By Erika Stewart

Health care reform will make huge changes in the way insurance companies do business, but most of that will not go into effect right away. Provisions that will help most Americans in 2012 affect policies that were purchased after March 13, 2010.

Under the new laws, health insurance companies cannot:

Refuse to cover children under age 19 who have a pre-existing condition
Impose a lifetime limit
Cancel a policy unless they can prove fraudulent information was given
Fail to provide an appeal process for denied claims

New insurance policies must now include reasonable preventive …

By Patricia A. Costante

Every time I speak with physicians, I get the sense that they are feeling a loss of control and even a loss of status. Physicians in small practices don’t see a long-term solution for continuing to function in their current structure, and many are considering selling to hospitals or giving up their practices. More often than not, physicians indicate that they do not recommend their sons and daughters to follow their footsteps into a medical career. Clearly, this is an anxious time for physicians, filled with much …

By Nicholas Gaudiosi

I’ve thought for months about how to write this article and actually get my point across without sounding like a psychic, because I certainly don’t possess an ability to perceive information hidden from the normal senses. The fact is, I’m not a psychic and I don’t have a crystal ball; if I did, I wouldn’t be working for a medical malpractice insurance company. But, since I’m just a regular guy and I work for HPIX, I feel it is my obligation to raise awareness among physicians and their …

By Patricia A. Costante

Thanks in part to the widespread attention of concussions among high-profile professional athletes, the medical community, many states and other groups have recognized that these types of head injuries can also have a devastating impact on young athletes. Second and third concussions could have long lasting and even catastrophic effects. As the 2011-2012 school year gets into full swing, physicians have an opportunity to take a proactive role in addressing what’s become a serious medical issue among those 18 and younger.

Startling statistics

Research on the prevalence and impact …

Not all “own-occupation” definitions are the same, and understanding the subtle differences between each contract is critical to selecting the correct policy.

By Thomas Lloyd

Recent stock market volatility has caused a collective feeling of nausea for most Americans this past month who have seen their investments suffer considerable drops in value over concerns of another recession and debt issue in Europe. The Standard and Poors 500 stock index has dropped 17 percent of its value since late July and stocks overall finished last week with a 4 percent decline.[1] The Chicago Board Options Exchange Market Volatility Index, a popular measure of the implied volatility of S&P 500 index options and offten referred …

By Thomas Lloyd & Anthony Delvecchio

Any Fellow or Resident about to complete their final year and venture out as a practicing physician knows just how busy the next few months can be. Securing a proper offer from your new employer and perhaps moving to another city are just some of the most common hurdles to overcome. Consequently, it is imperative to be extremely organized and focused on what tasks need to be considered first. Here are the top 5 most important business-related areas to focus on as a …

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By Thomas Lloyd & Anthony Delvecchio

A prevalent topic of conversation when discussing disability insurance with any new client who is a physician or dentist is cost. “Why does an individual policy cost so much more than what I pay (or paid) for with my work plan or an association?” Well, simply put, you are comparing two policies that are completely different from one another. Each policy brings a variety of differences that may appeal differently to each person but you must understand some of these …

By Patricia A. Costante

Next to your medical expertise and the relationships established with those you’ve treated, your patients’ records—and privacy—are among your most important assets. With the proliferation of online and transportable data—thanks to Blackberrys, smart phones, iphones and other devices—the number of incidents involving unintended release of proprietary medical and financial information has skyrocketed.

At the same time, lawmakers have incorporated the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. This is designed to encourage widespread adoption …

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By Barton L. Post

Having witnessed the effects of several “malpractice crises”, I am anxious to avoid another.

I have had the privilege of defending physicians and hospitals throughout the state for over 40 years. For many of those years, I’ve tried more medical malpractice cases than any other defense lawyer. In 1968, I founded the law firm of Post & Schell and by the time I was retired several decades later, my firm was the largest law firm in the state that was devoted almost exclusively …