NewScope

THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S NEWS BRIEFING FOR THE MEMBERS OF THE ASSOCIATION
May 23, 2008

Memorial Day is a time to remember all those who gave the ultimate, their lives, and their families who lost the ultimate, their love, so that we may have the freedom to live today in a free and democratic society.  Our measure should be that they did not make their sacrifice in vain.

The "National Moment of Remembrance" resolution was passed on Dec. 2000, which asks that at 3 p.m. local time, for all Americans "To voluntarily and informally observe in their own way a Moment of remembrance and respect, pausing from whatever they are doing for a moment of silence or listening to 'Taps."

 
These heroes are dead.  They died for liberty - they died for us.  They are at rest.  They sleep in the land they made free, under the flag they rendered stainless, under the solemn pines, the sad hemlocks, the tearful willows, and the embracing vines.                                                               Robert G. Ingersoll

 
It is the soldier, not the reporter, who has given us freedom of the press. It is the soldier, not the poet, who has given us freedom of speech. It is the soldier, not the campus organizer, who has given us the freedom to demonstrate. It is the soldier, who salutes the flag, who serves beneath the flag, and whose coffin is draped by the flag, who allows the protester to burn the flag.                          - Charles M. Province

IN THIS ISSUE, FOR YOU:
ON THE SCHEDULE AND DISTRICT MEETINGS
HUTCHISON:  WHAT IT WILL TAKE TO DEFEAT CANCER
REVISED DWC FORM-032, REQUEST FOR DESIGNATED DOCTOR, AND QUICK REFERENCE
NATIONAL PROVIDER IDENTIFICATION NUMBER REQUIREMENT FOR WORKERS COMP
NEW ONLINE FITNESS TEST AND TOOLS 
AOA HEALTH POLICY NOTES
PHYSICIAN HAT TRICKS
CDC URGES PEOPLE OVER 60 TO GET SHINGLES SHOT
MEDICAL ETHICS:  PATIENTS' NEEDS VERSUS MAXIMIZING INCOME
NEW DESIGNATIONS OF UNDERSERVED AREAS ANNOUNCED BY HRSA
PHYSICIAN QUALITY REPORTING INITIATIVE (PQRI):  Important New Program Changes
HUMOR IS THE ARM OF RELAXATION AROUND OUR SHOULDER.  

ON THE SCHEDULE AND DISTRICT MEETINGS:
  
District 8        Thursday, May 22nd, 6:30 p.m.
                    Utopia World Cuisine
                    Corpus Christi, TX 

District 10      Tuesday, May 27th, 6:30 p.m.
                    Lubbock Country Club
                    Lubbock, TX

District 3        Friday, June 13th, 6:30 p.m.
                    Ricks's On The Square
                    104 W. Erwin St.
                    Tyler, TX 75702

District 7        Friday, August 8th
                    Reception and Mixer to welcome incoming residents
                    TOMA building, 1415 Lavaca
                    Austin, TX
 
District 7        Thursday, August 21st
 
June 19-22, 2008      Joint Annual Convention - TOMA & TX ACOFP
                             Intercontinental Hotel, Dallas, TX
                             Register ON-LINE at www.txosteo.org

                                                    or www.txacofp.org

                             LESS THAN A MONTH NOW!

Memorial Day                                     May 26, 2008
National Cancer Survivors Day              June 1, 2008
National Men's Health Week                 June 9 - 15, 2008
Father's Day                                     June 15, 2008

HUTCHISON:  WHAT IT WILL TAKE TO DEFEAT CANCER
Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, U.S. SENATE
Tuesday, May 20, 2008

In 2008, it is projected that 1.43 million Americans will be diagnosed with cancer. Nearly 96,000 Texans will receive this sobering news. And 35,000 Texas patients will lose their battle against cancer this year.

Since the war on cancer was declared in 1971, we have amassed a wealth of knowledge on the disease. Some great strides have been made in prevention and early detection, with an emphasis on screening, including mammographies and colonoscopies. Behavior modifications - like smoking cessation, better eating habits, regular exercise and sunscreen use - have helped prevent cancer.

But increases in information and prevention measures haven't always translated into meaningful progress for those with cancer. In 37 years, the cancer mortality rate has decreased only 6 percent. By comparison, since 1970, age-adjusted mortality rates have sharply declined for heart disease (by 56 percent) and stroke (by 66 percent). Today, cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States, surpassed only by heart
disease. Within the next decade, the National Cancer Institute forecasts that cancer will become the leading killer of Americans. And it will affect millions of us. One in two men and one in three women will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetimes.
http://www.statesman.com/opinion/content/editorial/stories/05/19/0520hutchison_edit.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=45

From:  Texas Weekly, by Printing Production Systems, Inc., www.texasweekly.com

REVISED DWC FORM-032, REQUEST FOR DESIGNATED DOCTOR, AND QUICK REFERENCE
The Texas Department of Insurance, Division of Workers' Compensation (TDI-DWC) has revised the DWC Form-032, Request for Designated Doctor, and published the Quick Reference Guide for Designated Doctors.

These changes are a part of an initiative to improve the designated doctor process by:
· improving the quality of designated doctor examinations and narrative reports;
· decreasing the need for letters of clarification;
· reducing the inconvenience and expense of multiple re-examinations; and
· expediting agreement between parties by bringing facts into focus early in the dispute resolution process.

A memo concerning the revised DWC Form-032 and Quick Reference Guide for Designated Doctors is available at the following link:  http://www.tdi.state.tx.us/wc/forms/documents/revdd320508.pdf

NATIONAL PROVIDER IDENTIFICATION NUMBER REQUIREMENT FOR WORKERS COMP

The Texas Department of Insurance, Division of Workers' Compensation (TDI-DWC), has posted a memorandum on its website to address the requirement to use the National Provider Identification Number (NPI) on all medical bills submitted on or after May 23, 2008.
 
Please click on the following link to review the memorandum: 
http://www.tdi.state.tx.us/wc/hcprovider/documents/npimemo0508.pdf.

NEW ONLINE FITNESS TEST AND TOOLS 

Speaking of "Fit for Life," the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports launched a new national Adult Fitness Test on 5/14/08.  The self-test, available online (http://www.adultfitnesstest.org/), measures overall fitness levels by assessing aerobic fitness, muscular strength, endurance, flexibility and body composition.  It features
activities that provide an overall assessment of a person's physical fitness and can be used to help set fitness goals and measure progress. After taking the test, participants can sign up for the President's Challenge, another online tool that encourages a healthy lifestyle by tracking and monitoring physical activity.  The Challenge is available online.  http://www.adultfitnesstest.org/

From:  American Osteopathic Association (AOA)

AOA HEALTH POLICY NOTES

The Spring 2008 Proto magazine, a publication of the Massachusetts General Hospital, reported that the administrative costs of billing for medical care now costs almost 1/3 as much as providing the care, accounting for 30 cents of every health care dollar.

PHYSICIAN HAT TRICKS

The role of physician leader is becoming increasingly important as hospitals and physicians become more integrated. But what makes a good physician leader? As one CEO recently told me, it takes a lot more than an MD and an MBA. My colleague Elyas Bakhtiari writes about what distinguishes a physician leader from other doctors in this week's column, Physician Hat Tricks
http://www.healthleadersmedia.com/content/211729/topic/WS_HLM2_PHY/Physician-Hat-Tricks.html

From:  HealthLeaders Media Corner Office, www.healthleadersmedia.com

CDC URGES PEOPLE OVER 60 TO GET SHINGLES SHOT

The CDC on Thursday recommended a single dose of Merck & Co.'s Zostavax, the only available shingles vaccine, for people aged 60 and above after it proved effective in preventing the disease in 50% of patients in a large randomized clinical trial. The Boston Globe (5/15) , The New York Times/Associated Press (5/15)
http://www.boston.com/news/health/blog/2008/05/shingles_vaccin.html

From:  SmartBrief, SmartBrief, Inc., www. SmartBrief.com

MEDICAL ETHICS:  PATIENTS' NEEDS VERSUS MAXIMIZING INCOME

Physicians must put patients first, but you also need to be profitable. Here's how doctors tackle the wrenching decisions about money and ethics.
http://medicaleconomics.modernmedicine.com/memag/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=516916

From:  Medical Economics, by Advanstar Communications, www.advanstar.com

 
NEW DESIGNATIONS OF UNDERSERVED AREAS ANNOUNCED BY HRSA

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has proposed a new rule that will improve the way underserved areas and populations are designated and target federal resources to the people and communities who need them most.

The notice, Designation of Medically Underserved Populations and Health Professional Shortage Areas Proposed Rule, consolidates the criteria for designating medically underserved populations (MUPs) and health professional shortage areas (HPSAs) into a single new methodology called the Index of Primary Care Underservice.

The proposed rule meets goals of the revision, which were to:
·create a simpler system for those who seek designation by consolidating the two existing procedures and their sets of criteria;
· incorporate better measures of health status and access;
· improve identification of new, currently undesignated areas of need and currently designated areas no longer in need; and
· minimize unnecessary disruption.

The MUP and HPSA designations currently are used in a number of HHS programs. The major use of MUP designations is to determine health centers' eligibility to receive federal grants, since health centers are required to serve medically underserved populations. CMS uses geographic and population-based HPSA designations among the criteria to determine if an entity qualifies as a Rural Health Clinic, a status that results in special methods of determining Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement.

The Index of Primary Care Underservice will provide CMS and HRSA with a single measurement for identifying underserved areas and populations.

Additionally, federal government agencies and state health departments can recommend waiver of the return-home requirements for an International Medical Graduate physician who came to the United States on a J-1 visa in return for three years of service by that physician in a particular HPSA.

HHS recently extended the comment period on the proposed rule to a new deadline of May 29, 2008. For more information, visit the HRSA website:  http://newsroom.hrsa.gov/releases/2008/commentextended.htm

PHYSICIAN QUALITY REPORTING INITIATIVE (PQRI):  Important New Program Changes Make It Easer than Ever to Participate!

More Ways to Participate in 2008!
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) today announced new options under the PQRI program that make it easier than ever to participate.

CMS is pleased to announce that a new PQRI law now allows CMS to offer:
      New reporting approaches that give you more options to successfully participate;
      New, alternate reporting periods to allow you to begin reporting on July 1, 2008, and still receive an incentive payment (1.5% of allowable charges for services provided from July 1 through December 31, 2008); and
     New options to submit quality measures data to CMS through a qualified, established clinical data registry, in which you may already be participating.

Also, for the 2008 reporting period, the new law removed the limit (cap) on your incentive.

How Can You Learn More?
     Attend our National Provider Conference Call with Q&A Session.  CMS hosted the second in a series of national provider conference calls on the 2008 Physician Quality Reporting Initiative on Wednesday, April 30, 2008 . The Powerpoint slides from this call are available on the PQRI website below.  
      Visit our website. For more information about these new PQRI program changes, including how you can participate, visit us at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/PQRI

on the CMS website.

HUMOR IS THE ARM OF RELAXATION AROUND OUR SHOULDER.  

(The average child laughs about 400 times per day, the average adult laughs only 15 times per day. What happened to the other 385 laughs?")

"When I was a boy the Dead Sea was only sick."                                 --George Burns

The sound of laughter ringing through the church made it impossible for me to keep playing the organ.
"What was going on?" I asked the pastor afterward. He simply pointed to the hymn typed in the church bulletin. It read "Sin, choirs of angels, sin in exultation."

A recent study found the average American walks about 900 miles a year.
Another study found Americans drink, on average, 22 gallons of alcohol a year.
So, on average, Americans get about 41 miles to the gallon.                                            Mary Grace Dembeck

Back Up My Hard Drive? How do I Put it in Reverse?

His mother should have thrown him away and kept the stork.               - Mae West
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ADVOCATE DO MEDICAL LIABILITY COVERAGE FOR DO's

As a TOMA member, you are eligible for the TOMA Preferred Program which offers discounted rates on medical malpractice insurance premiums from Advocate, DO.  TOMA has partnered with Advocate, DO to bring you competitive rates, free risk management assessments, in-house legal assistance, aggressive claims management and a claims-made policy that does not expire.  In addition, you will receive Texas Medical Board coverage with separate limits, no deductible and no out of pocket expenses!  Advocate, DO does not require any
surplus charges, TMA or County Medical Association dues and will provide prior acts coverage.

Take full advantage of your TOMA Preferred Program discounts, call Advocate, DO today - (800) 686-2734 or visit www.advocatedo.com.

Advocate, D.O.
Underwritten by Advocate, MD Insurance Company of the Southwest Inc.
800-686-2734 or 512.275.1830
www.advocatedo.com 

I hope that this information is helpful. Please feel free to give me any feedback or suggestions on the information in the updates. They are really only as good as the information is useful. So the more useful the information is or can be, the better the updates are.

Respectfully submitted,

Robt. J. "Sam" Tessen
Executive Director