Physicians Dedicated To Serving Their Patients
Dr. Richard Bosshardt, Lake County plastic surgeon and member of LSMS, is joining the fight against multiple sclerosis, and we can help him. He intends to ride 150 miles (Cypress Gardens to Sea World and back) in 2 days on April 26-27 as part of the Bright House Networks MS Bike Ride.
More than 400,000 Americans live with MS and Dr. Bosshardt’s team Grupetto has a goal to raise $30,000. This year is his first time to ride. Like so many of us, he is motivated by personal experience.
"One of my patients, a formerly beautiful, vivacious 32 year old died in an awful nursing center of multiple sclerosis a couple of years ago and I personally know two people, one the sister of one of my employees, who are struggling with this illness. I want to do something for the people who have been diagnosed and I want to do everything to prevent more people from learning what it means to live with this disease."
If you would like to help Dr. Bosshardt and his team Grupetto reach their goal, you may get to Dr. Bosshardt’s personal page and make a secure, online donation by clicking here .
Please feel free to support Dr. Bosshardt’s efforts in any way you can, including passing on this information to others.
FYI: "Grupetto" is a term coined by the Italian Cycling team for the Tour de France. They were very fast riders but did not climb well. Each day of the tour every cyclist needs to complete the day under a specific time in order to continue. The "Grupetto" was formed to help ALL riders finish in the time needed to ride again the next day.
Thank you, Dr. Bosshardt, for giving us this opportunity. It just takes one person to inspire hundreds!
A summary of the major provisions included in the "Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Extension Act of 2007" (S. 2499) follows. (Notice this is only a 6 month reprieve. There is still much work to do.)
Prevents scheduled 10.1% cut in Medicare physician reimbursements. Replaces scheduled cut with a 0.5% increase through June 30, 2008.
Extends SCHIP funding through March 31, 2009. Imposes a six-month delay on implementation of proposed administrative regulations relating to school-based services and rehabilitation services.
Extends the work geographic index (GPCI) floor of 1.0 through June 30, 2008.
Extends provisions that provide a 5% bonus payment to physicians practicing in physician shortage areas through June 30, 2008.
Extends the physician quality reporting system and revises the Physician Assistance and Quality Initiative fund (more details once we see legislative language)
Extends exceptions to therapy cap through June 30, 2008.
Removes $1.5 billion in 2012.
Permanently freezes the inpatient rehabilitation services compliance threshold at 60%, effective for cost reporting periods starting July 1, 2006, and allows co-morbid conditions to count toward this threshold.
Permits physicians in the armed services to engage in substitute billing arrangements for longer than 60 days when they are ordered to active duty.
Read entire report by clicking here. Another perspective with some historical background may be found by clicking here.
Shortages in key specialty areas are reported in a recently released study of Lake County’s physician workforce.
The most notable deficits are in Pediatrics and Internal Medicine. Read the entire study commissioned by the Lake County Comprehensive Health Care Committee by clicking here
A hurricane disaster & recover plan for physician office practices is available. For your free copy, login to the members only section.
LSMS endorses the use of Managed Care Advisory Group (MCAG) to help you reclaim your money from the Multi-District Litigation (MDL) class-action lawsuit.
Blue Cross Blue Shield is the latest defendant to settle, setting aside $128 million for settlement funds. As a member of LSMS or the AMA, you are entitled to a discount to use the services of MCAG. Simply complete the Physician Agreement form and fax back to MCAG. A representative will contact you.
Members may download the form by clicking here.
§456.042, Florida Statute requires all profiled health care practitioners to update any change to their profile information within 15 days of the occurrence. Failure to do so may subject the health care practitioner to discipline or a fine as stated in §456.041(7), F.S. Therefore, all Medical Doctors should review the contents of their online Practitioner Profiles and correct any factual inaccuracies as soon as possible.
Changes (excluding medical malpractice) can be made to your profile electronically,
using your Account/User ID and Password at
www.flhealthsource.com. Any Medical
Malpractice changes should be faxed to 850.487.3284.
If you have any questions regarding your Account/User ID and Password or about updating
your profile, you can contact a Licensure Services Specialist at 850.488.0595, extension
3 for assistance, Monday through Friday, from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m., excluding state
holidays.
A new publication from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) can help older adults learn to communicate more effectively with their physicians. "Conversando con su medico" is a 38-page Spanish-language publication that includes information on choosing a doctor, communicating effectively with the doctor and other health care providers, and working with an interpreter. The document also discusses sensitive issues such as incontinence or sexuality and can provide help in finding additional health information in Spanish. Visit http://www.nih.gov/news/pr/may2006/nia-17.htm for more details and information on ordering this and other Spanish-language materials.
The Department of Health and Human Services have released Pandemic Influenza Checklists to help facilities assess and improve their preparedness for a pandemic. As HHS Director, Mike Leavitt said at the recent AMA Advocacy Conference in Washington, "Pandemics happen." Being well prepared is the way to minimize the impact on the population. Everyone has a responsibility to see that the institutions they and their families have contact with from schools to churches to places of business have a preparedness plan.
Click here for the medical office checklist
Click here for the medical transport facilities checklist
Click here for the college and university checklist
Click here for the child care facility checklist
The State of Florida requires licensed physicians to report certain listed diseases. In some cases suspect diseases must be reported and certain others listed must be reported by telephone immediately. Click here for the list.
Click here for a Resource Fact Sheet by The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services that outlines the steps for physicians to help their patients get medicine.
It has come to our attention that some Medicare patients have unintentionally given up their Medicare coverage in favor of a Medicare HMO when they signed up for their Part D coverage. There are PDP's (Prescription Drug Plans) through insurance companies that allow the person to retain their Medicare coverage. But, there are also MAP's (Medicare Advantage Plans), which provide prescription drug coverage, but require the patient to sign up for a Medicare HMO. We are advising that you ask all of your Medicare patients to present their current card, because if you are not part of the HMO you will not get paid. Click here for more information including a Physician Toolkit and materials to print out for your patients
The Board of Medicine issued a new rule a few months ago that covered rules of telemedicine prescribing. This applies to internet prescribing but ALSO phone. The rule prohibits the writing of a prescription unless a patient evaluation, including a history and physical examination, has been performed. Click here to read the rule in its entirety.
Please visit the FMA Online for more information on living wills: http://www.fmaonline.org/patients/livingwill.asp