NEWS ARCHIVE
Pharmacists Mutual News & Announcements
PHARMACISTS MUTUAL INSURANCE GROUP ANNOUNCES SENIOR LEADERSHIP SUCCESSION PLAN
Contact: Lindsay Pilgrim lindsay.pilgram@phmic.com; 515-395-7277 www.phmic.com Algona, IA – Pharmacists Mutual Insurance Group announced that its Board of Directors has approved several changes to evolve the company’s senior leadership structure. These changes provide the strategic vision and leadership to usher in our company’s next phase of growth. Under the new structure, company veteran Shirley…
THE DES MOINES REGISTER NAMES PHARMACISTS MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANY A WINNER OF THE IOWA TOP WORKPLACES 2021 AWARD
Algona, IA – Pharmacists Mutual has been awarded a Top Workplaces 2021 honor by Iowa Top Workplaces for the fifth consecutive year. The list is based solely on employee feedback gathered through a third-party survey administered by employee engagement technology partner Energage LLC. The anonymous survey uniquely measures 15 culture drivers that are critical to…
RM Alert: Tropical Storm Ida
Tropical Storm Ida is currently in the Caribbean and expected to gain strength and become a hurricane this weekend. If it continues the predicted path, upper Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and the Florida Panhandle could have impact. As with any storm, the predicted path is subject to change, we urge you to monitor weather information…
RM Alert: Hurricane Henri
Tropical Storm Henri is expected to gain strength and become a hurricane by Saturday. If it continues the predicted path, it could make a rare landfall in New York, Rhode Island or Massachusetts by Sunday. Risks of storm surge, wind, and rain impacts in portions of southern New England and eastern Long Island are increasing.…
Congratulations to our 2nd quarter service anniversaries!
Patty Elbert – In 1996, Patty joined Pharmacists Mutual as a Life/Health Account Admin. In 2001 she became a Coverage Advisor. In 2017 she was promoted to Coverage Advisor Manager where she remains today. Patty received the Quality Performance award in 1998 and 2002, the Gung Ho Award in 2010, Multi Line Producer Award in…
RM Alert: COVID-19 Vaccine Errors and Deviations
Case study: A patient presents to the pharmacy for a COVID-19 vaccine. During the intake process, the pharmacist mistakenly pulls the Moderna vaccine for a 16-year-old patient. The error is discovered during the documentation process after the injection was given. What should the pharmacist do? The CDC has an excellent resource for those providing COVID-19…
RM Alert: Opioid Cases Continued – Suggestions for Pharmacy Owners
Another court ruling involving pharmacists’ duties in the dispensing of opioid prescriptions has been issued. Like the Ohio case referenced in September 2020, the latest ruling involves the idea of Red Flags and pharmacists’ duty to resolve them. Shortly after the Ohio decision, Walmart filed suit against the Department of Justice (DOJ) in the Eastern…
RM Alert: Federal Covid-19 Safety Program targets certain industries
The Occupational Safety Health Administration (OSHA) has launched a National Emphasis Program (NEP), which focuses enforcement efforts on industries that have the greatest number of workers at serious risk of contracting the coronavirus. These are temporary programs, short of issuing an emergency Covid-19 safety standard, which many thought would come after President Biden’s executive order…
RM Alert: Civil Unrest
Pharmacists Mutual cares very much about the well-being of our members. We support the rights of people to assemble and protest injustice peaceably. We stand opposed to any violence and destruction that is perpetrated by groups in the cities and towns that we serve. We know that you are concerned about the civil unrest that…
Vaccination Requirement Considerations for Employers
As we move beyond the dark path created by the COVID-19 pandemic, we look forward to the prospect of greener pastures afforded through mass vaccinations. While the vaccination will lend itself greater control of the virus, it also presents a series of moral and ethical obligations to business owners of all sizes. There is no…
Pharmacists Mutual Introduces New Individual Pharmacy Technician Professional Liability Policy
Algona, Iowa – Pharmacists Mutual Insurance Company, with its century-long legacy for personalized service to its members nationwide, is pleased to unveil professional liability coverage specifically for Pharmacy Technicians. The pharmacy technician profession is ever-changing and expanding. With these changes, there is an increase in professional liability exposure for the technician. Pharmacists Mutual acknowledges the…
IMPORTANT – ACTION REQUIRED FOR CA WORKERS’ COMPENSATION MEMBERS
Dear Pharmacists Mutual California Members, This is a follow up to our September 23rd communication regarding SB 1159. This new law was signed by California Governor Gavin Newsom on September 17th and went into effect immediately. One of the important components of this law is the mandatory reporting responsibility of COVID-19 data by employers to…
UPDATES FROM OUR CEO REGARDING COVID-19
As active COVID-19 cases climb in northern Iowa, I have made the difficult decision to close the PMIG Algona, Iowa office to most employees and the public. Effective Monday, September 21, 2020, all Algona employees, with limited exceptions, will be working remotely. Similarly, the PMC Advantage offices will be open by appointment only. Our priority…
The Des Moines Register Names Pharmacists Mutual Insurance Company a Winner of the Iowa Top Workplaces 2020 Award
Algona, IA – Pharmacists Mutual has been awarded a Top Workplaces 2020 honor by The Des Moines Register. The list is based solely on employee feedback gathered through a third-party survey administered by employee engagement technology partner Energage, LLC. The anonymous survey uniquely measures 15 drivers of engaged cultures that are critical to the success…
Premium Deferral for Members Impacted by Hurricane Laura
For members with insurance policies issued in Louisiana and Texas who are affected by Hurricane Laura Upon request, payments due on Pharmacists Mutual Insurance Company, Chiron Insurance Company, and Rx Life policies (administered by Pharmacists Mutual) may be deferred for up to 60 days to provide extra time to work through this crisis. If you…
Driving Change through One Simple Solution: Trees
Pharmacists Mutual Insurance Company Joins the Arbor Day Foundation’s Time for Trees™ Algona, Iowa, September 1, 2020 – Pharmacists Mutual Insurance Company joins the Arbor Day Foundation in their Time for Trees initiative. For every policy that goes paperless from September 1, 2020 through August 31, 2021, Pharmacists Mutual will donate $1.00 to the Arbor…
Premium Deferral for Members Impacted by Wildfire in California
Pharmacists Mutual is always with you – especially during your time of need. We are providing premium deferral of up to 60 days to members impacted by the fires in California. Payment requirements on policies written with other insurance companies through our agency, PMC Advantage Insurance Services, Inc., will be determined by those companies. …
Pharmacists Mutual Insurance Company Named a 2020 Property-Casualty Ward’s 50® Company
Algona, Iowa – July 16, 2020 – Aon plc, a leading global professional services firm providing a broad range of risk, retirement, human capital, and health solutions, has released the list of Ward’s 50® top-performing insurance companies for 2020, identifying U.S. companies that have achieved superior financial performance. Ward benchmarking is the leading operational and…
Annual Meeting Notice
As a member of Pharmacists Mutual Insurance Company, you are invited to the annual meeting on Wednesday, August 19, 2020, at 9:00 a.m. This meeting will be held virtually. If you are interested in attending the virtual meeting, please register at https://AnnualMeeting.phmic.com between July 20 and August 18, 2020, at noon. The agenda for this…
RM Intel Alert: HB 2455
On Friday, June 5th, Illinois Governor J. B. Pritzker signed an omnibus labor bill that includes death benefits for first responders who were presumably infected with COVID-19 while on duty and workers’ compensation benefits for essential workers under certain conditions. HB 2455 is the product of negotiations between business and labor establishing evidentiary standards and…
COVID-19 Testing. Our pharmacists are covered.
Are you covered to order and administer COVID-19 tests to your patients? Yes, you are! Pharmacists are permitted to order and perform testing for COVID-19 pursuant to a declaration by the Secretary of Health and Human Services under the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness (PREP) Act. These activities are already included in the definition of…
Personal Auto Credit
Pharmacists Mutual COVID-19 Relief
Pharmacists Mutual Insurance Company has been helping our members through difficult times for more than 110 years. Due to a reduction in travel caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, we are refunding approximately 15% of Pharmacists Mutual’s personal auto premium earned in April and May of this year. The refund will be offered as a one-time…
RM Intel Alert: Drug Shortages
April 3, 2020 Drug shortages, including human, animal, and biological products, have been an ongoing issue for the past several years. Many shortages were a result of market changes and supply challenges. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has created an acute demand for certain products and a disruption in the supply chain. The FDA is…
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act
Congress recently passed and President Trump signed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act into law on March 27, 2020. The Act contains a multitude of provisions on a number of different topics. Pharmacists Mutual is providing this summary to help you implement the requirements under the Act. Since every business has unique…
Inform: Families First Coronavirus Response Act
Congress recently passed and President Trump signed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (HR 6201), which becomes effective April 1, 2020 and continues through December 31, 2020. Pharmacists Mutual is providing this alert to its members to help you implement the requirements under the act. There are two specific provisions that provide employees with additional…
Indy Health Incorporated Partners with Pharmacists Mutual Insurance Company for Independent Pharmacy Owned Medicare D Plan
Columbus, OH – March 19, 2020 Indy Health Inc. has partnered with Pharmacists Mutual Insurance Company to provide support for independent pharmacies and their patients. Indy Health Inc. has formed Indy Health Insurance Company, which will provide a Medicare Part D prescription drug plan designed to be friendly to independent pharmacies and patients. Indy Health…
Premium Deferral for Members Impacted by COVID-19
March 16. 2021 Pharmacists Mutual is always with you – especially during your time of need. We are providing premium deferral to members impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. What does this mean for you? If you are a member in the District of Columbia, we will comply with Commissioner’s Order 03-2020. This means…
Make Sure Your Family is Safe – Home Fire Preparedness
Jen Aultman, CPhT, Risk Management Consultant Home fires can devastate your life. Even a small fire often requires residents to evacuate and reside elsewhere while clean up takes place. Smoke damage can cost thousands of dollars in damage to personal items, not to mention the time to clean what is salvageable. Fire can grow exponentially…
THE DES MOINES REGISTER NAMES PHARMACISTS MUTUAL A WINNER OF THE IOWA 2019 TOP WORKPLACES AWARD
Pharmacists Mutual has been awarded a 2019 Top Workplaces honor for the third consecutive year by The Des Moines Register. The list of companies recognized is based solely on employee feedback gathered through a third-party survey administered by research partner Energage, LLC, a leading provider of technology-based employee engagement tools. The anonymous survey measures several…
Pharmacists Mutual Insurance Company Named a 2019 Property Casualty Ward’s 50® Company
Algona, Iowa – July 17, 2019 Pharmacists Mutual Insurance Company, with its century-long legacy in the insurance and risk management market, is pleased to announce that it has been named to the prestigious Ward’s 50®list of top insurance companies for 2019. This marks the fourth consecutive year Pharmacists Mutual has earned this esteemed recognition. Ward…
A Breaking Problem
Jen Aultman, Risk Management Consultant, CPhT If an appliance in your home, garage or business had a 25% chance of causing fire – what would you do? Hopefully, the answer is to remove the source of danger. This example could be a reality in your home. Federal Pacific mass manufactured breaker boxes from the 1950’s…
Tornado Preparedness
With winter behind us, our thoughts turn to spring and summer. Unfortunately, with the change of season, also comes the threat of tornados. As with every threat we face in life, putting it into context helps us decide what to do to prepare for the threat. Tornados: Occur more frequently in the U.S. than anywhere…
National Conference of Insurance Legislators (NCOIL) Meeting
Don McGuire of Pharmacists Mutual Insurance Company was among those attending the meeting of the National Conference of Insurance Legislators (NCOIL) in Oklahoma City. The purpose was to assist NCPA and other pharmacy groups in advocating for a PBM Licensure and Regulation Model Act. NCPA and its partners have worked on this effort for the…
Pharmacists Mutual Provides Premium Deferral through January 15, 2019, for those in Specified Areas Impacted by Hurricane Michael
Pharmacists Mutual is always with you – especially during your time of need. We are providing premium deferral through January 15, 2019, to all our members affected by the recent hurricane in Georgia and part of Florida. What does this mean for you? Payments due on Pharmacists Mutual Insurance Company (PhMIC) and Rx Life policies…
Pharmacists Mutual Insurance Company Named a 2018 Property Casualty Ward’s 50® Company
Pharmacists Mutual Insurance Company, with its century-long legacy in the insurance and risk management market, is pleased to announce that it has been named on the prestigious Ward’s 50 list of top insurance companies for 2018. This marks the third consecutive year Pharmacists Mutual has earned this esteemed recognition. Ward Group has analyzed property-casualty and…
The Des Moines Register names Pharmacists Mutual a Winner of the Iowa 2018 Top Workplaces Award
Pharmacists Mutual has been awarded a 2018 Top Workplaces honor by The Des Moines Register. The list is based solely on employee feedback gathered through a third-party survey administered by research partner Energage, LLC (formerly WorkplaceDynamics), a leading provider of technology-based employee engagement tools. The anonymous survey measures several aspects of workplace culture, including alignment,…
Pharmacists Mutual Provides Premium Deferral through December 31st for Puerto Rico
Pharmacists Mutual Provides Premium Deferral through December 31st for Puerto Rico Pharmacists Mutual is always with you – especially during your time of need. That’s why we are providing the added peace of mind of premium deferral through December 31, 2017 to all of our members affected by recent natural disasters in Puerto Rico. What…
Pharmacists Mutual Winner of 2017 Top Workplaces Award
THE DES MOINES REGISTER NAMES PHARMACISTS MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANY A WINNER OF THE STATE OF IOWA 2017 TOP WORKPLACES AWARD ALGONA, IA September 20, 2017 – Pharmacists Mutual has been awarded a 2017 Top Workplaces honor by The Des Moines Register. The Top Workplaces lists are based solely on the results of an employee feedback survey…
Pharmacists Mutual Provides Premium Deferral through November 15
Pharmacists Mutual Provides Premium Deferral through November 15, 2017 for those in Specified Areas Impacted by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. Pharmacists Mutual is always with you – especially during your time of need. That’s why we are providing the added peace of mind of premium deferral through November 15, 2017 to all of our members affected…
Ward’s Top 50 2017
Algona, Iowa – July 27, 2017 – Pharmacists Mutual Insurance Company, with its century-long legacy in the insurance and risk management market, is pleased to announce that it has been named to the prestigious Ward’s 50 list of top insurance companies for 2017. This marks the second consecutive year Pharmacists Mutual has earned this esteemed…
Pharmacists Mutual Unveils New Logo, Tag Line, and Vision for the Future
Algona, Iowa – July 20, 2017 – Pharmacists Mutual Insurance Company, a nationally recognized leader with a century-long legacy in the insurance and risk management market, today announced its new vision and tag line: “Tomorrow. Imagine That.” With this comes a planned refresh of the company’s corporate logo. Members and employees will begin to see…
ALERT: Members in Illinois
The Illinois Department of Insurance issued Bulletin 2017-03 on July 17, 2017, regarding the flooding that has affected Cook, Kane, Lake, and McHenry counties in Illinois. This bulletin was issued to all companies licensed to transact business in Illinois. Pharmacists Mutual Insurance Company and The Pharmacists Life Insurance Company are aware of this bulletin, and…
Dental Fraud: A $12.5 Billion Dollar Problem
People often see dentists as professional, caring, ethical and honest individuals. However, there are employees and some dentists out there that can tarnish this image. An emerging issue that is growing is fraud in the dental practice. According to the National Health Care Anti-Fraud Association, of the $250 billion spent on dental care procedures annually,…
Foundation Cracks – Unseen Danger
Do you have cracks in your home’s foundation walls or floor? Cracks in your foundation can allow water to seep in, causing damage to the interior of your home. These cracks can also let in something you can’t even see-. You may have a guest in your house and not even know it. The name…
Drug Security in the Independent Pharmacy
Since the CDC declared an epidemic of prescription drug abuse in the United States in 2010, numerous programs and initiatives have been implemented to control access to narcotics. These have included prescription drug monitoring, increased DEA activity, addiction treatment funding, changes in prescription guidelines, drug take back programs, crackdowns on pill mills, and rescheduling of…
Sewer Backup Prevention and Coverage
To prevent a back up of your sewer and drain system, it is helpful for property owners to be aware of what might cause a back up, and what preventative measures can be taken. Whether you are purchasing a new home, or have owned your property for several years, it can provide great benefit to…
Veterinary Prescriptions … Are You Prepared?
Community pharmacists face a growing challenge: They are being asked to fill an increasing number of veterinary prescriptions. This trend is here to stay, and the challenges pharmacists face in filling pet prescriptions will be compounded if the Fairness to Pet Owners Act of 2015 is enacted as law. This Act would require veterinarians to…
Smartphone Apps for the Pharmacist
Looking for smart phone apps for Pharmacists? Type “smart phone apps for the pharmacist” in a Google search and you’ll get about 92,000,000 hits. We found it pretty easy to search through and find something for just about every aspect of pharmacy. Everything from drug guides to symptom checkers, apps about vacinations and even popular…
Honesty About Dishonesty – Employee Theft
No businessowner wants to think about an employee stealing from them. Nor does a businessowner want to think about their vendors stealing from them. Even if we don’t want to think about these things happening, the reality is, it most likely has or will happen. Do you really know what your business insurance covers or…
The Impact of Insurance Fraud
Insurance fraud − in the most simple of terms − is a lie told to steal the financial protections and benefits of insurance. Insurance fraud is a felony crime that imposes significant financial and personal costs on individuals, businesses and society as a whole. It’s a crime that is not only widespread, but also growing,…
Safe Deposit Boxes
Have you ever made mental note of some paperwork you have at home which deserves special treatment and safety? Maybe it is an old love letter your parents exchanged, or a copy of a special photograph. How about your social security card? If any of these things has come to mind, a safe deposit box…
Ice Dams
The winter of 2014 brought with it a significant number claims related to ice dams. With the next winter approaching, we thought it would be helpful to provide some information on ice dams: how they form, strategies to prevent and/or remove them, and tips on protecting your property from resulting leaks. Ice dams form when…
Dispose of Unneeded Medications to Protect Your Loved Ones
Prescription drug abuse has reached epidemic proportions across the country. In 2011, over 6 million people aged 12 or older abused prescription drugs, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, a government agency that conducts a national survey on related topics each year. The same survey showed that over 50% of people…
Proactive Narcotic Abuse Screening
Case: An independent pharmacy filling high-doses of narcotic CNS depressants for a middle-aged man, receives notice of a claim. The patient was found unresponsive by his wife, and pronounced dead at the scene. Toxicology reports indicate supratherapeutic concentrations of hydrocodone, oxycodone, and alprazolam. Additionally, multiple tablets of Oxycontin® are found in the patient’s stomach upon…
Homeowner H”app”iness
To say we have busy lives is an understatement. Most of us could use more time in our day. We have many things to do and keep track of. Caring for our families and homes are responsibilities most of us take pride in. From major home improvement projects to painting a wall, a little help…
Is it an Inside Job?
At Pharmacists Mutual, the Risk Management department regularly reviews pharmacy crimes to evaluate ways to help member companies consider security measures in their pharmacies. A burglar often visits a pharmacy before breaking in. The average burglar visits his or her target five times; allowing them to check out motion sensors and other security measures, learn…
Not Only How, But Why
A recent edition of Pharmacy Today magazine contained an article that talked about pharmacists getting the right drug at the right dose to the right patient at the right time. The article was discussing pharmacogenetics and not dispensing errors. However, the article did remind me how critical it is to deliver the proper medication to…
Actions to Take When There is an Active Shooter
The term Active Shooter is fairly new in the lexicon of crime. It became popular in the past decade as a way of quickly describing situations where a person or persons was in the area, armed and intent on doing harm. Over the years, active shooter incidents have included shootings at post offices, schools, offices,…
Dealing with the Aftermath of a Home Fire
Each year in the United States there are over 360,000 home fires reported to fire departments. The chance of your household becoming part of these statistics in your lifetime is 1 in 4. If you include fires not reported to the fire department, estimates from the National Fire Prevention Association indicate that each household can…
Why Should I Carry Professional Liability Coverage?
We hear this question on a regular basis. We hear many reasons why a pharmacist or pharmacy owner does not feel it is necessary to have a personal policy. Think about the principle of auto insurance. We know we insure our own car, but sometimes the problem is whether the other driver has insurance. The…
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