FW: Obama Gives Congress Additional Time for a Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Solution -- More...

[Guest guest]

Dear colleagues, The ACA is asking all colleagues across the nation to contact their US Congressmen and women and US Senators asking them to halt the implementation of the 23% cut in our fees starting Jan. 1, 2011 here again are your contacts: Sen. Ron Wyden wyden.senate.gov   phone 202-224-5244 Sen. Jeff Merkley Merkley.senate.gov  phone 202-224-3753 Wu www.house.gov/wu    phone 202-225-0855 Greg Walden Walden.house.gov  phone 202-225-6730 Earl Blumenauer Blumenauer.house.gov  phone 202-225-4811 DeFazio www.defazio.house.gov   202-225-6416 Kurt Schrader Schrader.house.gov   202-225-5711 Questions?  Call me 541-231-4528 Vern Saboe PS: calls combined with emails get more attention….. From: American Chiropractic Association [mailto:memberinfo@...] Sent: Thursday, December 02, 2010 2:29 PMLaverne SaboeSubject: Obama Gives Congress Additional Time for a Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Solution -- More... Top StoriesCongressional Lame Duck Session Expected to Yield Limited ResultsIn today’s YouTube video update, ACA Vice President of Government Relations Falardeau and ACA political consultant Rick discuss the current “lame duck†session of the 111th Congress, the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform, and the upcoming National Chiropractic Legislative Conference (NCLC).Dec. 2, 2010Welcome Laverne Saboe Use your e-mail address to login to Members' Only sections of ACA's Web site.Forgot your password?Update your account informationForward to a ColleagueJoin ChiroVoice.orgAction Needed: Medicare Fee Cuts Delayed Until Jan. 1On Nov. 30, President Obama signed into law the Physician Payment and Therapy Relief Act of 2010, which delays the scheduled 23 percent cut to the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule until Jan 1, 2011. This one-month delay will provide Congress with additional time to develop a longer-term Medicare Fee Schedule solution for 2011. ACA is working with its congressional contacts to halt the implementation of these reductions; however, we need your support. Please visit theACA Legislative Action Center so you can quickly and easily create an e-mail message to send to your congressional representatives, urging them to block the implementation of drastic fee cuts and develop a long-term solution to the fee schedule problems. Please make your voice heard today on this very important matter. Senate Passes Legislation to Exempt Health CareProviders from Red Flags RuleThe Red Flags Rule requires creditors and certain businesses to develop and implement written identity theft prevention programs to help identify, detect and respond to patterns, practices or specific activities that could indicate identity theft. The applicability of the rule to health care providers has been debated over the past several months. On Tuesday, the Senate passed legislation that would exempt health care providers from the Red Flags Rule. ACA was part of a 28-member coalition supporting Senate action on this issue. A similar bill exempting health care providers from the Red Flags Rule is expected to be passed by the House of Representative in the coming days. Look for updates on this issue in future ACA publications.Timely Filing Reminder for Medicare ClaimsAs a result of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), all Medicare claims for services furnished on or after Jan. 1, 2010, must be filed with your Medicare contractor no later than one calendar year (12 months) from the date of service—or Medicare will deny those claims. If you have Medicare claims with service dates from Oct. 1, 2009, through Dec. 31, 2009, those claims MUST be filed by Dec. 31, 2010, or Medicare will deny those claims. Claims with service dates from Jan. 1, 2009, to Oct. 1, 2009, keep their original Dec. 31, 2010, deadline for filing. For additional information about the new maximum period for claims submission, visit http://www.cms.gov/MLNMattersArticles/downloads/MM6960.pdf. Why should you attend NCLC this year? Click here and find out.Register Now: 2011 National Chiropractic Legislative ConferenceFebruary 12 – 15, 2011Capital Hilton HotelWashington, D.C. The National Chiropractic Legislative Conference (NCLC) is the chiropractic profession’s most important public policy and educational event. For more than 30 consecutive years, hundreds of DCs and chiropractic students from across the country have gathered in Washington, D.C., to meet with members of Congress to discuss the issues that matter most to DCs and their patients. In addition to the Capitol Hill advocacy, which has helped make ACA one of the most effective lobbying organizations in America, NCLC offers new information on opportunities for DCs in Medicare, military and veterans health care and the National Health Service Corps.This year’s NCLC will focus on “Health Care Reform: The Road to Implementation,†and participants will hear the latest news on this important topic, as well as on Medicare reform. By attending, you will help shape the future of chiropractic and its influence in Washington, D.C.To register, visit www.acatoday.org/nclc.Please note: There is a new arrival/departure schedule for NCLC this year. The House of Delegates meeting will be held Sunday and Monday and NCLC activities will be held Monday afternoon and all day Tuesday. For more information, call (703) 812-0249. We Want Your Feedback on National Chiropractic Health MonthOctober is past and so is this year’s National Chiropractic Health Month (NCHM) campaign. We hope that you took advantage of the many resources in this year’s tool kit and used them to raise awareness of healthy weight management in your practice and in your community. Tell us how you observed NCHM in your area and, in particular, what you thought of this year’s campaign and the resources made available to you by taking a quick 9-question survey online.ACA News: The Digital EditionYesterday, the third digital edition of ACA News was delivered to your e-mail in-box. The ACA News digimag gives you early access to updates on ACA’s important legislative and insurance-related initiatives and the ability to download the magazine to your computer for archiving. It also features helpful online tools (such as a search tool) that will enhance the reading experience.ACA members will also continue to receive a printed edition of ACA News—an exclusive member benefit.Read the December issue today. Companies Attempt to Save on Health Care Costs by Eliminating Co-Payments for Some PrescriptionsAccording to a survey conducted by the consulting firm Mercer, more companies are eliminating co-payments for prescriptions that are a part of the treatment for chronic conditions such as asthma or high cholesterol. The survey results also show that the number of companies that have implemented this policy has grown from 11 percent in 2007 to 18 percent in 2009, though most are self-funded.While spending more to save money may seem counter-intuitive, companies hope that by eliminating the co-payments, employees will be more likely to continue using these prescriptions regularly, which would, in turn, reduce the amount of emergency or catastrophic medical care. To learn more, click here.This is the same premise behind value-based insurance design (V-BID), a concept which began in 2005. The basis of V-BID is to align patients’ out-of-pocket expenses with the value of the health care service. By reducing obstacles to obtaining necessary care, greater outcomes are achieved long term. V-BID principles were adopted as part of the Health Care Reform Law (section 2713©) and have been recognized by the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission. For more information on the changes related to health care reform, go to www.acatoday.org/hcr. Notices: Proposed ResolutionsThere will be a mid-year House of Delegates meeting, Sunday, Feb. 13, and Monday, Feb. 14, 2011, at the Capital Hilton, Washington, DC. ACA Bylaws provisions (Article V, Section A-5) state that the mid-year meeting is held in conjunction with the National Chiropractic Legislative Conference to allow the delegates and members two days to: a. conduct business except bylaws and amendmentsb. hear midyear reports of progressc. receive recommendations on, and initiate policies and procedures for, the functioning of the ACA. Proposed resolutions must be sent to the ACA Corporate Secretary at least 45 days prior to the meeting (Article VIII, Section J-3, except as provided in Section J-4 & 5). Deadline for receipt of proposed resolutions is Dec. 30, 2010. K. O’ConnellACA Corporate Secretary Delegate ElectionsMembers seeking election as delegate or alternate delegate must signify such intent in writing by Dec. 15, 2010, to the Corporate Secretary of the American Chiropractic Association, by one of the following methods:Verified Mail: 1701 Clarendon Blvd., Arlington, VA 22209Verified E-mail: Corporatesecretary@... Verified Facsimile: (703) 243-2593 Ballots will be sent Jan. 14, 2011, to eligible voting members in the states of Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, North Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York-Upstate, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas-West, Utah, Virginia and West Virginia. Term of office is two years. For other details of the delegate election, qualifications and procedures, consult the ACA Bylaws, Article IV, Section D. K. O’ConnellACA Corporate Secretary In the NewsACA Member Promotes Chiropractic Neurology on PBS , DC, DACBN, recently appeared on “Healing Quest,†a PBS series dedicated to providing viewers with useful, well-researched information on the expanding array of new choices available to help them achieve optimum health—a level of wellness that transcends the mere absence of illness and encompasses maximum well-being of mind, body and spirit. Dr. discussed chiropractic care as an alternative to prescription drugs for some neurological conditions. Watch the segment here.“Health Talk†Promotes Pro-Chiropractic Research Hoffman, MD, the host of " Health Talk, " the longest-running MD-hosted health show on syndicated radio, recently cited an ACA press release about new research demonstrating the cost-effectiveness of chiropractic care. Dr. Hoffman ended the segment by saluting his " chiropractic colleagues " for the excellent care they provide. Listen to the segment here.Chiropractic Care for Your Immune SystemIn an article on The Herald Times Reporter’s Web site, a local news source for Manitowoc, Wis., Ziolkowski, DC, responds to the reader question: “Winter is coming and my family always seems to get sick. Is there anything I can do to help boost our immune system naturally?†Dr. Ziolkowski explains how chiropractic adjustments, along with eating healthy and exercising, can help enhance the body’s ability to fight off viruses and bacteria. Read the full article here.Programs & Product Offers Pre-order and Save: ACA’s 2011 Chiropractic Coding and Compliance ManualMake paperwork a breeze so you can get back to your patients!ACA’s 2011 Chiropractic Coding and Compliance Manual brings you the latest information to ensure you receive proper reimbursement for your services – as well as the details you need to comply with current health care requirements. The new manual will be available in early 2011, but the pre-publication sale and discount for ACA members starts now! Save $10 off the already discounted member purchase price when you order today. New for 2011:HCPCS code updatesCPT® code updatesICD-9 code updatesinformation on ICD-10updated Medicare chapterPQRS reporting information.*Plus shipping and handling. Payment will be processed at time of order. Product will ship in early 2011.CPT is a registered trademark of the American Medical Association. Sports InjuriesWith this new Healthy Living patient education article, your patients will learn what common sports injuries are, and how they are diagnosed, treated and prevented.Just Starting OutDespite student expectations about the first few years of practice, an ACA News survey shows that the majority of new practitioners are faced with questions about how to bill for their services and to establish referral networks with other providers. Add to that huge student loan payments, and the first few years out of school can be a bumpy ride. Read about the new practitioners successes and struggles in the December ACA News cover story. Classic JACA: Chiropractic Hazard: DCs' Repetitive Injuries, Part I Some JACA articles have been so widely read that they have become classics. The full article can be found at J Amer Chiropr Assoc 2005 Mar;42(2):2-7. Read on... Support ACA's Endorsed Products 1701 Clarendon Blvd. Arlington, VA 22209 | 703 276 8800 Copyright © ACA This message was intended for: vsaboe@... You were added to the system March 25, 2010. For more informationclick here.Update your preferences | UnsubscribeNo virus found in this incoming message.Checked by AVG - www.avg.comVersion: 8.5.449 / Virus Database: 271.1.1/3293 - Release Date: 12/02/10 12:18:00