Problems getting paid? Here's what helps

News and announcements

Claims: Are you having problems getting paid?

Looking for an efficient way to resolve unpaid insurance claims? The MMS is hosting three Individual Claims Consultation days this summer and fall. These are opportunities for you and/or your practice colleague to meet with representatives from insurance companies to troubleshoot specific claims. The events will be held in Holyoke (July 25), Waltham (Aug 16), and Lakeville (Sept 20). Click below for more information and registration.

Member verdict
“I had a significant claims concern. Being able to speak person-to-person to a representative was so much better than being on hold on the phone. I would recommend that members take advantage of this useful service that the MMS supplies.” — Laura L. McCann, MD, president, Charles River District Medical Society

Practice management helpline: Call or email free

Ever feel you could use a helpline for practice management issues? You have one. The Physician Practice Resource Center (PPRC) at the MMS takes your questions by phone or email. Call us for free support with coding, billing, and reimbursement denials, as well as workflow issues, retirement and succession planning, and more. The PPRC Helpline is the physician’s pain relief, available without charge to members and nonmembers. Call (781) 434-7702 or email pprc@mms.org.

NEJM rating soars higher still
The Journal Impact Factor (JIF) scores were announced last week, and the New England Journal of Medicine’s score rose to 79.258, up from 72.406. This continues to be the highest among general medical journals. The JIF measures how often on average an article published in the Journal in 2015 or 2016 was cited in 2017. The MMS is proud of the Journal’s accomplishment and recognizes the efforts of all who contribute their expertise to make the Journal thrive, year after year.

How climate change shapes health in Massachusetts

How does climate change shape health and health care in Massachusetts? How does physicians' environmental advocacy help prevent burnout?   

How can you green your practice while cutting costs? Is climate change contributing to Lyme Disease, and how creatively are scientists addressing that?

The Summer issue of Vital Signs explores these questions and more, with input from some of the leading physician environmental advocates in the state and region. Click the button for more.

Educational programs and events

Live event: Leadership and workplace effectiveness

Managing Workplace Conflict: Improving Leadership and Personal Effectiveness

Thurs.–Fri., November 1–2

Featured online CME: Physician wellness

Restoring Well-Being to the Medical Profession

Running on Empty? Physicians' Path to Enjoying Life and Medicine More

Quote of the week

“I had never experienced such a demonstrable need for urgent medical intervention outside the Trauma Bay. My patients were at death’s door and needed someone to act.”

— Dr. Jonathan Keith, co-director of the Rutgers Center for Transgender Health and assistant professor of surgery at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, on why he performs gender reassignment surgery (USA Today)  

Tweet of the week

@docsforclimate - A consortium of the nation's doctors talking about climate change and public health. Hosted @Mason4C. #HealthandClimate

What’s new in health care

Check out the most clicked-on stories from this week's MMS Media Watch. Sign up for daily Massachusetts media roundups by email. Some publications are fully accessible only to their subscribers.

UMass doctor: Treatment can reverse effects of vitiligo
Dr. Harris says vitiligo is reversible; patients with widespread involvement often need UV light therapy, but at wavelengths that don't promote skin cancer.

Questions about 2018 nurse staffing ballot question in Mass.

The mandated limits would vary based on the unit and level of care required. For example, a nurse could have no more than one patient if that patient is under anesthesia. A nurse could have no more than four pediatric patients at any given time.

Woman couldn't afford ambulance after leg trapped by a subway train

A woman getting off Boston's Orange Line last week fell and was trapped between the subway platform and the train until her fellow passengers were able to free her. Transit police say the woman stepped into a 5-inch gap as she was getting off the train at the Massachusetts Avenue station. 

MassHealth must explain why it denies nursing home coverage

The court ruled that MassHealth's stock notification is not enough. State officials must be more specific in explaining why they deny an application in cases when an applicant has put money into a trust.

Anti-motion detector preventing overdose deaths in public bathrooms

In the past 15 months, Dr. Jessie Gaeta has lost count of how many people have overdosed on opioids in the public bathrooms of her South End clinic for the homeless. But none of the victims died, Gaeta said.

South Shore Health could risk bond rating with urgent care expansion

In a report filed by Standard & Poor's in mid-June, the bond rating company said it was wary of South Shore Health's planned expansion into urgent care, which would add debt on top of money borrowed for its $62 million hospital expansion and $124 million medical records system.

Mass. school using shock therapy raises concerns 

A Massachusetts school for special needs children can continue to use a form of electric shock therapy on students after a long-running battle with state officials over the controversial treatment was decided in their favor.