·  Feb. & April Meeting Registration: Bundle Pricing Now Available

·  CMS Agrees Not to Eliminate Fluoroscopy Coverage for Epidurals

·  Abstract and Poster Session Deadline Set

·  Labor Campaigns Against Tax on Health Plans

·  Support Grows for U.S. Health Exchange

·  Health Bill May Be Lenient on Employers

·  New Studies Try to Quantify Cancer Risk From CT Scans

·  86% Of Physicians Use Internet To Access Health Information

·  118 Healthcare Groups Ask for Equal Medicaid and Medicare Rates

·  Upcoming State Society Meetings

·  Physicians Wanted

Feb. & April Meeting Registration: Bundle Pricing Now Available

Make your plans to attend the Comprehensive Review Course and Cadaver Workshop (Basic, Intermediate, and Comprehensive Interventional Pain Management Examination Preparation Course) Or the Controlled Substance Management Review Course to be held concurrently February 26-28, 2010 in Memphis, Tennessee.

Book your room at the Peabody by February 3, 2010 to receive the discounted group room rate of $175.

Register Today

CMS Agrees Not to Eliminate Fluoroscopy Coverage for Epidurals

We are pleased to announce that ASIPP has received received information from NCCI that fluoroscopy will be covered and will not be part of NCCI editos for codes 62310 to 62319.

Please see the attached letter for more details. ASIPP is working hard on the behalf of all Interventional Pain Physicians to preserve and protect our speciality.

Abstract and Poster Session Deadline Set

Mark your calendars now to participate in the American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians abstract and poster presentation at the 12th Annual Meeting, June 26 - June 30, 2010 in Arlington, Virginia.

This year we are offering an early bird deadline of March 31, 2010. This early deadline will ensure that your abstract gets first preference and an opportunity to grab one of our limited spots for presentation.

A final abstract submission deadline will be April 30, 2010. Those selected will be notified and will receive free registration to the annual meeting.

Labor Campaigns Against Tax on Health Plans

WASHINGTON - Having failed to persuade President Obama to scrap a proposed tax on high-cost health insurance policies, labor leaders took their case Tuesday to Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and they said they received a more favorable response.

House and Senate Democrats are trying to iron out numerous differences in bills passed by the two chambers to expand coverage and rein in health costs.

New York Times

Support Grows for U.S. Health Exchange

WASHINGTON -- The White House wants to include a national health-insurance exchange in the health bill, which would give House Democrats one of their top remaining demands, according to an official involved in the discussions.

At issue is who would run the new insurance exchanges that would allow consumers to comparison-shop for health coverage. The House's version of the health overhaul calls for the federal government to run a single, national exchange, while the Senate's version would let states run their own exchanges.

Wall Street Journal

Health Bill May Be Lenient on Employers

WASHINGTON - Democratic leaders negotiating a compromise health care bill appear likely to reject a House provision requiring employers to offer generous coverage to their workers or else pay a steep payroll tax, specialist say.

The handful of moderate Senate Democrats who hold the political upper hand in shaping the final bill are expected to insist on hewing much closer to the Senate's relatively lenient approach, which does not include a strong requirement that employers offer coverage.

Boston Globe

New Studies Try to Quantify Cancer Risk From CT Scans

Two recent studies calculated the cancer risk that could come from radiation emitted by computed tomographic scans in the United States. The studies' authors said their conclusions were not intended to stop use of CT scans but to promote a healthy respect for them

"It's important that we start to appreciate that although CT scanning is a marvelous technology, it has potential harm, and we need to start thinking about how we are using it and how to improve it," said Rebecca Smith-Bindman, MD, professor of radiology, epidemiology and biostatistics at the University of California, San Francisco.

American College of Radiology Study

Archives of Internal Medicine study

American Medical Association

86% Of Physicians Use Internet To Access Health Information

Most primary care doctors, 65%, search the Web more than once a day. Physicians say the information available has made their jobs easier.

For a large majority of physicians, the Internet has become a critical component of how they seek out medical information, according to a study commissioned by Google.

The survey, released in November 2009, found 86% of U.S. physicians use the Internet to gather health, medical or prescription drug information.

American Medical Association

118 Healthcare Groups Ask for Equal Medicaid and Medicare Rates

WASHINGTON - More than 100 healthcare organizations have sent a letter to House and Senate leaders supporting equality of Medicaid and Medicare rates for primary care services.

The letter urges legislators to "ensure meaningful access to care under the proposed Medicaid expansion by adopting (in a final reform agreement) the House provision to bring Medicaid reimbursement rates for primary care in line with comparable Medicare rates within four years."

Healthcare Finance News

Upcoming State Society Meetings

WVASIPP Plans Annual Meeting June 11-13, 2010

Mark your calendars now and make plans to attend West Virginia Society of Interventional Pain Physician annual meeting at the Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas, June 11-13, 2010.

Featured topics include SCS for Angina, Facial Pain, Peripheral Nerve Pain, Epigastric and Abdominal Pain, Pelvic Pain, Pulsed Radiofrequency, Minimally invasive techniques for spinal disease and much more

Featured faculty includes: Timothy Deer, MD, course director; Ken Alo, MD, Giancarlo Barolat, MD, Ricard Bowman, MD, Christopher Kim, MD, Matthew Ranson, MD, Lou Raso, MD, Harold Cordner, MD, Nagy Mekhail, MD, Sudhir Diwan, MD, Raj Patel, MD, John Schmidt, MD, Stan Golovac, MD, Lora Brown, MD, Richard Weiner, MD, Salim Hayek, MD, Leo Kapural, MD and cochairs Richard Rauck, MD, Robert Levy, MD, PhD, and David Caraway, MD, PhD.

Session fees discounted for WVSIPP and ASIPP members. For more information call Michelle Byers, Director of Education: michellebyers@roadrunner.com

To Register

Save the Date: CASIPP Annual Meeting in May

Mark your calendar for the California Society of Interventional Pain Physicians Annual Meeting May 14-16, 2010 in Santa Barbara.

Join Your CASIPP Colleagues On The American Riviera:

• Earn CME hours with distinguished faculty
• Stay at the storied Biltmore Four Seasons
• Book Now! Special Room Rate for early
• For more information or to register contact sbcme2010@aol.com or by phone at 661-435-3473

FSIPP Annual Meeting Dates Set for May

The Florida Society of Interventional Pain Physicians (FSIPP) has scheduled it's annual meeting for May 22 and 23, 2010 at Gaylord Palms on Orlando.

Keynote speakers and topics include:

·  Mary Lee Jensen, MD - Vertebroplasty, the History, Evolution of Evidence, and Present Day Position

·  Gabor Racz, MD Epidural Lysis

·  Gabor Racz, MD - Facet Radiofrequency Ablation

·  Chris Centeno, MD - The Development of Stem Cells for Pain Management Procedures

·  Stan Golovac, MD - Internal Disc Disruption

·  Rafael Miguel, MD - New Rules and Regulations from the Florida Board of Medicine Regarding Pain Clinics

·  Lora Brown, MD - Spinal Stenosis, Recent Research Advances

·  Deborah H. Tracy, MD, MBA - Legislative Update, Healthcare Reform

·  Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery Fusion vs. Non-fusion

NJSIPP Annual Meeting Date Set for Jan. 20

The New Jersey State Society of Interventional Pain Physicians will be holding its annual meeting next Wednesday, January 20th at The Pines Manor in Edison, NJ. Cocktails will begin at 6:30 pm  followed by dinner and a speaker.

If not yet a member of NJSIPP please come as our guest and consider joining. RSVP to Dr. Magaziner 732-297-2600. NJSIPP.org

Physicians Wanted

Visit the ASIPP Web site to find available positions for IPM physicians.

Physicians Wanted