FALL 2009
Hot Topics Workshops Just Around the Corner
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Deborah Samples
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There are just a few weeks left until the first Texas Hospital Insurance Exchange Hot Topics Workshop, and I am thrilled with the great response thus far. The THIE team and I are excited to have this time to spend with you, our valued customers – to learn what’s on your minds, and to delve into the issues we are facing together in health care.
We especially are pleased to be able to offer continuing nursing education credits this year, in addition to the Category II (non-ACHE) credits we traditionally have offered.* The Hot Topics Workshops are offered each year as a complimentary service to THIE insured hospitals. Non-insured hospital representatives may attend for a nominal fee.
Here’s a sneak peak at what’s on the agenda:
- Electronic Medical Records: What You Need to Know;
- Health Care Employment Issues: The Changing Landscape;
- Inside the Dome: Update from the 2009 Legislative Session;
- Court Side: Recent Legal Cases, and How They Impact You; and
- Through the Case Files: A look at Recent Claims Cases
If you have not yet registered, there is still time! You can choose from one of two dates and great venues:
- Oct. 2- The Cliffs at Possum Kingdom Resort
- Oct. 16 – Inn on Barons Creek, Fredericksburg
Check out the brochure, and register online today!
Deborah Samples
President/Chief Executive Officer
Texas Hospital Insurance Exchange
* The Texas Hospital Association is an approved provider of continuing education by the Texas Nurses Association, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.
The Texas Hospital Association is authorized to award pre-approved Category II (non-ACHE) continuing education credit for this program toward advancement or recertification in the American College of Healthcare Executives.
THIE Gets Strong Financial Rating … Again!
In August, AM Best affirmed THIE’s B+ stable rating. This is excellent news as we continue to strive to maintain – and increase - this rating in the future. According to AM Best, the rating reflects THIE’s continued generation of operating income, improved risk-adjusted capitalization and conservative reserve position. The rating also acknowledges THIE's business focus as it provides commercial insurance products to small and rural Texas hospitals. This focus, combined with improved market conditions, has led to high policyholder retention levels, favorable operating results and stronger capitalization. THIE also has benefited from prior year loss reserve releases over the last few years as loss trends have been better than what were anticipated originally. As a result of these factors, THIE's surplus grew on a consistent basis.
Looking for Property Insurance? We Have It
Texas public hospitals now have access to affordable, hospital-specific property insurance through THIE’s new property insurance line launched in August. THIE launched the property coverage in response to strong demand from hospitals seeking to cover their facilities and equipment.
The new line is designed specifically for public-entity hospitals, with plans in the works to expand coverage soon to private hospitals as well. THIE researched the marketplace extensively and benchmarked the best policy offerings nationwide, before choosing to partner with Dallas-based Republic Insurance Group on this coverage. We are very excited about the synergy between these two longstanding Texas-based companies, combining Republic’s specialization in property insurance with THIE’s specialization in the hospital market.
If you have not yet requested a quote on this new insurance, I encourage you to contact Michelle Jennings or Liz Jennings today.
See You at the Texas Rural Health Forum
For anyone involved in rural health care in Texas, the 2009 Texas Rural Health Forum Nov. 9-10 at the Hyatt Regency Austin is the must-attend event of the year. The Rural Health Forum brings together hundreds of rural health care professionals from across the state, along with leaders from local communities, businesses, state agencies, academia and nonprofit organizations.
Among the topics on the agenda are:
- Workforce retention and recruitment;
- Reimbursement;
- Rural health policy;
- Funding;
- Access;
- Uninsured;
- Information technology;
- Quality improvement.
View the full agenda and register online by Oct. 17 to take advantage of discounted registration fees!
Office of Rural Community Affairs
The state agency dedicated to rural Texas got a new name Sept. 1, thanks to legislation passed in the 2009 session. The law changes the former Office of Rural Community Affairs to the Texas Department of Rural Affairs. You can find the department at www.tdra.state.tx.us. The agency’s duties and focus on rural communities remain the same.
Online Resources for Hospitals ... from Federal Stimulus to H1N1 Updates
As a member of the Texas Hospital Association family of companies, THIE brings its insured hospitals access to an array of helpful online resources. Some recent updates that may be of interest to you:
- Have questions about the HIT provisions of the federal stimulus package? Check out THA’s Federal Stimulus Resources, found in the Advocacy section of the THA Web site, under Federal Issues.
- What will federal health reform mean for rural Texas? Read THA’s background paper on issues specific to rural hospitals and talking points on federal health care reform. Stay tuned to breaking news and regular health reform updates on THA's Twitter page.
- For the latest on H1N1, check out the HINI Flu Resource section. It includes several resources and links that will be updated regularly through the coming months. Real-time updates also will be posted on THA’s new Twitter page created specifically for emergency communications (follow @THA_Emergency).
Note that some sections of the THA Web site are accessible only by THA members and require login. THA’s Web site is www.tha.org.
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