Physician Leadership Opportunities
No entity has more influence over health care in Arkansas than the Arkansas Medical Society. If you are ready to take an active role in channeling that influence, consider running for the AMS Board of Trustees. There are currently 37 District Trustees representing ten geographic areas of the…
Medical Marijuana Amendment
AMS has received numerous calls from physicians asking about the recently passed medical marijuana amendment. While AMS was and remains opposed to the amendment, AMS members should be aware of the implications and responsibilities associated with the law. There are numerous regulatory hurdles that must be completed prior…
MACRA Update Regarding Removal of Social Security Numbers
CMS has announced that the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) of 2015, requires the removal of Social Security Numbers (SSNs) from all Medicare beneficiary cards by April 2019. A new randomly generated Medicare Beneficiary Identifier (MBI) will replace the SSN-based Health Insurance Claim Number (HICN) on…
Save the Date: 2017 AMS Annual Meeting
The AMS annual meeting will be held at the Doubletree Hotel in Little Rock on May 5-6, 2017. This meeting offers AMS members continuing medical education programs, networking opportunities, a vendor showcase and a good time with your colleagues. The welcome reception and President's Gala will be held in…
QualChoice Plan Change
QualChoice of Arkansas has contacted AMS with information regarding a change to Individual Metallic Insurance Plans. Beginning January 1, 2017, all members of QualChoice individual metallic plans (Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum and Catastrophic) will be in the QualChoice Select Network. These plans will require the insured to choose a…
2016’s top 5 stories for physicians
Medicine is always a balancing act, and this year’s best-read stories for physicians hit on that perennial theme. Whether weighing doctors’ home and working lives or pain control and the risk of abuse, these articles caught the attention of physician readers. How physician burnout compares to general working…
Obama Administration scraps Medicare Part B proposal for reimbursing physicians
The Wall Street Journal (12/16, Evans, Walker, Subscription Publication) reported that the Obama Administration has scrapped a controversial plan to alter how Medicare reimburses physicians for Part B drugs which they administer in their offices after the industry strongly criticized the proposal. Acting CMS Administrator Andy Slavitt said…
Texas reports first locally transmitted Zika case
The AP (11/28, Stengle) reports that “Texas on Monday reported its first case of Zika virus that likely came from a mosquito bite within the state.” The AP points out that Florida is the only other state with locally spread Zika. Meanwhile, “health officials say that the woman…
Tom Price reportedly selected to head HHS
The New York Times (11/28, A1, Pear, Subscription Publication) reports on its front page that according to President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team, he has chosen Rep. Tom Price (R-GA) to be the next HHS Secretary. Price, who is “an orthopedic surgeon, has been a severe critic of the…
New Study Suggests Retail Clinics Do Not Reduce Non-Emergency ED Visits
According to a study published in the Annals of Emergency Medicine, retail clinics are addressing the issue of increased patient demand, but have not been associated with a meaningful reduction in low-acuity ED visits. The article reported that people “are just as likely to go to the emergency…
WHO: Zika no longer an international public health emergency
The Washington Post (11/18, Sun) reported that the World Health Organization declared that the Zika virus is no longer an international public health emergency. However, experts with the WHO clarified that this designation does not indicate that addressing Zika is less important, but that it requires a sustained…