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MMS News and Announcements
Mass. DPH: Flu Rates Drop for Second Consecutive Week
This week's flu report from the state DPH indicates that the rate of flu-like illness in the state has dropped for the second week in a row. (Note: the report indicates that sentinel providers define ILI as fever above 100.01 in addition to either cough or sore throat.)
For updated information on national influenza surveillance from the CDC please visit here. In addition, CDC released a Notice to Clinicians this week regarding CDC recommendations for influenza antiviral medications. Visit MMS online flu resources here.
Related news:
Less Than One Week Left to Appeal GIC-Issued Tierings
Tiering designations from the Group Insurance Commission for the 2013-2014 benefit year were issued this month. The deadline for appeals is Wednesday, Jan. 23 for most health plans and physicians.
Appeal applicants who miss the deadline most likely will not be able to appeal for another year. The plans have said they plan notify applicants of the outcome of their appeal by mid-February. Each health plan, in their communications to physicians, has provided information about who to contact and how to appeal.
It is recommended that applicants keep track of their communications with each plan to make follow-up easier. Here are some suggestions on how to appeal your designation. Find more information and updates on the GIC Tiering process at www.massmed.org/tiering.
2013 Medicare Reimbursement Rates Unchanged From 2012; Feb. 15 is Physician Deadline to Change Medicare Participation Status
The CMS contractor for New England has updated its fee schedule to reflect the fact that Medicare services in 2013 will continue to be reimbursed at at 2012 rates. Because of the earlier uncertainty over 2013 rates, CMS has given physicians until Feb. 15 to decide whether they want to change their Medicare participation status for the 2013 calendar year. If you choose to change your participation status, the effective date would be retroactive to Jan. 1, 2013.
Call for Nominations: MMS Officer Positions
The Committee on Nominations is currently accepting nominations for the following offices: President-elect, Vice President, Secretary-Treasurer, Assistant Secretary-Treasurer, Speaker, and Vice Speaker.
To be considered for one of these offices, candidates should complete a nomination questionnaire and submit it with an accompanying resume by 4:00 p.m. on Friday, February 8, 2013, to:
Frank S. Carbone, Jr., M.D.
Chair, Committee on Nominations
MMS Department of Governance Meetings & Services
860 Winter Street
Waltham, MA 02451-1411
Candidate questionnaires are available online. E-questionnaires should be e-mailed to Bonney Erskine at berskine@mms.org. Interviews will be conducted on Wednesday, March 6, 2013, between 4:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Benefit Buzz: Free Webinar on January 29, 2013 at 2:00 p.m.
How well are you protecting practice data on mobile devices? Join VaultLogix, a leading cloud-backup service provider and an MMS preferred provider, to learn best practices for protecting your mobile assets. MMS members may register here.
Education Programs and Events
Live CME Activities
8th Annual Women's Cardiac Health Conference
Friday, February 1, 2013, 8:00 a.m.to 12 noon
Preventing Falls in Older Patients: A Provider Tool Kit WEBINAR
Wednesday, February 6, 2013, noon to 1:30 p.m., via live webinar.
The Impact of Effective Communication on Patients, Colleagues, and Metrics
Friday, February 8, 2013, 8:00 a.m. to 12 noon.
How to Prepare for ACOs
Wednesday, February 27, 2013, 5:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Managing Workplace Conflict
Thursday, March 7, 2013, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and Friday, March 8, 2013, 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Future Trends That Will Impact Radiologists and Their Practice
Wednesday, March 13, 2013, 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Call (800) 322-2302, x7317 for more information.
MMS Annual Education Program - Navigating the Currents of Change: Integrating Innovative Technologies into Your Clinical Practice
Friday, May 10, 2013, 8:00 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., at the Seaport Hotel, Boston. Call (800) 322-2302, ext.7317 for more information.
Assessing Medication, Mental Health, and Cultural Needs During Sheltering,
Tuesday, June 11, 2013, 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. Call (800) 322-2302, x7317 for more information.
2nd Annual Addiction Medicine for All Providers Conference
Friday, June 21, and Saturday, June 22, 2013, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Call 800-322-2302, x7306 for more information.
The above activities have been approved for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
Save the Date:
11th Annual Symposium on Men's Health
June 12, 2013
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.
Contact us at MMSContinuingEducation@mms.org
This Week in Health Care
HHS Expands HIPAA Liability to Business Associates of Physicians, Hospitals
HHS, in a long-awaited privacy rule, released expanded liability of business associates of hospitals, physicians and other HIPAA-covered entities if they release data in ways that violate patient privacy.
Insurers Pay Up For Mass. Health Costs Law
Almost half the money for the state's new health care law will come from Partners Healthcare and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts.
Mass. Police Expand Roles in Prescription Drug War
Local police who are investigating the illegal distribution of powerful painkillers will have access to the PMP state database tracking prescriptions for the drugs under new rules approved by health officials last week
UMass Memorial Postponing Surgeries
It may take up to three weeks before the surgical unit at the Memorial Campus of UMass Memorial Medical Center is fully functional again, after tiny particles were found on sterilized surgical equipment.
CDH, Mass General Reach Terms
Cooley Dickinson Hospital has hammered out an affiliation agreement with Massachusetts General Hospital and must now gain state and federal regulatory approvals.
Mass. Health Connector Receives $81 Million Federal Grant
The grant will help pay for a $68 million contract with information technology firm CGI to build a new Connector website that will be linked to state and federal databases.
Study Shows Genetic Privacy of Research Participants At Risk
Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research scientists showed how sensitive health information can easily be revealed.
BMC Trauma Docs Speak Out On Gun Control
A group of BMC emergency physicians posted an open letter about gun violence.
Study: Mobile Clinic Saves Money, Improves Health for Low-Income Patients
A recent study, published in the journal Health Affairs, found that the Family Van saves money by preventing ER visits.
Menino Cheers on "Happier Boston" Anti-Suicide Effort
Acts of kindness throughout the city as part of an anti-suicide campaign have Mayor Thomas M. Menino smiling - and eager to address depression and other mental health issues.
Drug Overdoses, Not HIV, Now Leading Killer Of Boston's Homeless
Dr. Travis Baggett, the lead author of a study by Massachusetts General Hospital and Boston Health Care for the Homeless, documented this changing trend.
Checklists in OR Help Avert Crises, Study Finds
A Brigham and Women's Hospital study suggests caregivers can vastly improve their handling of critical situations by reviewing checklists, an approach used by pilots during airplane mishaps.
Full Report
Cases of Rare, Deadly Encephalitis Rising Among Kids
In a recent review of two epidemics of Eastern equine encephalitis since the mid-2000s, researchers found 15 cases of the mosquito-borne illness among children in Massachusetts and New Hampshire.
