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You’ve probably noticed that your auto insurance premiums – both business and personal – have gone up more than usual recently. There are a number of reasons for that: More drivers equals more accidents: In 2016, there were about 222 million licensed drivers and more than 260 million vehicles in the United States. More drivers and more vehicles leads to more accidents that insurance carriers must pay for. Unsafe driving practices: In a recent survey, the AAA Foundation for...

In a claim situation, proper documentation is key to determining what really happened, who’s liable, and to what extent. Without this vital information, even a straightforward claim situation can become seemingly impossible. Below you will find an example of a claim, based on a true story, that highlights the importance and power of documentation to protect your business. As a claims adjuster, you will re-open this file, “When a Low Air Loss Mattress Loses Air: The Leak and The Lesion”,...

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be a claims adjuster? It’s never easy to piece together what happened after the fact. And without proper documentation, determining what really happened, who’s liable, and to what extent can be nearly impossible. Helping our customers mitigate risk is our top priority of VGM Insurance. In this particular scenario – “A Mobility Solution Immobilizes a Patient: The Unhitched Linchpin”, you will get an inside look at a real-life...

Do your employees ever install accessibility equipment in a patient’s home based on the patient’s preferences, instead of the manufacturer’s specifications? While it might seem like a good idea at the time, there’s a lot of risk involved, and without the proper documentation, your company may be liable if any issues arise due to the equipment set up. In this real-life scenario – “Making a Home More Accessible – The Ascending, Rotating Chair”, you...

At VGM Insurance, we are passionate about helping our customers mitigate risk! And what better example to learn from than a real-life claim situation? Below you will find an example of a claim, based on a true story, that truly highlights the importance and power of documentation to protect your business. In this particular scenario – “The Case of the Uncoupled Shroud – Investigating an Exploding Oxygen Concentrator”, you will take the point of view of a claims adjuster...

Do a quick search of recent HIPAA violations, and you’ll find headlines proclaiming multi-million dollar settlements for breaches resulting in the loss of hundreds, thousands, or even millions of patient records. Yes, it’s true that the health care industry is the number one target for cyberattacks, and you should use the technology and resources available to you in order to secure your patients’ data. However, there four other common violations that fail to make the headlines...

There are a number of good reasons to get and keep your business on track toward HIPAA compliance in 2018. For one, throughout 2017, the Office of Civil Rights (OCR) issued more than $19 million in fines related to HIPAA violations. Compare that to fines in 2015 totaling approximately $6 million, and it becomes clear that businesses responsible for handling patient health information (PHI) need to be more diligent than ever.  Our affiliate company, The van Halem Group, points out...

While the physical therapy industry has typically seen minimal claims compared to other health care segments, the claims that do arise tend to be large and quite significant. And, as the industry continues to grow and the number of patients each therapist sees increases, the risk of error and the possibility of a malpractice suit grows along with it. A claim can be a financial catastrophe for therapy clinics, especially malpractice claims, which have the potential to end careers and shutter...

The New Year is officially upon us, and there’s no better time to take advantage of getting your practice or company set up for HIPAA compliance in 2018! Take a look at these five expert tips from our affiliate company, The van Halem Group, to help you get started. 1. Select or Hire a Compliance and Security Officer If the budget allows, now is the perfect time to start looking to hire or train a compliance officer. Having someone on staff dedicated to ensuring compliance along...

The new calendar says January. That means winter has settled in, and while the season normally batters northern tier states with frigid temperatures and snow, southern states are not always immune from winter’s wrath. In other words, winter weather can cause headaches for business owners and managers no matter where they’re located as they try to keep their facilities, customers and employees as safe as possible. Cold temperatures and snow are of particular concern during winter months,...