Senate Approves ICD-10 Delay
Article from Health Data Management.com By a vote of 64 to 35, the U.S. Senate on March 31 approved legislation that includes a provision to delay the ICD-10 implementation deadline by one year to Oct. 1, 2015. The bill will be sent to President Obama for his expected…
Windows XP Not HIPAA Compliant
If your practice is using Windows XP, after April 8th, Microsoft will no longer support security upgrades bringing your HIPAA compliance into question. The best advice would be to check with your computer and/or software supplier about upgrading to a more current version of Windows. Any medical equipment…
AMS Forming New Interest Group for Advanced Practice Registered Nurses and Physician’s Assistants
Recognizing that most APRNs and PAs work directly with physicians either in an employment or team-based model, the AMS Board of Trustees has authorized the creation of an APRN/PA Interest Group. These professionals are invaluable to the physician's practice and play an important role as part of the…
Worried about ICD-10? AMS can help!
On February 26, 2014, CMS Administrator Marilyn Tavenner said physicians' offices would get no relief on the October 1, 2014 deadline for compliance with ICD-10. Do not be intimidated by ICD-10! Being prepared for the transition will make the change easier. These ICD-10 training seminars will ensure that…
ABCBS to Revise Metallic Plan Reimbursement
After several weeks of ongoing talks with state legislators, Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield has decided to revise its highly controversial decision to reduce payments to specialists by 15% for patients covered by individual metallic (plans created by the ACA) policies. Instead, effective July 1st, the state's…
Attestation Deadline for Meaningful Use Extended
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that the original planned deadline date for all physicians who are attesting for Medicare Meaningful Use in 2013 has been extended from February 28 to March 31. The date has been delayed because the attestation system experienced a number…
National Physician Survey Examines Physician Morale
The Physicians Foundation is conducting its third national survey designed to examine the morale, career plans, and practice metrics of today’s physicians. Results will be compared with those of the 2010 and 2012 surveys. These surveys have been instrumental in giving physicians a national voice, with coverage by…
AMS members can now receive CDL-Medical Examiner Training online and at a discount
Register | Already Registered? Access Your Course New Federal Requirement The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has established the National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners (NRCME), requiring all health care professionals who conduct physical examinations of interstate commercial motor vehicle drivers to: complete training that…
Private Option Passes House with 76-24 Vote
To our members: Thank you for contacting members of the Arkansas House of Representatives in support of the Private Option. Your work helped push the vote past the needed 75 for the appropriation. With our state constitution requiring 75% legislative support for most appropriations over $2.5 million, it…
Arkansas Legislature reauthorizes Medicaid expansion
National coverage from AMA Morning Rounds, 3/5/14. Multiple national and regional newspapers, wire services, and beltway publications cover news of the passage of a much-watched piece of legislation from Arkansas regarding expanded Medicaid eligibility. The New York Times (3/5, Goodnough, Subscription Publication) reports that the Arkansas House of…
Calling All Prescribers… Have You Completed the AR PMP Survey?
A survey to examine how often prescribers are using Arkansas’ Electronic Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP) went out February 4th to the email address provided to the AR PMP by the prescriber. If you have not already completed it, please do so today! The monitoring program was made available…