AMA Public Health Readiness Director to Address KMA Annual Meeting Italo Subbarao, DO, will present, along with Anna Pou, MD, on Monday morning, September 14, during the 2009 KMA Annual Meeting General Session.

White House Action Clears the Way to Permanent Physician Payment Reform 

Statement attributable to: J. James Rohack, M.D.
                                     AMA President

“The removal of physician-administered drugs from the broken Medicare physician payment
formula is a major victory for America’s seniors and their physicians...

On June 24, 2009 the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted in favor of accepting a recommendation from the ACIP rabies work group to reduce the number of rabies vaccine doses for postexposure prophylaxis (PEP), from 5 doses as recommended in the 2008 ACIP document on Human Rabies Prevention, to 4 doses for most individuals.

Since the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) notified KMA on June 15, 2009 that they suspended recoupment efforts using Health Research Insights (HRI), KMA has received reports from members that HRI has continued its aggressive collection efforts.

As part of the celebration of the 200th anniversary of the “infamous” surgery performed by Ephraim McDowell, MD, in 1809, Pioneer Playhouse in Danville will present The Infamous Ephraim June 23 – July 4.

KMA members interested in being considered for nomination to serve as a member of the Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure must submit an application to the Kentucky Medical Association by July 24, 2009. For application information click here.

The University of Louisville Department of Pediatrics is seeking input from OB/GYN physicians and residents on knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding alcohol use during pregnancy.

The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) released its preliminary definition of “meaningful use” of electronic health records. The definition for achieving meaningful use of health data includes three parts: data capture and sharing by 2011, advanced clinical processes by 2013, and improved outcomes by 2015.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) uncovered a scam where perpetrators fax physician offices posing as the local Medicare carrier. The fax instructs physician staff to respond to a questionnaire and provide an account information update within 48 hours in order to prevent a gap in Medicare payments. The fax may have the CMS logo and/or the contractor logo to enhance the appearance of authenticity.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention wants primary care and hospital-based physicians to emphasize early, empiric antiviral treatment for hospitalized patients and high-risk outpatients with suspected, probable, or confirmed novel swine-origin influenza A (H1N1) virus infection.
 

Due to aggressive action undertaken by the Kentucky Medical Association (KMA) and its President Jim Beattie, MD, the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 227 & Employers Health & Welfare Plan notified KMA on June 15, 2009, that they have suspended recoupment efforts using Health Research Insights (HRI) at this time.

KMA issued a letter to the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Board of Trustees regarding the collection practices of Health Research Insights (HRI), a company contracted by the UFCW health benefit plan to collect what HRI deems to be “overpayments” made to physicians.

On June 1, 2009, physicians throughout Kentucky received letters from Humana stating whether the physician was participating or non-participating in three plans, the Humana Preferred POS-Open Access and HMO Select Plus which may apply to Ford-UAW hourly workers, and the Humana Medicare Advantage PPO plan.
 

The Kentucky Retirement System is seeking physicians to serve on its medical review board. Details of the request and application are available here.

The Kentucky Department for Public Health has now confirmed 57 cases of H1N1 in Kentucky and has updated information for physicians in regard to specimen submission.

The Kentucky Department for Public Health will hold a Medical Reserve Corps Summer 2009 Workshop on July 18, 2009.

As part of the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions (FACT) Act of 2003, most physician practices must develop and implement written identity theft prevention programs by May 1, 2009.

The April 2009 Journal of the Kentucky Medical Association features an article titled, “RAC and Roll: Preparing Your Practice for the Recovery Audit Contractor Program.”