how to pick a healthcare lawyer for doctors

Do you need a health & health care lawyer?

Feb 06, 2009 · Here's how it works: First, go to the main page of lawyers.com. Type in the term "medical malpractice" just to the right of the arrow in the top search box. Next, type in your city and state in the box beneath the top one. If you live in a small town and don't receive many listings, enter the largest city near you, followed by your state’s name.

What questions should I ask when hiring a medical malpractice attorney?

Find health care attorneys who serve clients with a wide range of health care law-related needs. From health care providers needing assistance with legal compliance issues or defending against claims, to patients who need to speak to an attorney regarding medical record matters or HIPAA privacy issues, the FindLaw lawyer directory can connect you with the health care lawyer best …

What should I look for in a medical power of attorney?

Because your power of attorney will be handling your medical affairs, you'll want to choose someone who either has some experience in that area or has the needed skills to handle those decisions. Look for the following six characteristics before making your selection. Doing so will help ensure that you'll pick the best possible person for the job.

How do I search for a medical malpractice attorney?

Apr 05, 2016 · Ask the attorney you are considering hiring if they have experience in the area that specifically matches your needs. “Even lawyers who limit their practice to elder law may not be experts in all these areas,” cautions Heiser. “For example, many elder law attorneys do not go to court, so if you have a possible contested will or ...

Are lawyers more respected than doctors?

Doctors topped the global list of most respected professions, followed by lawyers and then engineers.Jan 15, 2019

How is law used in healthcare?

Health laws are used to formalize commitment to goals, such as the goal of universal health coverage, creating a drive for action. To enable cooperation and achieve health goals, people use law to create different organizations (such as hospitals) and relationships (such as contracts for providing health services).

What is medical law called?

Medical law is the branch of law which concerns the prerogatives and responsibilities of medical professionals and the rights of the patient. It should not be confused with medical jurisprudence, which is a branch of medicine, rather than a branch of law.

What are the 5 health related laws?

These legislative gems are the Universal Health Care (UHC), Sin Tax, Reproductive Health, National Health Insurance, and Graphic Health Warnings Acts or Laws.

What are 3 types of public health law?

Public Health Law: Power, Duty, Restraint.

What are examples of medical law?

Medical law is the body of laws concerning the rights and responsibilities of medical professionals and their patients. The main areas of focus for medical law include confidentiality, negligence and other torts related to medical treatment (especially medical malpractice), and criminal law and ethics.

What are the 3 rules of HIPAA?

The three components of HIPAA security rule compliance. Keeping patient data safe requires healthcare organizations to exercise best practices in three areas: administrative, physical security, and technical security.

What are some examples of medical laws?

8 Important Regulations in United States Health CareHealthcare Quality Improvement Act of 1986 (HCQIA) ... Medicare. ... Medicaid. ... Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) ... Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program (HRRP) ... Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996.More items...

How to choose a power of attorney?

When choosing your power of attorney, talk to the person you are considering. Be sure that they feel they could serve in this capacity. Encourage the person to be honest.

What is a power of attorney?

Regardless of the name, a power of attorney is someone you choose to make health and medical decisions for you if you're unable to make them for yourself. 1. For most people, having this person in place to make medical decisions when they are no longer able to do so can bring peace of mind. Some people choose to designate a power ...

Who is Sherri Gordon?

Sherri Gordon is a published author and a bullying prevention expert. Cristian Zanartu, MD, is a licensed board-certified internist who has worked for over five years in pain and palliative medicine. One of the most important healthcare decisions you will make is choosing your power of attorney.

Can you designate a power of attorney?

But really, you can designate your power of attorney anytime you want. You simply need to have an attorney draw up the paperwork. You also can specify when the duties of the power of attorney begin to take effect.

What to bring to an estate planning appointment?

Once you have arranged an appointment, be sure to bring all information necessary to get the most out of the time with your attorney. Fully informed, open communication will result in the best outcome for estate planning services, long term care planning, and asset protection. Information to bring: 1 Bank and investment account statments including joint accounts 2 Retirement statements including pensions, IRAs and 401 (k)s 3 Mortgage and property tax statements 4 Debt summaries 5 Asset summaries including vehicles, significant posessions, pre-paid funeral plans, and/or expected inheritance 6 Life insurance policies 7 Health insurance policies, including long term care or disability policies 8 Income sources of self and spouse 9 Dependent information 10 Prior estate planning documents including wills, trusts, POA

Who is Bruce Rosenblatt?

Bruce Rosenblatt is a senior housing expert with decades of experience in the elder care industry. Bruce developed Senior Housing Solutions in 2009 and now uses his expertise to educate clients on all available living options and assist them in finding the best fit for their needs and lifestyle.

Do people realize the degree of specialization that exists among attorneys?

“Many people do not realize the degree of specialization that exists among attorneys,” Heiser notes. “You want to make sure that the attorney you hire matches your particular area (s) of concern.”

What is freedom of choice in Medicare?

Freedom of Choice in Medicare & Medicaid. People with Medicare and Medicaid probably have the most rigorously protected freedom of choice. The Social Security Act mandates this patient right in sections 1802 and 1902 (a) (23). In short, patients with Medicare or Medicaid may receive health services from any provider qualified to participate.

What is an ACO?

ACO stands for accountable care organization. ACOs are providers that have entered into a contract with Medicare where they try to deliver more cost-effective healthcare and get some of the savings back as a bonus. For instance, one possible ACO organization could be a large family practice group, a community hospital, a cardiologist, a dialysis center, and a home health agency, all working together to improve organization during patient transitions. It is a common misunderstanding that ACOs can limit a patient’s freedom of choice. They should not attempt this. Beneficiaries seeing health care providers in ACOs always have the freedom to choose doctors inside or outside of the ACO. Members of ACOs have the right to tell patients their recommendations for other providers and why, but they are violating the law if they give the impression that patients have limited choice due to the ACO.

What is Medicare Advantage?

Medicare Advantage Plans are private insurance plans that administrate seniors’ Medicare benefits. Most plans are through UnitedHealthcare, Humana, and Blue Cross Blue Shield, but there are others. Most MA plans are HMOs, so patients do not have freedom of choice in Medicare Advantage.

Does private insurance have freedom of choice?

A series of court decisions (common law) further guarantee freedom of choice to patients with private health insurance. 1 However, here is where this patient right starts to see serious limitations. Private health insurance companies commonly operate as health maintenance organizations (HMOs) or preferred provider organizations (PPOs). Exceptions notwithstanding, in these arrangements, customers agree that insurance will only pay when services are delivered by a short list of providers. In Houston, there are hundreds of Medicare-certified home health agencies, but private insurance contracts may limit customers to a few of them. When people sign-up for health insurance, they usually check the list of general practitioners. How many people would even think to check the list of home health agencies, hospice agencies, medical equipment providers, etc.?

Why is informed consent so difficult?

But for a health care lawyer, informed consent is a much more difficult concept because there are all these terminologies and medical jargon that the average person isn’t going to understand.

Is health law growing?

Despite a sluggish legal job market in recent years, some fields are seeing more growth than others. Health law is one of those legal fields that continues to grow. Health law runs the gamut from interpreting new legislation for employers and providers, to representing clients who were denied Social Security benefits, ...

What is the right of a patient to choose?

A patient’s right to choose comes with responsibilities. It’s your responsibility to do your homework. It’s up to you to research the care providers you’ve been referred to. It’s up to you to seek a second opinion if you feel you need one.

What are the rights of a patient?

Your basic patient rights include: 1 The right to information about quality: You can look up information about doctors’ credentials, statistics regarding hospitals and clinics, and what your health plan covers in easy-to-understand language. 2 The right to choose a healthcare provider: In addition to your primary healthcare provider, this also covers specialists, who are generally physician-referred. 3 The right to emergency services: You can’t be denied treatment in an emergency. 4 The right to make decisions: It’s up to you to decide which course of treatment you want to follow, if at all. 5 The right to respect: You must be treated with respect regardless of your sex, age, race, national origin, sexual orientation, or disability. 6 The right to confidentiality: Your health information is private and cannot be released without your consent. 7 The right to complain: All providers (insurance, physicians, clinics and hospitals, etc.) must have a grievance procedure.

What is the right to confidentiality?

The right to confidentiality: Your health information is private and cannot be released without your consent. The right to complain: All providers (insurance, physicians, clinics and hospitals, etc.) must have a grievance procedure. For a fuller discussion of these patient rights, visit here.

How to verify a referral?

These are the steps to follow: 1. Visit Your Primary Care Physician. Talk to your primary care physician about your concern. In most cases, health plans only cover referrals made by a physician, so your care provider will need to verify your health issue. 2. Verify Your Insurance and Referral Information.

When do you need a referral?

Most of the time, your primary healthcare provider gives you a referral when he or she determines that you need specialized care. Other times, referrals come at the request of the patient. If you have a specific health concern and want to consult a specialist or schedule an appointment at a particular clinic for which you need a referral, ...

What is the right to make decisions?

The right to make decisions: It’s up to you to decide which course of treatment you want to follow, if at all. The right to respect: You must be treated with respect regardless of your sex, age, race, national origin, sexual orientation, or disability.

How to make an appointment with a specialist?

2. Verify Your Insurance and Referral Information. Before you proceed, check with your insurance company for your plan’s referral requirements. Not all plans are the same. Make sure that your referral is to a preferred provider so your visit will be covered. 3. Make an Appointment with the Specialist.

Why do you need a medical power of attorney?

Because life is full of unforeseen twists and turns, medical power of attorney is something you don’t want to be without. It should be granted to someone you trust, who will respect your wishes and look out for your best interests.

What to do if you don't have a power of attorney?

End care involving tube feeding, CPR, medications, and mechanical ventilation. If you do not create a health care power of attorney, your loved ones will have to go to court to have one appointed.

What is a medical POA?

Medical POA is a legal document that allows you to choose a health care agent to make key health care decisions for you when you can’t. This document may also be called power of attorney for healthcare. Use of this document applies to situations where you are unconscious or not able to consent ...

Can a power of attorney act for you in Colorado?

Yes . Colorado medical power of attorney laws grant the authority to your health care agent to act for you if you are unable to decide for yourself. Those decisions will be made regarding consenting to or refusing medical treatment. This includes artificial nourishment and hydration and may include conditions or limitations set out by you in a living will.

What happens if you don't have a power of attorney in Colorado?

If you do not create a health care power of attorney, your loved ones will have to go to court to have one appointed. The court, and not you, will then decide who will make your health care decisions. Let’s take a look at the Colorado laws and get to our questions and answers about medical power of attorney.

Can a doctor access my medical records?

Yes, they will have access to your medical records so that they can consult with your doctors and other healthcare providers just as you would. This allows them to make informed decisions about your care.

Can a power of attorney be used for disability?

Yes. The legal document must contain the words, “ This power of attorney shall not be affected by disability of the principal.” It is used only when you are unconscious or not able to consent to medical procedures. At the Meurer Law Offices, we can explain this to you further.

What is a podiatrist?

As the APMA explains, "a podiatrist is a doctor of podiatric medicine (DPM), a physician and a surgeon who treats the foot, ankle and related structures of the leg.". An expert in the lower extremities, the podiatrist has extensive training in all that can go wrong, from ingrown toenails and bunions to sprained ankles and diabetes-related ...

How common is foot pain?

Given how hard our feet work day in and day out, it should come as no surprise that foot pain and problems related to the lower extremities are quite common. The American Podiatric Medical Association reports that 77 percent of U.S. adults aged 18 and older have experienced foot pain at some point, with about a third of those individuals seeking ...

Is it normal for my foot to hurt?

Woodly adds that "there's a lot of innovation out there and you don't have to live with foot pain. There's always something you can do," to either completely resolve the pain or at least lessen it so that it's not as disruptive to your daily activities. "Foot pain and leg pain are not normal.