August 19, 2009
Stop the Extinction of Facet Joint Interventions in Noridian States - 13 Days Remaining to Comment |
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Noridian has made a pending determination on facet joint interventions. If not convinced otherwise, after the August 31 comment period, facet joint reimbursements will be denied based on a determination that they are experimental.
The states affected by this pending rule are: Alaska, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming.
Those who are covered by Noridian must act quickly by sending comment letters and also contacting Congress. If we do not act immediately, this ruling will be devastating to the interventional pain physicians and their patients who currently covered under Noridian. If implemented, this policy will have a disastrous affect on patient access and eventually this will be a nationwide ruling.
We have provided a link to a basic sample comment letter to Noridian.You should customize it on your personal or business letterhead and expand as you desire. We encourage you to use this letter for your patients as well. You may e-mail or mail the letter but it must be received by August 31, 2009.
Please see the comment letter which ASIPP sent to Noridian on August 10. This letter contains a great deal of information and references that may be helpful if you choose to edit and expand your letters.
We also ask you to contact Congress by using the Capwiz link. You may edit this letter as well.
Please don't delay - act today and encourage others to respond as well. Comment letter deadline is August 31, 2009. Please fax copies of letters sent to 270-554-5394. |
Practical Documentation, Billing, Coding, and Compliance for |
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Practical Documentation, Billing, Coding, and Compliance for Interventional Pain Practices course offers extensive and detailed sessions on coding for interventional pain management. This is a opportunity for you and your staff to gain new information and also to get answers for your troubling coding questions. Registe r
This course will be held on Oct. 9-11 in Memphis, TN at the the historic Peabody Hotel and will focus on the more practical aspects of coding and billing and the correct way to document medical necessity and indications.
The lectures will be given by the most experienced in the field. You will be taken through the proper evaluation and management services and documentation step-by-step process, leading to an algorithmic approach to interventional pain management.
This is a course you can't afford to miss!
Course details can be found online. Brochure
Register Today! |
Comprehensive Review Course and Cadaver |
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Register today for the Comprehensive Review Course and Cadaver Workshop in Interventional Pain Techniques will provide an opportunity for hands-on instruction in basic, intermediate or ABIPP Part II examination preparation. Register
The course will be held on October 9-11 in Memphis, TN at the historic Peabody Hotel and the world famous Medical Education and Research Institute.
With the choice of multiple experience levels, this course is ideal for those with more basic skills desiring to develop new skill to those more experienced who are preparing to take the ABIPP Part II examination.
Space is limited in each level so early registration is encouraged.
Register Online Today |
Lack of Medicare Appointee Puzzles Congress |
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President Obama has made health care his top priority. He says the cost of Medicare and Medicaid is "the biggest threat" to the nation's fiscal future. But to the puzzlement of Congress and health care experts around the country, Mr. Obama has not named anyone to lead the agency that runs the two giant programs (Pear, New York Times, August 17, 2009).
The New York Times |
Fight Looms Over Medicare Advantage |
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With the wildfire over so-called death panels still smoldering, President Barack Obama faces what could become another emotion-charged obstacle to his vision of overhauling health care: his plan to trim subsidies for a program called Medicare Advantage (Parsons and Zajac, Chicago Tribune, August 19, 2009).
The program pays insurance companies a hefty premium above traditional Medicare reimbursements for enrolling senior citizens in managed care. But whether the higher payments are worth the cost is a matter of dispute.
Chicago Tribune |
Debate Over "Essential" Benefits |
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A provision in the pending House health system reform bill details a basic benefits package that eventually would become the standard for all plans, public and private. But unresolved questions about the design and scope of the "essential benefits package" have sparked a controversy among some health policy organizations, most notably over the issue of abortion services (Silva, American Medical News, August 10, 2009)..
amednews.com |
Louisiana Cuts Physicians' Medicaid Payments |
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Louisiana will be paying less to physician practices and hospitals for treating most Medicaid patients as a result of emergency reductions taken by the state government early in August (Silva, American Medical News, August 17, 2009).
As part of a declaration of emergency issued Aug. 4, the Louisiana Dept. of Health and Hospitals announced reduced payments to physicians of about $19 million, and to hospitals of about $40.5 million, over the next fiscal year.
amednews.com |
Doctor Liable Despite Patient Relationship |
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Physicians performing independent medical examinations on behalf of employers or insurance carriers typically are not expected to establish a traditional patient-doctor relationship with the examinee. In fact, consent forms or other agreements often make clear that bond does not exist, and the doctor is not providing actual medical care (Sorrel, American Medical News, August 10, 2009).
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amednews.com |
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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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