March 25, 2011
Dan
Successful e-prescribers may avoid an adjustment to future Medicare reimbursement.
The Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008 authorizes the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to negatively adjust the pay of eligible professionals who are not determined to be successful electronic prescribers based on claims submitted between January 1, 2011 and June 30, 2011. In 2012, the adjustment will result in an eligible professional or group practice receiving 99 percent of their Medicare Part B Physician Fee Schedule amount. The adjustment will continue to increase on a yearly basis until 2014. Eligible professionals can avoid the 2012 payment adjustment if they:
- Are not physicians, nurse practitioners, or physician assistants as of June 30, 2011.
- Do not have prescribing privileges.
- Do not have at least 100 cases containing an encounter code in the measure denominator.
- Become successful e-prescribers and report the e-Rx measure for at least 10 unique e-Rx events for patients in the denominator of the measure.
Last week we asked how often you attend CME courses for which you have to travel a significant distance (that require overnight accommodations), and for which you do not?
View the results of last week’s poll. This week we want to know whether or not you are aware of your home internet speed, and how important the amount of home bandwidth* is to you?
Answer this week’s One Question.
Are you unaware of your home download and upload speeds?
Take this test to learn your Internet connection speed.
* Bandwidth is the rate at which data is transferred through your internet connection to your computer.
Did you know that the Business of Hand Surgery Committee just released its March Newsletter? Karen Zupko and Associates address e-Prescribing in 2011 and answer your frequently asked questions about the e-Prescribing penalty.
Read more.
Do not miss your opportunity to earn to earn 20.00
AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™! Registration for the 2011 Self-Assessment Examination is coming to a close next
Friday, April 1st, 2011. To learn more about the exam, the minimum passing score requirement, the fee for participation etc., visit the
Self - Assessment web page.
To verify that you are registered for the 2011 SA Exam, simply
log into your ASSH account and click
”My Transactions.
” Here you can view your registration and print the invoice for your records.
Every two to three years, the Hand Society conducts an evaluation of all the ASSH member products, services, and programs in order to optimize them and look for new opportunities. The Member Value Survey helps us determine the value of current courses, programs, publications and initiatives, ideas we may implement in the future, and programs that we may sunset over time.
You will receive the survey this coming weekend and we ask that you to find the time to respond with your opinions by
Monday, April 4th. At the close of the survey we will randomly draw three respondents’ names and each winner will receive a $100 discount off any ASSH product. Please contact Sarah Hughes at
smeyerhughes@assh.org if you have any questions.
Resident, Fellow or Active-Duty Military apply for a scholarship before May 2
Residents, Fellows and Active Duty members of the United States Armed Forces are encouraged to submit an application for the ASSH/AFSH Annual Meeting Scholarships. Scholarship recipients receive funding to help defer the cost of the 29th Residents and Fellows Conference in Hand Surgery and the 66th Annual Meeting expenses such as registration fees, airfare and lodging.
Apply online today!
Thanks to the partnership of hundreds of donors each year the American Foundation for Surgery of the Hand continues to make a difference in patient care, research, and education. We especially thank these donors who made a contribution to the Foundation in the past week.
Karl K. Bilderback, MD
S. D. Boles, MD
Robert B. Carrigan, MD
Robert J. Cole, MD
Jonathan F. Cook, MD
Monty R. Ellison, MD
Teri S. Formanek, MD
Thomas J. Gillon, MD
Jerry I. Huang, MD
Elizabeth S. Joneschild, MD
Robby D. LeBlanc, MD
Michael T. LeGeyt, MD
Mary W. Marzke, PhD
Brandon Z. Massey, MD
Regina M. McGovern, MD
Louis E. Murdock, MD
Allan E. Peljovich, MD
Steven L. Peterson, MD
Helmut Pfalz, MD
Savvas C. Poulos, MD
Peter M. Prokopis, MD
P. Andrew Puckett, MD
Stephen D. Rose, MD
Jane M. Siegel, MD
Dennis J. Sullivan, MD
Physician organizations urge Congress to prevent an estimated 29.5% drop in Medicare payments next year under the sustainable growth rate formula. Lawmakers should increase Medicare payment rates to physicians and prevent a massive across-the-board cut set for 2012, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission recommended in its annual March report to Congress.
The commission suggested a 1% increase in doctor pay in place of the scheduled reduction. The report was released March 15, days after the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services projected that doctor pay faces a 29.5% cut next year under the sustainable growth rate formula.
Read the full article.
The United States Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has unveiled the Physician Compare Initiative Web page. The page contains information deemed of interest to the healthcare professional community, including CMS-sponsored forums and links to other applicable resources. CMS plans to regularly update the site with timely and reliable information from the agency. To learn more,
visit the new CMS website.