| The Year Ahead with ASIPP |
Happy New Year! Mark your calendar for the upcoming 2008 ASIPP Meetings. In addtion to the many CME training courses, you won't want to miss this the 10th Annual Meeting/Celebration! Mark these dates on your 2008 calendar today!
- February 8-10, 2008
- Vertebroplasty, Kyphoplasty, Sacroplasty
- March 7-9, 2008
- Review Course, Cadaver Workshop and FIPP Exam
- May 16-18, 2008
- Review Course and Cadaver Workshop
- June 21-25, 2008
- ASIPP 10th Annual Meeting Celebration
- Featuring Practice Management for Interventional Pain Physicians and Professionals
- Legislative Session and Capitol Hill Visits
- Abstracts
- July 28-August 2, 2008
- Board Review Course
- Coding, Compliance and Practice Management
- Competency Examinations
- ABIPP Examination
- October 24-26, 2008
- Review Course and Cadaver Workshop
- December 5-7, 2008
- Review Course and Cadaver Workshop
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Medicare 10.1% Cut Temporarily Averted |
In the final hour, Congress passed a bill that would temporarily suspend the 10.1% physician payment cut scheduled to take effect on January 1 and replace it with a 0.5% payment update for the first 6 months of 2008.
On December 18, the Senate unanimously passed S. 2499, which is known as the Medicare, Medicaid and SCHIP (State Children's Health Insurance Program) Extension Act of 2007. The House of Representatives followed suit and passed the bill on December 19, voting 411 to 3.
If Congress fails to take action before the end of next June, physicians will face a cut of approximately 10.6 percent.
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Jan. 28, 2007 deadline on ASC Comment letters |
If you are interventional pain physician who owns or works in an ASC, it is very important that you send a comment letter to CMS addressing the many disparities which exist between ASC setting and HOPD setting. These disparities coupled with the new proposal by CMS are of great concern to SIPMS.
The cut-off for comment letters is Jan. 28, 2008 but please customize and send your letter(s) as soon as possible. If you send you letter via USPS you must send one original and two copies (3 total should be mailed). You may also send your comment letter electronically by clicking on the following link: Submit comment letter. We ask that you also get your staff involved as they may also send comment letters.
The docket number and titel is: CMS-1392-FC - Medicare and Medicaid Programs: Changes to the Hpsoital Outpatient Prospective Payment System and CY 2008 Payment Rates; Changes to the Ambulatory Surgical Center Payment System and CY 2008Payment; Changes to Hospital Conditions of Participation; Changes Affecting Necessary Provider Designations of Critical Access Hospitals Rates
To assist you in sending your letter electronically, we have provided step-by-step instructions.
- Click on the link to access the sample letter
- Save the file to your computer
- Edit the letter as you desire adding your name and address to the letter
- Click on the following CMS link to submit
- Click on the "Submit Comment" button
- Fill out the personal information screen and click "Continue"
- Scroll down to the bottom of the screen and type "attachment" in the text box
- Click on "Continue"
- Click on "browse," choose the Word file containing the saved comment letter
- Choose the appropriate file type and click and click on "Save Comments"
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2007 came and went with no action on the part of Congress to fund NASPER. ASIPP has been working aggressively to encourage Congress to take action and of course will continue to do so until the program we worked tirelessly to see passed into law is fully funded.
ASIPP was successful in get seven several key signatures on a letter of support for funding to Jim Nussle, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget.
The letter, dated Dec. 18, 2007, was signed by Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Norm Coleman R- MN), Christopher Dodd (D-CT), and Richard Durbin (D-IL), Edward Kennedy (D-MA), Jeff Session (R-AL), David Vitter (R-LA).
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Specialty Course in Vertebroplasty, Kyphoplasty & Sacroplasty |
Make plans to attend ASIPP's comprehensive review course and hands-on cadaver workshop dedicated solely to vertebroplasty, kyphoplasty and Sacroplasty on February 8-10, 2007 in Memphis TN. This CME educational program will consist of didactics covering various aspects of vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty, followed by a comprehensive hands- on cadaver workshop.
The course is designed to prepare physicians seeking credentialing or as an in-depth review of vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty. Participants will experience a comprehensive learning opportunity focused on all aspects of vertebroplasty, kyphoplasty, and Sacroplasty.
Register before Jan. 18, 2008 to obtain the early registration discount! Visit the ASIPP Web site for more information.
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Interventional Techniques in Chronic Spinal Pain Now Available at 50% with Meeting Registration |
ASIPP is now offering the Interventional Techniques In Chronic Spinal Pain to all meeting registrants at the special price of 50% off.
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. Additionally Eeach book comes with a complimentary CD version of the book.
To order your copy, go to ASIPP Web site.
ASIPP Publishing |
Abstract submission deadline extended to March. 31 |
The Online Abstract Submission deadline has been extended to March 31, 2008. ASIPP is seeking abstracts submissions 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 by the submission deadline of 5 pm Central Standard Time (CST) March 31, 2008.
Click here for rules an submission direction
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Quicker Pain Treatment Keeps Soldiers Going |
Providing soldiers with pain treatment in the field might be a good way to keep more troops on the ground in Iraq.
A new study out of Johns Hopkins shows treating non- combat related pain quickly and without evacuation to a definitive site of care results in a retention of military personnel in the field. Sending these soldiers out of the war zone for treatment has the opposite effect.
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Congress considers mandate for Medicare e-prescribing |
Congressional patience with the pace at which physicians are adopting electronic prescribing seems to be wearing thin. House and Senate lawmakers have introduced legislation that would mandate e- prescribing for Medicare beginning in 2011.
At a Dec. 4, 2007, Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, lawmakers also expressed frustration with the lack of movement toward allowing e-prescribing of controlled substances.
amednews.com |
Physician faces drug charges over prescriptions |
A Rumson physician's battle to keep his medical license will continue today, as the state Board of Medical Examiners is scheduled to hear testimony describing the doctor's prescribing of painkillers as both appropriate and merciful (Ed Johnson, app.com, Jan.1, 2008).
Two medical philosophies will clash before the administrative board, which must decide if Dr. Philip B. Eatough, 60, overprescribed pain medications and should have his license to practice medicine temporarily suspended until an administrative law judge can determine whether or not it should be permanently revoked or suspended.
The issue of proper prescription of painkillers is ever- present in the still developing field of pain management, said Alex Keoskey, the attorney representing Eatough before the board.
app.com |
Minorities less likely to get opiods in ER
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Emergency room doctors are prescribing strong narcotics more often to patients who complain of pain, but minorities are less likely to get them than whites, a new study finds. Even for the severe pain of kidney stones, minorities were prescribed narcotics such as oxycodone and morphine less frequently than whites. The analysis of more than 150,000 emergency room visits over 13 years found differences in prescribing by race and ethnicity in both urban and rural hospitals, in all U.S. regions and for every type of pain.
The Washington Post |
Pain Physician journal adds topical issues
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Pain Physician journal will feature three special topical issues this year, in addition to the regular bimonthly publications. The American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians' official journal, Pain Physician, will feature these special issues:
February: Opioids - This issue will include the 2007 updated Opioid guidelines in addition to systematic reviews, and health policy reviews
June: Ethics - Topics will cover:
1. general issues in normative and applied medical ethics as relevant to the care of pain;
2. clinical ethical issues focal to under- and/or over- treatment of pain;
3. conceptual and practical issues related to informed consent;
4. conceptual and practical issues related to (institutional) review of (experimental, quasi- experimental and/or clinical) studies of pain assessment, and/or therapeutics;
5. ethical issues relevant to medico-legal concerns and/or development and articulation of health policy and law.
December: health policy and practice management
All written materials should follow Pain Physician manuscript for author's instructions. The topical issues will also undergo peer review. For more information contact Holly Long at hlong@asipp.org |
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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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