AMA Summary of the 2016 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule
On October 30, 2015, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the (1,358 page) 2016 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) Final Rule with comment period. CMS has issued a general fact sheet and a PQRS payment adjustment fact sheet. The AMA submitted detailed comments on the…
Arkansas Doctors, Lawmakers, And Buisness Leaders Debate Value Of Telemedicine
By Steve Brawner / Talk Business & Politics • Nov 5, 2015 A form of telemedicine available in 49 other states is a good benefit for employees, said representatives of Walmart, J.B. Hunt, and America’s Car Mart. The Arkansas Medical Society and four state legislators, however, worry that…
What Can I Do to Prevent Opioid Abuse?
Opioid abuse is a national epidemic that you have the power to help prevent. The AMA Task Force to Reduce Opioid Abuse wants physicians across the nation to join together and take action to prevent opioid abuse. Here are five things you can do to prevent opioid abuse:…
CDC Health Advisory: Increases in Fentanyl Drug Confiscations
Increases in Fentanyl Drug Confiscations and Fentanyl-related Overdose Fatalities Summary The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) are investigating recent increases in fentanyl-related unintentional overdose fatalities in multiple states across the U.S. The purpose of this HAN advisory is to: (1)…
October Newsletter now available
The October issue of AMS NewsBriefs has been distributed via email and printed mail. Members, if you did not receive a copy, please give us a call to update your subscription preferences at 800-542-1058. The issue is available online in the Publications section as well as excerpts in…
Consultant’s Report to the Legislative Health Care Reform Task Force
On Wednesday, October 7, AMS staff attended a meeting of the Legislative Health Care Reform Task Force to hear the report of the task force's consulting firm, The Stephen Group (TSG). As expected, the recommendations were focused on a replacement for the Private Option and reforming the current…
ICD-10 Up and Running??
October 1 marked the beginning dates of service for using the new ICD-10 coding system. AMS wants to hear from you if you are encountering problems. Simply send an email to ams@arkmed.org. Also, after receiving several requests/concerns about the potential for short-term cash flow problems, AMS has partnered…
Patient-Centered Medical Home – Awards $5.3 Million in SHARED SAVINGS
2014 Shared Savings payments were awarded on October 1, 2015, to 19 of 37 PCMH entities. Payments ranged from $8K to $900K. In order to qualify for shared savings, the PCMH entities successfully completed practice support activities, reduced overall per beneficiary cost of care and met two-thirds of…
PCMH Open Enrollment Announced
Arkansas Medicaid's Patient-Centered Medical Home enrollment process began September 1, 2015, and will end on November 13, 2015. The enrollment process continues to require current PCMH practices to re-enroll for 2016 using the abbreviated form sent out in August to designated PCMH leads. Any new practice interested in…
How to Address ICD-10 Issues
With the Oct. 1 ICD-10 implementation date behind us, the AMA has revised its online ICD-10 information and resources. If physicians experience any problems with the processing of claims or other administrative transactions, they should take the following steps. Medicare: The AMA has created an ICD-10 complaint form,…
HHS issues new meaningful use regulations despite calls for reassessment
Late in the afternoon of Oct. 6, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued two major regulations pertaining to the electronic health record (EHR) meaningful use program. “The Medicare and Medicaid Programs Electronic Health Record Incentive Program–Stage 3 and Modifications to Meaningful Use in 2015 through…