Leila Larsen, Author at Moghim Medical Consulting, Inc.

27Apr 2017 by Leila Larsen No Comments

Healthcare Consolidation on the Rise: What Does This Mean for Malpractice Claims?

One of the most predominant trends of the last few years in the health care industry has been the merger of organizations, from major health insurers to regional hospitals, the enthusiasm for acquiring competitors has never been higher. While healthcare consolidation hasn’t always benefited the consumer, it has often put provider organizations in a more secure position. This is especially true with regards to malpractice claims. From 2005 to 2015, there were 409,088 medical malpractice claims filed in the United States, resulting in 148,909 payments. Almost all of these payments were the result of out-of-court settlements, as only about 0.33 percent of malpractice cases end in a trial. The average malpractice compensation for inpatient cases was $363,000, and $290,000 for outpatient cases. While malpractice litigation has had a chilling effect…

25Apr 2017 by Leila Larsen No Comments

California Could Adopt a Single Payer System for Healthcare

Healthcare Blog

For many years, one of the leading and most divisive political issues has been health care. Almost everyone agrees that the American health care system is too overpriced with far too little efficacy. While various reform efforts like the Affordable Care Act have had middling results, some governing entities like the state of California are considering a single payer system to rein in costs and grant coverage to all state residents. California attempted to pass a single payer bill in the legislature in 2006 and 2008, but the bills were vetoed by Republican Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who argued that “socialized medicine” was not the solution. Much of the public used this designation to infer that the government would take over provider organizations, when in actuality, the proposed system would merely…

14Apr 2017 by Leila Larsen No Comments

How the Travel Ban Could Adversely Affect Health Care

Healthcare Blog

President Donald Trump has made immigration reform a priority for his administration, issuing two executive orders that restricted travel from several predominantly Muslim nations in the first few weeks of his new presidency. Although the first travel ban was struck down for being too broad, a reworked ban targets immigration from Syria, Iran, Libya, Sudan, Yemen, and Somalia (Iraq had been on the prior order). The more recent ban stalls refugee entry for 120 days and suspends entry from the stipulated countries for 90 days. The latest order is currently under judicial review. Trump has said that immigrants from these nations are more likely to have terrorist ties and pose a threat to national security. Although his national security concerns do have some merit, these new restrictions are having a deleterious effect…

12Apr 2017 by Leila Larsen No Comments

How to Choose the Right Medical Malpractice Expert Witness

Medical-Legal Blog

The 3 most important factors to consider when hiring a medical expert witness If you are heading into a malpractice trial, you will quickly find a wide array of choices for medical malpractice expert witnesses. You’ll also find that the cost of this service varies greatly, making it a very difficult decision for most. So how do you choose the right medical expert witness for your case? Here are the 3 most important factors to consider before making your decision. You Get What You Pay For Should you go with the more respected medical expert who charges exorbitant fees or someone with more reasonable fees but with less distinguished credentials? Some experts may charge up to $1,000 an hour, so hiring a witness is a pricy investment. There are many…

30Mar 2017 by Leila Larsen No Comments

Top 3 Medical Specialties with Highest Malpractice Risk

Medical-Legal Blog

Malpractice lawsuits are much more than a common occurrence in medicine; they are practically a fixture of the medical profession. If you practice long enough, you will eventually be sued. According to the American Medical Association, five percent of physicians are the subject of malpractice suits each year. There is however significant variation in the likelihood of a malpractice claim based on specialty. While neurosurgery has the highest malpractice risk, with a 19.1 percent risk annually, the lowest risk specialty was psychiatry with just a 2.6 percent annual risk. These figures were taken from a RAND study of 41,000 physicians from 1991 to 2005. There are many legal justifications for these lawsuits, but the most common included: Improper diagnosis- 31% Abnormal injury to patient- 31% Failure to treat- 12% Neurosurgery…

23Mar 2017 by Leila Larsen No Comments

Republican Effort to Repeal the Affordable Care Act Faces Enormous Challenges

Healthcare Blog

For years, the Republican party has promised to abolish the Affordable Care Act, and with the election of Donald Trump to the Presidency, the moment appeared to have arrived. However, the GOP—which now controls the executive branch as well as both legislative houses—is having difficulty creating a legislative package that appeals to the entire party. The first GOP bill, the American Health Care Act, was authored by House Speaker Paul Ryan and appears to be a divisive proposal that many conservatives are unwilling to support. The American Health Care Act was introduced on March 6, 2017 and replaces government subsidies under ACA with tax credits. It would retain the health insurance marketplaces and allow children to remain on their parents’ plans until age 26. While it would also bar insurers…