May 5, 2010 e-news

The Food and Drug Administration said it found "significant" manufacturing violations at a Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. facility that makes the sedative drug propofol. The agency posted a Dec. 11 warning letter to its Web site on Tuesday. The letter involved violations found during an FDA inspection of an Irvine, Calif., facility last July.

Propofol, an injectable drug, is one of the most widely used medicines for general anesthesia or sedation in operating rooms and intensive-care units. Teva recalled some of the product last year after elevated levels of toxins were discovered.

Politico

National Prescription Drug Database Slowly Becoming Reality

They're often called doctor shoppers, border hoppers, pharm-aholics and even hit-and-runners. They count on states' lack of communication and exploit professionals whose job is to heal, hurting themselves and feeding others' addictions through such feats.

They're prescription painkiller addicts and, like other drug addicts, often go to extreme measures to get their fix. It's not a new problem, just one that's recently become more visible with high-profile celebrity deaths being caused by prescription pill overdoses.

"The least fun part of my job is managing medications," said Connecticut-based pain physician Dr. David Kloth, who referred to Michael Jackson -- formerly the King of Pop -- as the King of Drug Popping. "You are suspicious of everybody -- it's sad, but everyone is painted with the same broad brush."

Government Technology

Why the American Medical Association Wants to Muzzle Your Doctor

The American Medical Association (AMA) is putting the doctors of America on notice. A major cheerleader for ObamaCare, the organization is now trying to silence doctors who oppose it. It is time the American people understood what the AMA is really all about, says Dr. Hal Scherz, a pediatric urological surgeon at Georgia Urology and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta.

In the weeks since passage of this 2,700 page bill, more and more of its policy land mines have exploded, including rising insurance premiums and admissions of inevitable rationing. Not surprisingly, an increasing number of physicians have expressed alarm over the impact that the legislation will have on their patients. This growing opposition makes the actions of the AMA, which represents only 17 percent of the doctors in the United States look very bad, explains Scherz.

It is essential to understand the primary reason the AMA stands alongside President Obama on health-care reform, says Scherz: The organization wants to protect a monopoly that the federal government has created for it -- a medical coding system administered by the AMA that every health care professional and hospital must use if they wish to get paid for the services they provide. This monopoly generates income of $70 million to $100 million annually for the AMA. That makes the AMA less an association looking out for doctors and more a special-interest group beholden to Congress and the White House.

National Center for Policy Analysis

Register Today to Attend the Most Exciting ASIPP Annual Meeting Ever!

Mark your calendars now to attend ASIPP's 12th annual meeting will be held June 26-30,2010 at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City.

We are offering three separate sessions focused on the Future of Interventional Pain Management: Evidence-Based Medicine, Comparative Effectiveness, and Practice Management. We are building on the information presented last year, while encompassing the changes in the legislation and political environment. We have several prominent speakers in the line-up, such as, Dr. Roger Chou; Dr. Gabor Racz; Medical Economist CEO, J.D. Kleinke; Founder and President of the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review; Deputy Assistant Administrator, and many others.

In addition to the information-packed presentations on EBM and Comparative Effectiveness, we will also offer a practice management series of presentations, which will cover the essential coding and compliance lectures. This series is ideal for physicians and is invaluable for their staff. You could easily consider sending your staff to this meeting as an investment. They will walk away armed with the information they need to better understand the billing and coding issues they face on a daily basis.

Since last year's gala celebration was such a success, we decided to reprise this event with a celebration in the theme of An Evening in the Windy City. The evening will start with a cocktail mixer and move right into dinner, a brief business meeting, awards, and then entertainment from comedian and hypnotist, Flip Orley. After this, we will crank-up the fun and begin an evening of socializing, dancing and celebrating.

New this year, the North American Neuromodulation Society and the American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians are joining forces to bring to you the 12th Annual Legislative Session. On Monday, June 28, we will prepare for our Capitol Hill visits. Tuesday morning, June 29th, we will once again go as a group to Capitol Hill and make our voices heard. This is your opportunity to speak with your representatives and senators about the legislative issues that affect you and your practice.

For Capitol Hill security purposes, if you plan to attend the Legislative sessions, please inform our office and provide your name and address. This pertains to those who are just coming to the congressional speeches as well as those who will have scheduled meetings with their state's government officials. Call or e-mail Cindy Rogers: 270-554-9412 ext 208 or crogers@asipp.org

For more information, click HERE for the brochure.

Mark your calendar today!

May 20 Webinar: Reporting PQRI for Pain Management in 2010

"Pay-for-Performance is the future of health care in the United States and the 2010 Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI) is the next phase of the government's big plan to transform Medicare from a passive payer to an active purchaser."

The Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI), a voluntary quality reporting program, which includes an incentive payment for eligible professionals who report data on quality measures for services provided to Medicare beneficiaries. The pay-for-reporting program began in 2007. Learn more about the PQRI and how it may financially benefit your Pain Practice from Marvel Hammer, a national speaker on PQRI. If you haven't started, acquire the steps to begin reporting PQRI, including the specific information necessary to report the Back Pain Group Measure. Don't spend hours researching and reviewing countless web pages trying to learn how to report PQRI, receive the links to PQRI web sites and reporting tools that explain how to document and bill Pain Management quality measures

Webinar Highlights:

Decide whether your Pain Management practice should participate in the program
Identify the quality measures for 2010 that apply to Pain Management in private practice settings
Recognize the difference between reporting individual measures versus group measures
Eliminate confusion over the HCPCS and Category II codes you are required to report
Learn the various methods to report PQRI, including the Registry reporting option for 2010

Date: May 20, 2010. 2:00pm EST (90 minutes) Regular Price: $145 Credits: 1.5 CMEs or 1.5 CEUs Course Information and CME certificates will be made available immediately following the webinar session.

Register Online Today!

Join Us in Chicago in August: 3 Courses, One Location

Make plans now to attend of one ASIPP's comprehensive courses to be held in the Windy City August 9-14. Meetings will be held at the Renaissance Chicago Hotel.

Comprehensive Pain Medicine and Interventional Pain Management 2010 Board Review Course August 9-13, 2010 - Chicago, IL Register | Brochure

Comprehensive Review in: Controlled Substance Management August 9-10, 2010 - Chicago, IL Coding, Compliance, and Practice Management August 12-13, 2010 - Chicago, IL Register | Brochure

Register today

Abstract Deadline Extended

The Online Abstract Submission (see step-by-step procedures below) for the 12th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians (ASIPP) is now open. The meeting will be held June 26- June 30, 2010 at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City in Arlington, VA.

Abstract submission deadline will be May 21, 2010. Those selected will be notified and will receive free registration to the annual meeting.

Selected abstracts will be presented along with posters at the annual meeting on Saturday June 26 or Sunday June 27.

Submit your abstract today!

FDA Warns Teva Pharmaceutical on Manufacturing Violations

The Food and Drug Administration said it found "significant" manufacturing violations at a Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. facility that makes the sedative drug propofol.

The agency posted a Dec. 11 warning letter to its Web site on Tuesday. The letter involved violations found during an FDA inspection of an Irvine, Calif., facility last July.

Wall Street Journal

Film Address Phantom Limb Pain

"Racing Roman" is a feature length documentary which chronicles the emotionally charged life of Michael Roman, an amputee who is currently pursuing his lifelong dream of racing in the Indy 500.

The film shows his struggles with phantom pain and his improves with interventional pain treatments and a spinal cord stimulator.

ASIPP member, Kevin Coleman, MD, of the MILLENNIUM PAIN MANAGEMENT was one of his doctors. He was the first one to install the pump and was instrumental in turning Roman's life around.

GAO Report Validates Physician Complaints on Medicare Claims Contractors

Washington -- In the federal government's rush to overhaul the system of contractors that process Medicare claims, payment delays to physicians and other administrative problems have cropped up, according to a new oversight report

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is finalizing a nationwide initiative to replace the old patchwork system of Medicare carriers and fiscal intermediaries with the Medicare administrative contractor system, which will be divided into 15 distinct jurisdictions. When the effort is complete by Oct. 1, 2011, all physicians and hospitals in a given multistate region will have one MAC to handle all of their Part A and Part B claims. In many cases, physicians will have an entirely new outfit with whom they file their claims.

American Medical Association

Medication Vending Machines Offer Patient Convenience In Rural Areas

When patients leave the ER at Ridgeview Medical Center in Waconia, MN, there aren't a lot of pharmacy options. The closest 24-hour pharmacy is 20 miles away, and many of the patients live in the opposite direction.

But for the most commonly-prescribed medications, patients don't need to leave the hospital, or even see a pharmacist. Instead of driving the 20 miles and waiting for the prescription to be filled in a pharmacy, the patient can receive his or her medication in a couple of minutes.

HealthLeaders Media

USP Calls for Standardizing Prescription Container Labeling

To provide more consistent labeling that is easier to understand on dispensed prescription packages, the U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention (USP) has issued a new set of recommendations to standardize prescription labels through format, appearance, content, and language of prescription labels.

The labeling was created following a request from the Institute of Medicine (IOM) to address limited health literacy, which impacts more than 90 million adults nationwide. One of the components of health literacy is the ability to properly understand medication instructions and important supplemental information, such as drug interactions.

Health Leaders Media

Recorded ASIPP Webinars Available

If you missed a previous ASIPP Webinar, you can still view it online or order the CD at http://asipp.peachnewmedia.com/store/provider/provider09.php?. If you had previously registered for the webinar and missed it there will be no additional charge and you can view it at your convenience. The pdf document of the powerpoint presentation is also available. If you need help to access the recorded version you can click here to contact our customer support team or call us at 1-866-702-3278.

If you did not register previously, you may order the recorded webinar and view it online at your convenience or order the CD. The pdf document of the presentation will be available, as will the CME and/or CEU credit certification.

Each new webinar will be archived for future reference or purchase. Current webinar topics available are:

Staying Ahead Of Government Enforcement Efforts. Speaker: Vicki Mykowiak, JD
Evidence-Based Interventional Techniques: An Algorithmic Approach To Keeping It Simple, Safe, and Successful. Speaker: Laxmaiah Manchikanti, MD, ASIPP CEO and Chairman of the Board
Coding: Be Prepared for 2010. Speaker: Joanne Mehmert CPC, CCC-PM, ACS-PM

Order Webinar

Tennessee Legislature Fixes State Medicaid Budget

NASHVILLE, TN - The Tennessee House of Representatives passed legislation last week that enables hospitals to pay a coverage fee that will be used to fill a $659 million hole in the state's Medicaid budget this year.

The bill now goes to Gov. Phil Bredesen for signature, and then to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for approval so that the state can begin to draw down federal matching funds before July 1, the start of Tennessee's next fiscal year.

The measure originally was proposed by the Tennessee Hospital Association's board of directors in February to avoid substantial Medicaid cuts to hospitals that would have impacted their patients and the communities they serve.

Healthcare Finance News

Exit Strategy: Tips On Selling Your Medical Practice

The number of physician-owned medical practices is declining. In 2005, two-thirds of all medical practices were doctor-owned, but the number is now below 50%, according to the Medical Group Management Association. More physicians are looking to sell their practice in favor of being employed by a larger medical group or hospital. Some are tired of managing the business, whereas others are concerned about the impact of healthcare reform on their practice.

There is an uptick in the number of independent physicians looking to sell their practices, says Carol Carden, principal of business valuation at Pershing Yoakley & Associates, a healthcare consulting firm based in Knoxville, TN. "The way it is different from years past is that last time it was more primary care physicians selling, but now it is more specialists-cardiologists and orthopedists," Carden says. "It is being driven by the Medicare fee schedule because it will cut more and more into their margin."

HealthLeaders Media

Upcoming State Society Meetings

WVSIPP 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. Session fees discounted for WVSIPP and ASIPP members. For more information email 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

You missed the early bird, but still a great value! $399 member/$449 nonmember. Thanks to those who have already registered. FSIPP Annual Meeting, Conference & Trade show May 21 - 23, 2010 The Gaylord Palms, Kissimmee Click HERE to see brochure.

If you have not yet registered for the hotel: Call 1-407-586-0000 for reservations and be sure to tell them you're with the Florida Society of Interventional Pain Physicians for the conference rate of $114/night.

NJSIPP Annual Meeting June 8

The New Jersey Interventional Pain Society will be holding its annual meeting on June 8th at the Pines Manor in Edison, NJ starting at 6:30 PM. Lectures will include Diagnostic Radiology Training on reading MRI's for Extremities and the Use of Ultrasound for Diagnosis and procedures in the office. Legislative updates on the future of ASCs, PIP, and out of network insurance status Non Members Invited to attend and join Society. Call 732-297-2600 and ask for Lisa.

Mark Your Calendar for Georgia State Chapter Meeting

The Annual GSIPP meeting will be August 6-8 at the Lake Oconee Ritz-Carlton at Reynold's Plantation. For more information, contact Laurel Smith @ lsmith@centersforpain.com.