Message froM the president and ceo - Medical Assurance Company ...

Third Quarter 2008
Some of you may have received
information recently regarding a
Texas medical liability company
that has purchased the Mississippi
Medical Malpractice Availability
Plan (MMAP), the so-called risk pool
created by the legislature in 2003 in
response to the malpractice crisis that
began in the 1990s.
Or, you may have received correspondence
from an insurance agency in
Hattiesburg that apparently represents
several medical liability carriers.
Or, you may have been contacted by
any number of other companies or
agents who have recently developed
an interest in writing med-mal
coverage in Mississippi.
Although we do not know a lot
about any of these companies, we
have no reason to believe that they
are not well-financed, reputable
organizations, and we are pleased
that physicians in Mississippi now
in this issue
Message from the president and ceo
2
2008 Caldwell Award Winner Announced
at MSMA Annual Session
have alternatives when it comes to
purchasing liability insurance.
We are not surprised to see other
carriers willing to write in our state
now. In fact, we would be surprised
if it were otherwise. The entire
medical liability industry appears to
be in a soft market, and Mississippi,
in particular, has become very
attractive, especially since the legal
environment has improved so much.
We do not know what rates any
of these new companies will be
charging, but we must repeat some
admonitions that we suggested in
previous soft markets.
First and foremost, if you get a quote
that is less than MACM’s current
rate, be very cautious. We remain
convinced that no company can
write policies in this state below
ours and stay in business for any
extended period of time. We know
the market better than anyone, we
have a much better, more thorough
underwriting process, and we execute
all insurance processes (claims,
underwriting, risk management,
marketing, etc.) from one building
in Mississippi. Furthermore, we are
not profit driven, and we do not pay
agents’ commissions. It just seems
incredible to us that any company
can effectively compete against our
obvious advantages, especially at a
lower premium rate.
Secondly, we exist only to insure
Mississippi physicians who practice
in Mississippi. As we have already
proven, we will not abandon our
policyholders if and when times get
rough and the next hard market
develops. Those of you who have
been in practice for at least 10 years
will remember what happened in
the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Those companies who did not go
bankrupt (and at least two companies
writing in Mississippi did just that,
President’s message continued on Page 4
3
2009 Renewal Forms Due Back to
MACM by September 8

2008 Robert S. Caldwell, MD Award
Joy Houston, MD Named recipient
at MSMA Annual Session
Joy Houston, MD, a psychiatry resident at the University
of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, has been
named the recipient of the 2008 Robert S. Caldwell,
MD Memorial Award by Medical Assurance Company
of Mississippi. This annual award was presented to
Dr. Houston on May 30, 2008, during the House of
Delegates meeting at the 140 th Mississippi State Medical
Association Annual Session.
2
Each year, Medical Assurance Company of Mississippi
presents the Caldwell Memorial Award in the interest of
furthering medical/legal education in Mississippi. This
award is given in recognition of excellence in medical
care, record keeping, leadership, and high standards in
teaching medical students and fellow residents.
Chosen to receive this award by an ad hoc committee
of UMMC faculty, Dr. Houston was recognized for her
compassion in working with patients and their families.
“Dr. Houston is a thorough and exacting clinician who
understands the important aspects of not only providing
patient care, but also maintaining concise, complete and
meaningful medical records,” Dr. Allen Richert, program
director of the UMMC Department of Psychiatry,
said. “Dr. Houston’s communication skills go beyond
the written word and include the ability to interact
compassionately, empathetically and professionally with
patients, families and her peers.”
In 2000, Dr. Houston graduated from Millsaps College
with a degree in psychology. She received her medical
MACM Medical Director Michael D. Maples, MD and Caldwell
Award Winner Joy Houston, MD
degree from the University of Mississippi School of
Medicine in 2004.
The Robert S. Caldwell Award is entitled in memory
of the late General Surgeon from Tupelo who was
instrumental in the formation of Medical Assurance
Company of Mississippi. Dr. Caldwell served on
MACM’s first Board of Directors and was elected the
Company’s first Secretary. At the time of his death,
Dr. Caldwell was President-Elect of the Mississippi State
Medical Association.
MACM Board Member Named Family Physician of the Year
MACM Board Member George R. Bush, MD was
recently recognized as Family Physician of the Year
by the Mississippi Academy of Family Physicians at
its 59 th Annual Convention held in Sandestin, Florida,
July 13-17, 2008.
This award is presented annually to a physician
contributing the most to the development of Family
Medicine in the state. It is known as the John B.
Howell Memorial Award and was established in
memory of Dr. Howell, a pioneer in the practice of
Family Medicine.
Dr. Bush is in group practice at Westridge Family
Clinic in Laurel. He graduated from the University
of Mississippi School of Medicine and completed his
Family Medicine residency at the University
Medical Center where he served as Chief
Resident. He is a past chief of staff of South
Central Regional Medical Center and a
former member of the Board of Trustees of
the Mississippi State Medical Association.
Dr. Bush has been a member of the MACM
Board of Directors since 1992.
Dr. Bush has served in many offices and on
Dr. George R. Bush
numerous committees, including leading the
Mississippi Academy of Family Physicians
as President from 1989-1990 and Alternate Delegate
and Delegate to the American Academy of Family
Physicians for several years. He has had many students
MAFP Family Physician of the Year continued on Page 4

fastfacts
Renewal Applications Due September 8, 2008
How to Have a Successful Renewal Process
Each year in August, the MACM Underwriting
Department begins putting together renewal packets for
over 2,900 physician and clinic policies. This year, these
packets will be mailed to all insureds by late August and
will have a due date of September 8, 2008.
When you receive your renewal packet this year, please
take a few minutes to fill it out completely. Read and
answer all questions thoroughly. New questions have
been added to this year’s form and other questions may
have changed.
Following are some ways that will help us make this
process easier.
Return the Renewal Information Form by the first
requested date. The Underwriting Department includes
a staff of six that are responsible for renewing over
2,900 policies by the first week of December. This
process includes reviewing each policy individually,
indentifying new information, calculating a new
premium, and scanning the renewal form into the
computer system. The sooner we receive your Renewal
Form, the sooner your policy can be renewed.
Answer every question with Yes or No. Every question
included on the renewal form is there for a reason.
Please answer each one (even if it does not apply to your
specialty). Also, please provide additional information
or an explanation if requested.
Include letters from treating physicians as requested.
Proper documentation of all treatments that an insured
has undergone is critical to the renewal process. Please
follow up with your treating physician and assist us in
getting letters and documentation in a timely manner.
Provide the correct information in the Corporate/
Business section. The exact name of any entity (for
example, PA, PLLC, etc.) is important to make sure the
appropriate coverage is issued. If we have the incorrect
legal name of your practice, you may not have coverage.
Include contracts if you are requesting Contractual
Liability or Additional Interest Entity coverage.
We cannot consider coverage for you if we do not
have access to the appropriate contracts and
documentation.
If you answer “Yes” to any questions
related to the ER, you must complete
the additional section. Please provide
us with all of the information
requested so that we can provide the appropriate
coverage.
Request the correct Certificates of Insurance. Listed on
the renewal form are the facilities for which you have
previously requested a Certificate of Insurance. Please
review this section for accuracy and edit if necessary so
that we can provide your COIs as quickly as possible to
the correct facilities.
Don’t forget to sign your Renewal Information Form.
The RIF will not be valid and will not be processed
without your signature.
Use your physical address for your home address. Below
the line for your signature, a space is provided for
your home address. If a post office box is listed, your
application cannot be processed and you will receive a
follow up phone call. Please be assured that none of the
information you provide will be released outside of the
MACM offices.
Return your Renewal Information Form by postal mail
or hand delivery. Only the original RIF can be accepted.
Please do not fax your form back to us.
Notify us of ANY changes to your practice. Be sure
to submit any changes to your practice as requested
on the Renewal Information Form (for example, new
procedures, partners, locations, employees). If we
are not notified of changes to your practice, you may
not be covered in the event of a claim. Therefore, it is
important to notify us during the year as well.
Please alert your staff now to look for the 2009
Renewal Information packets in late August.
Working together, we will once again have a
successful renewal process.
3

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President’s message continued from Page 1
one leaving its policyholders with only limited
protection from the Mississippi Guaranty Fund
and the others with no protection whatsoever,
even for claims already reported), simply got out
of the med-mal business altogether or pulled out of
Mississippi.
Third, there is a market for companies who
genuinely want to help Mississippi physicians. We
have said that it has never been our goal to insure
every doctor in the state. We believe we could, if
we really wanted to. We have no target number or
percentage of physicians that we wish to insure. We
will continue to do business as we always have, in
the good times and bad, by evaluating requests and
insuring those physicians who desire coverage and
meet our underwriting guidelines for same.
As always, I thank you for your support of and
participation in MACM.
Sincerely,
MAFP Family Physician of the Year continued from Page 2
and residents rotate through his clinic during his 29
years of medical practice as he served as supervisor
of students and residents with the University of
Mississippi Medical Center Department of Family
Medicine.
Dr. Bush is an officer of First Baptist Church of
Laurel Sunday School and an active deacon. He
has been active with youth baseball and served
for 25 years as team doctor for the Laurel High
School Tornado football team. Dr. Bush is an avid
outdoorsman and has been a lifetime member of the
Missississippi Wildlife Federation and is a Director
at Large of the Mississippi Wildlife Foundation. Dr.
Bush and his wife, Nancy, have raised two sons,
Kyle and Richard, and have four grandchildren.
Dr. Bush has been a member of the American and
Mississippi Academy of Family Physicians since
1979.
Michael D. Houpt
President and CEO
medical assurance company of mississippi
404 West Parkway Place
Ridgeland, Mississippi 39157
601.605.4882
800.325.4172
macm.net
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Information contained in this publication is
obtained from sources considered to be
reliable. However, accuracy and completeness
cannot be guaranteed. Information herein
should not be regarded as legal advice.
The Monitor is a publication of Medical
Assurance Company of Mississippi.
Editor: Wendy Powell