MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS
In its relatively short history, ASIPP has accumulated an impressive list of major achievements. These achievements have fostered patient access to pain relieving techniques and services, and at the same time have strengthened the specialty of interventional pain management.
In the political and regulatory realm, ASIPP efforts have resulted in...
- The National All Schedules Prescription Electronic Reporting (NASPER) Act was approved by Congress and signed into law by President Bush on Aug 11, 2005. This shared reporting system for prescription medications helps control the diversion and abuse of prescribed medications, protecting patients and physicians from the deleterious effects of controlled substance misuse, abuse, and trafficking. It is the first law that originated from a physicians’ organization.
- Interventional pain management (IPM) representation on state Carrier Advisory Committees (CACs) across the nation, bringing to 34 the number of physician specialties providing input at the state level into the decision-making process for the Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (HHS-CMS). Prior to this achievement, ASIPP efforts had been successful in obtaining IPM representation on CACs in several states.
- FDA approval of limited distribution of name brand Celestone Soluspan for epidural management of pain due to radiculopathy in patients not responsive to systemic drug therapy and other adjunctive therapies. According to the agreement with FDA, Schering-Plough, through their distributors, may send up to 12 vials per clinic per month. (Contact your local distributor of Clint Pharmaceuticals — phone 800.677.5022 — because Clint gives ASIPP members priority in the allotments.)
- ASIPP and ASIPP members have sent over 18,000 letters to legislators and to the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) on a variety of issues.
- Multiple meetings between ASIPP leadership and key congressional leaders.
- ASIPP members making more than 500 legislative visits, meeting with congressional members each year during Capitol Hill visits to discuss healthcare issues of concern to interventional pain physicians.
- Multiple meetings with, and presentations to, CMS officials.
- Obtaining almost 40 letters of congressional support on various issues.
- Several meetings between ASIPP leadership and former Secretary of Health and Human Services Tommy Thompson.
- Passage of a MedPac study bill to examine barriers to coverage, payments for outpatient interventional pain procedures and access to interventional pain management. This study resulted in recommendations to the Department of Health and Human Services: 1) for the evaluation of payments for services provided in hospital outpatient departments, ambulatory surgical centers (ASCs), and physician offices to ensure that financial incentives did not adversely affect decisions as to where care is provided; 2) a call for evaluation and updating of payment rates for procedures performed in ASCs; 3) a request for recalculation of practice expense payments for interventional pain procedures; and 4) a request for additional research into the effectiveness of interventional pain services in order to strengthen the evidence basis for Medicare’s coverage decisions.
- Passage of a bill delaying implementation of the Prospective Payment System (PPS) until January 1, 2002, and extending the phase-in period to four years with 25% annual increments; ASIPP partnered in this effort with the Federal Ambulatory Surgery Association (FASA).
ASIPP efforts have supported IPM recognition, coding, and reimbursement, resulting in...
- Preservation of interventional pain management as a recognized specialty.
- Recognition of specialty designations for “Pain Management” (72) and “Interventional Pain Management” (09). (Change your designation with this form, CMS8551.)
- Interventional pain management (IPM) representation on state Carrier Advisory Committees (CACs) across the nation, giving interventional pain physicians influence over the decisions affecting our specialty.
- Inclusion of nine new or replacement codes on the ASC-approved list.
- Approval of new classifications for interventional techniques, with higher reimbursements for some procedures – including intrathecal pumps – performed in hospital outpatient settings.
- CPT coding for Interventional Pain Management, including a Level III CPT code for Spinal Endoscopy, and the addition of a code for one day Percutaneous Adhesiolysis.
- Restoration of reimbursements at a higher level for lumbar facet joint neurolytic procedures, discography, and for multiple radiology codes.
- Medicare approval in many states of lysis of adhesions.
ASIPP's philosophy of working with other organizations and businesses has led to...
- Physicians getting continuing education credit at ASIPP workshops
- ASIPP membership in the AMA Specialty and Service Society.
- Development, and assistance to, ASIPP chapters in 49 states, and an affiliation with the Texas Pain Society.
- Co-sponsorship with the Federal Ambulatory Surgery Association of a bill delaying implementation of the Prospective Payment System (PPS) until January 1, 2002, and extending the phase-in period to four years with 25% annual increments.
- ASIPP providing links to corporate sponsors, members, and other organizations.
ASIPP's educational meetings, publications, and resources foster information exchange through...
- Annual meetings that provide information critical to the practice of interventional pain management for physicians and others on the multi-disciplinary teams of professionals providing service to pain patients.
- Cadaver workshops for physicians that hone skills in interventional techniques.
- Board Review Courses for physicians preparing for examinations.
- Pain Physician, a bi-monthly, peer-reviewed journal focusing on the science, research, and practice of interventional pain management. Pain Physician is listed on EMBASE and is seeking PubMed recognition in 2005.
- ASIPP News, published quarterly to provide practical information and news of interest to those in the interventional pain management field. Policies and regulations affecting the interventional pain management specialty, news, updates, information about ASIPP meetings, courses, and activities are included.
- Model Compliance Plan, published by ASIPP and developed by Arent Fox, the premier healthcare law firm in Washington, D.C.
- Policy and procedure manuals for pain management centers and ambulatory surgery centers.
- Principles of Documentation, Billing, Coding & Practice Management. Written by doctors, nurses, professional coders, and lawyers, this book is uniquely tailored to the needs of physicians and support personnel working in the field of interventional pain management.
- Controlled substance guidelines specifically for interventional pain management settings.
- Interventional Techniques in the Management of Chronic Spinal Pain: Evidence-Based Practice Guidelines. Authored by multiple experts in the field, this large journal article provides invaluable information for practitioners and their staff.
- Low Back Pain: Diagnosis and Treatment, a well-illustrated, detailed reference for use by interventional pain management physicians. Published by ASIPP Publishing, this book contains chapters by leading experts in the field and contains information of value to beginner and advanced practitioners.
- ASIPP website provides resources and links to information critical to those providing services in the interventional pain management specialty.
