Year: 2018
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MOC UPDATE: Working to Solve Problems with Certifications
UPDATE DEC. 12, 2018: The Continuing Board Certification: Vision for the Future Commission has released its draft report for public comment. The report, which includes the Commission’s key findings and recommendations, will be posted on the Vision Initiative website for comment through Tuesday, Jan. 15, 2019 at 11:00 p.m. CST. The Medical Association continues to work…
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Alabama Legislature Considers State Law on Cybersecurity
At the time of the writing of this article, Alabama is one step closer to having a law on the books related to cybersecurity. As one of only two states without a state data breach law, Alabama is considering legislation that requires certain entities, “covered entities,” to report to state agencies and affected individuals when…
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“Physician Leadership” Must Never be an Oxymoron
If there has ever been a time in the practice of medicine when leadership was needed, it is certainly now. Just a few of the challenges facing practices include: Payer encroachment on medical decision making is increasing; Payments for health care services are declining; Utilization review processes question the extent of treatment provided; Aging physicians…
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How is Tax Reform Impacting Physician Practices?
The biggest U.S. tax reform since 1986 consists of major tax law changes that will affect everyone. The most significant change for corporations is a move from the graduated corporate tax rate structure to a flat rate. Although President Trump was originally fighting for the corporate rate to be reduced to 15 percent, lawmakers settled…
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Cyber Security: Five Common Phish Attack Schemes
Hackers only need you, that’s right just you. They are sneaky and know the general population is busy and doesn’t pay close attention to the emails they receive. Hackers know people are comfortable in their daily habits. They exploit this behavior by creating email scenarios designed to encourage a click. They need just one person…
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CMS Announces New Funding Opportunity for Quality Payment Program (MACRA)
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services recently announced a new funding opportunity for development, improvement and expansion of quality measures for the Quality Payment Program. According to CMS, the program over three years will provide up to $30 million in funding and technical assistance to clinicians, patients and others working on QPP measures. These…
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Breathing Easier with Amy CaJacob, M.D.
BIRMINGHAM – The most recent Alabama data find one in every 10 Alabama adults, or 306,000, suffer from asthma. The data also show more than 12 percent of Alabama children are living with the chronic respiratory disease at some point in their lives. Unfortunately, these children live sheltered lives trying to avoid the triggers that…
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Medical Association Chooses PCIHIPAA to Help Benefit and Protect Its Members
MONTGOMERY – The Medical Association of the State of Alabama has partnered with PCIHIPAA to help protect its members from the onslaught of ransomware attacks, HIPAA violations and data breaches impacting Alabama physicians. Under HIPAA’s Security and Privacy Rules, health care providers are required to take proactive steps to protect sensitive patient information. “The Medical Association services more…
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Just What the Doctor Ordered: An Alabama Perspective on the Opioid Epidemic
Sometimes, Alabama is No. 1. In 2012, Alabama was the highest per capita painkiller prescribing state, with an average of 143 prescriptions written per 100 people — almost three times the rate of the lowest prescribing state.1 Alabama has been home to other No. 1s, too. In 2012, Dr. Shelinder Aggarwal, a former Huntsville-area pain…
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Liquid Gold or Reimbursement Trap? Payor Reimbursement Policies for Urine Drug Testing
Last summer, we wrote about physician roles and responsibilities to implement best practices in pain management programs and other treatments involving the prescription of opioids.1 Here we discuss issues related to getting paid to implement one of these best practices — appropriate urine drug testing. The urine drug testing field has been described as a…