On Friday, March 9th, Florida’s legislature passed HB 119 which will drastically change the availability of Florida’s No Fault medical benefits after an automobile accident. Originally, Florida’s personal injury protection insurance system, also known as PIP, was designed to provide $10,000 worth of coverage for automobile accident related medical treatment, regardless of who was responsible for causing the crash.
While most PIP claimants are honest Florida auto injury victims, unfortunately, some individuals have decided to file fraudulent claims to benefit from the PIP’s old ways. The new law is an attempt to prevent these false claims as well as aggressive billing practices by “PIP Clinics.” The new law also requires treatment within fourteen days of the accident. In the instance that the initial treatment does occur within fourteen days of the accident, follow up care is now limited to $2,500 if the treatment was not for an “emergency medical condition.” The ability for a chiropractor to decide if you have an “emergency medical condition” has been taken away and now delegated only to physicians, osteopaths, physician’s assistants and nurse practitioners. Massage and Acupuncture treatment will now be excluded from the list of approved medical services.
While the Bill may alleviate some of the aggressive billing practices of the PIP Clinics, it may also unjustly limit the coverage for Floridians who wait more than two weeks to seek treatment. In most cases, the small amount of $2,500 will not cover all of the patient’s medical bills for sprains, strains and whiplash injuries, which are common after an accident. And if an injured person is taken to the hospital by ambulance, most of the allotted $2,500 will already be eaten up. Legitimate physicians and chiropractors will also be affected in all of this because they will no longer be able to seek reimbursement for their services.
The idea behind shaking up the PIP was based on placing barriers on claims so Floridian’s auto insurance premiums would see some relief. However, experts predict that consumers will see few benefits from the new reform.
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Trayvon Martin And "Stand Your Ground"
17 year old Trayvon Martin was watching the NBA all star game with his dad on a Sunday afternoon. At halftime he decided to take a short walk to a market to purchase some skittles and an Arizona ice t. He would return home to watch the second half of the game and enjoy his snack and beverage... That is; if he hadn't met George Zimmerman.
Zimmerman, a self appointed neighborhood watch captain was "patrolling" his neighborhood when he came upon the "suspicious looking" Trayvon Martin. Zimmerman then dialed 911 and alerted police that he was following a crazy person on drugs. The 911 dispatcher told Zimmerman to stand down and let the police handle the situation. He didn't. Instead he continued to follow the 17 year old and forced a confrontation. A fatal confrontation. Details are sketchy, but we do know is that a 17 year old unarmed boy was shot to death after a scuffle. A scuffle that witnesses say was dominated by Zimmerman who outweighed Martin by over thirty pounds. So why did he need to shoot an unarmed boy while on top of him? How threatening can someone be if you have them pinned and you're armed?
The "Stand Your Ground Law" has allowed Zimmerman to walk free for the murder of Trayvon Martin. This is a law who's chief beneficiary is the NRA. A law that suggests using deadly force any and everywhere you "feel" threatened is just.
In the motion picture "Unforgiven", it was expected of townspeople and visitors to check their firearms in with the Sheriff when they enter the town of Big Whiskey. Though it was a movie, this wasn't an uncommon practice as the population began to increase around the turn of the 20th century.
Why did they seem to appreciate the importance of this back then? And why now does such a law exist when we are infinitely more dense a population than we were circa 1900?--Lobbyists and special interest groups. They have in essence created scenarios such as "Stand Your Ground" to further their agenda without regards to whom it affects.
Trayvon Martin never got to see the second half of the NBA Allstar game. He never got to eat his skittles. He never sipped his ice t. All because a law was put in to place that would have been considered outrageous 100 years ago. A law that allowed Zimmerman to "Stand His Ground" or impede on someone else's ground while in a vehicle and they're on foot. It sounds like this law gives individuals the freedom to choose the grounds--and the perceived threats. Essentially making every Florida resident a self appointed judge, jury and executioner.
Due process is something our country prides itself on. When evidence of a contradictory law such as this rears it's ugly head, we must speak up. Vigilantism is the worst response. Reform is what is needed... To save lives, and so kids wont be killed for simply wearing a hoodie.
Zimmerman, a self appointed neighborhood watch captain was "patrolling" his neighborhood when he came upon the "suspicious looking" Trayvon Martin. Zimmerman then dialed 911 and alerted police that he was following a crazy person on drugs. The 911 dispatcher told Zimmerman to stand down and let the police handle the situation. He didn't. Instead he continued to follow the 17 year old and forced a confrontation. A fatal confrontation. Details are sketchy, but we do know is that a 17 year old unarmed boy was shot to death after a scuffle. A scuffle that witnesses say was dominated by Zimmerman who outweighed Martin by over thirty pounds. So why did he need to shoot an unarmed boy while on top of him? How threatening can someone be if you have them pinned and you're armed?
The "Stand Your Ground Law" has allowed Zimmerman to walk free for the murder of Trayvon Martin. This is a law who's chief beneficiary is the NRA. A law that suggests using deadly force any and everywhere you "feel" threatened is just.
In the motion picture "Unforgiven", it was expected of townspeople and visitors to check their firearms in with the Sheriff when they enter the town of Big Whiskey. Though it was a movie, this wasn't an uncommon practice as the population began to increase around the turn of the 20th century.
Why did they seem to appreciate the importance of this back then? And why now does such a law exist when we are infinitely more dense a population than we were circa 1900?--Lobbyists and special interest groups. They have in essence created scenarios such as "Stand Your Ground" to further their agenda without regards to whom it affects.
Trayvon Martin never got to see the second half of the NBA Allstar game. He never got to eat his skittles. He never sipped his ice t. All because a law was put in to place that would have been considered outrageous 100 years ago. A law that allowed Zimmerman to "Stand His Ground" or impede on someone else's ground while in a vehicle and they're on foot. It sounds like this law gives individuals the freedom to choose the grounds--and the perceived threats. Essentially making every Florida resident a self appointed judge, jury and executioner.
Due process is something our country prides itself on. When evidence of a contradictory law such as this rears it's ugly head, we must speak up. Vigilantism is the worst response. Reform is what is needed... To save lives, and so kids wont be killed for simply wearing a hoodie.
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