Dr. Richard “Whit” Hall Honored
The Arkansas Chapter of The March of Dimes recently honored AMS member, Dr. Richard "Whit" Hall at their annual Signature Chefs Auction at the Statehouse Convention Center in Little Rock. This event was attended by over 600 medical professionals, friends of UAMS, and many other distinguished guests including…
ABCBS Adjusts Reimbursement for Individual Metallic Plans
Physicians and other medical providers are receiving contract amendments from Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield (ABCBS) laying out how they plan to begin reimbursing for services under the new health care plans. This information was shared with AMS staff recently. The network affected by the amendments is…
Patient-Centered Medical Home Town Hall Meetings
A message from Medicaid Managed Care Services (A division of Arkansas Foundation for Medical Care): Arkansas Medicaid’s Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) program was officially launched on October 1st. PCMH seeks to transition primary care in Arkansas to a more comprehensive, coordinated patient-centered practice model. They are writing now…
FDA Warns Oral Anti-Fungal May Cause Adrenal, Liver Problems
The Wall Street Journal (7/27, Burton, Subscription Publication, 2.29M) reported that the US Food and Drug Administration announced Friday that it was limiting the use of Johnson & Johnson's oral, anti-fungal therapy, Nizoral (ketoconazole). Although the product is available as a topical, including as a cream and a…
AR PMP Access
Approximately 1,700 physicians have signed up to access the Arkansas Prescription Monitoring Program to monitor their patient use of controlled substances. Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. Reminder, AR PMP information is HIPAA protected. Please do not fax reports to other practitioners or give to patients. Practitioners have their…
Arkansas Physicians Receive EHR Incentive Payments
CMS recently released monetary figures reflecting incentive payments paid to Arkansas physicians who have achieved meaningful use. These physicians adopted, implemented, or upgraded to a certified EHR through new technology. The figures include payments made since 2011. Payments for meaningful use from Medicaid to 933 physicians was $16,719,507. …
PCP Supplemental Payment
It is not too late to attest for the PCP Supplemental Payment with Arkansas Medicaid. Arkansas Medicaid is participating in a federal program that allows for supplemental Medicaid payments to certain physician specialties for primary care services for calendar years 2013 and 2014. To qualify for the payment,…
Organized Medical Staff Committee
AMS believes that medical staffs across the state share common concerns and challenges yet have no venue to explore these issues with others going through the same issues. Examples include bylaws, call, employment issues, peer review, and self-governance. To that end, AMS is creating a committee to bring…
Dr. Shelby Re-Elected
Congratulations to Gene Shelby, MD, Hot Springs, who was re-elected Chairman of the AMS Board of Trustees at the August board meeting. Dr. Shelby has been an Emergency Room physician for over 35 years, served as AMS President 2012-2013 and has served as an Arkansas State Representative.
Welcome Congress back to the capital: Tell them to fix Medicare now.
Congress is back in session following the summer recess. Tell your lawmakers that now is the time to transform Medicare into an effective, 21st-century model of care. The AMA’s Fix Medicare Now website, launched earlier this month, lets physicians, medical students and patients lend their voices to the…
VACANCY ON THE ARKANSAS STATE MEDICAL BOARD
A vacancy will occur December 31, 2013, on the Arkansas State Medical Board. The Medical Board consists of fourteen members appointed by the Governor for six-year terms. Ten of those members are physicians appointed upon the recommendation of the Arkansas Medical Society representing each of the four congressional…