House to hold ACA repeal vote next week
Fox News (1/28) reports on its website that House Republicans are set to hold their first vote of the new Congress to repeal the ACA next week. The vote comes as the GOP debates how to address the health law. Republican lawmakers are facing mounting pressure from conservative…
CDC director urges physicians to use antivirals against flu
Reuters (1/10, Steenhuysen) reported CDC Director Dr. Thomas Frieden stated the flu season in the US looks to be especially harsh and urged physicians to prescribe antiviral drugs when patients present with flu-like symptoms. Dr. Frieden noted that some doctors do not believe antiviral drugs like Tamiflu (oseltamivir)…
How doctors changed the legislative, regulatory landscape in 2014
The collective physician voice carried a lot of weight in 2014—both in the nation’s capital and in the state legislatures. Changes that took place covered a broad range of issues, including better access to care for veterans, increased graduate medical education (GME) funding and important updates to the…
Hospital saftey efforts have decreased errors and saved 50,000 lives over 3 years
The Washington Post (12/3, Millman) reports that efforts to make hospital care safer “have resulted in an estimated 50,000 fewer patients dying because of avoidable errors in the past three years,” according to a new report from the Department of Health and Human Services. US hospitals reported 1.3…
Congressional Budget Office revises score for SGR repeal
On Nov. 14, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released revised scoring for repealing the sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula. The CBO reduced the 10-year score for repealing the SGR and replacing it with a long-term payment freeze to $118.9 billion. In August, CBO had scored this policy at $131…
10 Medicare payment policy revisions you need to know
Chances are you haven't been able to read through the nearly 1,200 pages that constitute the 2015 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule final rule released Oct. 31 and published last Thursday in the Federal Register. We've pulled out the 10 top payment policy changes discussed in this mammoth document…
Arkansas Department of Health Distributes Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) Screening Resource
In light of new developments and extensive media coverage regarding the Ebola case in Texas, the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) wanted to distribute some helpful resources for management of potential Ebola patients. The CDC is actively developing and updating information on their website, and the recommendations and guides…
CDC confirms 594 cases of enterovirus in 43 states.
Coverage of the enterovirus outbreak continues, with all three of last night’s national news broadcasts discussing the virus for a total of nearly four-and-a-half minutes. Coverage primarily focused on the death of a four-year-old New Jersey boy, the first confirmed death from enterovirus. ABC World News (10/6, story…
Ebola Confirmed on US Soil: The Facts for Physicians and Patients
From "AMA Wire," 9/30/2014, 7:37 PM The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed Tuesday Sept 30 that the first case of Ebola has appeared in the United States. The virus is spread through contact with bodily fluids of a person who is sick with or has…
Hydrocodone Reclassification: What physicians need to know
Recently, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) issued a final rule rescheduling hydrocodone combination products (HCPs) into Controlled Substance Schedule II, effective October 6, 2014. Rescheduling issues directly related to Arkansas: Under Arkansas law, physician assistants and advance practice registered nurses are not authorized to write prescriptions for…
CMS Grants Relief for Stage 3 Meaningful-Use
CMS recently finalized a rule allowing eligible providers more flexibility in how they meet the third stage of meaningful-use requirements for the electronic health-record incentive program. The rule would grant providers a longer timeline and more flexibility in meeting the incentive goals laid out by the stimulus program…