June 3, 2009
Disaster Averted - Quarterly Update NCCI Edits |
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Last week we provided you with the second quarter update to the National Correct Coding Initiative (NCCI) Edits,updates which contained many new edits added to column 2 (modifiers). 'We also assured you that we were working to get these edits changed.
ASIPP did in fact send a letter to Dr. Niles Rosen, MD, Medical Director for the National Correct Coding Institute addressing the problems with these edits. We received a quick response from Dr. Rosen assuring us that the NCCI would examine the issues raised and would make the appropriate resolutions.
We also learned that while several other organizations are included on the CPT Review Committee these issues were not caught in the review process. ASIPP currently is not included on the Committee and did not have the opportunity to review and comment prior to publication.
While we are confident that most if not all of our requested changes will be made, any suspension of these edits will not take place until the next quarterly update scheduled for Oct. 1, 2009.
Letter to NCCI
CCI Updates |
NASPER Progress |
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The latest update on the NASPER funding for 2010 is positive. Senators Rockefeller and Corker have sent a letter in support of a $25 million funding for 2010 to the Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, HHS, Education, and Related Agencies, chair and vice-chair, Senators Harkin and Cochran, respectively.
This is an encouraging turn of events that should add weight to our fight to see NASPER fully funded in order to properly initiate the program uniformly in all states as it was intended.
Rockefeller/Corker Letter |
RAC Program to be in Place by Jan. 1 |
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CMS is moving forward with its plans to have the RAC program in place on a nation wide basis by Jan. 1, 2010.
As part of the Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006, Congress required a permanent and national RAC program to be in place by January 1, 2010. The purp ose of the program is to identify Medicare overpayments and underpayments to health care providers. Improper payments may be overpayments or underpayments.
What does this mean to you? The RACs will go back no farther than Oct 1, 2007 to detect and correct past improper payments and your claims will be subject to review. But they can go back up to three years from the time of the claimRAC The expansion schedule is listed on the CMS Web site.
RACs review claims on a post-payment basis and will use the same Medicare policies as Carriers, FIs and MACs: NCDx, LCDs, and CMS Manuals. Should an error be found, the Demand Letter will be issued to the provider who will in turn have the opportunity to discuss the improper payment determination with the RAC.
For More Information on RACs |
Early Registration Discount Ends Friday for Annual Meeting |
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The ASIPP Annual Meeting is the premier Educational Forum for Evidence-based Medicine for Interventional Pain Management! This is a first-time opportunity to learn about the importance of evidence-based medicine in IPM as it applies to you, your patients, and your practice. In addition, this year we offer an extensive program that covers the essential elements of practice managementincluding extensive presentation on Billing and Coding.
Listen to our distinguished faculty and learn from these experts the cutting-edge research and the importance of guidelines, IPM techniques as they apply to evidence-based medicine. Discover many important "pearls" for Billing and Coding. Hear how you can run your ASC or office more efficiently through best practices. Interventional Pain Management is continually growing and evolving, and there is no better time to stay abreast of the field and learn about emerging issues. On Saturday we once again offer many thought provoking abstract presentations.
We welcome and encourage all ASIPP members and guests to attend the 11th Annual Meeting. This program offers something for everyone; physicians, administrators, nurses, educators, etc. We also invite you to attend the ASIPP "Night at the Oscars" Business Dinner Meeting on Saturday evening. The night will hold dinner, awards, entertainment, and dancing.
On Tuesday we will bring Capitol Hill to you. Presentations will be made by many distinguished congressional and governmental speakers who will address how the changing economy and administration will affect healthcare and Interventional Pain Management in particular, MCAC, etc.
You won't want to miss the award winning 2009 ASIPP Annual Meeting! Join us on June 27-30, 2009, in Washington, DC. Register by Friday and save.
Brochure
Online Registration |
Board Review Course to be held in New Orleans |
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The 2009 ASIPP Board Review Course will be held on August 11 -15 in New Orleans. The ABIPP Part I Examination will take place on August 16 following the review course. Online registration for the review course is now available. You must submit an application to sit for the ABIPP Part I Exam.
This intensive review course is designed to present interventional pain physicians with an in-depth review of multiple areas of interventional pain management. The course will feature many nationally known experts in IPM, controlled substance, billing and coding, healthcare law, and other areas.
The course will be held at the Astor Crowne Royal. A discounted room rate of $109 is available until July 10. Call 504-962-0500 and tell them you are booking under the American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians.
Brochure
Register Online |
Comprehensive Review Course Registration Now Open |
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Online registration is now open for the 2009 Comprehensive Review Course and Examinations in Coding, Compliance, and Practice Management & Controlled Substance Management.
The course will be held at the Astor Crowne Plaza in New Orleans on Aug. 11 - 16. This intensive review course is a CME activity to prepare physicians seeking competency certification and to provide interventional pain management specialists and other healthcare providers an in-depth review of multiple areas of interventional pain management.
The Controlled Substance Management course will be held on Aug. 11-12 with an optional exam on Aug. 13. The Coding, Compliance, and Practice Management section will begin on Aug. 14-15. The examination for this section will be held on Aug. 16.
For brochure, registration and hotel information go to ASIPP Meetings.
Register Online |
Increased Scrutiny of Opioids Could Alter Prescribing Practice |
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The FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research wrapped up a two-day public hearing here to get input from physicians, pain patients, pharmacists, hospice workers, addiction groups, and others to decide what factors it should consider in drafting a Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) aimed at reducing adverse events caused by opioids.
The REMS would be the largest to date and govern all extended-release opioid drugs, with the possibility of including regular-release opioids.
Medpage Today |
Doctor gets jail time for online, out-of-state prescribing |
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In a case that could have ramifications for online prescribing, a Colorado physician was sentenced to nine months in jail for prescribing an antidepressant over the Internet to a California teenager who later committed suicide (Sorrel, American Medical News, June 1, 2009).
San Mateo County prosecutors charged psychiatrist Christian Hageseth III, MD, of Fort Collins, Colo., with a single felony count of practicing medicine without a valid California license.
amednews.com |
Doctor's duty to a third party the exception, not rule |
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Physicians already have enough liability pressure in the patient-physician relationship without someone else looking over their shoulders (Sorrel, American Medical News, June 1, 2009).
A recent California case threatened to expand a doctor's duty to nonpatients in certain circumstances. But the California Court of Appeals decided to keep limits on physicians' liability for harm their patients cause to a third party.
amednews.com |
One-third of physician practices do not accept credit card payments |
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Thirty-three percent of U.S. physician offices do not accept credit cards as a form of payment, according to a new survey. This represents a 5 percent increase since a similar survey was conducted last year (Pizzi, Healthcare Finance News, May 29, 2009).
The Physician Office Credit-Card Acceptance Survey, by SK&A Information Services, an Irvine, Calif.-based provider of healthcare information solutions and research, suggests physician practices are limiting this form of payment because patients are eing adversely affected by high interest rates, maxed out credit limits and a more challenging ability to qualify for credit.
Healthcare Finance News |
Feds Target Radiology Imaging Payment Cuts |
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In the bulls-eye for cuts to find billions of dollars for health reform sit a wide array of physician radiology services whose annual price tag to Medicare has more than doubled to $14 billion between 2000 and 2006 (Clark, Health Leaders Media, May 29, 2009).
Services related to advanced imaging-specifically CT, MRI, and PET scans-could take much of the hit, with costs that have risen from about $3 billion to $7.6 billion in that time. Payments for MRI alone account for nearly half.
Health Leaders Media |
New Jersey Society to hold Biannual Meeting |
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The New Jersey Society of Interventionl Pain Physicians will hold its biannual meeting on Thursday June 18, 2009 at 6:30 pm at Maggiano's Little Italy, Bridgewater, NJ.
In addition to excellent food and drink, the meeting will offer many knowledgeable speakers on the subject of practice management. NJSIPP members are encouraged to attend. Non-members are also welcome.
If you plan to attend please RSVP using the contact information on the attached form.
NJSIPP Registration Form |
FDA Forms Transparency Task Force |
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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today announced the formation of a task force to develop recommendations for enhancing the transparency of the agency's operations and decision- making process.
To support the efforts of the task force, today the FDA issued a Federal Register notice announcing a June 24, 2009, public meeting to solicit recommendations on how the agency can make more available, useful and understandable information on its activities and decisions.
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FDA |
Physicians Wanted |
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Visit the ASIPP Web site to find available positions for IPM physicians.
Physicians Wanted |
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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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