OSMA EVENTS |
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Together We Are Stronger! The Oklahoma State Medical Association is your best and most effective advocate for you, your patients, and our profession. In partnership with your local county medical society and the American Medical Association, OSMA is your best and
most effective advocate for you, your patients, and our profession.
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2010 National Advocacy Conference A Success
Oklahoma was well represented at the recent AMA National Advocacy Conference, held March 1-3, 2010 in Washington, DC. Representing the OSMA was K.A. Mehta, MD, OSMA President-Elect; Dean Drooby, MD, Chair of OSMA’s Governmental Activities Council; and George Caldwell, MD, Vice-Chair of OSMA’s Governmental Activities Council. Also in attendance from Oklahoma were Mary Anne McCaffree, MD, AMA Board member; Robert McCaffree, MD, OSMA Secretary-Treasurer, and Larry Bookman, MD, 2010 President of Oklahoma County Medical Society. OSMA Executive Director Ken King and Associate Executive Director Kathy Musson also attended the conference.
The conference provided leaders of the medical community from around the country the opportunity to gather and receive the latest information on various political and advocacy issues of interest to physicians and patients. Again this year, the conference focused on the main legislative issues for physician and patients regarding Medicare Reimbursement issues, Medical Liability Reform and overall health care reform.
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OSMA Physician Leaders Carry OSMA/AMA Message to Capitol Hill
During the AMA National Advocacy Conference this week, Oklahoma attendees, along with OSMA Federal Lobbyist John Montgomery, carried the OSMA’s federal legislative agenda to the Oklahoma Congressional Delegation and their health aids during Capitol Hill visits. read more
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Medicine Day Success
A very special thank you to all of you who made Wednesday’s Medicine Day legislative reception one of our best yet! We had approximately 150 OSMA members and guests who joined with nearly 40 state legislators to discuss issues important to the House of Medicine. For those of you who attended the event, thank you for helping us lay the foundations for a successful 2010
legislative session!
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Medicare Chaos Clock is Ticking. . .
We already know the news from Washington DC is grim on health system reform. More alarming for Oklahoma physicians, however, is the March 1 Medicare physician fee cut of over 21 percent. This drastic payment cut will force many doctors in our state to make very painful choices in order to keep their doors open: many will be forced to limit the number of new Medicare patients they treat or simply be forced out of seeing Medicare patients altogether.
These cuts couldn’t come at a worse time—they create a horrible situation for physicians and their patients. What’s Congress going to do? They went home. The chaos clock is ticking. . .
OSMA was informed today (Friday) that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is notifying Trailblazer and all of its other contractors to hold physician Medicare claims for 10 business days, effective Monday, March 1.
OSMA members are urged to express their outrage to Congress!! The 21.2 percent cuts will go into effect Monday! This action will hurt seniors, the military and boomers—some of the most vulnerable patients who may desperately need care.
Contact your member of Congress—it’s easy: just call the toll free AMA Grassroots Hotline at 1800-833-6354, give them your zip code and they will link you to your member of Congress’ office.
Remember—the clock is ticking. . .
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In 2007 the OSMA House of Delegates approved a resolution amending the OSMA bylaws to allow a three-year trial period of “de-unification” from mandatory AMA membership (2008, 2009, and 2010 billing cycles). The OSMA has been monitoring membership trends during this 3-year time frame. Based on information from these reports, along with the results of this survey, the OSMA delegates will be re-evaluating the AMA membership unification requirements to determine if the “optional” AMA membership will become permanent. This important issue will be discussed and voted upon by the delegates at the April 17, 2010 House of Delegates meeting to be held at 9:00 a.m. at the Reed Center in Midwest City, Oklahoma.
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/RHVDRDT
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Physicians needed to support Haiti relief efforts
Practicing physicians interested in supporting the earthquake relief effort in Haiti are invited to register through the AMA/NDLS™ Disaster Volunteer Physician Registry. The AMA is using the registry to facilitate and coordinate the deployment of physicians who are willing to volunteer with federal and private sector response organizations to respond to the earthquake. Given the physically challenging, austere, resource-constrained environment in Haiti right now, volunteers must be self-sufficient and able to work independently.
Visit www.ama-assn.org/go/haiti-volunteer to register today.
Visit www.ama-assn.org/go/haiti to view AMA Web pages dedicated to information related to the earthquake and the relief effort.
Visit http://www.ama-assn.org/go/blog to view a Jan. 27 blog post from AMA President J. James Rohack, MD, about the registry and the AMA’s support of the relief effort.
Visit http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/news/news/physician-volunteers-haiti.shtml to view an AMA news release about the registry.
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Red Flags Rule
Protect your Patients, Protect Your Practice:
What You Need to Know about the Red Flags Rule
Compliance Date: June 1, 2010
Update: The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has delayed the compliance deadline of the Red Flags Rule until June 1, 2010. The AMA will utilize this time to convince the FTC and Congress to republish the rule so that there is sufficient opportunity to formally comment and state the AMA's objections to physician inclusion in the program.
Red Flags Rule Overview - http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/no-index/physician-resources/red-flags-rule.shtml
Red Flags Rule Guidance Document - http://www.ama-assn.org/ama1/pub/upload/mm/368/red-flags-rule-edu.pdf
Sample Policy - http://www.ama-assn.org/ama1/pub/upload/mm/368/red-flags-rule-policy.pdf
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"Preparing for the Conversion from ICD-9 to ICD-10: What You Need to Be Doing Today
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Medicare’s Recovery Audit Contractor (RAC) Program
CMS is often asked about the phase-in strategy for RAC reviews. CMS has implemented a phase-in strategy by review type. CMS' phase-in strategy can be found in the downloads section on the recent updates page located here: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/RAC/03_RecentUpdates.asp CMS has not put a phase-in strategy in place by provider type. All provider types are available for RAC review once provider outreach has occurred in the state. Any reviews completed by the RAC must have been first approved by CMS and posted to the RAC websites.
CMS is often asked about other claim types that may be affected by a full inpatient denial and if the RACs will deny other claim types associated with the inpatient stay, such as physician evaluation and management services. At this time the RAC will not automatically deny claims that are associated with a full inpatient denial. However, these claims may be reviewed individually and there may be a need to fully/partially adjust the claim based on the documentation submitted.
For additional information and resources concerning the RAC Program, please visit Connolly Consulting Associates RAC webpage here: http://www.connollyhealthcare.com/RAC/Pages/cms_RAC_Program.aspx and the RAC page on the CMS website here: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/ra
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Recovery Audit Contractors Information and Forms
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Now Available – Aspirin Therapy Materials!
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