made healthcare less accessible.
Longer enrollment periods: The order encouraged states to lengthen enrollment periods and provided additional federal support. As a result, many states extended their enrollment windows to ensure broader access to affordable healthcare.
Restoration of pre-existing condition protections: Reaffirmed protections for individuals with pre-existing conditions and reinforced nondiscrimination policies in healthcare.
Immediate review of agency actions: The order directed various executive departments and agencies to review existing regulations, orders, and policies to ensure they align with the goal of strengthening Medicaid and the ACA.
xecutive Order 14070, titled “Continuing To Strengthen Americans’ Access to Affordable, Quality Health Coverage,” aimed to maintain and enhance Medicaid and the ACA. Key components included:
Enhanced marketplace subsidies: The order highlights the positive impact of the American Rescue Plan Act on access to coverage, including enhanced marketplace subsidies.
Extended postpartum Medicaid coverage: It provides options for states to extend postpartum Medicaid coverage.
New incentives for Medicaid expansion: The order includes new incentives for states to expand their Medicaid programs.
While IAs and FAs may seem the same, they are not the same. The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) and the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) have clearly defined investment advisors as distinct from financial advisors.
The term financial advisor is a generic one that can encompass many different financial professionals, although it most commonly refers to stock brokers (individuals or companies that buy and sell securities).
Investment advisor, on the other hand, is a legal term and thus has a more clear-cut definition – or at least as clear as legalese is apt to be.
KEY DIFFERENCES:
Financial advisors help with all aspects of your finances, including saving, budgeting, insurance, retirement planning, and taxes.
Investment advisors focus specifically on choosing and managing investment portfolios.
Financial advisors offer broader financial guidance, while investment advisors concentrate solely on investments.
Investment advisors are held to the fiduciary standard, while financial advisors who work as brokers may operate under different rules.
Posted on January 20, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
BREAKING NEWS
By Staff Reporters
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WASHINGTON: 8:15 am: The President Joe Biden administration just preemptively pardoned Anthony Fauci, MD.
“Our nation relies on dedicated, selfless public servants every day. They are the lifeblood of our democracy,” Biden said in a statement just hours before President-elect Donald Trump is sworn into office.
“The issuance of these pardons should not be mistaken as an acknowledgment that any individual engaged in any wrongdoing, nor should acceptance be misconstrued as an admission of guilt for any offense,” Biden said in a statement.
Posted on January 18, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
MEDICAL EXECUTIVE-POST–TODAY’SNEWSLETTERBRIEFING
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Essays, Opinions and Curated News in Health Economics, Investing, Business, Management and Financial Planning for Physician Entrepreneurs and their Savvy Advisors and Consultants
“Serving Almost One Million Doctors, Financial Advisors and Medical Management Consultants Daily“
A Partner of the Institute of Medical Business Advisors , Inc.
WASHINGTON — The US Supreme Court on Friday delivered a blow to TikTok by upholding a law that could potentially lead to the video-sharing social media platform being banned in the United States. The justices in an unsigned opinion with no dissents rejected a free speech challenge filed by the company, meaning the law is set to go into effect on Sunday as planned. The bipartisan law requires China-based TikTok owner ByteDance to divest itself of the company by Sunday, the day before President-elect Donald Trump is to take office. If no sale takes place, the platform used by millions of Americans will in theory be banned.
Legendary short seller Nate Andersonannounced this week that he is shutting down his firm, Hindenburg Research, due to extreme job stress. With only 11 employees, Anderson took gargantuan swings at companies—and their billionaire leaders. Hindenburg published deeply researched reports about companies it believed were overvalued and rife with corruption. It got its big break when it shorted electric truck-maker Nikola in 2020, calling the company an “intricate fraud.” Regulators took note, and it led to three fraud convictions for Nikola founder Trevor Milton.
US stocks jumped on Friday amid a tech stock revival as investors assessed a week of key data and earnings reports alongside potential policy shifts under a Trump administration.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) gained 0.8% while the S&P 500 (^GSPC) rose 1%, coming off a losing day for the major gauges. The tech-heavy NASDAQ Composite (^IXIC) put on 1.5% as Nvidia (NVDA) and Tesla (TSLA) shares nudged back into the green.
The US Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a lawsuit against Walgreens (WBA), one of the nation’s largest pharmacy chains, alleging widespread prescription drug practice violations. According to the DOJ, Walgreens improperly dispensed millions of prescriptions from August 2012 to the present day that either lacked “legitimate medical purpose” or were otherwise invalid.
Posted on January 16, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
MEDICAL EXECUTIVE-POST–TODAY’SNEWSLETTERBRIEFING
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Essays, Opinions and Curated News in Health Economics, Investing, Business, Management and Financial Planning for Physician Entrepreneurs and their Savvy Advisors and Consultants
“Serving Almost One Million Doctors, Financial Advisors and Medical Management Consultants Daily“
A Partner of the Institute of Medical Business Advisors , Inc.
The U.S. Department of Labor reported a 0.4% increase in the monthly CPI after seasonal adjustment, overshooting the forecast of 0.3% and the previous value of 0.3%. On an annual basis, inflation climbed to 2.9%, up from 2.7% in November, the highest rate since July 2024.
US stocks ripped higher on Wednesday as high hopes for bank earnings paid off and a crucial consumer inflation update showed key prices increased less than expected in December.
The benchmark S&P 500 (^GSPC) popped more than 1.8%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) rose more than 1.6%, or over 700 points. Meanwhile, the tech-heavy NASDAQ Composite (^IXIC) soared 2.5%.
Stocks took a leg higher after the Consumer Price Index (CPI) showed progress toward the Fed’s 2% inflation target in December. Prices climbed 0.2% month-on-month on a “core” basis, which strips out the more volatile costs of food and gas, an easing from November’s 0.3% gain. Over last year, core CPI rose 3.2%.
Capital One is being sued by the US government’s consumer watchdog agency for “cheating millions of consumers” and not paying more than $2 billion in interest to holders of its high-interest savings accounts.
As of January 1st 2025, beneficiaries enrolled in Part D prescription drug plans will have their out-of-pocket spending capped at $2,000 for the year. This new policy was part of President Joe Biden’s 2022 Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which included other drug pricing measures such as capping the cost of insulin at $35 per month for seniors.
But only a small share of Medicare enrollees will benefit from the cap, according to an analysis from nonprofit organization AARP’s Public Policy Institute, as most don’t spend more than $2,000 annually on their medications after hitting their deductible (which is up to $590 for standard plans in 2025). Beneficiaries spent an average of $400 to $500 per year as of 2022, the Hill reported, citing data from the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
Academic Team of Internationally Known Contributors
D. E. Marcinko & Associates is one of the most academically published authorities on the topic of financial planning and private wealth management for physicians, nurses and medical professionals. We have published 33 major peer reviewed textbooks redacted in the Library of Medicine, Institute of Health and the Library of Congress, in four languages, with over 5,025 online white papers, web-posts and related publications. These cover a range of financial planning topics from medical malpractice, risk management and insurance, to investment policy statement analysis and endowment funding management, and to taxation, retirement, estate and legacy planning.
Financial planning, business and strategic management, FMV for practice and clinics and related “hard” topics are included.
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We also include “soft” subjects from investor psychology, ethics and lost fortunes to luxury spending, from understanding the middle-class millionaire to the political philosophies of physicians and the affluent. Our corpus of work is regularly consulted by doctors, medical, business, graduate and nursing schools, to elite advisors, private and investment bankers, wealth managers, venture capitalists, academics and the press.
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