There are a number of ways people are lured into signing up for Health Maintenance Organizations or HMOs. The best method so far is advertising or rather misleading advertising, in which HMOs appear to offer more than they actually deliver. I think this is one of the reasons why organizations like the Health Administration Responsibility Project exist.

One indicator of such misleading marketing tactics is when the offered plan is just too good to be true. And because of the implementation of ‘lock-in’ rule, wherein beneficiaries are not allowed to switch plans; all the more that this misleading advertising poses a great threat to the public than ever before.

Here are some marketing tactics HMOs use to lure beneficiaries to sign up for coverage:

• Unlimited prescription drug coverage. Consumers must be warned about this unlimited generic and brand name prescription drug coverage offer by several HMOs. The ‘unlimited’ catch is misleading since most HMOs cover only medications listed on a formulary or preferred drug lists.
• Better than Original Medicare. Some medical plans are actually offering more benefits than Medicare but they are not really for free. They come at a cost.
• $0 Premium offer. Plans often boast of a $0 premium while in fact individuals are required to pay their Medicare Part B premiums, done monthly at $78.20.

There are I guess a lot more, but the point here is that beneficiaries should really be on-guard against these marketing tactics. A nationwide list of healthcare specialist attorneys is available for those who might need some assistance in this particular issue.

Popularity: 80% [?]

Want to hire cheaper foreign workers instead of Americans? A lawyer tells you how to game the immigration system—and it’s all on YouTube!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fx–jNQYNgA

The video looks as though it could have been shot at almost any sleepy corporate seminar in the country, with one camera panning between a man in a suit and tie standing at a podium and others seated nearby. But the dialogue is riveting: It’s a group of lawyers openly discussing strategies for helping their clients pretend that they’re trying to recruit American workers—as required by law—while they, in fact, hire cheaper foreign workers. 

“[O]ur goal is clearly not to find a qualified and interested U.S. worker,” says Lawrence Lebowitz, director of marketing for the Pittsburgh law firm Cohen & Grigsby, before an audience of employers at the firm’s conference. The seminar provides details on how employers can meet the government’s requirements for the Permanent Labor Certificate program (PERM), which lets employers sponsor foreign workers for permanent residency if they can demonstrate no U.S. worker can fill a job. The trick, according to Cohen & Grigsby attorneys, is to only go through the motions of hiring Americans without ever intending to.

The video, which has been posted on YouTube (GOOG), is now sparking a sharp backlash. On June 21, Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Representative Lamar Smith (R-Tex.) fired off a letter to Cohen & Grigsby demanding an explanation for its advice, as well as going so far as to ask for the names of its clients. “Your firm’s video advises employers how to hire only foreign labor, while making it nearly impossible for a qualified American worker to get a job,” they wrote. “We look forward to hearing from you on how such advice is ethical and does not undermine the programs by enticing fraud and misuse.” (See the lawmakers’ letter here.) A public relations firm representing Cohen & Grigsby did not return phone calls seeking comment.

Popularity: 24% [?]

Two-Day Conference in Washington, DC Addresses State of Law Firm Marketing and Strategies for Attorney Business Development

WASHINGTON, DC — (MARKET WIRE) — 04/04/07 — The American Bar Association’s Law Practice Management Section will commemorate the 30th anniversary of the seminal law firm marketing case, Bates v. Arizona, on November 8-9, 2007 in Washington, DC with its first-ever Law Firm Marketing Strategies Conference.

The event features a number of all-attorney panels that will provide practicing lawyers with the most comprehensive look at how law firm marketing has evolved and where the profession is heading, as well as programs aimed at assisting lawyers and firms with improving their business development strategies.

“Bates set in motion an entire industry that continues to define the legal profession,” said Micah Buchdahl, Conference Chair for the Law Firm Marketing Strategies Conference. “It’s time to take a step back and look at what is working for law firms and examine where we can make strides.”

The two-day event will feature some of the most relevant and integral law firm marketing experts in the country, including Van O’Steen from Bates v. Arizona to talk about legal ethics; strategic communications specialist Chris Lehane and Infinite Public Relations’ Jamie Diaferia to talk about crisis communications, as well as a program on the impact of diversity initiatives on law firm business.

“The concept of law firm marketing continues to be an enigma to many members of the bar,” Buchdahl said. “This conference will address concerns, but also teach ‘best practices’ for moving forward with smart initiatives.”

Other panels will address some of the most pressing marketing issues faced by law firms of all sizes, including business development spending and technology marketing. In addition, the Conference will include two Extreme Marketing programs featuring ten speakers talking about ten topics for ten minutes apiece. These programs will feature partners from 20 national law firms.

The event will be held at the Omni Shoreham Hotel from 9 a.m. on Thursday, November 8, 2007 through 2 p.m. on Friday, November 9. A room block has been secured at an ABA LPM rate of $239/night.

For more information about the event and how to register, please visit www.lawpractice.org/marketingconference.

ABOUT THE ABA LAW PRACTICE MANAGEMENT SECTION

The mission of the ABA Law Practice Management Section is to provide innovative and practical information on marketing, management, technology, and finance, enabling legal professionals to better serve clients, achieve career goals, and balance their lives. The American Bar Association is the largest voluntary professional membership association in the world, with more than 400,000 members.

CONTACT:
Micah Buchdahl, Esq.
Conference Chair
American Bar Association - Law Practice Management Section
(856) 234-4334

Popularity: 18% [?]

A list of 15 rules for clients. This is brilliant.

Popularity: 15% [?]

I come across some random stuff doing research but wow, this has to be one of the simpler marketing programs I’ve stumbled across. And no, I don’t mean it’s a “snap” I mean simple like stupid. With blogs all too easy to create these days everyone’s blogging and after a buck.

The George Lindemann Jr pro blogger program just doesn’t seem to offer any substance. George, if I was going to do an all in one blogging program (and I’ve thought about it before), it would go something like this:

• Two Options: Hosted or Host yourself
• Hosted - Change templates to fit your ideal look and feel, preinstalled tools and plugins, monetization, etc.
• Host yourself - a plugin pack included in the plugin directory, optimization guide (simple, effective), monetization optimized templates, etc.

I would also talk about building real links. George Lindemann Jr’s program focuses on social media links which aren’t that effective (not from those sites anyways).

I’m strongly considering a full on legal blogging package.

Popularity: 12% [?]

The last month has been tough. I’ve been facing what I could refer to as “The Blogger’s Paradox”- I’ve been getting so much work that I simply haven’t had time to write anything meaningful. I’m not saying that this blog has generated so much business that I cannot find a few minutes to post anything. That’s not the case exactly. But I have had enough work to keep me from really dedicating the time I feel necessary to come up with quality posts.

Which brings me to the question: With blogs, should frequency of posting trump the quality of posts?

In some senses, I think so. First, frequency of blogging is often tied into attracting a following. I know that personally, as I tend to visit blogs that are updated daily (or at least a few times a week) over blogs that are infrequently updated yet have quality posts.

However, in the end, it is the quality of posts that make the blog. If the information I’m reading isn’t interesting and informative, it could be updated every hour- I’m not coming back.

So, I think there’s a balance. Keeping a blog that is updated regularly even when the author does not have a completely original, informative post. But at the same time, I truly believe bloggers should stay away from “forcing it.”

To me, “forcing it” happens when you do not have a topic to write about, yet you try to produce a post anyway. When that happens to me, I usually just link to something else I’ve found interesting. If I’m really uninspired, I’ll go into photoshop and make a picture of something ridiculous and post it without any explanation. Like this:

Popularity: 15% [?]