October 11, 2005
1.
Asset Protection Announcement
The volatile malpractice environment and escalating malpractice verdicts have created new interest in asset protection planning. Including:
Family Limited Partnerships
Delaware Trusts
Off Shore Financial Havens
We are planning a program for physicians
and their families to discuss these issues.
If you are interested in attending, please send an e-mail to Mike
Cassidy at
mcassidy@tuckerlaw.com.
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2. OIG Reiterates Support Of Gain
Sharing Arrangements
In testimony before the subcommittee on Health of the House Ways and
Means Committee, Lewis Morris, the Chief Counsel of the HHS Office of
Inspector General, stated that the OIG will continue to support gain
sharing arrangements that provide adequate safeguards, i.e.:
measures that promote accountability;
adequate quality controls; and
controls on payments that may change referral patterns.
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3. California Court Rules PPO May
Exclude Providers
In Lori Rubenstein Physical Therapy, Inc. v. PTPN, Inc. and Blue Cross
of California, Inc., the Superior Court of California ruled that the PPO
exclusionary practices did not violate the antitrust provisions of the
California Business & Professional Code.
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4. P4P Advocates Support Additional
Reimbursement
The AMA news reported that, “In recent testimony before the Medicare
Payment Advisory Committee, (key representatives of major stakeholders)
agreed that Congress must come up with more money to pay physicians who
do well on federal quality measures - not take money away from those who
don’t make the grade.” To
read more about this funding issue, read Mike Cassidy’s article “Is P4P
4U”.
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>For more information about the topics presented in this newsletter please contact one of the Healthcare Attorneys:
Read the August 2005 issue of our HEALTHCARE NEWSLETTER.
Tucker Arensberg, P.C.
1500 One PPG Place Pittsburgh, PA 15222 412/566-1212
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