October 7, 2009
Register Now for Intrathecal Implantables & Discal Therapies Review Course and Cadaver Workshop |
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Make plans now to attend the Intrathecal Implantables & Discal Therapies Review Course and Cadaver Workshop December 4-6 in Memphis, TN.
This intensive comprehensive review course and intrathecal implantables and discal therapies cadaver workshop 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 both intrathecal implantables and discal therapies. In order to provide a more focused learning experience, you will be provided the opportunity to choose either intrathecal implantables or discal therapies for the hands-on lab.
Whether you have been practicing intrathecal implantables and discal therapies 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. Fellows and Residents receive 50% off.
Register Today! |
Noridian Extends Comment Period |
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We have just learned that Noridian has extended the comment period through the end of this month. This is good news as it buys us more time to convince them that this ruling will be devastating to the states currently covered under this carrier, and also do great harm to patient access.
Please e-mail the letter since it must be received by October 31, 2009. You may e-mail it to policyb.drafts@noridian.com or to the directors as noted on the ASIPP sample letter.
Click on this link for a sample comment letter to assist you in contacting Noridian. You should customize it on your personal or business letterhead and expand as you desire. It is much more effective to send a letter that reflects the facts from your personal standpoint. To help you expound on your own letter, we are also providing the Comment letter sent by ASIPP . Please feel free to use the references and supporting evidence to assist you in creating your own letter.
We have provided a link to a sample comment letter to Noridian and also a Capwiz link to assist you in contacting Congress. Please don't delay - act soon and encourage others to respond as well.
If you have trouble with any of the links provided in this letter, you can access this information on the ASIPP Web site: http://www.asipp.org/index.html |
Fourth Quarter CCI Updates Released |
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The 4th Quarter CCI updates contain changes from July 2009. The updates are effective from 10/1/09 through 12/31/09.
4th Quarter CCIs |
Health Care Bill - Continue to Write Congress and White House |
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We know most everyone has strong opinions and great fears regarding the pending health care bill. We caution you to pay close attention to the bill; the progress, proposals, and debates.
There are some good aspects to the bill but unfortunately there are many bad aspects that could have dire consequences to our specialty of interventional pain management and the nation in general. Because of this, we urge you to contact Congress immediately and ask your government officials to say "no" to the health care bill as it is currently written.
Once again we have provided you a Capwiz link to send your message. While we provide sample text for those who chose to use it, the letter is editable and you should feel free to change it as you desire. The important thing is to let Congress know how you feel about the bill.
Capwiz link for physicians: http://www.capwiz.com/a sipp/issues/alert/alertid=13785876&type=ML
We also encourage you to get staff, patients and family to get involved. We have provided a link appropriate for non-physicians as well.
Capwiz link for non-physicians: http://www.capwiz.com/a sipp/issues/alert/?alertid=13805151&type=ML |
New Book released by ASIPP members |
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Pain Medicine: Philosophy, Ethics, and Policy, edited by James Giordano, PhD, and Mark V. Boswell, MD, PhD has just been released by Linton Atlantic Books. The 16-chaper, 254 page book is available at www.lintonatlanticbooks.com or Amazon.com.
The book provides a unifying perspective of how a philosophical understanding of pain and medicine gives rise to the ethics and policies of pain care. Toward these ends, the chapters shed light on how pain and the experience of the patient and clinician establish the moral obligations of pain medicine and the conditions necessary to enact pain care on a global scale. In this context, the authors consider possible ethical systems and approaches that are important to, and viable for, pain medicine, and provide perspectives into the ways that moral obligations and practical realities are wedded to any and all practice guidelines, health policy, and laws.
ISBN 978-0-9817854-4-8 Price: $38
Order now |
Take a Minute to Participate in Facet Joint Interventional Techniques Survey |
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ASIPP members are encouraged to participate in a study titled "A survey of facet joint interventional techniques" The survey should take 10 - 15 minutes to complete. The purpose of this study is to get your input regarding various practice patterns for facet interventions and try to develop a consensus for the use of specific interventions at facet regions.
This study is being conducted by Sukdeb Datta, M.D with Vanderbilt University Medical Center's Interventional Pain Center. An example of a question you will be asked is "How many radiofrequency ablations of the medial branches do you perform in a given year on one patient?"
All answers are private and will not contain any information that could identify you. Participation in this survey is voluntary.
If you have any questions about this survey please contact: Sukdeb Datta, M.D. Vanderbilt University Medical Center Interventional Pain Center Email: sukdeb.datta@Vanderbilt.Edu
Click on the following link to begin the survey: http://vovici.com/wsb.dll/s/108acg3b532
Take Survey Now |
"The Doctors" TV Show Asking for Show Topics |
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The Doctors," starting its second season, will invite viewers to participate in producing some shows. Viewers logging onto producethedoctors.com will have the chance to tell the show's producers which topics they want covered on the show -- with some of those ideas morphing into actual episodes (based on votes cast by "The Doctors" production staff).
This is an opportunity for the voice of Interventional Pain Management to be heard. Get your family, friends and associates to on online now and ask for shows on proper pain management and prescriptions.
The Doctors |
Congressional Analysts: Senate Finance Health Care Bill Will Cost $829 Billion |
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The preliminary report, released Wednesday by the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office, said the committee's health care reform package will not add to the national deficit -- and will save $81 billion over the next 10 years.
Congressional budget experts said Wednesday that the sweeping health care overhaul bill awaiting a vote in the Senate Finance Committee will cost $829 billion over the next 10 years.
The preliminary report, released Wednesday by the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office, said the committee's health care reform package will not add to the national deficit -- and will save $81 billion over the next 10 years.
Fox News |
850,000 Doctors Could be Hit by Potential Data Breach from Insurer's Stolen Laptop |
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A missing computer belonging to a BlueCross BlueShield Assn. employee also includes Social Security numbers of more than 100,000 physicians -- and all the data are unencrypted.
A file containing identifying information for every physician in the country contracted with a Blues-affiliated insurance plan was on a laptop computer stolen from a BlueCross BlueShield Assn. employee. It is not yet known whether any identity theft has resulted from the data breach.
The file included the name, address, tax identification number and national provider identifier number for about 850,000 doctors, Jeff Smokler, spokesman for the Chicago-based Blues association, said Oct. 6. That number represents every physician who is part of the BlueCard network, which allows Blues members to access networks in other states, Smokler said.
Some 16% to 22% of those physicians listed -- as many as 187,000 -- used their Social Security numbers as a tax ID or NPI number, Smokler said.
Amednews.com |
Study: Medicare Savings could Help Pay for Expanded Healthcare Coverage |
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BOSTON, MA - Expanding health coverage might not cost as much as policymakers assume, according to a new study.
The study, released Tuesday by the Commonwealth Fund, was conducted by researchers at Harvard Medical School. It shows that individuals who were either continuously or intermittently uninsured between the ages of 51 and 64 cost Medicare more than those who had continuous insurance coverage in the years prior to Medicare eligibility.
On average, those who were previously uninsured cost Medicare an additional $1,000 annually per person when compared with those who had been consistently covered. These increased costs were due primarily to complications resulting from cardiovascular disease and diabetes and from apparently delayed surgeries for arthritis, the study found.
Healthcare Finance News |
Grassley: Last-minute Changes to Health Bill Undermine Seniors, Veterans and Workers |
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WASHINGTON - During final hours of work on healthcare reform legislation, the Senate Finance Committee agreed to changes that are bad for seniors, veterans and workers, according to Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa), ranking member on the committee.
These changes need to see the light of day," Grassley said. "Americans considering what this healthcare proposal means for them deserve to know that Medicare prescription drug premiums would probably go up, veterans' access to healthcare would be diminished and workers' wages could be garnished in the midst of growing unemployment and a prolonged recession in order to pay for other spending in the health reform bill."
Healthcare Finance News |
Kimberly-Clark Buys Baylis' Pain Management Unit |
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CHICAGO, Oct 5 (Reuters) - Kimberly-Clark Corp (KMB.N) said on Monday it has acquired Baylis Medical Co's pain management business, expanding its reach in minimally invasive chronic spinal pain management.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Kimberly-Clark, best known for products such as Kleenex tissues, also has a healthcare unit that sells items ranging from disposable gloves, gowns and face masks to catheter sets.
Reuters |
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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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