On September 22, MSDC sent a message to Congress: The time for repeal of the broken Medicare physician payment formula is now. Last week, MSDC joined the AMA, all state and many specialty medical societies across the country in sending a letter to the members of the Joint Congressional Committee on Deficit Reduction to ask them to repeal this failed formula, known as the sustainable growth rate (SGR).

     The cost to taxpayers for permanent repeal of the Medicare physician payment formula, which has strong support on both sides of the aisle, has grown dramatically over the years. As recently as 2005 the cost of permanent repeal would have been $48 billion. Today it is estimated to be nearly $300 billion. If Congress continues to implement the same temporary fixes they have in the past, the cost will escalate to $600 billion in only five years.

     Repeal of the sustainable growth rate formula is the critical first step of a three-step solution to fixing the broken Medicare physician payment system. This process will provide stability and protect access to care for patients while testing new delivery and payment models to move Medicare forward.

     To view a copy of the letter, click here.

     The DC Board of Medicine will be hosting an educational event at GWU's Jack Morton Auditorium located at 805 21st Street NW.  The event aligns with the on-going work MSDC has been doing to address some of the District's health care workforce needs.  The keynote speaker is Ed Salsberg, the Director of the National Center for Healthcare Workforce Analysis.  The event begins at 8:30am on Wednesday, September 28.  For more information, please click here.

     MSDC has been working with Councilmember David Catania's staff and DC Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking staff on crafting a health insurance exchange bill that addresses physicians' and patients' needs, and allows for the appropriate involvement of physicians and patients in governance roles.  A preliminary bill, along with suggested amendments, has been moving through the Council for "discussion purposes." MSDC will continue to seek the appropriate changes to the bill's language needed to include the proper representation of District physicians and patients.

 

     In 2006, the AMA began the Physician Data Restriction Program (PDRP). The PDRP offers physicians the opportunity to restrict their prescribing data from pharmaceutical sales representatives.  Restricting access to prescribing data should be every physician's individual choice. The AMA Physician Data Restriction Program (PDRP) puts the choice in doctor's hands.
     For more information, please click here.

     To view a flyer on the program, please click here.

     All providers and suppliers who enrolled in the Medicare program prior to Friday, March 25, 2011, will be required to submit their enrollment information so they can be revalidated under new risk screening criteria required by the Affordable Care Act (section 6401a). Providers/suppliers who enrolled on or after Friday, March 25, 2011 have already been subject to this screening, and need not revalidate at this time.
     Do NOT submit your revalidation until you are notified to do so by your MAC. You will receive a notice to revalidate between now and March 2013.
     This will allow MACs to process revalidations in a timely fashion and allow providers to take advantage of innovative technologies and streamlined enrollment processes now under development. Updates will be shared with the provider community as these efforts progress.
     For more information about provider revalidation, review the Medicare Learning Network's Special Edition Article #SE1126, titled Further Details on the Revalidation of Provider Enrollment Information

 http://www.cms.gov/MLNMattersArticles/downloads/SE1126.pdf

    From September 25 and continuing through October 2, several of your MSDC colleagues will be in Turkey as the first step in what physicians in both Turkey and the U.S. anticipate will be a growing level of awareness and exchange about healthcare opportunities. The American-Turkish Council has worked with the Medical Industry Business Council, the Turkish American Business Council of DEIK, and the Turkish Accredited Hospital Association, for the delegation to visit internationally accredited hospitals and medical associations in Ankara, Izmir and Istanbul.

     The visit marks the initial stage of a process that the physician members and physician guests of the Medical Society of the District of Columbia hope will lead to formation of a US-Turkish Medical Industry Group.  Enthusiasm for this exchange grew quickly based on the scientific, cultural and diverse interests of the global medical community, and the desire to advance opportunities for improved healthcare in Turkey and the United States.  Announcing this exchange, the American-Turkish Council said the unique blend of social, cultural, entertainment and academic interactions will allow participants to benefit from a professional exchange that is certain to elevate the personal awareness of practitioners in both the Turkish and American medical communities.

      For further information and details on the trip please contact Ayse Sumer at 202-783 0483 or email to asumer@the-atc.org

 

MSDC and Washington Psychiatric Society Member Contributes at the World Psychiatric Association Congress

     Eliot Sorel, MD,DLFAPA, contributed to the following two symposia at the World Psychiatric Association Congress in Buenos Aires, and co-chaired one of them:

     Dr. Sorel's participation in the WPA Congress, along with MSDC's medical exchange program with Turkey, highlight the international influence of MSDC membership.

 

     For more information on the conference, please click here.

     To view an informational flyer and registration card, please click here.

     The U.S. Food and Drug Administration launched a national public health campaign called "The Safe Use of Acetaminophen." This campaign is designed to educate the public about a very common active ingredient, acetaminophen, the dangers if it is misused, and how to use it safely.

      Acetaminophen is in more than 600 over-the-counter and prescription pain relievers and fever reducers, cold and flu, allergy, and sleep-aid medicines. Acetaminophen is safe and effective when used as directed. But if you take even a little more than directed, or use more than one medicine that contains acetaminophen, it can cause serious liver injury and may lead to death.

      To help inform consumers about how to safely use acetaminophen, FDA has produced the following campaign materials:

• Posters
• Magazine print public service announcements
• Fact sheets
• Daily medicine log
• Brochures
• Point-of-Sale information messaging
• Videos
• Tutorial
• In-store broadcast announcements
• Radio announcements
• Internet banners
• Internet widgets
• FDA Consumer Update articles                               

     The posters, fact sheets, and brochures are available in print and can be ordered at no cost by writing to dpapubs@fda.hhs.gov or calling (301)796-3703.   Many of the products can be downloaded and used as described. Please click this link to reach the campaign's website.

     Or, you may go the FDA's Acetaminophen homepage, www.fda.gov/acetaminophen, to learn about recent FDA actions. A link to the consumer education page is listed.

     Please feel free to use any part of this campaign in your communications with consumers.

     If you have any questions or comments, please send us a note to dpapubs@fda.hhs.gov, or call us at (301)796-3703.