March 2016

3657 Okemos Rd., Suite 100Okemos, MI 48864-3927

Copyright ©2016 MDA Insurance & Financial GroupPublished quarterly by MDA Insurance & Financial Group

Get great deals from these

endorsed vendorsThe Professional Protector

Plan (PPP) Symposium is held every other year to allow insurance professionals the opportunity to explore emerging ideas in professional liability and to celebrate leaders in the

insurance industry. Historically, MDA Insurance has received numerous accolades for its stellar performance for new business production for the PPP. This year was no exception. At the event in January, MDA Insurance was recognized as the national leader in PPP new business production for both 2013 and 2014 from a field of 52 candidates representing all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Additionally, the 2014 Associate of the Year was awarded to our very own Misty Haigh for her passion, knowledge and commitment to customer service. This is the seventh time in 13 years our agency has won top producer honors.

I had the privilege of attending this prestigious event with MDA Insurance & Financial Group President Craig Start; Property and Casualty

Director Jeff Spindler; Commercial Lines Manager Tina Croley; Commercial Lines Representative Jill Anderson; and Commercial Lines Coordinator Misty Haigh. It was an educational and rewarding experience. It’s clear our insurance agency is widely respected for its dedication to our members’ best interests and its knowledge and commitment. Congratulations to the commercial lines staff!

To find out more about what MDA Insurance can do to protect you and your practice, call 800-860-2272 and speak to Misty Haigh (ext. 449) or Tina Croley (ext. 448). They are happy to answer your questions and share details about the PPP.

From the ChairMDA Insurance brings home 3 more national awards

In this issu e:• HIPAA-compliance: Know your

potential vulnerabilities

• Win an iPad at Annual Session!

• FREE Medicare seminars

• Register now for

CNA Risk Management

course at Annual Session

M D A P R O G R A M S . C O M • Q UA L I T Y P R O G R A M S • G R O U P S AV I N G S • L O W E R D U E S M D A P R O G R A M S . C O M • Q UA L I T Y P R O G R A M S • G R O U P S AV I N G S • L O W E R D U E S

CHECK-UP

The MDA endorses 16 organizations to assist members with their business and financial needs. Find a complete list at mdaprograms.com. A few are highlighted below:

• AppRiver: Email encryption 866-223-4645 or 411.appriver.com/MDA

• Bank of America Practice Solutions: Practice and equipment financing 800-497-6076

• Bank of America Credit Cards: Personal and business credit cards 800-434-8313

• BASIC: Section 125 plans and payroll processing 800-444-1922

HIPAA-compliance: Know your potential vulnerabilities

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) set forth strict measures to protect the personal and health information (PHI) of patients. There are many practices that have not yet implemented even the basics of HIPAA compliance. HIPAA regulations include civil penalties for willful neglect that can reach up to $250,000 with repeat violations drawing fines up to $1.5 million. Criminal penalties, including jail time, are also possible. Historically, there have been few consequences for complacency, and enforcement was virtually nonexistent. Those days are gone. Enforcement is up and hefty fines are now getting people’s attention.

During the 20 years since HIPAA was introduced, new standards have been implemented, including the introduction of the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act, which widened the scope of HIPAA security and privacy protections. It increases legal liability for noncompliance and provides significantly more enforcement. Some believe compliance ends with distributing HIPAA privacy notices and having patients complete their HIPAA release privacy forms. Perhaps efforts even include annual HIPAA staff training. These are all good initial steps to ensuring that PHI is safeguarded. But the most critical HIPAA-related measures your practice should have in place are listed at the left.

For maximum protection and peace of mind, consider purchasing cyber liability insurance, often referred to as data breach insurance. It provides coverage for your dental practice in the event that private, confidential data you possess or

maintain is breached. For as little as $450 per year, you can protect yourself and your practice from the threat of a cyber attack or data breach. MDA

Insurance offers the Beazley Breach Response (BBR) Select cyber liability and data breach insurance. All policyholders are immediately enrolled in the Data Security Risk Management program, which provides unlimited access to online compliance materials, newsletters and instant alerts,

expert support and much more. Access the fast and convenient BBR Select Application at mdaprograms.com. You can also contact Melanie

Adler at MDA Insurance for more information at 800-860-2272, ext. 464.

A major but often overlooked area of data vulnerability happens during routine provider-to-provider communication. For example, you may need to consult with a colleague on a patient’s dental condition, which may require

you to email the patient’s X-ray, medical history or other pertinent e-PHI. Email, while efficient and cost-effective, is wide-open for the world to

see. Consequently, the Security Rule mandates that providers must implement appropriate policies and technical and physical safeguards for information systems that maintain e-PHI, including email. What measures can you take to ensure your email is adequately encrypted and PHI

is protected? The MDA endorses AppRiver as a preferred provider of encrypted email, including email archiving. AppRiver offers tools that are easy, effective and affordable for practices of all sizes. Learn what AppRiver can do for you at booth 415 at Annual Session. For special MDA member pricing, visit 411.appriver.com/MDA or call 866-223-4645 and speak with AppRiver directly. 1 hhs.gov/hipaa: Health Information Privacy.

The most critical HIPAA-related measures your practice should

have in place

4 HIPAA Policy Manual: Create and maintain your own HIPAA policy manual outlining privacy and security policies and procedures. There are models available to use as reference on ADA’s website at ebusiness.ada.org.

4 Active training plan: You are responsible for training your staff regarding HIPAA privacy and security policies and procedures. Document your training.

4 Business Associate Agreements: Your business associates (BA) must be HIPAA compliant. This includes companies such as claims processors or administrators, data analysis, billing and benefit management, and your information technology (IT) service company.

4 Privacy officer: Assign someone in your practice as a privacy officer to enforce your HIPAA privacy policies and survey the office daily for any potential PHI breaches.

4 Security officer: In charge of monitoring technology and protecting e-data, including use of email encryption.

Did you know that access to MDA member discounts on home and auto insurance extends to your family and employees as well? You can offer them a great employee benefit without any cost to you. And you can get them a free lunch in the bargain!

You and your staff will get lunch and learn about common mistakes made when purchasing auto and homeowners

insurance. We’ll give anyone who gets a quote for home or auto insurance a $10 gift card for food or coffee, just for requesting a quote. No purchase is necessary. We’ll also thank anyone who sets up the lunch ’n learn with a $20 gift card for their efforts.

To schedule your free Lunch ’n Learn call MDA Insurance at 800-860-2272 or visit mdaprograms.com.

Sign up now for a FREE Lunch ’n Learn—save on your home and auto insurance!

By Dale Nester, Chair, MDA Insurance and MDA Services

From left: Misty Haigh, Jill Anderson, Jeff Spindler, Tina Croley.

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Q UA L I T Y P R O G R A M S • G R O U P S AV I N G S • L O W E R D U E S Q UA L I T Y P R O G R A M S • G R O U P S AV I N G S • L O W E R D U E S

In addition to CareCredit being accepted by more than 150,000 enrolled health care providers, including over 95,000 dental practices, CareCredit credit card is now accepted at nearly 4,600 Rite Aid stores in the U.S.

This exciting new step marks the expansion of CareCredit’s acceptance network into health-focused retailers. Care Credit’s 10 million cardholders will now have added flexibility in managing their health, wellness, and everyday personal care expenses, including dental care.

The MDA endorses CareCredit for patient financing. MDA members can get started with CareCredit for just $25. Be sure to tell CareCredit you are an MDA member! Practices ready to add CareCredit and help more patients access needed care can call 800-300-3046, ext. 4519. Visit CareCredit during Annual Session at booth 411.

Glove program introduces mobile app, flavored gloves, expands product lineup and more!

CareCredit offers cardholders added

convenience at Rite Aid

MDA Services Gloves, known nationally as Association Gloves, now has a mobile app to make it even easier to buy the products you use every day. Download the “Association Gloves” app from the Apple App Store or Google Play. Use the app to place an order and receive $5 off a purchase of $175 or more.

Check out some of our new products.

Pediatric dentists and orthodontists will love our flavored gloves from Plak Smacker:

• Powder-free latex gloves are available in cherry (pink), tropical fruit (yellow), mint (white), bubble gum (blue), grape (purple) and green apple (green). They cost just $94 per case of 1,000 gloves.

• Nitriles are available in cherry (white) and vanilla (blue). They are $73.50 per case of 1,000 gloves.

Back in the lineup are gloves from Innovative Healthcare Corporation (IHC), including these

great gloves featuring a colloidal oatmeal active therapeutic system: • DermAssist COATS

(powder-free latex) at $72 per case of 1,000 gloves • NitraDerm COATS (nitrile) gloves at $126.50 for a case of 2,000 gloves.

Also new to our catalog of gloves is the Microflex Performance Series nitrile. This value-priced, comfortable glove with textured fingertips costs just $105 for 2,000 gloves. Here are a few of our low prices on other disposable products: • 16 sizes of sterilization pouches starting at $54 a case

• Bibs as low as $29 per case • Masks starting at $29 a case

When you purchase from MDA Services Gloves, you save money, get free shipping and non-dues revenue is generated for the MDA to support member programs and services.

Call 877-484-6149 to order or request free glove and mask samples. You can also order online at www.mdaservicesgloves.com. See us in booth 414 at Annual Session.

Register now for CNA Risk Management course at Annual Session; get a premium discount

All dentists want to reduce the risk of a patient injury, increase patient satisfaction and manage their liability exposure. You and your entire office staff can register now to attend the CNA Dental Professional Liability Risk Management seminar, to be held at 8 a.m., April 14, during the MDA Annual Session in Novi. The cost is just $75 per person. Ron Zentz, DDS, and Lynda Farnen, JD, will present. Dentists who complete the course will earn a 7.5 percent professional liability premium discount for three years, if insured by the CNA Professional Protector Plan®. All attendees will receive 4.5 hours of continuing education credit.

The CNA Dental Professional Liability Risk Management Seminar is designed for dentists and staff members. The program emphasizes a preventive, team approach to patient safety and

risk management that will help enhance patient care and reduce the risk of a malpractice claim. Through discussion of actual claims, patient care scenarios and video examples, this course will help attendees understand patient concerns, practice operations and clinical procedures that may lead to dissatisfaction and claims, and how to manage or prevent them.

Course topics include: claims trends; the identification and management of various clinical treatment risks and adverse events; staff and patient communications; informed consent, informed refusal; legal information; record keeping and documentation practices; emerging risk issues.

To register, visit smilemichigan.com/pro. Click on CE Courses, Annual Session. Hurry—seats fill up fast!

You could win an iPad Air at Annual Session. To be entered in our drawing simply submit a quote request form* for any

insurance product or place an order for gloves with the MDA Services Glove

Program at Annual Session.*Quote request forms will be

available during Annual Session at booths 410, 412 and 414.

MDA Insurance booths 410 and 412

MDA Services booth 414

Be sure to stop by the Endorsed Vendor aisle at Annual Session. You’ll find

representatives from these endorsed organizations:

CareCredit booth 411

Comerica Merchant Services

booth 413

AppRiver booth 415

Officite booth 417

eScapes booth 420

Bank of America Practice Solutions

booth 421

Demandforce booth 422

TSI (formerly Transworld Services Inc.)

booth 423

Staples Advantage booth 234

Win an iPad Air at Annual Session!

April 13–16

Thursday, April 14 Managing Profitability in 2016 and the Challenges to Expect Michael Glass and Ron Cash, TSITime: 10:30–11:30 a.m.Faced with rising operational costs, dentists need new ideas for collecting co-pays and deductibles from patients. This Hot Topic will help you understand the benefit of establishing and abiding by a written billing procedure, as well as refining your billing statement and discussing new technology to help address cash flow management. TSI will also be at booth 423 for additional questions. Course #12

Thursday, April 14The Seven Pillars of Modern Practice MarketingMike Sula, Web Presence Adviser, OfficiteTime: 1:30–2:30 p.m.Join us for a deep-dive into seven modern marketing strategies proven to build success for dental practices across the nation! This course

will analyze the evolution of tech-savvy practice marketing strategies such as websites, social media and print, and will outline new techniques and technology developments that will keep you ahead of the curve and on top of your market. You can also visit Officite at booth 417. Course #20

Friday, April 15Preparing for Practice Change and GrowthWill Berisford Sr., vice president, Bank of America and Mike Meyers, CCIM, Prosperity PartnersTime: 10–11 a.m.Are you ready to expand your practice beyond a single dental office? Should you start from scratch or acquire an existing building? Should you buy or lease a building? Is your practice ready for sale? Do you have a team of experts poised to assist with your expansion? Join us to review the various aspects of practice change and growth. Get all the answers in one place, in one hour! You can also visit Bank of America at booth 421. Course #31

Must-see HOT TOPICS at Annual Session:

As your patients are waiting to see you, what if you could provide them a relaxing, immersive experience as if they are looking out a window onto some of the most interesting and beautiful places on earth? What if every minute they are in your office gives them a mental vacation? In our fast-paced world, such a welcome, positive patient distraction is just what the doctor ordered. Each MDA member can provide this for his or her patients by having their very own private channel on the new MDA Television Network. And the long-form programming content means neither patients nor staff will tire of watching relaxation television because it’s always changing.

MDA endorses the eScapes Network’s Private Television Network, which is available to all MDA members. The eScapes Network produces U.S.-patented Hybrid Radio/Television

programming called “relaxation television.” It is designed specifically to relax viewers with its smoothly paced, high-definition videos from around

the world accompanied by melodic, contemporary and popular music tracks. Even better, in addition to relaxing your patients, the sidebars on the screen allow you an exclusive marketing opportunity to promote your practice and unique value-added services.

See a live demo and enter to win three 40-inch HD TVs, and a one-year FREE subscription on the MDA Television Network with FREE hardware installation. Sign up at booth 420 during the MDA Annual Session. To order your MDA Television channel immediately, visit escapesdentaltv.com/mi or call eScapes today at 734-682-3409.

Demandforce acquired by Internet Brands

Internet Brands, a software services and online media organization founded in 1998 recently acquired Demandforce. Internet Brands is an online pioneer with an industry-leading portfolio of software, data services, hosting and marketing services, and consumer websites. Demandforce is endorsed by the MDA for electronic patient communications. Internet Brands will ensure that Demandforce continues to effectively meet and exceed the needs of our members and is fully committed to continued support of Demandforce.

To learn more, call 800-210-0355, visit MDA Services at mdaprograms.com or Demandforce at booth 422 during Annual Session.

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If you are turning 65 or have recently turned 65, take this opportunity

to significantly expand your understanding of Medicare and your Supplemental Coverage Options by attending a seminar by our highly trained Medicare advisory team. The seminars will be held at MDA Headquarters, 3657 Okemos Road, Okemos, MI 48864.

Here are upcoming seminar dates:o March 23, 1–3 p.m. o June 15, 1–3 p.m. o Sept. 21, 1–3 p.m. o Jan. 18, 2017, 1–3 p.m. To register or for more information, contact Rick Seely, a Medicare advisory team member, at 877-906-9924, ext. 411, or via email at rseely@mdaifg.com.

FREE Medicare seminars offered

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Transform patient experiences with eScapes Private Television Network