AAPM&R Connection E-Newsletter

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Weekly Headlines from
December 23, 2015

 

Academy News 


Your Academy Membership Helps You Earn End-of-Year CME

Still in need of CME credits to meet your December 31 CME deadline? Look no further than your Academy.

Upon renewal of 2016 dues, Academy membership will include one complimentary self-assessment examination for practitioners (SAE-P) that helps you earn 8 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Completing your free SAE-P will also fulfill your Maintenance of Certification® (MOC®) Part II requirement set forth by the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (ABPMR). SAE-Ps on a variety of topics are available on the ® Catalog.

Renew your Academy membership now and you’ll have access to all of the resources you need to meet your current, fundamental MOC requirements, as long as you maintain your membership.

Submit Your Academy Leader Nominations 

Your Academy encourages you to send us your recommendations for these AAPM&R Board of Governors elected positions. Nominations are due at 11:59 pm (CT) on February 28, 2016.

2015 Report to Membership Now Available

The 2015 Report to Membership provides an overview of the accomplishments your Academy has made on your behalf this year. It also outlines the priorities of the Academy in 2016 as well as what your membership supports. 

We also have videos available from the 2015 Annual Business Meeting, held in October at the Annual Assembly in Boston. Watch Academy leaders present their reports on Academy membership, finances, and more from the past year.

Check Your Mailbox for the December/January issue of The Physiatrist 

Keep an eye on your mailbox for the latest issue of The Physiatrist. The December/January issue features:

  • Your Academy’s 2015 Advocacy Accomplishments and Goals for 2016
  • 2015 Annual Assembly Recap
  • Your 2015-2016 Board of Governors, Resident Physician Council, and Member Council Leadership
  • 2016 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule and CPT® Code Changes
  • Health Care Reform, Part II – Alternative Payment Models

A Word from 2015 AAPM&R Award Winners

Check out our new video featuring the 2015 award winners offering thanks to those who helped them succeed in the field of physiatry.

 

Annual Assembly 


Must-See Keynote Speakers—Just Announced!

Your Academy is pleased to announce an exciting line-up of keynote speakers for the 2016 Annual Assembly, October 20-23, 2016. Join us in New Orleans for THE largest gathering of PM&R physicians in the country, and hear addresses from today’s most talked about newsmakers:

  • James Carville and Mary Matalin—America’s most influential political power couple
  • Dr. Bennet Omalu—renowned forensic pathologist and inspiration for the film, Concussion
  • Dr. William Adair—leading PM&R physician and long-time Academy member.

In addition to these notable speakers, your Assembly experience includes 4 days of innovative learning opportunities, non-stop networking and a variety of educational sessions and hands-on workshops—all dedicated to the diverse clinical and practice interests of today’s physiatrists. We are focused on Moving Physiatry Forward through education, training and connection.

No other meeting brings together thousands of physiatrists from a variety of clinical areas who focus on treatments to maximize function and quality of life. Mark your calendar for this must-attend event—October 20-23, 2016.

Stay tuned to aapmr.org/assembly for more details as they become available!

 

Health Policy/Advocacy


PQRSwizard® Deadline is 2 Months Away! 

Your deadline for quality reporting using the PQRSwizard® is February 26, 2016. Take advantage of the PQRSwizard®, the Academy-Sponsored PQRS Registry Reporting Vendor, to help you avoid up to a 4% penalty.

Congress Passed S. 2425, the "Patient Access and Medicare Protection Act" 

On its last 2015 legislative day, Congress passed S. 2425, the "Patient Access and Medicare Protection Act."  The bill includes, among other bipartisan Medicare provisions, a 1-year delay preventing CMS from inappropriately restricting access to critical complex wheelchair components/accessories, which was slated to begin on January 1, 2016. 

This 1-year delay will ensure that individuals with significant disabilities continue to receive the specialized technology they depend on to be functional and independent. While Congress did not include the permanent fix for the CRT problem in the bill passed – this 1-year delay provides the opportunity in 2016 for further work on the wheelchair accessories issue and in establishing needed improvements for CRT within Medicare and other health insurance programs. 

The Academy’s leadership on this issue, particularly the resolution it shepherded through the AMA House of Delegates, was instrumental in getting this bill passed.  Special thanks to AAPM&R AMA Representatives Sue Hubbell, MD and Leon Reinstein, MD, and the Health Policy and Legislation Committee for their work. This legislative success would not have occurred without the dedication and collective work of AAPM&R and the entire Complex Rehab Technology (CRT) community, including the ITEM Coalition, of which AAPM&R is an active member.

Free Webinar: 2016 CPT® Coding Update: What Code Changes Will Affect PM&R Practice?

Several changes to payment policy and coding and reimbursement are set to take effect in 2016. One catalyst for these changes is the calendar year (CY) 2016 Medicare physician fee schedule (MPFS) final rule, which the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released in November 2014. Concurrently, the American Medical Association (AMA) released Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) code changes and revisions for 2016, which physicians and other qualified health care professionals will use as a guide to appropriately code for services rendered to patients. This webinar will focus on coding updates particularly relevant to physiatrists starting in 2016.

Register now!

Wednesday, January 20, 2016
7 pm-8 pm (CT)
Speakers: Scott Horn, DO; Annie Purcell, DO; Barry Smith, MD; Matthew Grierson, MD

CMS Updates ICD-10 Resources 

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released an updated ICD-10 Website Wheel for Medicare Fee-for-Service (FFS) providers. The Website Wheel provides easy access to official resources on CMS ICD-10 web pages, including:

Long-Term Care Facilities: Mandatory Electronic Staffing Data Submission Begins in 2016

Electronic submission of staffing data through the Payroll-Based Journal (PBJ) is required for Long-Term Care Facilities beginning July 1, 2016. To prepare, nursing homes should register to submit data to meet this requirement and maintain compliance.

  • Obtain a CMSNet User ID for PBJ if you do not already have one for other Quality Improvement and Evaluation System (QIES) applications.
  • Obtain a PBJ QIES Provider ID for Certification and Survey Provider Enhanced Reports (CASPER) reporting and PBJ system access.

An introduction to the PBJ system and step-by-step registration instructions are available on QTSO e-University; select the PBJ option. More information is available on the Staffing Data Submission PBJ web page. 

CMS Makes Corrections to 2016 DMEPOS Fee Schedules

On November 23, CMS released the 2016 Medicare Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies (DMEPOS) fee schedule amounts that include adjusted fees based on DMEPOS Competitive Bidding Program information. CMS identified errors in the fee schedule amounts for some items and released revised DMEPOS and PEN 2016 public use fee schedule files on December 8. Check the DME Center Page for more information.

National Correct Coding Initiative Policy Manual on Website

The NCCI Policy Manual for Medicare Services, effective date 1/1/2016, has been posted to CMS’ website as of 11/16/15. The manual can be downloaded here.

Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) has Extended EHR Survey Deadline to Today

In ongoing efforts to improve EHRs and interoperability of EHRs, the American Medical Association (AMA) is assisting the Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) with gathering information to improve the summary of care document that is produced to meet the transfer of care objective in stage 2 of Meaningful Use. This 5-10 minute survey will help ONC create a new standard that will reduce the number of pages in the summary of care, thus making it easier to find relevant information. The survey will close today, December 23.

 

Education


ISPRM 2016 Abstract Deadline Extended

The deadline to submit abstracts for the 2016 International Society of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine (ISPRM) World Congress has been extended to January 6, 2016. Learn more.

Young Investigators Urged to Apply for USBJI Grant Mentoring Program

The United States Bone and Joint Initiative (USBJI) and Bone and Joint Canada are dedicated to increasing research of musculoskeletal diseases and has developed a grant mentoring program to provide early-career investigators an opportunity to work with experienced researchers to assist them in securing funding and other survival skills required for pursuing an academic career.

The spring workshop will be held April 29-May 1, 2016 in Chicago. The deadline to apply is January 15, 2016. Learn more and apply today.

 

AAPM&R Members in the News


  • Matthew Davis, MD, clinical medical director of the spinal cord injury program at TIRR Memorial Hermann, is working with a patient who is walking on legs he can no longer feel. Learn more.
  • Alberto Esquenazi, MD, AAPM&R Past President and chairman of the department of physical medicine and rehabilitation at MossRehab, stopped by East Norriton Middle School to participate in an interview with the students for their school’s newspaper. Learn more.
  • Steve M. Gnatz, MD, MPH, AAPM&R Past President and chief medical officer for Integrated Rehab Consultants, recently published his article, “The Physiatrist’s Role in Post-Acute Rehabilitation.” Learn more.
  • Amy Houtrow, MD, PhD, MHA, chief of the division of pediatric rehabilitation medicine at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, was recently selected for a seat on the National Quality Forum Pediatric Standing Committee for the Pediatric Measurement Endorsement Project. Congratulations, Dr. Houtrow! Learn more.
  • Michael Kravetz, MD, medical director at HealthSouth Valley of the Sun Rehabilitation Hospital, recently received the Silver Pin Award for Patient Experience. Congratulations, Dr. Kravetz! Learn more.
  • Steven S. Moalemi, MD, FAAPMR, physiatrist at Downtown Spine, Sports & Orthopedic Rehabilitation P.C. visited NASDAQ to provide spinal decompression technology. Learn more.
  • Kashif Saeed, MD, recently joined the Lutheran Home and Harwood Place as its new staff physiatrist. Congratulations, Dr. Saeed! Learn more.
  • Patrick Schmitt, DO, was recently appointed as the medical director for the new Cleveland Clinic Rehabilitation Hospital in Avon. Congratulations, Dr. Schmitt! Learn more.

 

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