An energetic group of over 90 Iowa physicians and medical students gathered at the Capitol on February 1 to talk with lawmakers about key issues affecting physicians and their patients. This was the first grassroots event of its kind that IMS has organized with other specialty and medical societies...
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The Iowa Medicaid Drug Utilization Review (DUR) Commission is seeking physician feedback regarding recently proposed changes to prior authorization criteria. At its February 1 meeting, the DUR voted to recommend to DHS changes to clinical prior authorization criteria affecting erythropoiesis stimulating...
In a letter to providers (PDF 153KB) dated January 10, 2012, Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield provided an update about HIPAA 5010 compliance. Providers are encouraged to review it to determine if additional action is required on your part. While Wellmark is compliant with the ASC X12 version 5010...
Physicians are calling once again on Congress to permanently stop a fiscally irresponsible cycle of scheduled cuts and short-term patches by eliminating the broken Medicare physician payment formula. The American Medical Association (AMA), the nation's largest physician organization, and state and specialty...
State Representative Lisa Heddens has recorded a 10-minute podcast for IMS about how a bill becomes a law, how to develop your message, when to advocate for or against a bill, and best practices when contacting your legislator.
Rep. Heddens is serving her 5th term in the Iowa House of Representatives...
The American Medical Association unveiled a redesigned website for its Practice Management Center, featuring a new layout that is easier to navigate and faster to use. The improved website offers physicians easy access to the AMA's wealth of resources, tools and guidance for enhancing the operation...
The payroll tax extension legislation that was passed by Congress and signed by the President on Dec. 23, 2011 (Public Law 112-078) delayed the 27.4% Medicare pay cut due to the SGR formula for two months. It also extended the floor on the work geographic practice cost index (GPCI) and certain other policies. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has confirmed to the AMA, however,...
Physicians got a brief reprieve from a 27.4 percent Medicare pay cut when the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives each passed a two-month extension on December 23 of several important policies that expire on Jan. 1.
The U.S. Senate last week voted to extend current Medicare payment rates for two...
CMS is anticipating Congressional action to avert the negative update for the 2012 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS). Therefore, CMS is extending the 2012 Annual Participation Enrollment Period through Tuesday, Feburary 14, 2012. The enrollment period now runs Monday, November 14, 2011 through...
January 1, 2012 marks the compliance deadline for use of the new version of the standard electronic Health Insurance Portability and Accountability (HIPAA) transactions. Version 4010 has been in use since 2003 and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is requiring all HIPAA "covered entities,"...
The Iowa Medical Society is offering a new webinar that will help you get the two hours of chronic pain CME that the Iowa Board of Medicine (IBM) recently mandated for all Iowa physicians who provide primary health care to patients.
Unlike national CME offerings, this course contains Iowa specific information,...
The AMA has announced that it plans to relocate its Chicago headquarters to 330 N. Wabash in September 2013. The announcement follows an extensive property search by AMA officials to evaluate future workspace options as its current lease at 515 N. State St. expires in August 2015. AMA officials explored several options, including renovating current...
IMS Executive Vice President Mike Abrams has announced that he will be leaving the Iowa Medical Society in February to accept a position as President of the Ohio Hospital Association in Columbus. Abrams said he has loved every single minute of his time in Iowa. "My successor will take over one of the premier jobs in the country," he said. "And that's because of the excellent...
There's no question that Medicare payment to physicians in undergoing transformation. If you're a bit in the dark about what all means to you, visit our seminar page and register for our archived webinar about accountable care organizations and an update on the Institute of Medicine's report on geographic...
In its highly anticipated final blueprint for the Medicare accountable care organization (ACO) program, CMS adopted many of the AMA suggestions for encouraging physician-led Medicare ACOs. Join AMA President-elect Jeremy Lazarus, MD, and national expert Harold Miller, for a 60-minute on demand webinar that will outline the significant...
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