·  Results from 2008 National Survey on Drug Use and Health

·  Abstract and Poster Session Deadline Set

·  National Correct Coding Policies

·  Melinda Martin (ASIPP Director of Operations) Resumes Duties

·  Senate Joins House in Delaying Physician Pay Cut Until End of February

·  CMS Issues Annual Report On National Health Spending

·  Minnesota Implements NASPER

·  C-SPAN Challenges Congress to Open Health Care Talks to TV Coverage

·  House Starts Health Reform Reconciliation Process

·  Upcoming State Society Meetings

·  Physicians Wanted

Results from 2008 National Survey on Drug Use and Health

The national findings of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) survey show some interesting findings with a decrease in psychotherapeutic drug use for non-medical purposes during the past year.

There were 6.2 million (2.5%) persons aged 12 or older who used prescription-type psychotherapeutic drugs non-medically in the past month. These estimates were lower than in 2007 (6.9 million or 2.4%). This is good news for all concerned, even though reduction is very small, that is 0.3%. Our goal is to reduce it even more substantially than this. Adherence monitoring and the knowledge of opioid drug prescription and actions by the medical boards and the DEA are helping. This trend has continued through 2009 and will continue through 2010 and beyond.

Among persons aged 12 or older in 2007 to 2008 who used pain relievers non-medically in the past 12 months, 60% got the drugs they most recently used from a friend or a relative for free. Another 18% reported they got the drug from one doctor. Only 4.3% got pain relievers from a drug dealer or other stranger and 0.4% bought them on the internet. Among those who reported getting the pain relief from a friend or relative for free, 81.7% reported in a follow-up question that the friend or relative had obtained the drugs from just one doctor.

Read full report

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.

National Correct Coding Policies

Based on the new edits which have been effective since 1/1/2010 and will be effective through 3/31/2010, fluoroscopy, 77002 is no longer available for somatic and sympathic nerve blocks (64400-64455), except for suprascapular nerve block (64418). We at ASIPP are working on re-establishing coverage for these.

For detailed analysis of NCCI for most commonly used interventional techniques, please follow the following link: www.asipp.org/rates/cciedits16_0.pdf

Melinda Martin (ASIPP Director of Operations) Resumes Duties

We are pleased to announce that Melinda Martin has returned on a full-time basis and will resume her duties as Director of Operations of American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians.

During her time on medical leave, Erica Moore had taken over the responsibilities as interim director and did a terrific job. Erica will assume the position of Director of Corporate Affairs. She will continue to work on meetings, sponsorships dues, memberships, and the upcoming group purchasing organization.

Please join us in warmly welcoming Melinda back and in congratulating Erica in her new role.

Senate Joins House in Delaying Physician Pay Cut Until End of February

The U.S. Senate has joined the House in delaying implementation of the 21.2 percent Medicare pay cut for physicians from Jan. 1, 2010, to until Feb. 28, 2010, and President Obama is expected to sign the measure, according to a report by Medscape.

Congress has rejected proposals to rescind the sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula that is responsible for the massive cut, which has been accumulating each year since Congress initially postponed it in 2002.

As a follow-up to the temporary fix, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) has said that he would campaign for a "multiyear fix" of the SGR once Congress has passed health reform.

Becker's Orthopedic and Spine Review

CMS Issues Annual Report On National Health Spending

New Report Finds Historically Low Rate of Growth, Health Spending Grows Faster Than Overall Economy

Nominal health spending in the United States grew 4.4 percent in 2008, to $2.3 trillion or $7,681 per person. This was the slowest rate of growth since the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services started officially tracking expenditures in 1960. Despite slower growth, however, health care spending continued to outpace overall nominal economic growth, which grew by 2.6 percent in 2008 as measured by the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The findings are included in a report by CMS' Office of the Actuary, released today in the health policy journal Health Affairs.

"This report contains some welcome news and yet another warning sign," said Jonathan Blum, director of CMS' Center for Medicare Management. "Health care spending as a percentage of GDP is rising at an unsustainable rate. It is clear that we need health insurance reform now."

CMS

Minnesota Implements NASPER

St. Paul, Minn. - Pharmacy counters became Minnesota's latest dragnet for drug abuse this week with the launch of a state database that tracks users of Vicodin, OxyContin and other addictive painkillers.

Beginning Monday, pharmacies were required to report data on addictive drugs to the Minnesota Prescription Monitoring Program. By late March, doctors, dentists and pharmacists will be able to tap into the system to identify patients who get too many habit-forming medicines.

Minnesota Public Radio

C-SPAN Challenges Congress to Open Health Care Talks to TV Coverage

The head of C-SPAN has implored Congress to open up the last leg of health care reform negotiations to the public, as top Democrats lay plans to hash out the final product among themselves.

C-SPAN CEO Brian Lamb wrote to leaders in the House and Senate Dec. 30 urging them to open "all important negotiations, including any conference committee meetings," to televised coverage on his network.

Fox News

House Starts Health Reform Reconciliation Process

The wheels of healthcare reform reconciliation began to turn this week with closed-door discussions among House leadership.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), appearing with House Democratic healthcare leaders during a briefing break on Tuesday afternoon, was upbeat about the process.

"We are optimistic that there's much that we have in common with both of our bills and that we will reconcile the legislation in a way that [has] a 'triple A' rating: affordability for the middle class, accountability for the insurance companies, and accessibility to many more people in the country to quality, affordable healthcare," Pelosi said.

Health Leaders Media

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 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