nj physician magazine august 2011

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Also in this Issue • CMS Releases Proposed Rules for 2012 Medicare Payments • Medicaid RAC Program is Underway in New Jersey • New Jersey Durable Power of Attorney Laws University Orthopaedic Associates, LLC With the Opening of its Brand New All-Inclusive Facility, UOA Offers One-Stop Comprehensive Care and Treatment AUGUST 2011

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Page 1: NJ Physician Magazine August 2011

Also in this Issue• CMS Releases Proposed Rules for 2012 Medicare Payments

• Medicaid RAC Program is Underway in New Jersey

• New Jersey Durable Power of Attorney Laws

University Orthopaedic Associates, LLCWith the Opening of its Brand New All-Inclusive Facility, UOA Offers One-Stop Comprehensive Care and Treatment

a u g u s t 2 0 11

Page 2: NJ Physician Magazine August 2011

www.HNManagement.com973-660-9334/ext 125Located in Florham Park, NJ

HEALTH NETWORKM A N A G E M E N T

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Page 3: NJ Physician Magazine August 2011

Publisher’s Letter

Dear Readers,

Welcome to the August issue of New Jersey Physician, the state’s only publication

serving the medical community.

This month we feature University Orthopaedic Associates as our featured

practice. Began in 1972 with three physicians, and now with fifteen, the very

large, sub specialty practice, offering patients the entire gamut of non-surgical

and surgical treatment is about to move into a new, comprehensive facility with

its own ASC, Physical Therapy Center, and fully equipped, state-of-the-art imaging

center, offering patients one stop care without the need to leave the building.

Hackensack University Medical Center has announced the formation of an ACO.

The employees of HUMC will pilot the attempt at accountable care through its

self-insured employee health plan.

The ProMutual Group, a leading provider of medical professional liablility

insurance has announced the launch of its new name and brand. Now to be

known as Coverys, the change reflects the continued integration of the member

companies within ProMutual Group, including recently acquired Fincor Holdings

and its subsidiaries. In the same vein, the “Saint Barnabas Health Care System”

has rebranded itself into “Barnabas Health”.

New Jersey’s Durable Power of Attorney Laws are most confusing. We have

included a summation of the laws along with additional information that each of

our readers should be aware of in dealing with such patient issues as power of

attorney, and other advanced directives for Health Care.

The Department of Health and Human Services has announced draft guidelines

for states to follow in crafting state-run insurance exchanges. The ACA mandates

states to offer a competitive marketplace for consumers and small businesses to

compare and purchase health insurance. This is required to be in effect by Jan 1,

2014.

Finally, we ask you to excuse the lateness of our current issue. Hurricane Irene

slowed everything down including our ability to get to interviews and surgical

photo shoots, as well as our ability to function without power. We will be doing

our best to get back on schedule as promptly as possible.

With warm regards,

Michael GoldbergCo-Publisher

New Jersey Physician Magazine

Published by Montdor Medical Media, LLC

Co-Publisher and Managing EditorsIris and Michael Goldberg

Contributing Writers Iris GoldbergMark Manigan, Esq.Debra Lienhardt, Esq.Joseph Gorrell, Esq.Kevin Lastorino, Esq.Carol Grelecki, Esq.John Fanburg, Esq.Lani Dornfeld, Esq.Caren Malone

New Jersey Physician is published monthly by Montdor Medical Media, LLC.,PO Box 257Livingston NJ 07039Tel: 973.994.0068Fax: 973.994.2063

For Information on Advertising in New Jersey

Physician, please contact Iris Goldberg at

973.994.0068 or at [email protected]

Send Press Releases and all other information

related to this publication to

[email protected]

Although every precaution is taken to ensure

accuracy of published materials, New Jersey

Physician cannot be held responsible for opinions

expressed or facts supplied by its authors. All

rights reserved, Reproduction in whole or in part

without written permission is prohibited.

No part of this publication may be reproduced or

transmitted in any form or by any means without

the written permission from Montdor Medical

Media. Copyright 2010.

Subscription rates:

$48.00 per year

$6.95 per issue

Advertising rates on request

New Jersey Physician magazine is an

independent publication for the medical

community of our state and is not a publication

of NJ Physicians Association

Page 4: NJ Physician Magazine August 2011

2 New Jersey Physician

CONTENTS

11

Statehouse

More information on Durable Power of Attorney Laws

12

Health Law Update

16

Hospital Rounds

18

Food for Thought

Serenade Chatham, New Jersey

20

Coverys

ProMutual Group rebrands as Coverys

Contents

University OrthopaedicAssociates, LLC

With the Opening of its Brand New All-Inclusive Facility, UOA Offers One-Stop Comprehensive Care and Treatment

COVER STORY

4

Page 5: NJ Physician Magazine August 2011

Call for NomiNatioNs

New Jersey Physician Magazine invites all medical practices to submit nominations for cover stories.

Practices should include a brief description of what makes the practice special.

Please contact the publisher Iris goldberg at [email protected]

August 2011 3

Page 6: NJ Physician Magazine August 2011

4 New Jersey Physician

Back in 1972 University Orthopaedic

Associates, LLC (UOA) began with two

physicians and a mission to provide the

most current, technologically advanced and

personalized healthcare services available.

This month, UOA welcomes the fifteenth

orthopaedic surgeon to join its multi-faceted,

subspecialty-trained team. Also, honoring

the mission that began nearly four decades

ago, University Orthopaedic Associates is

preparing to move into its beautiful, newly

constructed, comprehensive facility that

will allow patients to travel to just one

destination and receive a full circle of

integrated orthopaedic care.

Affiliated with Robert Wood Johnson

University Hospital, Saint Peter’s University

Hospital, Jersey Shore University Medical

Center and University Medical Center at

Princeton, the surgeons of UOA specialize

in the entire spectrum of non-surgical and

surgical orthopaedic care and treatment,

including:

• sports medicine• arthroscopic surgery• surgery of the hand and upper extremity• surgery of the foot and ankle• surgery of the spine• surgery for traumatic injuries• joint replacement surgery

In addition to the pursuit of excellence in

orthopaedic treatment, the surgeons of

UOA are deeply committed and involved

in the training of medical students and

residents at their affiliated hospitals, as

well as clinical and bench research. The

promotion of community health and well-

being is another priority at UOA and is

accomplished through participation with

numerous organizations throughout the

state. Also, the physicians of UOA serve as

the orthopaedic consultants for the athletic

teams at Rutgers University, Princeton

University, Rider University and US Rowing,

as well as numerous high school teams.

With the upcoming Fall opening of its

impressive 62,000-sq.-ft. state-of-the-art

facility in Somerset County, University

Orthopaedic Associates is positioned

to provide one- destination treatment to

orthopaedic patients from many locations

throughout the state. Housed within the new

building will be three high-tech equipped

ambulatory surgical suites to accommodate

the many same day, minimally invasive

procedures performed by the surgeons of

UOA.

Also on site, complete orthopaedic

diagnostic imaging services including

x-ray, MRI, ultrasound and dexa scanning

will simplify the lives of patients, who no

longer will need to travel from facility to

facility in order to receive diagnosis and

treatment. For patients with osteoporosis,

a certified Nurse

Practitioner, with

ISCD accreditation,

is on staff to assist

with the screening

and treatment

regimen of each

individual patient.

Modern, fully

equipped occupa-

tional and physical

therapy centers,

staffed with highly

skilled professionals,

are included in the

new facility as well.

For surgical patients,

therefore, diagnosis,

surgical treatment

and post-surgical

rehabilitation are all

accomplished under

one roof. This set-up

allows for hands-on,

personalized care

Cover Story

University Orthopaedic Associates, LLCWith the Opening of its Brand New All-Inclusive Facility, UOA Offers One-Stop Comprehensive Care and Treatment By Iris Goldberg

Michael P. Coyle, MDHand & Upper Extremity

Aman Dhawon, MDSports Medicine

Carlos A. Sagebien, MDTrauma

Page 7: NJ Physician Magazine August 2011

August 2011 5

that is more efficient through better com-

munication amongst all caregivers because

each is in-house.

Setting UOA further apart from other

practices, the new facility has a comfortable

learning center at which seminars for

medical students and residents will be

conducted. The learning center will serve

patients and the community such as primary

care physicians and athletic trainers as

well. There, pre-surgical sessions will be

conducted to answer questions patients have

about upcoming procedures. The sessions

will also help patients understand what will

be expected of them during their course of

treatment. Outcomes are always improved

when patients are aware of the commitment

they need to make prior to undergoing a

surgical procedure. In this way, there are no

surprises afterwards and patients can play an

active role in the recovery process.

Of course, the most important asset of

any medical practice is the expertise of

its physicians. At University Orthopaedic

Associates, all of the surgeons treat

general orthopaedic conditions affecting

adult, adolescent and pediatric patients.

Each, however, has also been fellowship

trained in one of the subspecialty areas of

orthopaedic care. New Jersey Physician had

the opportunity recently to meet with some

of the UOA surgeons in order to learn about

the innovative developments within each of

their specialties.

One of the original founders of University

Orthopaedic Associates was Joseph

Leddy, MD, who is presently retired. Dr.

Leddy sub-specialized in surgery of the hand

and upper extremity. It is a great source of

pride for the practice and most certainly for

Dr. Leddy that his son, Timothy P. Leddy,

MD, is currently one of the hand and upper

extremity specialists at UOA. “It was a really

unique and wonderful experience for me

to train under him when he was one of the

professors here and also to join with him in

practice here for the few years before his

retirement,” Dr. Leddy happily remembers.

Like his dad before him, one of the

complex procedures Dr. Leddy performs is

delicate surgery on infants with congenital

differences of the hand. He relates a current

case involving two sisters who were born

with thrombocytopenia-absent radius (TAR)

syndrome. Originally operating on the sisters

as infants, Dr. Leddy recently operated on

one of the sisters now that she is sixteen.

Besides all of the innovative hand and upper

extremity surgeries Dr. Leddy performs as

an orthopaedic subspecialist at UOA, he

receives immeasurable gratification from

the work he does with Health Volunteers

Overseas. This program sends specialists

to other countries to impart expertise

and also to learn from their international

counterparts. Dr. Leddy serves as a site

director for hand surgery in Peru, where

there is a need for access to technological

developments in the most sub-specialized

areas of orthopaedics.

In terms of the imminent opening of UOA’s

all-inclusive new facility, Dr. Leddy looks

upon this as the appropriate next step in

the evolution of the practice, which has

continually grown in size as well as expertise

since his dad helped found it almost forty

years ago.

Along with the elder Dr. Leddy in 1972,

the original foundation of the practice

included Joseph Zawadsky, MD, who

is also retired, and Michael P. Coyle, Jr.,

MD. Today, Dr. Coyle, who specializes in

surgery of the hand and upper extremity,

is the senior staff member of University

Orthopaedic Associates. Dr. Coyle has

witnessed the evolution of UOA firsthand

and believes the opening of the new facility

will be another positive development. “This

is going to streamline things for us,” he

says. We will be doing basically the same

things we’ve done in the past, but probably

much more efficiently for the patient,” Dr.

Coyle foresees. Fortunately for patients

and also colleagues at UOA, who can avail

themselves of his considerable experience,

Dr. Coyle has no immediate plans to retire.

John Delgado, MDTrauma

Charles J. Gatt, MDSports Medicine

Mark S. Butler, MDFoot & Ankle/Trauma

Christopher Doumas, MDHand & Upper Extremity

Stephen Cook, MDSpine

David Harwood, MDJoint Replacement

David R. Polonet, MD Trauma

Timothy M. Hosea, MDSports Medicine

Gino Chiappetta, MD Spine

Timothy P. Leddy, MDHand & Upper Extremity

Jeffrey R. Bechler, MDSports Medicine

James T. Monica, MD Hand & Upper Extremity

Page 8: NJ Physician Magazine August 2011

6 New Jersey Physician

Working with Dr. Leddy and Dr. Coyle in

hand and upper extremity surgery is one of

UOA’s newest members, James T. Monica,

MD, who has specific fellowship training in

shoulder surgery as well as in hand and upper

extremity surgery. “Ailments of the shoulder,

elbow, and hand are incredibly common. It’s

a privilege to use my subspecialty training

to help my patients,” Dr. Monica expresses,

referring to the innovative upper extremity

procedures that he is able to perform.

Dr. Monica describes reverse total shoulder

replacement surgery for people who have

severe arthritis and who also have rotator cuff

tears that are irreparable. This would also be

appropriate for a young person with a tear

that could not be repaired in the traditional

manner. In this innovative procedure that

has not yet become commonplace, the

socket and ball are switched. A metal ball is

attached to the shoulder bone and a plastic

socket is attached to the upper arm bone.

This allows the patient to use the deltoid

muscle instead of the torn rotator cuff to lift

the arm.

Another cutting edge procedure performed

by Dr. Monica is the Latarjet procedure,

which is used for stabilizing shoulders that

suffer repeated dislocations. The procedure

involves transfer of the coracoid with its

attached muscles to an area in front of the

socket (glenoid) that is deficient, thereby

replacing missing bone and preventing

further dislocations.

He also shares information about a

neurotization procedure to transfer healthy

nerves from one part of the upper extremity

to nerves that are no longer functioning,

usually as a result of traumatic injury. Dr.

Monica explains that the patients in question

often have no bicep or deltoid function,

preventing them from lifting or flexing the

arm. Neurotization, which takes redundant

healthy nerve, and brings it over to the nerve

that feeds the deltoid or biceps, will help

muscle with damaged nerves to eventually

regain their function.

Also fellowship trained in hand and upper

extremity surgery, Christopher Doumas,

MD, has been with UOA for almost five years.

Dr. Doumas spends much of his time in UOA’s

Monmouth County satellite office, located

in Wall, N.J., and also serves as Director of

Hand Surgery at Jersey Shore University

Medical Center. “I really like the academic

side of this practice,” Dr. Doumas mentions,

as one important reason he decided to join.

He is involved in researching bio-mechanics

and feels that being a member of UOA will

give him the opportunity to continue that

pursuit.

Dr. Doumas, who specializes in minimally

invasive nailing of clavicle fractures and

arthroscopic triangular fibrocartilage (TFCC)

repairs, published two chapters on wrist

fractures last year. He is currently developing

a new TFCC ligament reconstruction

procedure that is less invasive. Dr. Doumas

is passionate about helping people and

chose his profession in order to have the

opportunity to do just that. In fact, Dr.

Doumas is willing to donate his services to

those in need. He spent time in Haiti, for

example, to treat victims of the devastating

earthquake there.

p Dr. Harwood begins hip replacement as residents look on

Page 9: NJ Physician Magazine August 2011

August 2011 7

University Orthopaedic Associates spine

surgeons include Stephen S. Cook, MD and

Gino Chiappetta, MD. Joining the practice

in 2005, Dr. Chiappetta treats patients with

disorders of the spine caused by illness

or injury. Dr. Chiappetta is gratified to be a

member of UOA for many reasons. One of

the most significant for him is its affiliation

with academic medical centers like Robert

Wood Johnson University Medical Center,

which is a Level I trauma center, and also

Jersey Shore University Medical Center,

which is Level II.

“We get referrals of patients with complex

spinal cord injuries, spinal traumas, spinal

cord tumors and also those who need

revisions of prior surgeries. In terms of being

here, we have the resources at the hospital

as well as the surgical skills to handle any

high-level, complex case,” Dr. Chiappetta

shares.

For example, Dr. Chiappetta cites an

upcoming case of an adult scoliosis patient

who requires revision of a past surgery

performed by another spine surgeon. Dr.

Chiappetta is also the first spine surgeon to

perform both cervical and lumbar artificial

disc replacement surgery at Robert Wood

Johnson University Hospital.

In addition to these extraordinary complex

procedures, Dr. Chiappetta utilizes the most

current technology for those procedures

that are somewhat more commonplace,

such as cervical and lumbar spine fusions.

For instance, appropriate patients might

opt for a lumbar fusion that is done using

the minimally invasive Extreme Lateral

Interbody Fusion (XLIF) technique of

approaching from the side of the patient as

opposed to anterior or posterior entry. In

fact, with the opening of UOA’s new facility

and its three state-of-the-art operating suites,

Dr. Chiappetta looks forward to performing

many minimally invasive spine procedures

there.

UOA’s joint replacement specialist is David

A. Harwood, MD. Dr. Harwood shares some

of the innovative joint replacement surgeries

which he performs. For many younger, more

active patients, traditional hip replacement

surgery is not the best option because there

are limitations to the activities that can be

resumed afterwards. For these individuals,

Dr. Harwood performs computer-assisted

Birmingham hip resurfacing. Unlike total hip

replacement, which requires removal of the

femoral head and the insertion of a hip stem

down the shaft of the femur, hip resurfacing

preserves the femoral head and neck. Dr.

Harwood shaves only a few centimeters of

bone around the femoral head and shapes

it tightly to fit the Birmingham hip implant,

not unlike fitting a cap for a tooth. The

vast majority of patients who undergo this

procedure can eventually resume their

active lives without limitation.

Dr. Harwood is most excited about a knee

replacement procedure he has recently

incorporated that is practically bloodless.

With the benefit of remarkable new

technology developed by Smith & Nephew

that uses MRI and x-ray images to custom-fit

surgical instruments to each patient’s unique

anatomy, Dr. Harwood can merely snap the

computer-mapped, customized implant on

the end of the femur, saving countless steps

required in the traditional procedure. He

explains that before, a big hole was made

in the femur bone for a rod to hold the jig

needed to make the cuts. This created a

great deal of blood loss. Now with this less

invasive, computer-mapped approach,

besides experiencing less blood loss,

patients require less time under anesthesia

and have a lower risk of infection.

Combining patient-matched technology

with technology also developed by Smith &

Nephew that extends the life of the replaced

knee allows Dr. Harwood to provide optimal

results for patients of all ages. With implants

created by using a combination of materials

that have been tested to simulate 30 years of

wear performance, Dr. Harwood explains

that even patients in their 30s and 40s can

now undergo knee replacement surgery

without worrying about another procedure

10 or 15 years down the road.

Like his colleagues at UOA, Dr. Harwood

is looking forward to the opening of the

new facility. “There’s going to be plenty of

parking, plenty of comfortable places to wait

and even a coffee shop where patients can

grab a bite,” Dr. Harwood shares. He further

reveals there will be accessibility not only

for handicapped people in wheelchairs,

p the incision in the hip is relatively small allowing for less blood loss

Page 10: NJ Physician Magazine August 2011

8 New Jersey Physician

but also for patients on stretchers who

come by ambulance. “It has been very well

thought out,” he adds, wanting to credit

those at UOA who have spent a great deal

of time working on all of the details that will

definitely set their facility apart from others.

UOA’s comprehensive trauma specialists

include Carlos A. Sagbien, MD, Mark

S. Butler, MD, David R. Polonet, MD,

and John M. Delgado, MD. In addition

to treating patients who have been

involved in a traumatic event resulting in

an orthopaedic injury, many are involved

in various research projects. In fact, at the

42nd Eastern Orthopaedic Association

meeting taking place in Williamsburg, VA,

this coming October, Dr. Sagebien and Dr.

Harwood are presenting the protocol they

developed to reduce blood loss in total knee

replacement surgery, as described above.

Dr. Sagbien points out the fortunate timing

of this less invasive knee replacement in

terms of the opening of UOA’s new facility

- complete with ambulatory surgical suites.

“In the near future, there is a high likelihood

that for the right patient at the right age,

same day knee replacement surgery will be

performed at our new facility,” he predicts.

Additionally, Dr. Sagbien is currently

conducting research on bisphosporate-

related femur fracture in patients with

osteoporosis who have been on medications

like Fossomax for extended periods of time.

He reiterates the importance of screening

patients and monitoring their medications

to prevent serious side effects. Again, the

new facility, with dexa scanning on site

and a dedicated NP, will be instrumental in

providing patients who have osteoporosis

the highest level of care.

Whether it’s for the “weekend warrior” or

the serious athlete, University Orthopaedic

Associates offers the most innovative

and effective sports medicine treatment.

Jeffrey R. Bechler, MD, Charles J. Gatt,

MD, Timothy M. Hosea, MD, and newest

member Aman Dhawan, MD, ensure that

patients can “get back in the game”.

p Dr Harwood prepares to fit the prosthetic hip into place

p Dr gatt begins shoulder arthroscopy by marking the incision site.

Page 11: NJ Physician Magazine August 2011

August 2011 9

p Dr. gatt trains an orthopaedic surgical resident during shoulder surgery. Dr gatt and his colleagues at uOa feel that keeping current with the latest technology in orthopaedic surgery is imperative to properly educate those who are in training.

Dr. Hosea specializes in sports medicine at

UOA and also serves as the team physician

of US Rowing and Rutgers University. Dr.

Hosea shares his work on a novel surgical

system for one-step repair of damaged

articular knee cartilage for patients between

the ages of 18 and 55. Dr. Hosea was one of

only five specialists nationwide and the only

one in New Jersey to initially collaborate

on a clinical trial to evaluate the safety and

effectiveness of the Cartilage Autograft

Implantation System (CAIS™) as compared

to microfracture, which is the traditional

surgical approach. Microfracture repairs

have been shown to not hold up well over

time. CAIS™ involves removal of a small

sample of healthy cartilage from a non-

weight or low-weight bearing area of the

patient’s own damaged knee. That cartilage

is then broken up and combined with an

absorbable material (scaffold) on which

cells can grow. This scaffold is implanted at

the damaged site to promote healing.

Dr. Hosea and the research team followed

a group of 29 patients with damaged knee

cartilage, randomly assigning the participants

to either the CAIS™ or microfracture group.

Patients’ progress was monitored for two

years using standardized assessment tools

and MRI imaging. The results, published

this past June in the American Journal of

Sports Medicine, found CAIS™ to be a “safe,

feasible and effective method that may

improve long-term clinical outcomes” for

patients with damaged knee cartilage. Since

that pilot study, the FDA has now expanded

the program to include 300 patients.

Along with the other UOA surgeons, Dr.

Hosea feels fortunate to be a member of a

practice that embraces academic pursuit.

“We try to set a good example for our

residents and medical students so they see

that you have to continue to grow,” Dr. Hosea

relates. “You can read your journals and go

to meetings, but you should be involved

at the cutting edge of things. Our practice

reflects this with our team of orthopaedic

specialists, who are the ‘best of the best’

from throughout the country. For example,

our newest sports medicine physician, Dr.

Aman Dhawan, completed his fellowship in

sports medicine and shoulder surgery at the

prestigious Rush University Medical Center.

That’s where I think we like to see that our

group is at—we always want to be at the

cutting edge of orthopaedics in New Jersey,”

he emphatically states.

Charles J. Gatt, Jr., MD, is also a sports

medicine surgeon at UOA and serves as

Chairman of the Department of Orthopaedics

at UMDNJ. Dr. Gatt is in total agreement

with Dr. Hosea and the other surgeons at

UOA regarding the obligation they have

to teach and set an example for medical

p Close up of shoulder arthroscopy as shown on the monitor

Page 12: NJ Physician Magazine August 2011

10 New Jersey Physician

school students and those who are in an

orthopaedic surgery residency program.

“Everyone at University Orthopaedics,

including myself, is a faculty member at

Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. With

that responsibility there is a direction of the

practice that keeps us at the cutting edge

of orthopaedics,” Dr. Gatt states, unaware

that Dr. Hosea voiced the same sentiments

only moments before. Dr. Gatt feels that it is

only by keeping current with all of the latest

technologic developments in orthopaedic

surgery that he and his colleagues at UOA

can properly educate those who are in

training.

As part of his residency teaching, Dr. Gatt

is also quite involved with basic science

research. As such, he has been funded by

the NIH and the Department of Defense to

develop a tissue-engineered replacement for

the meniscus. Perhaps the most common

procedure in orthopaedic surgery is a partial

meniscectomy, which is the removal of a torn

meniscus. However, at present there is no

replacement available on the market. Dr. Gatt

is far enough along in this research that he is

able to predict that clinical trials can begin

in as little as two years. Equally exciting, Dr.

Gatt is also working on a tissue-engineered

ACL replacement. Currently, the ligament

is rebuilt by taking part of the patella or the

hamstring. When this replacement device is

approved, hopefully within five years or so,

post-surgical pain that commonly occurs

at the site of the harvested tissue will be

eliminated and the entire recovery process

will be hastened.

As sports medicine specialists, Dr. Gatt and

his colleagues at UOA are concerned about

the welfare of the young athletes whom

they treat as well as those throughout the

state. In particular, Dr. Gatt refers to stress

fractures which are common in adolescents.

Very often pediatricians or primary care

physicians will advise these youngsters

to abstain from sports participation for a

month or six weeks until the fracture heals.

Dr. Gatt explains that in most cases activity

modification is a better approach. While

he will recommend limitations on practice

sessions, Dr. Gatt’s treatment methods allow

the patient to “stay in the game”. In an effort

to educate PCPs, trainers, parents and young

athletes, Dr. Gatt and other sports medicine

experts have created an Internet data base

that shares correct information for a variety

of stress fracture situations.

Whether for a infant with a congenital

difference, an adolescent or adult athlete

with a sport-related injury, a weekend

warrior, a victim of a traumatic event, or a

person who is merely experiencing the wear

and tear of an active life, the sub-specialized

surgeons at University Orthopaedic

Associates continue to offer comprehensive,

cutting-edge care and treatment. In fact,

throughout the almost 40 years since its

inception, UOA has developed life-long

relationships with patients, providing care as

the situation warrants. With the opening of its

magnificent, all-inclusive facility, University

Orthopaedic Associates has a new home

at which patients will receive the highest

level of integrated orthopaedic healthcare

services available.

For more information about UOA and

its office locations or to schedule an

appointment, call 732-545-0400 or visit

www.uoanj.com.

p the soon to be new home of university Orthopeadic associates, where patients will be able to receive all inclusive care and treatment.

Page 13: NJ Physician Magazine August 2011

August 2011 11

Statehouse

NEW JERSEYSTATEHOUSE

New Jersey Durable Power of Attorney LawsMore Information on Durable Power of Attorney Laws

Specific Powers, Life-Prolonging Acts

Decisions to accept or refuse treatment,

service, or procedure used to diagnose,

treat, or care for a patient’s physical or

mental condition including life-sustaining

treatment. Includes decisions on acceptance

or rejection of services of particular physician

or health care provider or transfer of care; on

the use of any medical device or procedure,

artificially provided fluids and nutrition, drugs,

surgery or therapy that uses mechanical or

other artificial means to sustain, restore, or

supplant a vital bodily function and thereby

increase the expected life span of a patient;

does not include provision of comfort care or

alleviation of pain.

Legal Requirements for Durable

Power of Attorney

(1) Competent adult; (2) signed; (3)

dated; (4) 2 witnesses who shall attest that

declarant is of sound mind and free of duress

and undue influence or notarized or other

person authorized to administer oaths. May

be supplemented by video or audio tape

recording; (5) directive implemented when

determination of lack of decision-making

capacity is documented and confirmed by

physicians.

Revocation of Durable Power

of Attorney

Revocable by (1) oral or written notification;

(2) execution of subsequent directive; (3)

divorce revokes former spouse’s designation

as representative. Patient’s clearly expressed

wishes take precedent over any patient’s

decision or proxy directive.

Validity from State-to-State

Effective if executed in compliance with New

Jersey law or the laws of that state. Effective if

executed in a foreign country in compliance

with that country’s laws or the laws of New

Jersey and is not contrary to public policy of

New Jersey.

If Physician Unwilling to Follow

Durable Power of Attorney

Unwilling physician should act as soon

as practicable to effect an appropriate,

respectful and timely transfer care and to

assure patient is not abandoned or treated

disrespectfully.

Immunity for Attending Physician

No civil, criminal, or professional liability

for any physician acting in good faith and

pursuant to this act.

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Page 14: NJ Physician Magazine August 2011

12 New Jersey Physician

Health Law Update

Reducing the Gap: OIG Permits Waiver of In-Patient Deductible

HealtH lawUpdateProvided by Brach Eichler LLC, Counselors at Law

In a recent Advisory Opinion (11-09), pub-

lished in near identical form to an opinion is-

sued in 2009, the Office of Inspector General

(OIG) of the Department of Health & Human

Services stated that it does not object to an

arrangement whereby a company licensed

to provide Medigap policies contracts with

hospitals to reduce or eliminate the Medi-

care in-patient deductible. This deductible,

which would otherwise be covered under the

Medigap plan, would be reduced up to 100%

when an insured is admitted to an in-network

hospital participating in a preferred provider

organization (PPO). The Medigap provider

would pay the PPO an administrative fee each

time it receives this discount from an in-net-

work participating hospital. Further, the sav-

ings would be shared with the policyholder in

the form of a $100 premium credit.

While the Anti-Kickback Statute prohibits re-

muneration in the form of waivers of Medicare

cost-sharing amounts, regulations provide a

safe harbor for inpatient deductibles when

they are part of an arrangement with an in-

surer. Further, the law provides a statutory

exception for differentials in coinsurance and

deductibles as part of a benefit plan design,

thus allowing for the premium credit.

Medicare Fraud Scheme Foiled: New Jersey Man Admits Posing as Doctor and Treating Elderly Patients

New Physician Assistant Rules Adopted in Part and Rejected in Part

On July 11, 2011, Patrick Lynch of Toms River,

New Jersey pled guilty and admitted to unlaw-

fully treating patients, prescribing medicine

and ordering procedures while posing as a

licensed physician. Pursuant to documents

filed in the case and statements made during

the guilty plea proceeding, Lynch created Vis-

iting Doctors of New Jersey to provide medical

care for elderly home-bound patients in the

Monmouth and Ocean County areas. Since

Lynch was neither a licensed physician nor

a nurse practitioner, he hired licensed indi-

viduals to conduct patient visits. When Lynch

failed to pay the licensed physicians and nurse

practitioners, they quit. Subsequently, Lynch

continued to carry on the business by pos-

ing as the licensed professionals, using their

names and government-issued identification

numbers to write prescriptions and submit

billings to Medicare. Sentencing (including

determinations of possible jail time, monetary

penalties and restitution) is scheduled for Oc-

tober 17, 2011.

Last year, the New Jersey State Board of Medi-

cal Examiners (BME), in consultation with

the Physician Assistant Advisory Committee,

proposed two amendments to N.J.A.C. 13:35-

2B, concerning physician assistants (PAs).

The first amendment would have allowed PAs

to refer patients to health care practitioners,

facilities and other appropriate agencies and

resources in the community, instead of “fa-

cilitating the referral” of such services. This

amendment was rejected by the BME and

was, therefore, not adopted.

The second amendment, which has been ad-

opted by the BME and was effective as of July

5, 2011, provides for the supervisory ratio of

four PAs to one physician in all settings at any

given time. Under prior BME rules, in a pri-

vate practice setting, the supervisory ratio was

two PAs to one physician, and in all other set-

tings, the ratio was four PAs to one physician.

Page 15: NJ Physician Magazine August 2011

August 2011 13

Health Law Update

Medicaid RAC Program is Underway in New Jersey

CMS Releases Proposed Rules for 2012 Medicare PaymentsThe Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

(CMS) recently published proposed rules for

Medicare payments in calendar year 2012 for

physician services, outpatient hospital and

ambulatory surgery services, and home health

agency services. Comments to the proposed

rules must be submitted to CMS by August

30, 2011, and the final rules will be published

sometime in November 2011. The following

summarizes some of the key proposals:

Physician Fee Schedule:

• Unless Congress enacts legislation

otherwise, reduces Medicare payments by

29.5% due to the Sustainable Growth Rate

(SGR) formula imposed under the Balanced

Budget Act of 1997

• Expands the Multiple Procedure Payment

Reduction (MPPR) policy – which currently

reduces payment for the “technical

component” associated with certain

procedures performed on the same patient,

on the same day and in the same setting – to

include a 50% reduction in payment for the

“professional component” for CT, MRI and

ultrasound services

• Provides criteria for performing health risk

assessments as part of the annual wellness

visit

• Updates the Physician Quality Reporting

System (PQRS), the e-Prescribing incentive

program (eRx), and the Electronic Health

Records (EHR) incentive program

• Provides for quality and cost measures for

a new value-based modifier (VM) that will

reward physicians for providing higher

quality and more efficient care. Under

this proposal, CMS would use calendar

year 2013 data for purposes of adjusting

payments in calendar year 2015

Hospital Outpatient Prospective

Payment System:

• Increases Medicare payments by 1.5% for

hospitals publicly reporting data on 23

quality measures, and decreases Medicare

payments by 0.5% for hospitals not

submitting such data

• Increases the number of quality measures

that must be reported under the hospital

quality reporting program; nine new

measures would be added in 2012, and one

new measure would be added in 2013

• Proposes a new independent review

process to determine the appropriate

level of physician supervision needed for

outpatient therapeutic services

Ambulatory Surgery Services:

• Increases Medicare payments by 0.9%. This

takes into account the Consumer Price Index

for Urban Consumers (a 2.3% increase), as

well as the productivity reduction under the

Affordable Care Act (a 1.4% decrease)

• Proposes eight quality measures for

implementing a quality reporting program

for ASCs in 2014; ASCs that do not report

quality measures would receive reduced

Medicare payments

Home Health Agency Prospective

Payment System:

• Reduces Medicare payments by 3.35%. This

takes into account the market basket and

wage index updates (a 1.5% increase), as

well as the prospective payment system rate

reduction (a 5.06% decrease) in response

to increases in aggregate case-mix due to

billing practices rather than changes in the

health status of patients

• Revises the case-mix system, including

the exclusion of two hypertension codes

and lowering payments for high therapy

episodes

• Allows greater flexibility, in acute care and

post-acute care settings, for a physician to

satisfy the requirement of having a face-to-

face encounter before certifying that the

patient is eligible for home health benefits

On July 7, 2011, the New Jersey Medicaid

Fraud Division, in association with the Divi-

sion of Medical Assistance and Health Ser-

vices (DMAHS), implemented the Medicaid

Recovery Audit Contractor (RAC) program.

Additionally, DMAHS is expected to issue a

provider alert to introduce the choice of HMS

Government Services as New Jersey’s Medic-

aid RAC.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

(CMS) has yet to issue final regulations gov-

erning the Medicaid RAC program. CMS has,

however, advised states that they can proceed

with implementation. New Jersey has chosen

to move forward utilizing the proposed Med-

icaid RAC rules and the structure of the Medi-

care RAC program as the basis for the Medic-

aid RAC program.

Page 16: NJ Physician Magazine August 2011

14 New Jersey Physician

Health Law Update

SHOP and Exchange - Adding Up the Change in a State-Run Insurance MarketProgressing toward putting America’s

healthcare system overhaul into

action, the Department of Health &

Human Services (DHHS) announced

draft guidelines for states to follow

in crafting state-run insurance

exchanges. The Affordable Care

Act (ACA) mandates that states

offer a competitive marketplace for

consumers and small businesses

to compare and purchase health

insurance. States will host two

exchanges - one for individual

consumers and one available for

small businesses. States are required

to go live by January 1, 2014.

Standards that employers must meet

to participate in SHOP (Small Business

Health Options Program), standards

for establishing an exchange, basic

functions of an exchange and health

plan participation criteria have each

been illuminated as key areas by

DHHS. For instance, health plans

offered on the exchange must be

certified as Qualified Health Plans

(QHP), which must meet minimum

standards stipulated by the ACA

and the proposed rules in order to

participate. Small businesses will

be eligible to receive tax credits for

insurance purchased on exchanges

for employees.

To reduce administrative duplication

of efforts, states will be permitted to

partner with the federal government,

or states can develop their own

exchanges in conformance with

federally-mandated rules. The

proposed rules allow states to select

whether to have the insurance

exchanges run by a non-profit in

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Page 17: NJ Physician Magazine August 2011

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Page 18: NJ Physician Magazine August 2011

16 New Jersey Physician

Hospital Rounds

New Chief Medical Officer Named at The Cancer Institute of New Jersey Montgomery Township Resident Tapped for Leadership Post

Children’s Hospital of New Jersey at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center First in NJ to Place Pulmonary Valve via Catheter-Based Procedure

A Belle Mead (Somerset County) resident has

been named the new chief medical officer

at The Cancer Institute

of New Jersey (CINJ).

Deborah L. Toppmeyer,

MD, an associate professor

of medicine at UMDNJ-

Robert Wood Johnson

Medical School, was recently appointed by

CINJ Director Robert S. DiPaola, MD. CINJ is a

Center of Excellence of UMDNJ-Robert Wood

Johnson Medical School.

Dr. Toppmeyer joined CINJ in 1995 from the

Dana Farber Cancer Institute at Harvard

Medical School. She is an expert in breast

cancer, breast cancer genetics and the design

and implementation of clinical trials that offer

promising new therapies targeted to specific

types of breast cancer. As chief medical officer,

she will be responsible for compliance with

all clinical medical policies, regulations and

clinical performance standards of the state, the

federal government, and accrediting bodies.

She will have oversight and responsibility for

all of CINJ’s clinical objectives and serve as

CINJ’s ultimate authority on medical issues.

Through her role as director both of CINJ’s

Stacy Goldstein Breast Cancer Center and of

the LIFE (LPGA pros In the Fight to Eradicate

breast cancer) Center, Toppmeyer helps

patients navigate through treatment options

while encouraging enrollment in clinical

trials. She is also the chief of solid tumor

oncology at CINJ.

“Over the past 16 years, Dr. Toppmeyer has

played an integral role in the advancement and

success of CINJ. As a renowned researcher

and clinician, Dr. Toppmeyer has drawn upon

and shared that wealth of experience in order

to successfully meet the needs of patients

while growing CINJ clinic operations and

clinical trial accrual. I have every confidence

that in her new role, she will help move CINJ

forward in an even greater capacity,” noted Dr.

DiPaola, a professor of medicine at UMDNJ-

Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.

Toppmeyer is the author or co-author of

more than 40 publications and serves on the

editorial board of the journal Clinical Cancer

Research. She also serves as a core member

for the Breast Committee of the Eastern

Cooperative Oncology Group, which is one

of the nation’s largest clinical cancer research

organizations that conducts clinical trials in all

types of adult cancers.

New Jersey’s first transcatheter pulmonary

valve was placed on August 18 at Children’s

Hospital of New Jersey at Newark Beth Israel

Medical Center. The 14-year-old young man

from Jersey City with congenital heart disease

who received the device went home the

following day and was able to avoid having

what would have been the fourth open heart

surgery in his lifetime.

Thanks to advances in medical and surgical

care, most children with congenital heart

defects are surviving into adulthood. In

fact, today, there are more adults living with

congenital heart disease (500,000) than

children diagnosed with congenital heart

defects. These heart defects require treatment

from a collaborative team of adult and

pediatric cardiac specialists as the child grows

into an adult.

“The transcatheter pulmonary valve allows

patients to undergo a much less invasive

procedure that improves the flow of blood

from the heart to the lungs,” said Rajiv Verma,

MD, Director of the Children’s Heart Center

at The Children’s Hospital of New Jersey at

Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, who, along

with Marc Cohen, MD, Chief of Cardiology at

Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, placed the

first Melody valve in the state.

In children born with certain kinds of heart

defects, the blood vessel leading from the

heart to the lungs and the valve, known as a

conduit, are surgically constructed early in

the child’s life. “These conduits can have a

limited lifespan and typically require repair or

replacement as the patients grows,” noted Dr.

Verma. “The device allows us to replace the

pulmonary valve in the conduit without the

long recovery and risks associated with open

heart surgery.”

Placement of the Melody transcatheter

pulmonary valve, approved by the FDA in

2010, requires the expertise of pediatric and

adult cardiologists, an experienced cath

Page 19: NJ Physician Magazine August 2011

August 2011 17

Hospital Rounds

lab team of physician assistants, nurses and

technicians, as well as an available on-site

pediatric cardiac surgery team.

The Melody valve is placed with a catheter

that is inserted into a vein in the leg and

guided up into the heart. “The anatomy of

each heart affected by congenital disease

is unique and by the time these patients are

young adults, they have undergone multiple

heart surgeries,” said Dr. Cohen. He compares

the challenge of guiding a catheter through

such hearts to driving along a highway that is

under construction with detours, blockages

and obstacles.

Once deployed, the valve begins to function

immediately and the patient can resume

normal activities within a few days. In

comparison, full recovery from open heart

surgery can take several months.

N.J.’s Hackensack University Medical Center announces ACOHackensack (N.J.) University Medical

Center said its employees would pilot the

organization’s attempt at accountable care, a

payment model that has gained proponents

since the passage of the 2010 health reform

law. The 703-bed hospital said in a news

release that its self-insured employee health

plan called the Hackensack Physician

Alliance would provide the patients needed

for Hackensack’s new accountable care

organization, a limited liability company

Hackensack joins a growing number

of hospitals launching private-market

accountable care efforts. A recent Modern

Healthcare survey of accountable care

organizations found roughly one dozen such

initiatives in various stages of development

across the U.S. The Patient Protection and

Affordable Care Act included a provision for

Medicare to offer accountable care contracts—

which offer financial incentive to providers

that meet quality and cost-control targets—as

early as 2012. Recently proposed Medicare

ACO rules drew criticism from providers, who

argued that the financial risks of forming an

ACO according to the proposed regulations

outweighed possible incentives.

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Page 20: NJ Physician Magazine August 2011

18 New Jersey Physician

Food for Thought

I have consistently found that when you visit

a restaurant that has been touted by review-

ers or by personal acquaintances, it never

lives up to its reputation. I think Serenade

has fallen victim to this. Located in quaint

Chatham, Serenade is the type of place that

is often selected for a special occasion. In

fact, before our visit this past month, the last

time we were at Serenade was for a “mile-

stone” anniversary celebration. At that time

we opted for the wine sampling meal at

which each course is paired with an appro-

priate and presumably notable wine.

I remember enjoying the anticipation of each

course and the accompanying wine. We

found all of the wines selected to be won-

derful but we were disappointed in the small

amount offered in each glass, especially in

light of the price charged. That evening we

did enjoy our food but we would have pre-

ferred sitting in the room with the fireplace

(our anniversary is in December) but in-

stead sat at a table in another room that was

far less romantic. We had our backs to the

wall and were separated from any of the oth-

er tables in what I can only describe as an

alcove in that outer eating area.

Nevertheless, one mid-week August evening,

spent from a hectic work schedule and the

endless number of last-minute details associ-

ated with our daughter’s upcoming wedding,

Michael and I felt entitled to a somewhat

decadent reward and so, decided to give

Serenade another go. I must say, without the

pressure of an “event” we were able to judge

our meal more objectively.

This time we were escorted to the room with

the fireplace but of course one would not

SerenadeChatham, New JerseyBy Iris Goldberg

Page 21: NJ Physician Magazine August 2011

August 2011 19

expect a fire during the summer. Still the ambience was lovely and

we prepared for a relaxing meal. At Serenade a charming sommelier

visits your table to help with the wine selection. Michael is somewhat

of a wine connoisseur and always enjoys these discussions. Finally,

a moderately-priced 2007 Montvac Vacqueyras was chosen. I’ve men-

tioned this before and it is worth repeating – we in New Jersey are

fortunate to have an abundance of BYOs here. Purchasing wine at a

restaurant will be significantly more costly than bringing it in with you.

That being said, we each took a sip of the Rhone and had to agree, it

was splendid.

For our first course Michael chose grilled octopus served with po-

tatoes, preserved lemon, Nicoise olives and olive oil. Octopus is a

favorite for Michael but it must not be overcooked. He took his first

bite and smiled. The octopus was perfectly done. He offered me a bite

and I had to agree it was lovely and not at all rubbery.

I went with an escarole salad that included fava beans, Parmesan

cheese, grilled asparagus and cherry tomatoes in a lemon dressing.

The combination of flavors and textures made for an interesting and

enjoyable first course.

Despite comments I’ve read to the contrary, the service at Serenade

is quite attentive but not overbearing. Our server did not interrupt nor

did he leave us waiting for water refills, etc. I think we sometimes

expect that a so-called “fancier” restaurant will never have an off night

or perhaps an employee who is not at his or her best. We often accept

this more readily at an everyday eatery.

Anyway, back to the food. I really treated myself and selected the rack

of lamb for my entrée. It is one of my favorite dishes and since I have

been watching what I eat very carefully in anticipation of my appear-

ance as “Mother of the Bride,” I needed to indulge myself a bit. I was

not disappointed. The lamb, which was served with a variety of local

beans, heirloom tomato broth and couscous roulade, was cooked

just as I like – medium rare. The sides were a good accompaniment.

I especially enjoyed the flavorful couscous. The wine Michael had

selected paired perfectly as well.

Michael had a hard time choosing his dish. He kept vacillating between

the calf’s liver which he hasn’t had in years and the hanger steak. Decid-

ing on the lesser of two evils, health-wise, he opted for the steak. He or-

dered this rare and that’s exactly how it came. On the side was a grilled

potato puree, summer ratatouille, artichokes and Spanish chorizo. He

enjoyed his meal and commented that the chorizo was a novel and

surprisingly appetizing accompaniment to the beef. He too was pleased

with his wine choice as a great complement to the food.

Of course Serenade has a scrumptious dessert menu which we

glanced at briefly, not wanting to be tempted. We settled for coffee

and the last sips of the delicious wine before heading back to the

real world. People can say what they want. For us Serenade provided

a much needed and certainly delightful evening that wasn’t at all a

special occasion when it started but somehow ended up that way.

Serenade is located at 6 Roosevelt Ave. (Main Street) in Chatham, NJ

(973) 701-0303.

p Leek, Potato and Zucchini Pancakes With Baby Lettuces p tomato salad with toasted Mozzarella Croquettes

Page 22: NJ Physician Magazine August 2011

20 New Jersey Physician

Boston, MA (July 25, 2011) – Effective today,

ProMutual Group, a leading provider of med-

ical professional liability insurance, is proud

to announce the launch of its new name and

brand, Coverys. This change is part of the

continued integration of the member com-

panies within ProMutual Group, including

recently acquired FinCor Holdings, Inc. and

its subsidiaries, and is representative of the

enterprise’s now national reach. Accompa-

nying the new name and logo is a new web-

site, which will streamline communication

between Coverys member companies and

the public.

“We believe the new name, Coverys, will bet-

ter position the member companies as an

integrated whole and will better reflect the

services we offer,” said Richard W. Brewer,

president and CEO of Coverys. “The enter-

prise is now strengthened with expanded

geographic, product and policy diversity as

well as an enhanced ability to share exper-

tise and best practices – we feel it is impor-

tant to communicate this via our brand. The

Coverys organization will continue to be a

strategic thought leader and forward-think-

ing partner for our policyholders, now and

in the future. We thank our employees and

policyholders for their continued support

and dedication.”

“This is an exciting and important change

for the organization,” said Gregg L. Hanson,

chief operating officer of Coverys. “We feel

privileged to have the opportunity to reach

and maintain the trust of a broader range of

healthcare professionals and organizations.

Our unwavering dedication to financial sta-

bility, profitable growth and to protecting the

livelihoods of our policyholders remains the

foundation of our organization.”

The name Coverys is loosely derived from

the word “coverage,” which encompasses

the core of the organization’s mission and

value proposition. As the enterprise transi-

tions into its new brand, it will continue to

be aware of healthcare and medical profes-

sional liability reform and proactive in pro-

viding a broad range of the best possible

products and coverages to its policyholders.

The enterprise will emphasize adaptation to

the changing industry via relevant continu-

ing medical education (CME) programs, its

innovative disclosure and apology program,

REACT® (Respond Effectively And Com-

municate Timely), and the highest level of

claims and risk management services. Cov-

erys is committed to delivering on its vision

of outstanding protection, education and pa-

tient safety.

In the last several years, ProMutual Group,

now Coverys, expanded throughout New

England as well as into New Jersey, North

Carolina, Pennsylvania and Virginia via mem-

ber company ProSelect Insurance Company.

In September of 2009, the company acquired

FinCor Holdings, Inc., which provides medi-

cal professional liability insurance and ser-

vices in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest

through member companies MHA Insur-

ance Company, Washington Casualty Com-

pany, FinCor Solutions and the Risk Manage-

ment and Patient Safety Institute. As a whole,

Coverys member companies insure more

than 20,000 healthcare professionals as well

as nearly 500 hospitals, health centers and

clinics in 22 states from coast to coast. The

legal names of the Coverys member compa-

nies will not be changing at this time.

For more information about Coverys, visit

www.coverys.com. To schedule an inter-

view with a Coverys representative contact

Katharine Gould, public relations specialist,

at (617) 946-8665 or [email protected].

101 Arch Street, P.O. Box 55178

Boston, MA 02205-5178

Phone: 617.330.1755

Toll Free: 800.225.6168

Fax: 617.330.1748

www.coverys.com

About Coverys (formerly ProMutual Group)

Coverys is one of the top 10 medical profes-

sional liability insurance providers in the coun-

try based on direct written premium. Coverys

member companies insure more than 20,000

physicians, surgeons, dentists, certified nurse

midwives and allied healthcare providers as

well as nearly 500 hospitals, health centers and

clinics in 22 states from coast to coast. Coverys

has net admitted assets in excess of $3.0 bil-

lion as of December 31, 2010. Coverys member

companies Medical Professional Mutual Insur-

ance Company, ProSelect Insurance Company,

MHA Insurance Company and Washington

Casualty Company have a Best’s Rating of A-

(Excellent). Other Coverys member companies

include FinCor Solutions, a multi-line insurance

agency, and the Risk Management and Patient

Safety Institute, which focuses on clinical risk

reduction, quality patient outcomes and edu-

cation. Coverys as a whole is acknowledged

as a leader in providing risk management and

claim services to the healthcare community,

and it offers risk management consultations

and educational activities to healthcare provid-

ers across the country. For more information on

the enterprise and its member companies, visit

the Coverys website at www.coverys.com.

Press Release

ProMutual Group Rebrands as Coverys Launches New Name, Logo, Website

Page 23: NJ Physician Magazine August 2011

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J.D. Power and Associates “Outstanding Patient Experience”

For J.D. Power and Associates 2010 Distinguished Hospital ProgramSM information, visit jdpower.com

Heart & Vascular Institute of NJ

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*Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Page 24: NJ Physician Magazine August 2011