The Arkansas Foundation for Medical Care performs utilization management services for Arkansas Medicaid, and through this contract, AFMC may approve or deny a prior authorization, or retrospective review, based upon medical necessity standards. This contract requires that AFMC work with subspecialties for specific review types. Physician reviewers can…
From the American Society of Anesthesiologists - Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson is considering eliminating physician oversight of surgical anesthesia without any opportunity for public input from the state’s medical/surgical community. This concerning and unilateral decision would conflict with Arkansas state statute, would not lower costs or increase access…
From the Arkansas Department of Health - The CDC has issued an update about the availability and use of recommended therapies for COVID-19 and advises against using unproven treatments that have known or potential harms for outpatients with mild to moderate COVID-19. For patients with mild to moderate…
By Laura HaywoodManaging Editor, The Journal When a publication has been around since the 1890s (yes, you read that correctly - eighteen ninety!), it's not surprising that said publication has undergone many changes through the years. What once was the only way of sharing Society news and information…
Joseph P. Runyan, MD By Ray Hanley Born on a farm in Columbia County, Arkansas, Joseph P. Runyan, MD (1869-1931) earned his medical degree in 1890 from Tulane University, specializing in general surgery. After moving to Little Rock, Dr. Runyon became very active in civic and medical institutions. …
The Arkansas Medical Society is seeking nominations for the 2022 AMS Student Leadership Award. This award will be presented at the UAMS White Coat Ceremony in August.The Arkansas Medical Society Student Leadership Award recipient will not only receive the honor of this prestigious award and a commemorative plaque…
The elections for the AMS District Trustees concluded on February 28, 2022. The following members were elected to serve a two-year term that will begin at the May 6, 2022 Board of Trustees meeting. (* indicates incumbent). Officers Elected for 2022-2023: President: Seth Barnes, MD – Hot Springs…
Over the last few months of 2021, the Board of Apportionment redrew 100 House & 35 Senate Districts so that each district met various legal criteria, including each district being about the same size in population. This "redistricting" is required by law once every 10 years after the…
Vote Today for the 2022 AMS Board of Trustees It’s important to our Society that all eligible members have the opportunity to choose the physician leaders who will represent them on the Board of Trustees in the coming year and lead the AMS. All AMS members (except affiliate…
**The following information does not apply to private physicians’ practices. On January 13, 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS) Health Care Staff Vaccination Standards, which gives CMS the authority to enforce its interim final rule requiring many Medicare- and Medicaid-certified providers…
Based on the continuing Federal Public Health Emergency (PHE), Arkansas Medicaid has authorized a continuation of the temporary increase in the reimbursement rate for the administration of COVID-19 vaccines. This continued temporary increase will be effective through April 15, 2022. The increase applies to both first (1st) and…