NEWS & EVENTS

Exclusive Professional Liability Insurance Program

(Gainesville, Fla) – For some time now Physicians' Care Network (PCN) has been exploring avenues to help lower the cost of medical liability insurance for your practice. This is typically one of the largest expenses in a medical practice. With reimbursements going down and expenses going up, we are doing everything we can to help our members. The goals of this program are to:

• Lower long-term costs
• Make future costs more predictable
• Work together to improve quality and patient safety
• Bring PCN members together as a more cohesive group.

Our intent is to build a community based program that will last through the next malpractice insurance crisis and shield our physician members from huge upward rate swings. To have our program survive (and thrive) for the long haul, we must outperform the population of Florida physicians from a loss perspective. We can achieve this by building elements into the program such as quality standards, risk management initiatives and patient safety initiatives.

For this program, your physician-only Board of Directors has selected First Professionals Insurance Company ("FPIC" or "First Professionals"). FPIC is the market leader in Florida for medical professional liability insurance. FPIC has been awarded a rating of A- (excellent) by A.M. Best Company, the independent company that rates financial strength.

PCN has negotiated an exclusive professional liability insurance program with FPIC that provides a 25% discount on base rates for our members. In addition to the PCN program discount. you may also gualify for FPIC's claims-free discount. which may be as much as an additional 25% discount.

• 5 years claims free - 10% discount
• 10 years claims free - 20% discount
• 15 years claims free- 25% discount

As is standard in the industry, FPIC will look to pick up prior acts coverage. Also, if retirement is a possibility within the next five years, please know that FPIC will work through any vested retirement "tail" issues.

PCN has also negotiated for FPIC to offer risk management and patient safety training sessions to PCN members who become policyholders - at no cost. These sessions will include topics such as Medical Specialty Analysis, Practice Assessment, Claim Analysis, Risk Management Products and Services, Root Cause Analysis, Loss Prevention Plan and Compliance Plans.

We expect that most medical practices will realize initial premium savings at the kickoff of this program. However, the long-term cost savings of this program are expected to be far more beneficial. Therefore, the most important thing we can do is to get this program started. We are targeting a kickoff date of December 1 st. We anticipate that insurance companies and insurance agents who stand to lose business will attempt to minimize participation in this program, even offering to slash costs. The future benefits of this program offer the most value and, for this reason, it is important that we act together as a cohesive group to launch this program and resist those who seek to keep physicians fragmented by offering short-term benefits.

We are very excited about this new medical professional liability insurance program and the potential for PCN members to save money now and in the future. For information on how to participate in this new program, please phone the PCN office at 352.371.9999.

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Important Changes for 2010 Managed Care Organizations

Physicians United Plan (PUP) will no longer offer any plans in Alachua County effective 1/1/2010. Letters have been sent to all providers and patients affected by this change. Patients may ask you for information about other health plans in which your physicians participate. You may contact the PCN office for further information.

Humana AdvantageCare is now Humana Gold Plus (HMO), Product #H5426-008, H5426-002 and H5426-019. Former AdvantageCare members will receive a new 2010 card in November. The new card becomes effective 1/1/2010. New Humana cards will not have the AdvantageCare name on the card.

Citrus Health Care has contracted with MedSolutions for all Outpatient MR, CT, PET, ultrasound and cardiac imaging studies effective 11/1/09. Requests for services to a facility that does not participate with MedSolutions will be redirected. Please advise your staff to carefully note the PLAN # on your patient's ID card. This will inform your staff of the correct copay to collect at the time of the visit.

PCN IS HERE TO GUIDE YOU THROUGH THE 2010 CHANGES & ASSIST YOUR STAFF IN ANY WAY.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Many of my patients on Medicare are confused about when they can make changes to their plans.
What shall I tell them?
A: If Medicare beneficiaries want to make changes to their plans, they are generally limited to the
Annual Election Period between Nov 15 and Dec 31 each year. There are also Open Enrollment and
Special Election Periods where some changes can be made.

Q: What is a dual contract with a Managed Care Organization?
A: The provider is dually contracted if he/she has signed a Physician Participating Agreement directly
with the Managed Care Organization under a specific reimbursement rate and also contracted through PCN with possible differences in the reimbursement rate.

Please call the PCN Office if you need further information about these FAQ's.

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