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Healthcare Law Briefs
June 13, 2005
1. Medical Staff Members Not Liable
For Harm To Patients
The family members of patients who were murdered by a nurse in an
Indiana hospital were seeking damages from the hospital and the members
of its Medical Staff. One claim asserted that physicians who were
members of the Medical Staff had a general duty to provide quality care
by assuring appropriate peer review. An Indiana appellate court ruled
that individual members of a Medical Staff have no peer review
responsibility to patients of the hospital. Longa v. Vicory, Ind.
Ct. App. No. 83A01-0406-CV-233, June 7, 2005.
2. Retirement Plan Update
Cost of living adjustments for plan years beginning in 2005 are as
follows:
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Annual
defined contribution limits for pension and profit sharing plans were
increased from $41,000 to $42,000;
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The
annual compensation limit was increased from $205,000 to $210,000; and
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The
annual elective deferral for 401(k) plans is $14,000.
3. Medicare Physician Fee Schedule
Increase
As in past years, the existing Medicare reimbursement formula would
produce a fee decrease; for 2006, the reduction would be 4.6%. Both the
Senate (S.1081) and the House (HR. 2356) have introduced legislation
aimed at producing a fee increase of 2.7% for 2006 and a new formula for
2007 and thereafter.
<Top
>For more information about the
topics presented in this newsletter please contact one of the
Healthcare
Attorneys:
Read
the March issue of our HEALTHCARE NEWSLETTER.
 Tucker Arensberg,
P.C.
1500 One PPG
Place Pittsburgh, PA 15222 412/566-1212
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