Law Changes Force AVMA To Drop Medical Insurance PlansDecember 21, 2012 The American Veterinary Medical Association’s Group Health and Life Insurance Trust will no longer provide medical insurance to its members after 2013, the trust announced Tuesday. The approximately 17,500 AVMA-member veterinarians who carry the medical coverage through GHLIT will have to seek medical individual plans effective Jan. 1, 2014. Members will receive normal coverage through 2013, and the trust will continue to carry life, disability and dental insurance products. But at the conclusion of 2013, the trust will no longer be able to provide medical insurance for its members. “Our hope over the next year is to act as a resource to help current policyholders transition to plans that are suitable to their families,” said GHLIT spokesperson Libby Wallace. The trust’s underwriter, New York Life Insurance Co., notified GHLIT that it would discontinue providing insurance to all group plans and to all members, likely because of changes under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which goes into effect Jan. 1, 2014, said Wallace. "Regarding New York Life's coverage of AVMA members, the company will continue …
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Banfield Survey Finds Owners Like Naming Pets Bella And KatnissDecember 21, 2012 Bella was the most popular name for dogs and second most popular name for cats in 2012 in what Banfield Pet Hospital is calling a trend in pet titles inspired by pop culture, celebrities, fictional characters and athletes. Portland, Ore.-based Banfield, researching the files of 2.5 million clients, pointed to the popularity of the movie series “The Twilight Saga” for the rise in Bella, the role played by actress Kristen Stewart. The name Renesmee, Bella’s daughter in the movie, became 42 percent more popular over the past year, Banfield reported Thursday. The book series “The Hunger Games,” which was released as a movie in March, has influenced pet owners as well. Katniss, a protagonist in the trilogy, was 18 times more common as a dog name and 14 times more common as a cat name than it was in 2011, Banfield noted. Others pet names likely derived from a popular film were Frankenweenie and Frankendoodle, Banfield discovered. The Tim Burton animated movie “FrankenWeenie” was released in September. Names that may have had celebrity influence were Snooki, after “Jersey Shore” star Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi; Lorenzo, after Polizzi’s son; and Blue …
Practice Lending Looking Up In The New YearDecember 19, 2012 If you’re looking to step out of the shadows and buy your own veterinary practice–or if you’re looking to sell and hang up the ol’ surgical gloves–2013 may be your year. Banks with cash to lend are looking for you. If that sounds like a commercial, it may be just the pitch potential practice buyers and sellers will hear this year. A business lending environment that has been less than stellar since 2007 may be nearing an end, and borrowers may once again start feeling more like coveted customers and less like they’re waiting in line at the department of motor vehicles. “There’s capital available for the first-time practice owner,” said Bill Murray, senior vice president with Bank of America Practice Solutions, headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. That’s one of the nation’s largest and best known lenders speaking like a salesman with money to hand out. And Murray has plans to make more loans in 2013. “We’ve tripled the amount to capital we’ve lent to the veterinary industry in the last couple of years,” he said. “And we expect to see that type of growth going forward for the next two or three years.” …
New CareCredit Website Features Easier NavigationDecember 19, 2012 Enrolled users may log in, process applications and transactions, and view and print key reports, the company reported. Each page features a link to the online Payment Calculator and a “click to chat” feature that connects the practice to a CareCredit customer service representative. Veterinary team members also may check the status of an application, request a credit line increase and reprint receipts, CareCredit noted. “We asked practices how we could provide a better experience online and used their input to develop and test a new site that is more functional, logical and efficient," said Oskar Vides, vice president of provider experience at CareCredit. "Everything they need on CareCredit’s website to help clients with financing options is easy to find and use.” CareCredit has offered veterinary client financing for more than 25 years. <HOME>
Virbac Chooses Paul Hays To Head U.S. Commercial OperationsDecember 19, 2012 Former Pfizer Animal Health executive Paul Hays was named president Monday of Virbac Corp.’s U.S. commercial operations. Hays will oversee sales, marketing, communications and technical services as well as brand management, customer relations and business planning. Fort Worth, Texas-based Virbac Animal Health manufactures an array of pharmaceutical products for cats, dogs, equine and farm animals, including the heartworm preventive Iverhart, the dermatological shampoo Dermazole and the antibiotic Biomox. Many Virbac products are sold exclusively through veterinarians. Hays worked as vice president of global diagnostics at Pfizer Animal Health since 2011, after his previous employer, Synbiotics Corp., where he served as CEO and president, was purchased by Pfizer. Before joining Synbiotics, Hays was an executive at Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica Inc., where he last served as executive vice president of U.S. business operations. Hays will report to Erik Martinez, CEO of Virbac North America. “Paul is a seasoned executive and a proven strategic leader with vast experience in managing pharmaceutical businesses, serving both U.S. and global customers and bringing products to market,” Martinez said. “Along with his animal health experience, this makes …
Death Of Veterinary Ophthalmologist Anthony Basher Ruled AccidentDecember 19, 2012 Veterinary ophthalmologist Anthony “Tony” Basher was intoxicated when the car he was driving caught fire Nov. 9 near Tucson, Ariz., killing him, the Pima County Medical Examiner’s Office reported today. Dr. Basher, 54, died at the scene from burns and carbon monoxide inhalation. His blood alcohol level was 0.19 percent, more than twice the legal limit, chief medical examiner Dr. Gregory Hess said. Basher’s death was ruled an accident. Basher, MRCVS, Dipl. ACVS, Dipl. ACVO, was staying at a friend’s rural house when he borrowed the owner’s Mercedes-Benz. He pulled into a neighborhood driveway and drove onto a grassy area, where the car’s heated catalytic converter apparently sparked a fire that engulfed the vehicle, authorities said. The British-born veterinarian had been working part time in Tucson and at Eye Care for Animals clinics in Temecula and Santa Monica, Calif. He previously practiced at Veterinary Specialty Hospital in San Diego. Basher was a diplomate of Small Animal Surgery (soft tissue) in the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons with an emphasis in ophthalmic surgery, plastic and reconstructive surgery, and head and …
Mold Problem Spurs Recall Of DogCandy Hound CakeDecember 19, 2012 The treats were sold exclusively in about 130 Petsmart stores in 36 states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin. The recall applies to 7.5-ounce packages with a best-by date of 08-2015 and UPC bar codes of 692614010058 (Blueberry Hound Cake) and 692614010041 (Holiday Hound Cake). Mold was found on several cakes after delivery to Petsmart, the FDA stated. The manufacturer reported that the cakes were packaged while warm, which raised the moisture content, and that procedures have been changed to prevent a recurrence. No pet illnesses were reported in connection with the recalled cakes, the manufacturer stated. Consumers may return the cakes to the nearest Petsmart store to receive a refund or ship them to Claudia's Canine Cuisine, 100 Four Paws Lane, Maumelle, Ark., 72113 and request a refund or a replacement product. All shipping fees will be reimbursed, the company reported. …
Tech, Service Seen As Top Growth Areas In Veterinary ProfessionDecember 18, 2012 A stagnant economy and fierce competition in the veterinary medicine market made 2012 a tumultuous year for the veterinary industry, but there is reason to be hopeful in 2013. New technologies, a renewed focus on service and communication and a pipeline of new treatments will help veterinarians increase client visits and provide better care to patients in the coming year and beyond. The industry may also receive some much-needed support from the federal government in the form of grants and loan repayments, but the notorious Fairness to Pet Owners Act is likely to resurface. Mobile Technology The first mass-produced personal computer, the Apple-powered Commodore PET, debuted in 1977 with a 1 MHz processor. Thirty-five years later, Apple put a device with 1,300 times the power of the Commodore PET into our hands with the iPhone 5. Cellular devices will continue to affect the veterinary industry both in the practice and in marketing to clients. A new device from San Francisco-based AliveCor can transform an iPhone into a clinical-quality electrocardiograph device. Called the Veterinary Heart Monitor, the device attaches like a case to an iPhone 4 or 4S. It includes a pair of …
750 Participate In Online Veterinary Trade ShowDecember 13, 2012More than 750 members of the veterinary community logged in to a virtual trade show Wednesday to download marketing material, learn about the newest products and engage in same-time chats with exhibitors. The sponsors—ImproMed, AVImark and Butler Schein Animal Health—acknowledged that VetBooth was designed to save time and money. “In this tight economy, we were able to provide an innovative and entertaining forum for customers to research critical areas of their daily business, without having to leave their home or the office,” said Ron Detjen, president of ImproMed LLC, an Oshkosh, Wis.-based manufacturer of practice management software. “The VetBooth team was thrilled to be have offered an online venue to provide the veterinary community with the opportunity to gather information about products and services from leading suppliers, just as they would at a traditional trade show.” The 10-hour event also featured downloadable vendor podcasts and live webinars, including five RACE-approved classes, said Jackie Herron Kempf, ImproMed’s marketing director. Among the 25 exhibitors were Abaxis of Union City, Calif.; Heska Corp. of Loveland, Colo.; LifeLearn Inc. of Guelph, Ontario, Canada; and Merial Ltd. of Duluth, …
Millions Of Pets Skip Wellness Checks, AVMA ReportsDecember 7, 2012 That was the word Thursday from the American Veterinary Medical Association, which released the 2012 U.S. Pet Ownership & Demographics Sourcebook, a survey taken every five years to measure the state of pet care and pet ownership in the United States. The AVMA found that 3.5 percent of dog owners and 9.6 percent of cat owners swear off all veterinary visits. In addition, 10.8 percent of dog owners and 27.1 percent of cat owners visit a veterinarian only when the animal is sick. The latter percentages translated to 7.5 million dogs and 20 million cats that see a veterinarian only when they’re ailing. “What is most perplexing is that so many dog and cat owners understand that routine check-ups and preventive health care are important for their pets,” said AVMA president Doug Aspros, DVM. “Nearly 90 percent of dog owners and 75 percent of cat owners surveyed indicated that routine check-ups and preventive care are either very or somewhat important.” Regular veterinary visits are crucial to an animal’s overall health, Dr. Aspros said. “What’s important to remember is that
