ASIPP To Offer ABIPP Part II Exam

For the first time, ASIPP will be offering the ABIPP Part II practical examination in September 2010. Make plans now to participate in the prep course and examination.

The ABIPP Part II practical examination will be offered for the first time through ABIPP on April 25, 2010 in Memphis, TN.

ABIPP will accept the World Institute of Pain's (WIP) Fellow of Interventional Pain Practice (FIPP) certification as fulfillment of the ABIPP Part II for certification prior to April 2009. Absolutely, no FIPP certification will be accepted after September 2009

A revised application indicating this change is now available on the ABIPP Web site.

Special Registration Price Available for Fellows

ASIPP has recently launched an initiative to assist Fellows and Residents in their endeavor of becoming a qualified interventional pain physician. We understand the cost challenges you face. In support of your efforts, ASIPP is offering its upcoming Spinal Cord, Intrathecal Implantables, or Discal Therapies Review Course and Cadaver Workshop at a special price of $500 to Fellows and Residents. We want it to be, not only an exceptional learning experience, but also a memorable one. We encourage residents to bring other interested residents and fellows to further offset the already reduced hotel and ground transportation costs. We want residents and fellows to use this meeting to not only improve their procedure competency, but also understand the importance of political advocacy, and to network with one another. If you have any questions, please contact Haroon Hameed, Founder of our Resident and Fellows Section (RFS), at hhameed1@jhmi.edu

This special offer is just available for the Dec. 4-6, 2009 course.

Click here and visit our Facebook page devoted to ASIPP members that are Fellows and Residents.

Register Today!

Early Registration Deadline Nov. 13 for Spinal Cord Stimulation, Intrathecal Implantables, or Discal Therapies Review Course and Cadaver Workshop

Register before Nov. 13 to receive room rate discounts for the Intrathecal Implantables & Discal Therapies Review Course and Cadaver Workshop December 4-6 in Memphis, TN. This is a busy weekend in Memphis, so hotel rooms will be released after Nov. 13 and will more than likely be filled immediately.

This intensive comprehensive review course and cadaver workshop in spinal cord stimulation, intrathecal implantables and discal therapies will cover all aspects of these techniques providing a comprehensive overview of the subjects, with extensive case discussions and interactions with the faculty. During the 2½ day event, participants will be presented with lectures on spinal cord stimuation, intrathecal implantables and discal therapies. In order to provide a more focused learning experience, you will be provided the opportunity to choose either spinal implantables or discal therapies for the hands-on lab.

Whether you have been practicing these procedures for many years or you are new to the field with basic skills, we are confident you will find this comprehensive review course and hands-on cadaver workshop to be beneficial, as it is essential to learn new and relevant information to survive in the new millennium.

The seminar will be conducted at the Peabody Memphis and the world famous Medical Education and Research Institute ( MERI) in Memphis, TN. Register by November 13 to receive a room discount of $195 per night.

Register Today

ASIPP Names Interim Director of Operations

Erica Moore has been named ASIPP Interim Director of Operations while Director of Operations, Melinda Martin remains on medical leave.

Erica Moore has strong management experience, having most recently worked as the Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity (Mayfield/Graves Co. affiliate) and Director of Client Services for an oil asset brokerage firm. With the oil asset brokerage firm, Ms. Moore's division exceeded all sales and revenue goals, and under her direction, went from being a loss-center to become the company's most consistent profit center. Ms. Moore's management expertise is supplemented by her marketing skills; she has worked with numerous clients developing and coordinating successful marketing campaigns, usually with a strong public relations component.

She can be contacted at emoore@asipp.org or 270-554-9412 ext. 215

House Democrats Clear the Way for Health Care Vote

WASHINGTON - House Democrats cleared the way Wednesday for a pivotal floor vote on health care overhaul as early as the weekend, after tweaking their 1,900-page bill to crack down harder on insurance companies.

"Americans are ready for comprehensive health insurance reform and the House will soon act," Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said in a statement that accompanied dozens of last-minute changes to the bill, released Tuesday night.

Associated Press

FTC to Delay Enforcement of Red Flags Rule until June

WASHINGTON - At the request of Congress, the Federal Trade Commission will delay the enforcement of the "Red Flags Rule" until June 1, 2010, for financial institutions and creditors subject to enforcement by the FTC.

The rule, mandated under the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act, calls for the FTC and other agencies to develop regulations requiring "creditors" and "financial institutions" to address the risk of identity theft. Physicians, hospitals and any other healthcare providers who bill their patients or allow patients to make payments over time - essentially extending a line of credit - must comply with the rule.

Healthcare Finance News

Private And Government Payors Take Preemptive Actions In Denying Care

ASIPP addresses issues on nonpayment and reduced coverage by both TRICARE and Humana in a press release to be distributed today.

"Facet interventions should not be classified as investigational or ineffective, and thereby denied coverage, as numerous studies point to the effectiveness of this type of treatment. This will lead to the spread of bad policies to additional areas of the country and to the targeting of other pain procedures for denials," said D=r. Manchikanti in the press release.

Case Spurs Pharmacies' Fears of Lawsuits Over Drug Abuse

When Patricia Copening, a petite, 35-year-old doctor's office receptionist, bought nearly 4,500 doses of prescription painkillers one year, alarm bells sounded at the Nevada controlled-substance task force. The state board sent letters to 14 pharmacies in the Las Vegas area warning that Ms. Copening could be abusing drugs

On the afternoon of June 4, 2004 -- a year after the letters were sent -- Ms. Copening climbed into a gray Dodge Durango, veered onto U.S. 95 and was seen weaving erratically in and out of three-lane traffic, witnesses later said. She plowed into 21-year-old Gregory Sanchez Jr., a delivery-van driver ...

Wall Street Journal

New Report Highlights How Health Insurance Reform Will Reduce Costs for Small Businesses

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today released a new report, Lower Premiums, Stronger Businesses: How Health Insurance Reform Will Bring Down Costs for Small Businesses. The report outlines the many ways health insurance reform will lower health care costs for small businesses and is available now at www.HealthReform.gov

"Small businesses drive our economy and create jobs, but they are struggling as health care costs continue to rise," Secretary Sebelius said. "The high cost of care is making it difficult or impossible for these businesses to offer care or grow their business. Health insurance reform will bring costs down and give small businesses the relief they need."

Department of Health and Human Services

AMA CEJA: Financial Relationships with Industry In Continuing Medical Education Version 3.0

Under pressure from one member of Congress the American Medical Association (AMA) Council of Judicial and Ethical Affairs (CEJA) proposed another report CEJA Report 1-1-09: Financial Relationships with Industry in Continuing Medical Education to be voted on at the 2009 Interim Meeting of the American Medical Association House of Delegates.

The meeting is being held from Saturday, November 7 - Tuesday, November 10 at the?Houston Hilton and George R. Brown Convention Center, in Houston, Texas. Below is a summary of the report. The report appears to be yet another attempt by CEJA to restrict speakers and CME funding.

AMA

Stryker Biotech Indicted for Fraudulent Marketing of Bone Growth Products

The U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts has indicted Stryker Biotech and four of its top managers, charging them with conducting fraudulent marketing for Stryker's OP-1 and Calstrux bone growth products, according to a release by the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Stryker's OP-1 Implant and OP-1 Putty, designed to stimulate bone growth, are FDA-approved for limited use, but prosecutors said the company encouraged doctors to use them more frequently in combination with Calstrux, a bone void filler from Stryker.

Becker's Orthopedic and Spine Review

Tort Reform Law Challenged in Georgia

Emergency care in Georgia will suffer if a tort reform measure about medical liability lawsuits concerning emergency care is not upheld.

That's according to a friend-of-the-court brief the Medical Assn. of Georgia and the Litigation Center of the American Medical Association and State Medical Societies filed in a case pending before the Georgia Supreme Court (www.mag.org/pdfs/amicus_cousineau_100109.pdf).

AMednews.com

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

Physicians Wanted

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

Physicians Wanted