Last chance to take the 2013 Active Member Survey

Over 200 of you have, but we want more!  

Click here to access the survey

Carson with U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin

Tar Wars Illinois winner takes 2^nd in DC [photo]

Carson Fisher, soon to be a fifth-grader at Bureau Valley South School in Sheffield, took second place at the National Tar Wars Poster Contest in Washington, D.C.  The National Poster Winner was announced on July 16 at a banquet honoring all the state winners in Washington, DC.  The following morning, all the Tar Wars state winners headed to Capitol Hill to meet with their members of Congress.  Carson, his sister Kinzie and parents Chad and Angie met with U.S. Senator Dick Durbin and legislative staff for Sen. Mark Kirk, followed by a meeting with their representative, Rep. Adam Kinzinger.

With perfect weather and over 150 baseball fans, IAFP celebrated our seventh annual Family Health Foundation of Illinois White Sox game fundraiser.  Ticket sales, combined with our corporate sponsorship totals over $3,500 for the Foundation.  Unfortunately (for most of the fans) Detroit jumped on the scoreboard early and prevailed 6-2.  Special thanks to our three corporate supporters, Cerner, Health Directions, LLC and ProAssurance

for supporting the event and bringing such fun.  ProAssurance continued their tradition of hosting the pre-game social for members who could get to the park a little early!  

ICYMI:  Check out the July/August Illinois Family Physician

Last Call for Board and Officer Nominations

Please submit your letter of intention and your CV to IAFP Executive Vice President Vincent D. Keenan, CAE at vkeenan@iafp.com by Friday, August 2. We have three board slots for the class of 2016 (three-year term) and we are seeking a New Physician board member (less than seven years in practice) for a two-year term.  Nominations will also be accepted for the positions of 2^nd Vice President, 1^st Vice President, President-elect, and one Alternate Delegate and one Delegate to the AAFP Congress of Delegates (two-year terms).

Now put that annual meeting on your calendar and register

Annual Meeting - 2013 a.k.a. SAM-a-Rama!

Leadership, Inspiration, Collaboration, Celebration & Camaraderie

November 7-9 at the Hilton Lisle/Naperville

More information is at www.iafp.com -- Online Registration coming soon!

IAFP is dedicating more of our annual meeting to providing those SAMs workshops that family physicians need.  Stay current and tackle these tough issues in an interactive group setting with your family physician colleagues.  Our meeting is centrally located in DuPage County - easy to access and with FREE parking so that Chicago residents can enjoy the benefits of parking without paying!  Check out the schedule and download a registration form here.  

Gov. Quinn signs Medicaid expansion bill

On Monday, Gov. Quinn signed SB26 which ensures that Illinois will implement the Medicaid expansion for all Illinois citizen and legal resident adults up to 138% of the federal poverty level, which is $15,860 for individuals and $21,408 for couples.  Newly eligibles will gain coverage beginning in Jan. 2014. This expansion provides coverage for those who meet the criteria while Illinois Medicaid continues to work on ensuring that current Medicaid enrollees are qualified to receive coverage.   About 342,000 are expected to join Medicaid in the first year. Learn more in the governor's office press release.

Abortion Adult Notification Law takes effect Aug. 15

The Illinois Parental Notice of Abortion Act is due to go into effect August 15th. IAFP joined colleague organizations in opposing this law (in an amicus brief in the legal case against the law). Family physicians in Illinois need to understand what the law will mean for patients. Family physicians can help patients by knowing the facts and making well-informed referrals for pregnant teens. Here is the website with facts: http://ilbypasscoordinationproject.org/

The law requires that an "adult family member" be notified about an abortion before it takes place if the patient is under 18. Adult family member is defined as a parent, a grandparent, a step-parent (if the step-parent lives in the same household), or her legal guardian. There are a few circumstances when a teen has an exception to the law - please read the above link for details.

New Cartoon Video explains ACA Coverage

Are you looking for an easy way to summarize or understand the upcoming health care expansion (aka ObamaCare)?  Try sharing this cartoon from the Kaiser Family Foundation to explain it to your patients (or your kids, friends, anyone who needs a quick education on what's coming up in 2014!).

When open enrollment starts on October 1, 2013, consumers will be able to apply, compare plans, and enroll. Coverage starts as soon as January 1, 2014. www.Marketplace.cms.gov  has new information such as brochures, fact sheets, videos, a postcard, resource card, and a checklist for consumers. 

Get Ready for the NEW CME Connections E-Newsletter!

Starting with the next issue, CME Connections will have a new look and feature new and exciting content!  Keep an eye on your inboxes next week to discover the NEW CME Connections.

Increasing Access: Health Reform, Immunization and Primary Care Webinar

July 30, 2013, 12:30-1:30pm

Do you have questions about how the Affordable Care Act is reshaping the current system of health insurance and how it will impact primary care and preventative care in your clinic, including immunizations?

Join the Illinois Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics (ICAAP) and the Chicago Area Immunization Campaign (CAIC) for a webinar on Increasing Access: Health Reform, Immunization and Primary Care on July 30, 2013 from 12:30-1:30pm presented by Kathy Waligora, MSW, Communications Coordinator at the Illinois Maternal and Child Health Coalition.

Click here to register

Dive into the Gene Pool: Integrating Genetics and Genomics into Your Pediatric Primary Care Practice

August 9-10, 2013 at the Swissôtel Chicago

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) designates this live activity for a maximum of 11.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Co-sponsored by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the National Coalition for Health Professional Education in Genetics (NCHPEG)

Don't Miss This First-Ever AAP CME Course on Genetics!  Register today at www.pedialink.org/cmefinder

Dive into the Gene Pool is a live, 1½-day course dedicated to providing primary care pediatric professionals with the knowledge, skills, and tools needed to integrate genetics into their everyday practice. Link to more information, including learning objectives.

Next IAFP Lunch & Learn Webinars

Illinois Parental Notice of Abortion Act - What Family Physicians Need to Know  Presented by: Debra Stulberg, MD, Assistant Professor, Department of Family Medicine, The University of Chicago and Lorie Chaiten, Director, Reproductive Rights Project, Roger Baldwin Foundation of the ACLU of IL
Thursday, August 29, 2013, 12:00-1:00pm CST

The Illinois Parental Notice of Abortion Act is due to go into effect August 15th. Now is time for family physicians in Illinois to understand what the law will mean for our patients.

Register Online

Malpractice Claims & Risk Management Update - Family Practice

Presented by: Laurette Salzman, MBA, CPHRM, Senior Risk Management Consultant, ProAssurance Companies
September 26, 2013, 12:00-1:00pm CST

Learning Objectives:

-       Examine claims data specific to family practice;

-       Discuss current & emerging trends;

-       List and apply practical skills when disclosing adverse outcomes

-       Implement loss prevention strategies designed for the office practice setting.

Register Online

Upcoming Illinois Health Connect Webinars

Use the links below to register for these upcoming Illinois Health Connect provider webinars. 

Register

Tuesday 8/6 at 12:00 PM 

Breast cancer screening: use of IHC quality tools for bonus measure improvement

Register

Thursday 8/8 at 12:00 PM

It Does Make a Difference:  Effective Domestic Violence Screening, Response and Resources

Bookmark this link to find a listing of all past and upcoming IHC Webinars. 

Save the Date:  Thursday, September 19

Navigating Through the Marketplace: A Positive Direction for Quality Healthcare in Illinois

Don't miss this opportunity to learn the latest information on what will drive quality healthcare through the Marketplaces on a national and state level.

Metropolitan Chicago Healthcare Council Conference Center

8:00am to 1:00pm

222 South Riverside Plaza, 19th Floor Chicago, IL 60606

$35 Registration Fee (Breakfast and Lunch Included)

Additional Information and RSVP Available Soon!

Sponsored by: Automated Health Systems/Illinois Health Connect

For additional information contact: Paula Osman/Project Coordinator   posman@automated-health.com

Application for CME credit has been filed with the American Academy of Family Physicians. Determination of credit is pending.

AAFP Delivers Answers on Contracts and Collective Bargaining

AAFP's website now has best practices developed for employed physicians on contract negotiations and collective bargaining. Employed physicians are feeling the loss of control over their personal compensation, as well as the terms and conditions of their employment. It is vital for them to know the basics before negotiating an employment agreement.

A dual-resource guide entitled, "Five Key Elements of a Physician Employment Agreement and Collective Bargaining for Employed Physicians," empowers physicians to better navigate employment agreements and contracts. Just a hint: #1 is Salary and #2 is Benefits!

Direct Primary Care Summit in St. Louis

Direct Primary Care (DPC) is a new model for financing and delivering primary care that is growing rapidly in popularity. We invite all those interested in this movement to join us for a national DPC summit that will be held at the Marriott St. Louis Airport in St. Louis, MO, October 11-12, 2013.

Register Now! 

Early Bird Registration: $300 (through August 15) then Registration: $350 (until September 30)

NRCME DOT Training

October 12 from 7:45am to12:30pm

Adler Auditorium at the Genesis Heart Institute

Davenport, Iowa

Register Online

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has established a National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners with requirements that all medical examiners who conduct physical examinations for interstate commercial motor vehicle drivers must complete a training course and pass a certification examination prior to May 21, 2014. Please contact the Iowa AFP at 515-283-9370 with questions.  Check out their ad with details

New AAFP PQRS Reporting Tool Available  AAFP has partnered with CECity to offer a discounted price for use of a web-based registry and reporting tool, PQRIwizard, which CMS has designated as a qualified registry for PQRS reporting. Through the AAFP website (aafp.pqriwizard.com), you can subscribe to the PQRIwizard for only $219, an $80 savings for AAFP members.

This online tool allows family physicians and their staff to enter data for one measures group into the registry program for the required 30 Medicare patients and receive validation alerts to avoid submission errors. PQRIwizard monitors your progress, calculates your measures, and provides a printable, real-time report of your performance rates. Use the reporting method that requires the least amount of your time and expertise, and has proven to give you a better chance at successful reporting!

If you have a news item to share, email it to Ginnie Flynn at gflynn@iafp.com.

Congratulations to IAFP board member Edward A. Blumen, MD of NorthShore University Health Systems for being awarded the first annual 2012-2013 Outstanding Preceptor Award from the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine.  Congratulations also to IAFP Resident Board Member Monica Fudala, MD of NorthShore University FMR who is one of seven Arnold P. Gold Foundation Humanism and Excellence in Teaching awards recipients from the University of Chicago.  

Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced $12 million in Affordable Care Act funding to support primary care residency programs in 32 Teaching Health Centers across the nation.  Funding will help train more than 300 residents during the 2013-2014 academic year, doubling the number of residents trained in the previous academic year. Administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education Payment Program, created by the Affordable Care Act, expands residency training in community-based settings.  Residents will be trained in family and internal medicine, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, psychiatry, and general and pediatric dentistry. Northwestern University/McGaw Family Medicine Residency Program is the only Illinois THC and was awarded $862,500.  Of the first class to graduate from McGaw in June 2013, seven out of eight are in community-based outpatient settings; with five of them remaining in the Northwestern community and two others in underserved clinics in Chicago.

Past president Ron Johnson, MD was quoted in an article in the July 15 Quincy Herald Whig describing the newly opened Pittsfield Clinic and Pike County Family Practice, which provides consolidated and expanded services.

Amit Garg, MD was featured in the July 12 Ottawa Times for earning his certification from the Department of Transportation for the National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners. He's now the only physician in a 45-mile radius certified by NCRME to conduct physical qualification exams for commercial drivers, such as truck and bus drivers.  You can get that same certification Oct 12 in Davenport, IA (See the CME section for details).

Brian S. Rosborough, MD has been named chief medical officer of OSF St. Elizabeth Medical Center, as well as regional director of the OSF Medical Group's I-80 Region, according to the July 12 issue of the Ottawa Times.

Thomas Lee, MD of New Lenox provides insight on the importance and process of the sports physical required for youth sports team participation. The article appeared in the Mokena Patch on July 17.

This week's Crain's Chicago Business examined the track records of Chicago teaching hospitals in producing primary care physicians.  The article includes input from IAFP members Susan Vandenberg-Dent, MD, associate dean at Rush University and Lee Sacks, MD, chief medical officer for Advocate Health Care. 

2013 Assembly in San Diego | Get Connected, Up-to-date, and Inspired

Assembly is our opportunity to start family medicine's bright future. It's our time to share solutions and insight with other family physicians. And this year in San Diego promises to be the best yet. Join thousands of your colleagues for the 2013 AAFP Scientific Assembly, September 24-28, in San Diego.

See Assembly firsthand in this brief video shot onsite last year.

Take five days to learn, connect, and be inspired. Choose from 300-plus CME sessions and many other innovative ways to learn, share, and grow.

Register by August 21 to save up to $100.*                  

*This offer does not apply to Students, Residents, Inactive, or Life members.

EHR Medicaid Meaningful Use Update

If your attestation passes the adjudication requirements, the Department of Healthcare and Family Services (DHFS) will process your payment. 

1. If you are called by DHFS, please respond.  They are trying to process your attestation for payment.
2. Check your status online on MEDI in the EHR application.
3. If your status has not changed, contact the EHR Adjudication Unit for assistance: 

217/782-5565 *3236 for Kevin Miller *3234 for Amanda Wanless *3237 for Veronica Schulz-Lehr *3235 for Mecky Lang.   

REMINDER:  If you are planning to attest to Medicare for the 2013 attestation year HFS strongly recommends you do NOT switch to the Medicare program until your 2012 Medicaid attestation is adjudicated.  Changing programs will cancel your Medicaid attestation and your 2012 Incentive payment.  Please direct questions and concerns to the EHR Payment Incentive Program support email,hfs.ehrincentive@illinois.gov.