Make Plans to Attend - ASIPP will hold an Interventional Techniques Review Course and Comprehensive Interventional Cadaver Workshop on December 2-3, 2006 in Memphis, TN.

The Review Course is planned as a CME activity to prepare physicians seeking board certification by ABIPP or as an in- depth review of Interventional Techniques. Additionally the Review Course will be based on the specifications of the Cadaver Workshop and will assist in preparation for ABIPP Part I or Part II (FIPP) examinations.

Learn more about the course, workshop, and hotel information and REGISTER ONLINE at: http:// www.asipp.org/meetings.htm

Congress adjourned on Sept. 29, leaving behind the task of passing legislation that would avoid a global 5.1% cut in Medicare physician payments for 2007. While there have been a number of legislative proposals such as H.R. 5866, which would give physicians a reprieve from the devastating SGR cuts. It is uncertain which proposals will be considered when the session resumes on Nov. 13 after the November elections. It is certain, however, we must continue to e-mail, mail, fax, and call our members of Congress.

We have two main goals in front of us now; (1) a temporary fix of the SGR and (2) a permanent fix to prevent CMS from using their current antiquated and flawed methodology. The numbers don’t lie, if no intervention takes place preventing this global cut, anesthesiology will take a 12% cut and radiology will be cut 16%. Furthermore physician fees will face drastic cuts – an epidural in a facility setting will be cut 1% to 5% while the same procedure in a non-facility will be cut from 23% to 38%. ASIPP’s comment letter to CMS which can be found on the ASIPP Web site homepage, illustrates these points more thoroughly.

ASIPP strongly encourages all of our members to send messages to their Representatives and Senators asking for prompt action to avert SGR cuts. Ask your family, friends, patients to also join you in this fight. You may call your members of Congress through the Capitol Switchboard, (202) 225-3121. We have provided you with a simple way to send your letter through Capwiz using the links below: Sample Letter for Physicians Sample Letter for Staff and Patients

If you wish to send letters on your own letterhead, links to sample letters can be found on the ASIPP homepage.

Also related to Medicare physician payment, ASIPP has communicated to CMS our strong opposition to additional reductions resulting from a proposed new practice expense methodology and work value changes stemming from the recently-conducted Five Year Review. For a copy of the comment letter ASA submitted to the Agency and for more information about the proposed rules, please click here. Comment Letter

The Health Information Technology Act of 2006 received approval in July but since then, lawmakers have been battling between the measure and the Wired for Health Care Quality Act (S 1418), a substantially different version of the legislation.

Congress recessed for the midterm elections without coming to an agreement on the legislation. One issue holding up a resolution to the compromise is whether Congress should mandate an update to the coding system that doctors use to record patient diagnoses for reporting to payers.

Proponents of the the House bill want doctors using ICD-10 by October 2010. Many health care organizations have expressed the need for at least two more years before moving to the new code set, which would increase the number of possible diagnosis codes from approximately 24,000 to more than 200,000.

In a wide-ranging national Sept. telephone survey taken by USA Today, ABC News and Kaiser Family Foundation, it was found that Americans feel great unease regarding rising health care costs, confusion over the causes, and health care reform. The survey also indicated reluctance to give up anything to achieve changes in the system.

POLL: Americans weigh in on health care system and costs

ASIPP attended the American Society of Anesthesiology's Annual Meeting this week. ASIPP CEO, Laxmaiah Manchikanti, MD, delivered a well- attended refresher lecture on reimbursement titled, "Reimbursement in Pain Medicine: Coding, Compliance, and Getting Paid for Your Work." Additionally, Melinda Martin, ASIPP Director of Operations, and Ray Lane, Director of Education and Public Relations were on hand at the ASIPP exhit to answer questions regarding ASIPP membership, education, certfication, and publications.

In August, President Bush signed an Executive Order to help increase the transparency of America's health care system with the goal of empowering Americans to find better value and better care. In response to the order, HHS has released a brochure called "Better Care, Lower Costs."

Value Driven Healthcare Brochure

CMS released the quarterly update to the Correct Coding Initiative (CCI) edits, version 12.3, effective Oct. 1, 2006. No major changes were reported.

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Open enrollment for Medicare health and drug plans starts November 15. Now is the time to decide if your current coverage will still meet your needs in 2007. Additionally CMS has released an informational publication to assist Medicare patients in understanding the benefits that are available to them.

Medicare and You 2007 Handbook

As we enter into discussions with CMS regarding the practice expense survey, we are faced with the need to increase our 09 interventional pain management specialty designation. Currently CMS is claiming there are too few interventional pain management physicians, consequently this will significantly weaken our strength as we deal with issues related to the practice expense survey.

We need every member to join this effort. ASIPP would like to know if you have changed your specialty designation to 09. If you are not an interventional pain physician and do not practice interventional pain management 50% of the time, you should register as pain medicine (72). This is extremely important; this is the one opportunity we have to prevent radical deterioration of our specialty. If we do not act, we can only blame ourselves for our demise.

Click here to download the CMS form to change your specialty designation.