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" The Voice Of Interventional Pain Management "
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| Interventional pain procedures to be studied by OIG |
The Office of Inspector General announced in the 2008 Work Study Plan they will review Medicare payments for interventional pain management procedures to determine the appropriateness of Medicare payments for interventional pain management procedures and assess the oversight of these procedures. (see Excerpt of the plan below)
We will review Medicare payments for interventional pain management procedures. Section 1862(a)(1)(A) of the Social Security Act provides that Medicare will pay for services only if they are medically necessary. Interventional pain management procedures consist of minimally invasive procedures, such as needle placement of drugs in targeted areas, ablation of targeted nerves, and some surgical techniques. Many clinicians believe that these procedures are useful in diagnosing and treating chronic, localized pain that does not respond well to other treatments. Interventional pain management is a relatively new and growing medical specialty. In 2005, Medicare paid nearly $2 billion for these procedures. We will determine the appropriateness of Medicare payments for interventional pain management procedures and assess the oversight of these procedures. (OEI; 05-07-00200; expected issue date: FY 2008; work in progress)
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The Clock is Ticking - Continue to Act |
We still have much work ahead of us to make an impact in the pending cuts to physician payments, office procedures, ambulatory surgery centers as well as a lack of funding for NASPER.
I urge you to take this matter seriously and begin today to send your letters to Congress. If you have already done so, continue to get signatures from your patients and encourage your colleagues to get involved as well. Today's complacency will become tomorrow's urgency.
To send a letter from yourself click on the Physician Capwiz Letter link below. You may edit the letter or send it as it is. You may send it through Capwiz or fax or mail the letter on your personal or business letterhead. The choice is yours.
Please take the time to send a letter today. Additionally, we urge you to have your patients sign the letter and support this effort as well.
- Customize and print off copies of the sample
- Identify patients' state, putting the names of their Senators and Representative at the top of the page along with the President. Only one letter with all the names is necessary (see example).
- As your patients sign out, ask them to fill out and
- Using the patient Capwiz link assign a staff
- Also you can print off the ASIPP Advocacy page and post or hand out to your patients for more information
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The Online Abstract Submission for the 10th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians is now open. The meeting will be held June 21- June 25, 2008 at the Crystal Gateway Marriott in Washington, DC.
To be considered for a presentation at the meeting, abstracts must be submitted and completed by the submission deadline of 5:00pm Central Standard Time (CST) Friday, December 28, 2007.
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Don't Miss Out - Spinal Cord Stimulation Cadaver Workshop |
Online registration is open for the upcoming Dec. specialty course in spinal cord stimulation. This information packed intensive review course and cadaver workshop will provide a comprehensive learning experience focusing on various aspects of spinal cord stimulation.
The course will be conducted at the historic Peabody Hotel and the Medical Education Research Institute in Memphis, TN. We have secured a special room rate of $179 which will be honored until COB on Nov. 6, 2007. Early registration is encouraged to ensure your spot in this exciting course.
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Court rules Medicare plans can be sued for nonpayment |
A recent Texas Supreme Court decision gives physicians and hospitals a remedy when health plans don't make payments under Medicare Advantage contracts, doctors and lawyers say.
The state high court on Aug. 31 ruled that a group of Texas hospitals can sue Aetna in state court for allegedly failing to reimburse them. This means the facilities won't have to go through the Medicare administrative appeals process.
amednews.com |
President Signs Bill Delaying Tamper-resitant Prescription Pad Requirement |
The U.S. Congress has passed H.R.3688, which includes a provision delaying the implementation of the tamper resistant pad requirements for Medicaid prescription drugs until March 31, 2008. The National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) Executive Vice President and CEO Bruce Roberts, RPh, issued the following statement in response to final passage:
"Community pharmacists are aware of the problems associated across the country with Medicaid fraud. With a stroke of the President's pen, the health care community will have adequate lead time to make the use of tamper-resistant pads a reality. The use of tamper resistant pads should reduce the amount of Medicaid fraud. More importantly, the six month delay will minimize any disruptions to patients' access to prescription drugs that would otherwise occur. I urge President Bush to move swiftly to approve this delay before the October 1st effective date of the law."
Medical News Today |
Expanded SCHIP Bill: Winners and Losers |
President Bush is poised to battle Congress over children's heatlh insuracne, planning a veto of a bipartisan bill that would have dramatically expanded the program.
But to understand better how SCHIP might effect your state Click here
Read more on the Presidential Veto |
Interventional Techniques in Chronic Spinal Pain Now Available |
Interventional Techniques In Chronic Spinal Pain is now availabe for purchase and all pre-order purchases have been shipped. Each book comes with a complimentary CD of the book.
Interventional Techniques in Chronic Spinal Pain, is the premier manual for interventionalists. With detailed descriptions of practical techniques in interventional pain management this is a must have publication for all interventioanl pain physicians.
If you have not yet ordered your copy, you can do so by visiting the ASIPP Web site.
ASIPP Publishing |
Medicare Part B Drug Competitive Acquistion Program (CAP): 2008 Physician Election Has Begun |
The 2008 Physician Election Period for the Medicare Part B Drug Competitive Acquisition Program (CAP) began on October 1, 2007 and will conclude on November 15, 2007. The CAP is a voluntary program that offers physicians the option to acquire many injectable and infused drugs they use in their practice from an approved CAP vendor, thus reducing the time they spend buying and billing for drugs. The 2008 CAP program will run from January 1 to December 31, 2008.
Once a physician has elected to participate in CAP, they must obtain all drugs on the CAP drug list from the CAP drug vendor. Physicians can still continue to purchase and bill Medicare under the Average Sale Price (ASP) system for those drugs that are not provided by the physician's CAP vendor.
Additional information about the CAP is available at the following website: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/CompetitiveAcquisforBios/01_overview.asp
The physician election form can be found at the following web page in the Downloads section. Additional information for physicians can also be found on this web page:http://www.cms.hhs.gov/CompetitiveAcquisforBios/02_infophys.asp
The list of drugs supplied by the CAP vendor, including NDCs, is in the Downloads section at: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/CompetitiveAcquisforBios/15_Approved_Vendor.asp
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All contents
Copyright © 2008
American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians ®
81 Lakeview Drive, Paducah, KY 42001
Phone 270.554.9412, Fax 270.554.5394
E-mail asipp@asipp.org
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