BIPA Names New IT Committee Chairman: Dr Inderpal Chhabra

I would like to announce the new Chairman of our IT Committee, Inderpal Chhabra MD an Internist practicing in Glen Oaks, NY on staff at Long Island Jewish Hospital and North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset.

Dr Chhabra will help to coordinate and lead this vital  BIPA committee.

Last night, we had our first IT Committee meeting. It was well attended and productive. In brief we are moving ahead with our deal with Sequel Systems EMR. Some important language in the agreement was reviewed by the committee with legal counsel. Additionally we spoke about our plan for Clinical Integration and putting some regulations into place in regards to our expectations of the adoption of EMR and CI for Beacon IPA providers.

Furthermore, there was the exciting news of a potentially large subsidy to BIPA members who will be getting on EMR now.

All this will be discussed in more detail by Dr Chhabra at our next Steering Committee Meeting on Tuesday November 30th.

NEJM: Physicians versus Hospitals as Leaders of Accountable Care Organizations

Another interesting perspective was published online yesterday in NEJM's 'Health Policy and Reform' section. Here they tackle the burning question... who will control the ACOs? Will it be primarily physician or hospital controlled?


"We can envision two possible futures: one of physician-controlled ACOs, with physicians affiliating and contracting with hospitals, controlling the flow of funds through the marketplace; and one of hospital-controlled ACOs that will employ physicians. Whoever controls the ACOs will capture the largest share of any savings."


Click here to read the complete perspective.


There is no doubt it will be difficult to accomplish a successful physician controlled ACO. The resources and infrastructure required should not in any way be minimized.  But, just because it is difficult, doesnt mean it cannot, or should not be done. There is a great opportunity for the private practitioners to collaborate without a hospital or health system. The first step is to organize ourselves. A clinically integrated IPA like Beacon IPA was put together as a potential vehicle to become an accountable care organization. We need your help and support.


Together we can do this.... please join Beacon IPA today!

Kaiser Family Foundation: Health Reform Hits Main Street

WSJ: Employed Physicians on the Rise --- The Beacon Alternative

The article in Wall Street Journal yesterday, "When the Doctor Has a Boss: More Physicians Are Going to Work for Hospitals Rather Than Hanging Up a Shingle" should not come as a surprise to anyone. The accompanying graph also clearly shows this disturbingly strong trend.

A study quoted in the article revealed that the share of practices that were hospital-owned last year hit 55%, up from 50% in 2008 and around 30% five years earlier. Projections show that this trend is likely to continue for a variety of valid reasons that include, but are not limited to:

·        Decreasing reimbursement

·        Fear of the unknown in regards to Health Care reform

·        Rising administrative burden

·        Increasing oversight

·        Expanding technology requirements

·        Shrinking referral base

·        Malpractice and health insurance concerns

·        Possessing a shrinking voice being increasingly marginalized due to lack of size

and more...

If it sounds like I am making the argument for consolidation… you are right, I am.

But you can still come together without becoming an 'employed physician' and maintain your independence and autonomy.

There is an alternative way in which you can keep your private practice and enjoy the benefits of consolidation without joining a hospital or health system. It can also be done effectively without having to rip down the corporation you have built to form one big multispecialty group. 

We believe our model is the most attractive for the independent physician in private practice. It is a clinically integrated independent practice association.

We value private practitioners, because we are private practitioners.

Together we can stop this disturbing trend highlighted by the WSJ and well know to every physician practicing medicine today. Be part of our movement, we need each other. Join Beacon IPA.

For more information, please contact us.

Beacon IPA Featured in Long Island Business News

Independent docs pool resources

by Claude Solnik
Published: November 4, 2010

In some instances, small is not beautiful.


Doctors working solo or in small groups are at a disadvantage in negotiating reimbursement rates with insurers. These same practices have seen flat reimbursement rates while costs have risen due to new expenses such as electronic medical records.


Rather than merge a small practice with other doctors or a health care system, as some already have done, a different business model is catching on.


With an independent practice association, a group of doctors pool resources and collectively bargain with insurers and vendors while remaining independent.


The Manhasset-based Beacon IPA has grown to nearly 200 doctors since it was founded this summer, expanding more quickly than its organizers expected.


“This is a very good alternative where we can come together, provide value and clinical benefit and work to become a strong organization,” said Beacon President Dr. Simon E. Prince, who is also president of North Shore Nephrology in Manhasset and immediate past president of the Medical Staff Society at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset. “Our model allows everybody to keep their independent practice and do what they want to do to their highest ability. Yet it still allows us a framework to come together in numbers, affect change and have higher-level discussions with payers.”


Jill Hummel, vice president of provider engagement and contracting for Empire BlueCross BlueShield, said although her company doesn’t only look at a practice’s size, larger practices often obtain “enhanced reimbursement” for certain measures.


“I think in some ways we are rewarding the larger groups, not just because they’re large,” she said. “It’s the value they bring to the table.”


That is so because large practices often are able to provide better care through electronic medical records, 24/7 access, prescribing generic prescriptions and other services, Hummel said.


Beacon is one of a still small number of Long Island IPAs, including Valley Stream’s South Shore Health System and Garden City-based Healthcare Partners.


Prince said the process of starting these groups is complex. Although they face state regulations, additional pressures make them more attractive.


“It’s very difficult for a small practice to survive. That’s why there’s so much consolidation,” he said. “That’s the economic reason. There’s utility in other things. We have autonomy, self-governance.”


Esther Horowitz, vice president of provider relations for 600-physician South Shore Health System, said her group obtained several reimbursement rate increases over the past few years while many doctors’ rates fell or were flat.


“We are an advocate for the physicians. We look at not only better reimbursement, but how to maintain their independence,” she said. “We have the clout to negotiate for our doctors for better treatment, rates and opportunities.”


Beacon, which hopes to be funded by receiving a portion of rate hikes it negotiates as well as dues, already is putting together best practices and negotiating on behalf of physicians.


“If I go as an individual practitioner and call an electronic medical record company, the price is prohibitive,” said Dr. Michael Ditkoff, an ear, nose and throat surgeon in Manhasset and Beacon member. “Now with this group, we’re negotiating to get a better rate. They’re getting a higher volume of physicians.”


Ditkoff said the group hopes to negotiate better deals with billing companies and provide better care by analyzing data from various practices.


Prince said even if physicians choose different electronic medical records, the group expects to analyze their information to help them qualify for up to $44,000 in federal money for providers who prove they’re using data to improve medical care.


“There’s a pressure, real or perceived, that if you’re not part of a group, you’re going to be left behind. You’re not going to be able to survive,” Ditkoff said. “I could’ve kept going the way I’m going. But the way things are going, every year it gets harder and harder. Everyone’s joining someone.”


Ditkoff said some physicians are merging their practice into bigger entities. Large multipractice groups such as ProHealth in Lake Success also provide strength in numbers. But he believes an IPA provides freedom and financial benefits.


Prince said Beacon will set basic medical standards for members, while leaving a great deal of latitude to doctors in terms of their practice.


“If you’re not providing quality care and doing what we expect through our guidelines, you’ll be asked to leave,” he said.


While Ditkoff believes small practices play an important role in providing care, he said without strengthening their position, they will remain at a disadvantage in negotiating rates.


“They’re not going to sit down with each practitioner,” Ditkoff said of insurers. “I can barely get them on the phone to talk about a patient let alone my rates.”

LIBN: Empire creates physician panel

Empire creates physician panel

by Claude Solnik
Published: November 2, 2010

In a move designed to open a better dialogue between the state’s largest insurer and healthcare providers, Empire BlueCross BlueShield has created a physician advisory council.

Although other insurers have long used physician panels to help develop policies, Empire earlier this month held the first meeting of a panel designed to advise it on an ongoing basis.

The insurer, which covers more than 6 million members in New York State, in the past relied on panels set up around specific initiatives and administrative policy changes.

“What we found is we didn’t have this forum that met on a regular basis to get input from a consistent pool of physicians,” Jill Hummel, Empire’s vice president of provider engagement and contracting for Empire, told LIBN.

She said the group will meet at least quarterly and as needed to deal with particular issues, proposals or changes.

Hummel said the panel is comprised of physicians from across the state, including two Long Island doctors, an obstetrician/gynecologist and a nephrologist.

“It’s a wonderful opportunity to represent my fellow physician colleagues, advocate for the patients we serve and partner more meaningfully with Empire,” said Dr. Simon E. Prince, a member of the panel, president of North Shore Nephrology in Manhasset and past president of the medical staff society at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset.

Prince, who said doctors volunteered to serve on the panel, said he thinks it should be good for “physicians, Empire and most importantly the patients we serve.”

Empire at the first meeting discussed how it does business, including setting reimbursement and administrative policies and creating quality initiatives.

New BIPA logo

After a great deal of hard work and back and forth with Rohit Barman of DPS America - 'Digital Promotions Strategy for NY Brands' we narrowed our new logo down to a handful of choices. They were distributed to the group last week for review. The steering committee voted and our new logo has been finalized.