Click below (or scroll down) to access the different categories of benefits
Auto Rentals
- Alamo-Rent-A-Car
- Tel: 1-800-732-3232
- Use Member #BY 93081
- Hertz Corporation
- TEL: 1-800-654-2200
- Use Member #: 46971
Both Alamo and Hertz offer RCMS members special association rates when renting a vehicle. Members should note that Alamo is available for out-of-state rentals only. Hertz provides rentals inall states, including New York.
Collection Service
I.C. System, Inc.
444 E. Highway 96
P.O. Box 64639
St. Paul, MN 55164
TEL: 1-800-685-0595 FAX 612-481-3079
Richmond County Medical Society suggests I.C. System for Intelligent Collections. Your accounts will be handled by collectors who specialize in the type of debt encountered by our members. They make frequent and firm contacts with debtors by mail and telephone. If debtors don’t pay, they list them with national credit reporting agencies. For more information, call 1-800-279-3511 or visit their website at www.icsystem.com/rcms
National Credit System, Inc.
www.ncsplus.com
Reasonable rates, high recovery percentage and great customer service represent the cornerstone of a new program providing collections on delinquent accounts for Richmond County Medical Society (RCMS) members. This new debt collection program is offered to members by NCSPlus Incorporated (NCS), one of the nation’s leading collection service/account receivable management firms.
As opposed to companies that charge a percentage of the bill, or a flat fee and a percentage, NCS charges RCMS members a low flat fee only – and unlike other national fixed-fee collection agencies, NCS incorporates telephone collections, letters, attorney contact, and debtor audits. NCS will pursue small and large balances for individual or business accounts and give equal attention to both. In addition, NCS is willing to work with a large or small number of delinquent accounts. Because of their customer service orientation, NCS reports a recovery rate that is more than twice the national average.
For more information, contact the RCMS at (718) 442-RCMS or Bill Spencer at NCS at (800) 363-7215 Ext. 6400. Or e-mail: [email protected]
Discounted Online Defensive Driving Classes
Point & Insurance Reductions
Use promo code RCMS
Economic Development
Staten Island Economic Development Corporation
900 South Ave. Suite 402
Staten Island, New York 10314
Health and Wellness Professionals Council
Membership open to professionals in the Health and Wellness Industry, limited to 1 member from each Speciality.
Each member of the Health and Wellness Council serves as the exclusive representative of their specialty practice area. The group meets regularly to discuss borough-wide health issues, best marketing and customer service practices, the latest in healthcare news and how to help Staten Islanders live healthier lives.
www.siedc.org
Equipment Leasing
Finova Capital
5 Neshaminy Interplex - Suite 117
Trevose, PA 19053
TEL: 1-800-333-0301 · FAX: 215-244-9907
Finova Capital can assist members with special leasing terms for the equipment price that has been negotiated through a manufacturer. Contact the firm directly at 1-800-333-0301 for further information.
Financial Services
CitiBank, NA
Diana L. Mazzone, Vice President
TEL: 1-718-351-4168
Prime Financial Services
Michael J. Allan, CFP
TEL: 1-212-684-4664
- Individual Securities -Stocks. Government and Corporate Bonds, Ginnie Mae, Fannie Mae, CMOs, Zero Coupon Bonds, Insured CDs and more.
- Mutual Funds - Access to over 2,000 nationally known mutual funds to help you find a fund best suited to your needs and objectives.
- Retirement Accounts - Choose from a variety of tax deferred alternatives for retirement planning, including IRAs/SEPs, Defined Benefit and Defined Combination, Money Purchase, profit sharing and 401K/403B-7 Plans.
- Mortgages - Prime Financial Services does not work for any particular bank – they work for you. They represent a carefully selected group of financially sound, reputable banks and lending institutions offering the best loan programs at competitive rates.
MBNA America
400 Christiana Road
Newark, DE 19713
TEL: 1-800-847-7378
MBNA America Bank offers the MSSNY Platinum Plus, Gold and Preferred MasterCard credit cards at competitive rates. For more information please contact MBNA directly at 1-800-847-7378 using Priority Code QJCF.
Pesile Financial Group
1110 South Avenue
Staten Island, NY 10314
TEL: 347 273-1348
FAX: 347 273-1298
Kay M. Pesile, IAR
- Financial Planning Services
- Investments – Managed Accounts
- Personal and Practice Employee Benefits – SEPs, Defined Benefit & Defined Contribution plans
- Retirement and Estate Planning
- Asset Protection
- Charitable gifting Funds
- 529 plans for education funding
Health Care Newsletters
United Communications Group
11300 Rockville Pike, Suite 1100
Rockville, MD 20852-3030
TEL: 1-800-929-4824, Ext. 223
What’s your toughest practice challenge? Claiming full Medicare reimbursement?… Negotiating managed care contracts?… Complying with strict regulations? You can get practical guidance on these and other challenges and opportunities from United Communications Group, a health information publisher based in Washington, DC.
Discounts ranging from 10% to 35% are available to RCMS members for the following RCMS-endorsed publications:
PART B ANSWER BOOK delivers plain-English explanations of Medicare billing and payment rules for physician services. With more than 130 sections, organized in a handy A-to-Z dictionary format, the 700+ page Part B Answer Book helps physician offices to get answers to hundreds of claims filing and reimbursement questions without making needless calls to the local Medicare Part B carrier. The book, based on official Medicare documents, also includes the entire Medicare Coverage Issues Manual, which details coverage policies for more than 600 physician services, drugs and medical devices. Annual subscription includes quarterly updates and periodic Part B Answer Book Action Alerts on latest changes in Medicare payment policies for physician services.
PART B NEWS gives advance information on complying with Medicare Part B regulations to ensure physician practices get their fair share of Medicare reimbursement dollars. Reports latest Part B claims coding and filing requirements, fee schedule implementation, carrier review policies, physician office lab regulations, congressional deliberations on physician payment issues plus strategies for coping with complex Part B rules. For physicians, administrators and business managers of solo group practices, and hospital-based physician billing managers.
PRACTICE STRATEGIES FOR MANAGED CARE (formerly Physician Network Insider) helps physicians and practice administrators survive and prosper under managed care. You get solid, timely advice on how to bargain for better managed care deals, avoid deselection, reduce expenses and create a more efficient staff. Every two weeks, this newsletter delivers news of HMOs’ latest tricks, plus targeted financial advice, such as how to allocate expenses across cost centers and ways to manage capitation profitably. Stay on the cutting edge with case studies of pioneering practices, the latest in managed care information systems, and how to forge astute affiliations with successful partners.
PHYSICIAN OFFICE LAB NEWS keeps physicians who operate in-office clinical labs up to date on a wide range of federal requirements affecting them for the first time. These include quality control, performance testing and personnel standards under Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendment regulations, OSHA rules on protecting lab staff from blood-borne pathogens, patient referral and other restrictions of the Stark law and HHS safe harbor regulations, plus the latest changes in Medicare reimbursement rules for physician office labs.
MEDICARE COMPLIANCE ALERT helps keep health care business arrangements within bounds of changing Medicare rules on patient referrals, physician investments, limited partnerships and other joint ventures. Reports latest developments in “safe harbor” rules and Stark law physician investment rules, and most recent administrative law judge rulings. Includes guidance by legal experts for structuring and managing a wide range of physician-provider ventures and compensation arrangements. For physician investors, medical practice administrators, health care attorneys, hospital CEOs and CFOs, and directors of clinical labs, x-ray/imaging centers and ambulatory surgery centers.
NATIONAL CORRECT CODING PRIMER spells out the Health Care Financing Administration’s policy for correctly billing Medicare for more than 83,000 CPT-4 code combinations. The 450-page Primer tells physician practices when they can and can’t bill comprehensive versus component codes for anesthesia, surgery, radiology, pathology/laboratory, medicine, and evaluation and management services. Annual subscription includes correct coding updates for a year, as issued by HCFA, plus the complete list of codes in ASCII and HCFA’s MS-DOS/WordPerfect 5.0 format on 3.5″ diskette.
PHYSICIAN PRACTICE CODER is packed with practical guidance for correctly coding physician claims filed with Medicare and private insurers so that you get all the reimbursement dollars you’re due. Physician Practice Coder queries physician billing managers nationwide for their tough CPT-4, ICD-9-CM and HCPCS coding questions and then hunts down the answers from their savvy colleagues, Medicare, private insurers, and managed care plans. Each issue contains nitty gritty coding tips and alerts on dozens of evaluation and management services, surgical procedure, and other coding challenges facing physician billing managers every day.
MANAGED MEDICARE & MEDICAID NEWS probes the plans and actions of federal health policymakers each week in the White House, HHS and Congress as they shape reform of the U.S. Medicare and Medicaid programs. Tells health care executives how changes in financing and regulations will make or cost them money. Also, gives extensive coverage of the findings of researchers on cost-effective delivery of health care services. For hospital CEOs and CFOs, state health officials, consultants, health policy analysts, trade associa tion lobbyists and officials, HMO and other managed care plan administrators.
RBRVS FEE CALC is a simple MS-DOS-based software program that automatically calculates physician payments under the Medicare RBRVS fee schedule and any other non-Medicare fee schedule based on Medicare’s relative values. RBRVS FeeCalc comes with a plain-English explanation of Medicare physician payment reform and the revolutionary resource-based relative value scale (RBRVS) fee schedule. It provides in one convenient looseleaf reference the data and advice needed in calculating a doctor’s reimbursement under the new payment system. Also included: relative values for thousands of physician services and the latest Medicare fee schedule regulations. Annual subscription includes periodic RBRVS Alerts and upgrades of RBRVS FeeCalc software.
Insurance Payment Dispute Resolution
Ombudsman Program
Regina McNally, RCMS Ombudsman
TEL: 516-488-6100, Ext 331
The Ombudsman Program intervenes on behalf of the physician when an insurance claim is in dispute and negotiations with a third party carrier have reached a stalemate. Experienced RCMS staff have been often able to recoup payments which have been consistently denied or inordinately delayed. It is requested that those seeking assistance with a specific problem describe the “history” and nature of the problem in a cover letter, attaching relevant communications with other involved parties, i.e. Medicare, Medicaid, Worker’s Compensation, No-Fault or other insurance carriers. For file documentation, the data should be submitted in duplicate. The cover letter should include language authorizing the Ombudsman to act on your behalf with the other parties involved.
Insurance Programs
Liberty Mutual
1133 Avenue of the Americas (17th Floor)
New York, New York 10036
TEL: 212-391-7500, Ext. 312 · FAX: 212-391-1902
Liberty Mutual offers a convenient, cost-effective personal insurance plan that features a discount automobile and a discount homeowners/condo program to RCMS members. The program features:
- Premium Discounts
- Convenient Monthly Payment Plan without a Service Charge
- Personalized Service
- 24 Hour Claim Service
- Annual Policies
- Competitive Rates
- 24 Hour Emergency Roadside Assistance
The firm also provides FREE educational brochures on such topics as:
- Injury, Collision and Theft Losses by Make and Model
- Child Safety in Your Auto
- Bicycle Safety
- Avoiding Collisions – How to Survive the Teenage Driving Years
Call the firm directly at 212-391-7500, Ext. 312 for further information or a price quote.
Endorsed Administrators, Inc.
2157 Union Blvd., P.O. Box 5671
Bay Shore, NY 11706
TEL: 1-800-556-1700
FAX: 516-665-2448
The Medical Society of the State of New York is sponsoring a series of programs designed to meet your health insurance needs. These programs can be used individually or in combination to give you comprehensive coverage. If you are uncertain of the benefits your health insurance provides, how much is paid toward your medical expenses and which benefits are not included, our program administrator, Endorsed Administrators, will be able to assist you with planning your personalized health insurance program.
Primary Health Insurance or Medicare Carve-Out – for more comprehensive primary or supplemental health insurance coverage, consider one of RCMS’s seven Primary Health Insurance or “Carve-Out” options.
Catastrophic Major Medical – use this plan as an added layer of protection with either RCMS’s Primary Health Insurance, Medicare Carve-Out or Medigap policy to fill in the gaps such as prescription drug coverage and private duty nursing, as well as the unexpected expenses of a serious illness.
Medicare Supplement (Medigap)* – all ten standardized policies are available at group rates. These plans are designed to help you fill the usual and expected “gaps” in your Medicare coverage. (*Note: You cannot carry both a Medigap and “Carve-Out” plan since insurance regulations prevent this.)
Long Term Care (LTC) – Nursing Home, Home Health Care and Assisted Living Facility Insurance – The only type of “nursing home” care Medicare helps pay for is skilled nursing facility care. Medicare does not pay for custodial care when that is the only kind of care you need!
For information on these RCMS-sponsored programs, please contact Endorsed Administrators, Inc. at 1-800-556-1700 and ask for:
- Primary Health Insurance/Medicare Supplement: Nicole DeFelice
- Medicare “Carve-Out”
- Catastrophic Major Medical: Wanda Ortiz
- Long Term Care: Victoria Townsend
- Coordinator: Christine Dirnagl
Endorsed Administrators, Inc. (EAI) is an insurance firm exclusively engaged in the administration of mem ber benefit programs serving professional associations in New York State the the past 68 years. Our account representatives are available to assist you in designing a health insurance program that best suits your needs.
MSSNY Insurance Service Center
Tel: 1-800-699-0772
The MSSNY Insurance Service Center currently offers competitively priced long term disability protection with a Business Overhead Option and a Term Life policy that offers Accidental Death and Dismemberment protection as an added option.
Contact the Center directly at 1-800-699-0772 for further information.
The needs of physicians vary. You are encouraged to compare various programs and services before making your buying decisions.
Medical Liability Mutual Insurance Company
2 Park Avenue
New York, NY 10016
TEL: (212) 576-9800
http://www.mlmic.com
Medical Liability Mutual Insurance Company (MLMIC) is a mutual insurance company organized in 1975, under the auspices of the Medical Society of the State of New York, in response to the State’s crisis of availability of professional liability coverage. Since its inception, MLMIC has become the largest physician-owned and operated professional liability insurance company in the State, as well as the nation, with over $325 million in annual premium.
MLMIC is a mutual insurer, and as such, it is owned and managed by the physicians and surgeons it insures. As owners, MLMIC policyholders not only receive the strongest combination of coverage features and underwriting support available to New York physicians, but they also shape the future of their Company through the election of its Board of Directors. MLMIC is the only insurer endorsed by the Medical Society of the State of New York, County Medical Societies, and the Dental Society of the State of New York.
MLMIC primarily underwrites professional liability insurance for physicians and surgeons, their employees, and dentists, as well as professional and general liability insurance for hospitals, managed care entities, and other health care facilities. MLMIC’s underwriting staff is one of the most experienced in the medical professional liability insurance industry, effectively evaluating and servicing a variety of professional liability risks insured on both an occurrence and claims made basis.
In addition to discounts for participation in their risk management programs, MLMIC offers a number of other discounts, such as those for new physicians, part-time practice, and prompt remittance of the full annual premium. MLMIC also has the largest most experienced claims staff in the State of New York and has successfully defended more physicians than all other insurers in the state combined. Our claims philosophy is based on the principle that groundless claims should be aggressively defended while every effort is made to expeditiously compensate claimants for meritorius claims.
MLMIC provides local representation by area claims representatives in our Manhattan, Long Island, and Syracuse offices. To discuss your individual needs and find out what your premium would be based on our rates, call 1-(800)- 456-4056 (upstate) or 1-(800)-275-6564 (NY metropolitan area) and ask to speak to one of our underwriters. Please also visit our Web site at http://www.mlmic.com
We hope that you will decide to join the majority of your colleagues by becoming a MLMIC policyholder.
Sedgwick of New York, Inc.
2000 Chase Square
Rochester, New York 14604
TEL: 1-800-462-6927 · FAX 716-546-6057
Providing:
- Physician’s Office Insurance Package(Property and Liability Coverage)
Contacts:
- Kevin McGuire, Sr. V.P. of Sedgwick of New York Inc.
- Lori Bowerman, Asst. V.P. of Sedgwick of New York Inc.
Magazines
The MSSNY Magazine Program
29 Glen Cove Avenue
Glen Cove, New York 11542
TEL: 1-800-289-6247 · FAX 516-676-6926
Lower Priced Magazines and a Free Personalized Inventory Service
You can save up to 50% off the usual subscription rates to popular magazines through the RCMS magazine program. The same low rates apply to new subscriptions and renewals. You can renew through RCMS even if you originally subscribed directly or through another program.
The Medical Society first introduced this service in 1983. Since that time, thousands of members have enjoyed the savings and convenience of this program. A full time, professional staff is available to assist you with any questions that may arise. You can rely on the staff to help you organize your magazine.
Several hundred of the most popular magazine titles are available at reduced rates. If you ever discover a lower advertised price for any magazine offered through this program, simply send in the promotional offer with your order and pay the lower amount.
A special Free Personal Inventory makes magazine ordering easier by sending a single form to alert members to all subscriptions with approaching renewal dates. This allows you to purchase all subscriptions at one time if you wish. You do not need to place an order to begin using the Personal Inventory. It is a free service designed to save members time and frustration when ordering publications. Of course, no orders will ever be placed without prior authorization.
To take advantage of this inventory service, simply send a magazine label (or a photocopy of the label) from each current subscription, to the MSSNY Magazine Program. Please be sure to indicate the name of each magazine on the label.
For more information on this RCMS membership benefit, call or write to:
The MSSNY Magazine Program
29 Glen Cove Avenue
Glen Cove, New York 11542
1-800-289-6247 or 1-800-BUY-MAGS
or Fax to 1-516-676-6926
Physician Advocacy Program
Kern Augustine Conroy & Schoppmann, P.C.
Attorneys to the Health Professionals
Tel: 1-516-326-1880
www.drlaw.com
Kern Augustine Conroy & Schoppmann, P.C. through The Physician Advocacy Program℠, is able to offer RCMS members comprehensive and cost-effective representation during all phases of governmental investigations and managed care contracting. The Physician Advocacy Programsm has various options and levels of protection. In addition to providing guidance and representation to RCMS members engaged in managed care contracts, The Physician Advocacy Programsm affords physicians an opportunity to be represented by experienced counsel when investigated by OPMC, Medicare/Medicaid OIG, or the Office of Health Systems Management, or when answering queries from IPRO.
For those matters falling outside The Physician Advocacy Programsm, Kern Augustine Conroy & Schoppmann, P.C. offer RCMS members a 20% discount from their usual fees and hourly charges. The Firm devotes its skills and resources to addressing the needs of physicians; so, it can focus on the intricacies and complexities that are unique to health law. It is an advantage that the Firm brings to every case. Whether you are involved in litigation with a hospital or managed care entity, dealing with a governmental inquiry, contractual issue or a problem touching on any other area of health care, Kern Augustine has the experience to represent you well.
Kern Agustine is an endorsed member benefit of the Medical Society of the State of New York and an approved member of the American Medical Association’s Physicians Advisory Network.
To contact Kern Augustine for information about The Physician Advocacy Programsm or its other services, Please visit our website at www.drlaw.com, call 516-294-5432, or e-mail us at [email protected].
© 1998, Kern Augustine Conroy & Schoppmann, P.C. All rights reserved.
Practice Marketing Assistance / Support Services
Medical Directory of New York State
997-1998 Edition
Published by The Medical Society of the State of New York
To order: 1-800-523-4405 or 516-488-6100 ext. 423
The Directory provides you with over 45,000 listings of physicians in New York State. It contains:
- An alphabetical index of physicians
- Physician listings by city/town
- Specialty index of physicians by city/town
- Professional Data for physicians includes medical school year of graduation, board certifications, fellowships, hospital affiliations, up to three office listings, phone and fax numbers (when available)
- Hospital Data include hospital staff lists by specialty for all New York State Hospitals.
The Directory is free to RCMS members and available to the public at a cost of $125 per copy which includes shipping and handling fees. Additional directories to members are available at substantial discounts. Local tax must be added. Volume discounts are available. Dial 1-800-523-4405 or 516-488-6100, Ext. 325 to request an order form or to place your credit card order.
MSSNY Mailing List / Label Service
Tel: 1-800-523-4005, Ext. 361
This service provides information from MSSNY’s data base of New York Physicians. Mailing lists or labels sorted by specialty, geographic area, zip code or other criteria are available at a reduced fee to members. Select statistical information is also available.
For further information call: 1-800-523-4405, Ext. 361.
Physician Peer Support Program
1-516-488-6100, Ext 406
Provides emotional support to physicians going through malpractice litigation. Physicians who have been through the process themselves have volunteered to assist their colleagues. All calls are confidential.
Practice Management Programs
TEL: 1-800-523-4405, Ext. 424
The Medical Society of the State of New York offers a spring and fall practice management series that includes programs on coding, third party reimbursement, collection, marketing your practice, merging and acquiring new practices, and much more.
For a list of the current practice management programs, please dial 1-800-523-4405, Ext. 424. Please note, registration fees are discounted for RCMS members and their staffs.
Home Study Materials
TEL: 1-800-523-4405, Ext. 348
The Medical Society of the State of New York provides members and the public with home study materials that will aid in compliance with regulatory agency edicts. RCMS offers the following:
Infection Control Training:
MSSNY, working under the technical guidance of the New York State Department of Health, has available a detailed video tape and workbook to enable you and your staff to meet the New York State mandate on infection control training for physicians, nurses and physician assistants. The home or office study course is available for $59 to RCMS members and $89 for nonmembers. To extend the program to your office staff, we are making supplemental workbooks and certification documentation available for $29 each for members and $49 for nonmembers. (A separate workbook is required for each staff member participating in the program.)
The program has been certified by MSSNY for four Category 1 CME credits and is now being reviewed for course certification by the American Academy of Family Physicians and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
With each package you order you get:
- A 45 minute video tape and workbook.
- A post test to be returned to MSSNY.
- A Certificate of Completion issued by MSSNY when the post test is completed.
- Direct registration with NYS Department of Health and NYS Education Department of those issued Certificates of Completion.
- A permanent data base maintained by MSSNY of those issued Certificates of Completion.
- Four Hours Category 1 CME credits.
In addition, each RCMS member physician purchasing a complete package for $59 is permitted to purchase up to 8 additional workbooks at $29 so that staff members may take the course and receive their individual Certificates of Completion.
Sales tax is added to New York State orders. Shipping and handling fee applies to all orders.
Vaccine Information Statements:
Federal Law (Section 2126 of the Public Health Service Act 42 U.S.C. ß 300aa-26) requires that vaccine statements must be given to parents or guardians, each time a vaccination is administered. The new forms no longer require a signature. The physician must note in the patient’s record that the new Vaccination Information Statement was presented to the parent or guardian.
The CDC’s newest Vaccine Information Statements are now available on easy, tear-off pads for a very low cost. Each pad has 100 statements. With each order you will receive a FREE Vaccine Record Repro Sheet.
The following Vaccine Information Statements are available at $4.50 per pad of 100 sheets:
- Chicken Pox Statements In English
- DPT Statements In English and Spanish
- Hepatitis A In English
- MMR Statements In English and Spanish
- Polio Statements In English and Spanish
- Td Statements In English and Spanish
- Hib Statements In English
- Hepatitis B Statements In English
- Vaccine Record Repro Sheets FREE – In English
Sales tax is applicable for New York State orders, and shipping & handling fee applies to all orders.
Dial 1-800-523-4405, Ext. 348 to request an order form or to place your credit card orders.
Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA): How The Law Affects Physician Offices:
This comprehensive manual includes a detailed overview of the ADA regulations (Title I & III) and information on how to avoid ADA violations, as well as a Technical Assistance manual on employment provisions.
Fees:
Member: $59.95
Non-Member: $89.95
Sales tax is applicable for New York State orders, and shipping & handling fee applies to all orders.
Dial 1-800-523-4405, Ext. 348 to request an order form or to place your credit card orders.
Resource Guides
MSSNY’s Division of Socio-Medical Economics makes available a variety of resource publications to help the physician and their office staffs cope with the myriad of details associated with filing third party claims.
Complimentary Publications Available
- Medicare Managed Care Program
- Medical Record Keeping and Evaluation/Management Guidelines
- Medicare Coding Combination Guidelines:
Publications Available at a Fee:
- Physician Contracting Guidelines
- Member: $19.95
- Non-Member: $34.95
- MSSNY’s New York State Workers’ Comp Guide
- Member: $19.95
- Non-Member: $30.00
- MSSNY’s New York State No-Fault Guide
- Member: $15.00
- Non-Member: $25.00
- Medicare Secondary Payer Information
- Member: $15.00
- Non-Member: $25.00
Local applicable sales tax and a shipping and handling fee of $5 must be added to each order.
Dial 1-800-523-4405, Ext. 333 for an order form or to place your credit card order.