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Looking for Illinois NCSC Delegates

AAFP's National Conference of Special Constituencies (NCSC) is a valuable opportunity for professional development and networking with colleagues from across the country (click here for the meeting brochure).  The NCSC considers and adopts resolutions that are eventually considered by the full AAFP Congress of Delegates.   This year Illinois AFP will be sending five members to fill the NCSC delegation, and Dr. Javette Orgain, AAFP Vice Speaker, and Dr. Ravi Grivois-Shah, AAFP New Physician board member will be there. Now is your chance to be there, too!

The slots still available for our NCSC delegation are New Physician, Minority Physician and International Medical Graduate (IMG). The conference is April 25-27 with optional preconference workshops on April 24, 2013. Illinois AFP NCSC delegates will attend the conference with expenses reimbursed.  If you meet the eligibility of any of the above three constituencies and would like to apply for the delegate slot, please contact Jennifer O'Leary at joleary@iafp.com or 630-427-8001 by February 28th.

Delivering an IAFP President's Award

On Dec. 27, IAFP President Carrie Nelson, MD delivered the 2012 IAFP President's Award to Deborah L. Edberg, MD on behalf of past-president Michael P. Temporal, MD.  Dr. Edberg was scheduled to receive her award at the IAFP annual awards banquet on November 9, but new baby daughter Isabel arrived that week!  Dr. Nelson presented the award at the Northwestern-McGaw Family Medicine Residency Program where Edberg is the founding program director. "Dr. Deb Edberg is a family physician leader who embodies the spirit of family medicine, wellness, leadership, and service." Read more in our press release.

Join a committee!

Committees are not only a great way to offer input, but also a great way to learn and be engaged in the health care issues that matter to YOU and your patients.  Get the committee form on our web site and submit yours by January 6, 2013.  

Lame-duck General Assembly Session Recap

Although no major issues were resolved during the lame duck session, the 97^th General Assembly advanced a major piece of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), when the House Human Services Appropriation Committee passed HB 6253 the Medicaid Financing for the Uninsured.  After the committee vote, the remainder of the lame duck session did not provide enough time to advance the bill further. Nevertheless, the momentum continues in for the 98^th General Assembly as Sen. Steans and Rep. Feigenholtz already filed new Medicaid bills in the House (HB 106) and Senate (SB 26).  The bill will move first through the Senate. The goal is have the bill called in committee in the first week of February when the General Assembly returns. Link to IAFP's support statement here.

Medicaid - Medicare parity information for Illinois Medicaid providers

At the Medicaid Advisory Committee (MAC) Care Coordination subcommittee meeting this week, the Dept. of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) shared some details about how the state's Medicaid program will implement the Medicare parity requirement of the federal Affordable Care Act (ACA).  HFS is actively working on this process.  The information below is preliminary; updates and meeting minutes will be available on the HFS website MAC page.

-Illinois plans to adopt the approach that Michigan uses with an online process where docs can report their board certification and/or attest to their primary care status.  Without board certification, the status of primary care will be based on the codes that docs have used most when seeing patients over the past few years. 

-The difference between the current payments and the increased payments will be paid by the federal government.  Payments will likely be in the form of add-ons.  This is somewhat complicated by the fact that HFS already pays Maternal and Child Health (MCH) add-ons.   Physicians who qualify for the Medicare parity add-ons include additional providers that are not be MCH providers.    Payments will likely be paid quarterly by the state.

- For Medicaid patients enrolled in Managed Care Organizations, the MCOs will get the additional funds along with a file that determines which docs are supposed to get the funds and the MCOs will distribute the additional payments to the doctors.

As reported in AAFP News Now this week, nearly all states face the same challenges of implementing payment increases that took effect Jan. 1.  States have until March 31 to submit their plans to the Dept. of Health and Human Services, but must make payment for all serviced rendered retroactive to Jan. 1.

Get your Advocacy Hat on and Save a Date! 

IAFP's Spring Into Action days will be April 16, 17, and 18

Come to Springfield and help us introduce family medicine to the many new faces of the Illinois General Assembly!  Set aside one day (either April 16, 17, or 18) and meet us in Springfield.  We'll provide the background and education on issues winding their way through the process and then take you to the Statehouse to meet with your state representative and senator.  You get CME and you'll still be home in time for dinner!  You can register by sending an email to Gordana Krkic, CAE gkrkic@iafp.com with your contact information (please use your home/voting address) and the date you'd like to attend.  

Ensure you and your staff members know all the ins and outs of new, edited and deleted CPT codes for 2013 so you get paid fully and fairly for the care you provide. "Strategies for Coding and Reimbursement: 2013 CPT Updates," a popular practice management session will be coming to you on Wednesday, January 30 from 2:15 - 3:45pm (Central time). Coding specialist Mary Jean Sage will present and answer your questions. Registration is only $69 for AAFP members and you're entire practice team can listen in. The program also includes 1.5 hours of CME credit - complete the registration form today and return it to the CAFP medical practice affairs manager, Jane Cho at jcho@familydocs.org. 

Saint Louis University School of Medicine Family Medicine Grand Rounds

Wednesday, January 16th -- 7:30am

Kohler Auditorium in SSM St. Mary's Health Center

Preventing Lead Poisoning in Pregnant Women and Children

Daniel Berg, MD, MPH of Family Care Health Centers

For further information call: Cathy Lee Jung, Program Coordinator

Saint Louis University Family Medicine Residency
Phone:  314-951-7230 or email:  cjung2@slu.edu

If you would like a copy of any of the items below, or have a news item to share, email it to Ginnie Flynn at gflynn@iafp.com.

The fifth anniversary of the Smoke free Illinois Act generated media coverage thanks to press events in Chicago and Springfield.  President Carrie Nelson, MD anchored the Chicago press event, while Deputy EVP for External Affairs Gordana Krkic, CAE emceed the Springfield press conference at the Capitol.

Nelson and IAFP members LaVerne Barnes, MD and Harald Lausen, DO provided insights to a Jan. 8^th article in the State Journal Register on the Medicaid 4-prescription limit and the complications it's causing for some Medicaid patients.  The article was also picked up by the Rockford Register Star and West Frankfort Daily American.

Eric Trautmann, MD of Rockford made appearances on WIFR-TV in Rockford on two hot topics.  On Jan 8 he was featured in a New Year's resolution story with advice on how to get started and stick with the resolution to be more physically active in the New Year.  The next day WIFR went back to him for input on the influenza outbreak that has now gone widespread throughout the state and the U.S.

Daniel B. Smith, MD of Decatur was profiled in the Decatur Herald News on Jan. 2 (link to article)

Susan Vandenberg-Dent, MD who is associate dean for graduate medical education at Rush University Medical Center, is quoted in today's Chicago Tribune about the impact that staff cuts at the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) can have for new Illinois residents being able to get their medical license and begin seeing patients in June once their training begins.