Jeffrey Segal, MD, JD - Medical Justice

Senate’s 6-Month Payment Solution includes 2.2% Increase

August 15, 2024June 17, 2010 by Jeffrey Segal, MD, JD

Physicians who accept Medicare for their services have been through a rough ride, a recurring nightmare of last-minute (and last-second) renewals of their pay budget in Congress. The roller coaster still isn’t over, but at least it seems to be a little bit better. How much? 2.2%, if the Senate’s bill passes. Don’t get too excited yet, though. That authorization is only good through November, and that’s only if it passes. The Congress still hasn’t approved anything enduring, and the Senate votes thus far aren’t promising.

Physicians aren’t the only ones caught on the roller coaster. Patients have also been left in the lurch. Patients turn to their doctors for information and consolation. They want to know that the ability to receive medical treatment from their trusted healer won’t lapse. Unfortunately, doctors are in the dark too. Much as they would like to be able to give comforting news to their patients, honesty requires that they say “I don’t know any more than you do.” Most won’t make their patients worry about their problems, but the fact is that some practices are hanging on by a thin thread, and the Medicare delays make matters worse.

First Professionals Insurance Company, Inc. Endorses Medical Justice Services

August 15, 2024June 15, 2010 by Jeffrey Segal, MD, JD

First Professionals Insurance Company, Inc. Endorses Medical Justice Services

– First Professionals Offers Medical Justice Membership as Benefit to Florida Insureds –

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 15, 2010 (GREENSBORO, NC) — First Professionals Insurance Company, Inc. (First Professionals) today announced an endorsed and strategic relationship with Medical Justice Services, Inc; the leading organization offering patented services to protect physicians’ most valuable assets – their practice and reputation – against frivolous lawsuits, Internet defamation and other medico-legal threats. Under the agreement, First Professionals will offer Medical Justice Membership to its Florida-based insureds under a preferred pricing agreement. Medical Justice’s Programs complement the traditional medical malpractice insurance offered by professional liability carriers. The agreement will provide First Professionals’ more than 7,000 policyholders in Florida, with proven, turnkey services that deliver real-world results such as decreasing malpractice suit rates, holding proponents of meritless lawsuits accountable and preventing Internet defamation.

Medical Justice focuses exclusively on the healthcare industry and has addressed the needs of doctors for over eight years. Medical Justice reports its plan members experience a statistically significant reduction in medical malpractice suits.

“Medical Justice provides a variety of services that shield physicians from a number of hazards they encounter in practicing medicine. Their strategies and programs deter frivolous lawsuits,” stated Robert White, Jr., President of First Professionals. “This partnership supports and enhances First Professionals’ longstanding pledge to provide excellent benefits for all of our policyholders. Offering Medical Justice to our Florida-based insureds will be instrumental in mitigating many aggravating situations that affect healthcare providers today.”

Dr. Jeffrey Segal, CEO of Medical Justice, notes, “First Professionals is one of the most progressive malpractice insurance companies in the U.S. We are thrilled to be endorsed by such a high-profile partner and to be part of their service offering. We aggressively address the interests of our members within the changing landscape of medical practice. By offering Medical Justice Membership to their Florida insureds, First Professionals is proactively protecting their clients even more from frivolous medical malpractice lawsuits, Internet defamation and other medico-legal threats.”

Medical Justice in NY Times

August 15, 2024June 2, 2010 by Jeffrey Segal, MD, JD

Medical Justice founder and CEO Jeff Segal, MD, JD, FACS was quoted in today’s NY Times article “Venting Online, Consumers Can Find Themselves in Court” “Recognizing that lawsuits can bring more unwanted attention, one organization has taken a different tack. The group Medical Justice, which helps protect doctors from meritless malpractice suits, advises its members … Read more

Health care law will exacerbate physician shortage

August 15, 2024June 1, 2010 by Jeffrey Segal, MD, JD

MAG Journal June 2010 – p 16 By: Newt Gingrich and Jeffrey Segal, MD, JD, FACS Forum: Health law will worsen doctor shortage Posted: Saturday, April 24, 2010 By Newt Gingrich and Jeff Segal Now that President Obama has signed his health care legislation into law, the focus is supposed to be on the millions … Read more

Tort Reform and Frivolous Lawsuits: Show Me the Money

August 15, 2024May 27, 2010 by Jeffrey Segal, MD, JD

The following excerpt is from a great post by MD Whistleblower Years ago, as a younger and more idealistic gastroenterologist, I was kept dangling on a lawsuit for a few years. I endured the light hearted amusement of the discovery process, including expert witnesses outside of my specialty who claimed in their written reports that … Read more

Rasmussen: 63% of Voters Favor Repeal of Health Care Reform — But Is That So?

August 15, 2024May 25, 2010 by Jeffrey Segal, MD, JD

According to Rasmussen Reports, the percentage of people who favor repeal of the national health care plan is at its highest point ever, 63% in favor of repeal. The report states that the highest previous polling results were at 54-58 percent. Further, the report indicates that 46% “Strongly Favor” a repeal, while only 25% “Strongly Oppose” repealing it. But is that the full story?

The survey was performed by phoning 1000 “Likely Voters” last Saturday and Sunday. The calls were automated, and placed between 11 am – 6 pm on Saturday, and between 1 pm and 9 pm on Sunday. “For political surveys, census bureau data provides a starting point and a series of screening questions are used to determine likely voters. The questions involve voting history, interest in the current campaign, and likely voting intentions.” One could question if this survey is a truly representative sample of the population at large.

In the Trenches: A Practical Look at the New Health Care Reform Law

August 15, 2024May 19, 2010 by Jeffrey Segal, MD, JD

The Health Care Reform bill passed by Congress and signed by President Obama was represented as allowing people to keep their present health care providers if they wanted to. The bill itself will not force anyone to change health care providers, but that doesn’t mean you’ll still be able to go to the same doctor the same way. If that sounds like double-speak, you’re paying attention. While the law doesn’t force anyone to choose a different doctor, it is forcing some doctors into rather dramatic solutions, not the least of which is selling their practices to hospitals and becoming employees of that hospital. What’s behind this new business model for health care providers? Let’s take a look:

On Your Epitaph: I Wish I Had Worked Another Day?

August 15, 2024May 14, 2010 by Jeffrey Segal, MD, JD

You woke up with a pulse today. No matter what else happens, you are off to a good start. The practice of medicine can be frustrating. If all you had to do was make a diagnosis, remove a tumor, or comfort a patient’s family, though still challenging, the job would be easier. Some events give … Read more

Here’s Some Money. Use This EMR. Have a Nice day

September 17, 2024May 7, 2010 by Jeffrey Segal, MD, JD

Some professional liability carriers are offering discounts to physicians who have implemented electronic medical records (“EMR”). Further, under the stimulus package which was signed into law, doctors who meaningfully use EMR by 2011 will be eligible for federal subsidies up to $44,000 per practitioner. That is a chunk of change.

A number of EMR strategies are competing for acceptance.

$220M for Pilot Communities’ EHR – Jackpot for Them, But No Practical Solutions In Sight

August 15, 2024May 5, 2010 by Jeffrey Segal, MD, JD

The Department of Health and Human Services is releasing $220 million dollars (made available by the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act) to fund 15 pilot communities with the necessary IT technology to incorporate Electronic Health Records (EHR). This amounts to a bit over 1/10th of the entire $2 Billion allotted to achieve meaningful use of new health information technologies. The goal is that every person in the US have an EHR by 2014. According to Kathleen Sebelius, HHS hopes that the pilot program will “Offer insight into how health IT can make a real difference in the delivery of health care.” In her written statement, she expressed hope that HHS will be able to “tap the best ideas across America and demonstrate the enormous benefit health IT will have to improving health and care within our communities.”

Now the reality check. That’s 14.66 million dollars per community to get patients, community providers and Federal programs all on the same page? The joint statement from Sebelius and Vice President Joe Biden suggests that the pilot programs will support tens of thousands of jobs in the health IT industry. One would hope so. It would also pay for 18,000 $800 laptops or 29,333 $500 desktop computers in each of those communities. In short, depending on populations, that much money should just about put a computer on every street corner and medical office, and still leave money to spare for the actual integration! But wait! That’s not all! Another $30 million is available for additional Beacon Community awards, so you, too, may end up with a laptop on every street corner and office! But what will any of this actually do?

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