March 29, 2006

Register for May Review Courses & Exams Today; Few Openings Remain

The Intensive Certification Review Courses in Controlled Substance Management and Coding, Compliance and Practice Management and exams will be held in Chicago on May 4-9. The early registration discount has been extended to April 13 due to recent changes in qualifications for course and exam attendance.

In addition to the recent inclusion of Internists and Family Practitioners, non-physicians now may sit for exams to obtain associate competency certification in controlled substance management through the American Association of Allied Interventional Pain Management Professionals.

ARNP’s, PA’s, RN’s, and LPN’s will now be allowed to, not only participate in the controlled substance management review course, but also to sit for the exam. Upon successful completion, these non-physicians will earn an Associate Certificate in Controlled Substance Management.

This four-day intensive review course is intended to present interventional pain management specialists and other healthcare providers an in-depth review of multiple areas of interventional pain managements.

To view the May brochure or register online, go to meetings on the ASIPP Web site.

UnitedHealthcare to Implement 50% Cut in Imaging Policy

UnitedHealthcare received confirmation from CMS that the reduction has been applied to the total RVU's for the technical component. As such, UnitedHealthcare will be implementing a 50% reduction percentage to the technical component (when applicable) with the June 2006 implementation of this policy.

Multiple imaging reduction payments will be applied only to claims submitted on HCFA 1500 claim forms. This payment policy is not intended for imaging procedures performed in an inpatient or hospital setting and billed on a UB92 claim form.

http://c.mail.1nc009.com/email_domains/unr/0121/hosted/reimburse_1.html

Does Your State Have CAC Representation?

It has been a year since the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) mandated that Interventional Pain Management become the 34th medical specialty represented on state Carrier Advisory Committees, which make local decisions about Medicare coverage. To date 26 states have notified us of their representation:

Alabama, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin.

If your state is represented but not listed, please notify us so we can add your state to our Web site. asipp@asipp.org Don’t let your state miss out on this important Medicare decision-making opportunity.

If your state does not have CAC representation, go to our Web site to learn how to gain representation. Follow this link to find out how your state can gain CAC representation... CAC

Study Finds Medical Malpractice Rates Stable

A new study by Americans for Insurance Reform, a consumer lobbying group that opposes limits on malpractice lawsuits, found evidence that medical malpractice insurance rates have stabilized in the last six months. Rates rose astronomically five years ago and forced many physicians to move or limit high-rise services.

The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers, the insurance group whose figures were cited, counters that the use of this data to determine the malpractice insurance crisis over is “a gross misrepresentation.” Evidence to their point is a bill which was introduced just last month by Washington Gov. Christine Gregoire. The bill would require hospitals to report serious medical mistakes to state regulators; give the state insurance commissioner authority to approve malpractice insurance rate increases and collect information about closed malpractice claims; and set up a system of voluntary arbitration for malpractice cases, with maximum awards limit to $1 million

See modernphysicain.com for more.

Bilateral Indicator Status for codes 64480 & 64484 Restored

Medicare has restored the bilateral indicator status for add-on transforaminal codes 64460 and 64484. Codes 64479 and 64483 were previously restored, now all four may be used may be used as bilateral codes. Click on the following link to access the CMS Manual System Publication… CMS

Federal Anti-meth Law Targets Access to Pseudoephedrine

President Bush recently signed into law a measure to combat methamphetamine abuse through increased funding for investigation and prosecution of offenders as well as for placement of limits on consumer access to products containing pseudoephedrine, a key ingredient in the making of meth.

The Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act, which became law March 9 as part of the Patriot Act reauthorization bill, does not authorize more funding for methamphetamine treatment. The measure provides $99 million each year for the next five years for the Meth Hot Spots program, which trains state and local law enforcement to investigate and prosecute meth offenders. The bill also allots $20 million during the next tow years to help states assist children who live in a home in which meth or other illicit drugs are used or manufactured.

Subscribers can read more on this story at amednew.com

More than 27 Million Enrolled in Prescription Drug Coverage

Medicare recently announced that 1.9 million additional beneficiaries have signed up for prescription drug coverage since mid-February – a 25% increase from last month. The total of those who have signed up individually over the past four months is approximately 7.2 million. HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt announced that “Over 27 million beneficiaries are now getting coverage and saving money on their prescription drugs. The enrollment goal for the first year is 28 to 30 million.

All HHS press releases, fact sheets, and other press materials are available at http://www.hhs.gov/news

ABIPP UPDATE - Part I To Be Administered in August

ABIPP Part 1 exam will be administered in St. Louis on Aug. 10, 2006 and registration is still open. The minimum requirements for eligibility are:

• A primary ABMS board certification.
• An active license to practice medicine in the United States.

For a copy of the ABIPP Part 1 examination application form… click here

To date, 22 physicians have qualified for ABIPP diplomate status by reciprocity.

Recipients of this certification qualified by fulfilling the following requirements:

1. Active license to practice medicine in USA
2. Approved residency and/or fellowship
3. Current primary ABMS Board Certification
4. Current ABMS – Pain Medicine Subspecialty Certification
5. Competency Certifications:

• Competency Certification in Controlled Substance Management &
• Competency Certification in Coding, Compliance, And Practice Management

6. Current FIPP Certification

To access the application form for certification by reciprocity… Click here

For more information regarding eligibility or the ABIPP exam follow this link…

ABIPP

Comprehensive Pain Medicine Board Review Course

ASIPP is offering a Comprehensive Pain Medicine Board Review Course for physicians seeking board certification or re-certification for ABMS Pain Medicine examination or for American Board of Interventional Pain Physicians Part I examination.

The exam will be held on Aug. 5 – 9 in St. Louis. This five-day intensive Board Review Course is a CME activity which can also serve an in-depth review of the specialty of pain medicine.

To register on-line or for more information on the review course or to register, visit our Web site… Meetings

Pain Physician Journal to be Indexed in Medline

In a letter from the Executive Editor of MEDLINE, Pain Physician Journal was notified of its inclusion in the MEDLARS system.

Pain Physician Journal was recently evaluated by the National Library of Medicine’s Literature Selection Technical Review Committee and based upon that review, was selected for indexing and inclusion in MEDLINE. “We were ecstatic to learn that Pain Physician Journal was selected.” said Editor-in-Chief, Mark V. Boswell. “It is a great honor for a journal to be included in MEDLINE.”

“Once again ASIPP has demonstrated that perseverance and diligence toward an appropriate cause will create success,” said Laxmaiah Manchikanti, founder of the Pain Physician Journal. “This journal was essentially started by one physician – today it is the premier journal for interventional pain physicians.”

The databases in the MEDLARS system are available online, in the U.S., and throughout the World.

Read the notification letter

Contact Information Updates

Help us maintain current information on our members by updating your contact information. If you have had any credential changes or postal or e-mail address changes, send us an e-mail with your CV attached and your most current information by clicking on e-mail us

State Society News

If your state society has any news you would like to share, please e-mail your news items to mmartin@asipp.org