MMS News & Announcements
House Set to Take up Medicare Payment Reform This Fall
After many years of frustrating stalemate, Congress may finally be on the road to fixing Medicare’s badly flawed system for paying physicians. Legislation to permanently repeal the formula was passed by the House Energy and Commerce Committee this week by a vote of 51-0.
A version of the bill, expected to go to before a full House vote this fall, provides for a five-year period of stable physician payments of 0.5%, while a new system is developed that would reward physicians for meeting certain quality benchmarks. There are a number of details in the bill that need to be addressed, including special recognitions for small practices, physicians nearing retirement, the roles of nurse practitioners and other health care professionals in running medical homes, and the administrative and financial burdens of adding new quality and clinical reporting requirements.
Meanwhile, the Senate is also working in a bipartisan version of a Medicare payment reform bill.
The MMS plans to work closely with our congressional delegation and the AMA as the bills move through the legislative process.
Related:
MMS Testifies in Favor of Patient Protections, Bill to Increase Medicaid Efficiency
MMS officials testified this week in opposition to five bills before the Joint Committee on Health Care Financing, saying that each of the bills “advance the business interests of managed care companies over the interests of patients and providers.” Read the complete testimony here.
It also offered testimony in strong support of three additional bills that would expand patient protections for MassHealth participants and add efficiency to the state’s Medicaid system. Read the complete testimony here.
August Physician Focus TV: Complicated Grief
After the loss of a loved one, most people gain acceptance of their loss and move forward with their lives. Some, however, are affected by complicated grief, a clinically significant and potentially debilitating condition.
The August edition of Physician Focus with the Massachusetts Medical Society will examine the topic of complicated grief, its causes, symptoms, risk factors, who is most affected, how it may affect overall health, and treatments for the condition. The program’s guest is Naomi Simon, MD, Director of the Complicated Grief Program and Director of the Center for Anxiety and Traumatic Stress Disorders at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. Hosting this edition is her colleague John Fromson, MD., Associate Director of the Center for Anxiety and Traumatic Stress Disorders at MGH. Watch the episode online here or on iTunes.
Benefit Buzz: Complimentary Dinner Seminar
Wednesday, August 14, 2013, 6:00 p.m.
Join athenahealth for a free private dinner at 6 p.m. on August 14 at the Andover Inn and discover a steady path to financial health during the rapidly changing healthcare environment. Seating is limited. For details and registration (pdf, 2 pgs)
Education Programs and Events
Solid Tumor Virtual Seminar Series
Wednesday, August 14, 2013, 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
For more information please call (800) 322-2303, ext. 7306.
Physician Leadership in the Changing Health Care Environment
A Jointly Sponsored CME and Certificate program with The Heller School for Social Policy and Management, Brandeis University
- Session I – Friday, September 20, 2013, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and Saturday, September 21, 2013, 8:00 am – 6:00 p.m. (at Brandeis)
- Session II –Friday, January 24, 2014, 8:00 a.m.to 8:00 p.m. and Saturday, January 25, 2014, 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. (at MMS)
- Session III – Friday, May 9,2014 8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. and Saturday, May 10, 2014, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (at Brandeis)
Certificate requires mandatory attendance at all sessions. For more information please call (800) 322-2303, ext. 7306.
Women’s Leadership Forum: Women in Medicine – Competition, Collaboration, and Team Leadership
Thursday, September 26, 2013, 5:45 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Principles of Palliative Care and Persistent Pain Management: Tools to Integrate Into Your Practice
Friday, September 27, 2013, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Caring for the Caregivers IX: How Do We Reduce Physician Stress and Burnout?
Thursday, October 3, 2013, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
CME Accreditation Orientation
Tuesday, October 15, 2013, 8:30 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.
Managing Workplace Conflict
Thursday, October 17, 2013, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Friday, October 18, 2013, 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
The above activities have been approved for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
Online CME Activities
* Also available in print. Call (800) 322-2303, ext. 7306.
For additional risk management online CME activities, visit www.massmed.org/cme.
This Week in Health Care
Beth Israel Deaconess Acquires Jordan Hospital
The deal comes six months after Beth Israel Deaconess signed a letter of intent to buy the parent of Jordan Hospital, a 155-bed facility in Plymouth.
Cooley Dickinson Hospital Chief to leave Jan. 31
For a quarter-century, Craig Melin guided Cooley Dickinson Hospital. As it enters a new era within the Massachusetts General Hospital system, Melin said he believes it is time for someone else to take charge
MetroWest Hospital Form Regional Affiliation
MetroWest Medical Center is teaming up with hospitals in Boston and Worcester to form a new affiliation aimed at improving cardiovascular care in their regions.
Official: Attleboro Hospital Has “No Plans” to Merge with Larger Systems
Don't look for Attleboro's Sturdy Memorial Hospital to join the list of other hospitals and health care systems looking for dance partners. Sturdy has "no plans" to merge with or seek to be bought out by a larger organization.
State Releases Report on Hospital Spending on Community Spending
Massachusetts hospitals provided more than $661 million in community benefits—programs to improve people's health—in the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, 2012, a 6.2 percent increase over the prior year, the state AG said. Read individual hospital reports here.
BI Deaconess Medical Center Agrees to $5.3 Million Medicare Settlement
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center has agreed to pay $5.3 million to settle allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by improperly billing Medicare for inpatient admissions.
DPH Cites BMC on Hepatitis
Dialysis patients at Boston Medical Center were exposed to hepatitis B in March because nurses lacked access to computerized medical records, the DPH said.
Hospitals Examine Lessons of Marathon Attacks
Boston's trauma centers have been widely praised for saving dozens of Marathon bombing victims, but the hospitals have found lessons to be learned from the moments of confusion and occasional miscommunication.
