Academy in Action 

Calling for Committees, including some new ones

Now is the time to put your expertise and interests to work by collaborating with your Academy colleagues.  Join an IAFP Committee or Task Force that advances your interests. Full details are here along with a simple form to submit. Most committees meet via conference call and some meet face to face at the IAFP Annual Meeting - now scheduled for October 2015 in Rosemont.  NEW this year, a committee just for NEW Physicians (less than 7 years post residency).    

Who's the next Cover Doc (or Student)?

It's time to send us your best family medicine photo for our 2014 Annual Report to the Membership, published online and mailed to all active members in February 2015. We want photos showing our members in ACTION:  Patient care, teaching, mission work, and health fairs are good examples.  Here's what we need:

-Good quality, high resolution photo emailed as a JPG file

-Names of the family physicians or students in the photo. Please do not identify patients.

-If you are not the photographer, please include written permission from the photographer to use the photo. This is especially important if the photo was taken by a paid professional. 

-Email the photo to Ginnie Flynn at gflynn@iafp.com by January 13, 2015.  Residents and students are encouraged to participate!

Vaccinate Illinois Week - December 7-13

Get the flu shot next week and be fully protected by Christmas! IAFP is supporting a statewide campaign to encourage everyone to #GetVaccinated! IAFP has wonderful tools to help educate patients about the need for an annual flu vaccine.  Remember, everyone over age 6 months and all health care providers should get an annual flu vaccine.  

A non-CME webinar has been rescheduled for December 18 from noon - 1 p.m. Click here to register.

VFC (Vaccines for Children) providers:  Order your vaccine today!  Link to more information from IDPH.

Other resources from IAFP:

CME:  Practice Guide: Influenza Vaccination for Primary Care  can be found at http://www.iafp.com/education.   This CME program is worth 0.5 Prescribed Credits and covers CDC recommendations, types of vaccines available, anti-viral treatment, special consideration for chronic illnesses, and vaccination of health care personnel.  

Order these FREE tools for your practice at www.iafp.com/immunization:  

The Influenza Vaccine for Individuals with Diabetes brochure 

The Influenza Vaccine for Individuals with Asthma brochure

Click here (American Lung Association) to find a flu shot clinic near you).

Krkic named Fellow of IOMC

Deputy Executive Vice President for External Affairs, Gordana Krkic, CAE was conferred as a Fellow of the Institute of Medicine of Chicago on Wednesday, Dec. 3. The Institute of Medicine of Chicago, www.iomc.org  is an independent organization of distinguished leaders in the health field who collaborate to improve the health of the public. Drawing upon the expertise of a diverse membership and other regional leaders, the IOMC addresses critical health issues through a range of interdisciplinary approaches including education, research, communication of trusted information, and community engagement. Krkic was nominated by IAFP member Arvind Goyal, MD who is currently serving as the Illinois Medicaid Medical Director. 

Last chance to save Medicaid parity payments

AAFP has been lobbying at the federal level to extend the Medicaid Primary Care Parity program past its expiration date of December 31st of this year.  The program, active for the 2013 and 2014 calendar years, increased Medicaid payments for specified primary care services to Medicare levels for certain primary care physicians.  If this program is not extended past this year, our members will see drastic cuts to their Medicaid payments, forcing many of them to limit or stop seeing Medicaid patients altogether.  

At the moment, there are three pieces of legislation at the federal level that support extension of this program - two in the House of Representatives, and one in the Senate.  The AAFP is supporting the Senate legislation, Ensuring Access to Primary Care for Women and Children Act (S.2694).  To that end, IAFP sent a letter in support to the state of Illinois as the Dept. of Healthcare and Family Services is also working to ensure the program's continuation. We have also supported AAFP's efforts with a letter to the Illinois Congressional delegation.  

Now, AAFP and IAFP need YOUR help! Please use a Speak Out letter that is now available for both the Senate and the House to urge them not to cut your Medicaid payment back to 2012 levels.  A December 3 provider notice from the IL Dept. of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) states: Due to the lack of continued federal funding for these enhanced reimbursement rates, the department will discontinue the payment of the enhanced rates for dates of service beginning January 1, 2015.

Veto Session Ends

This year, the Medical Practice Act sunset was once again extended for one year.  IAFP was supportive of earlier versions of the legislation containing language to extend the MPA for ten years, but those were not included in the final bill which passed. Other changes to the Act: included:

• Removes the limitation on the 10 successive year terms of the terms of the Medical Disciplinary Board
• Adds a provision requiring the disclosure of information regarding a specific investigatory case by any law enforcement agency in this State when that information is requested by the Disciplinary Board.  Current law does not specifically require disclosure by local law enforcement agency.  Current law only specifically names the Illinois State Police.  Thus, this change would facilitate the ability of the Disciplinary Board to obtain information for its investigations.
• Adds the withdrawal of applications to be a licensed physician to the list of information that is reported to the National Practitioner Data Bank.  This is being done because of a recent policy change by the National Practitioner Data Bank, which is now requesting this information.
• Adds language clarifying the number of times that visiting physician permits may be issued. This allows for multiple issuances of this type of license, but restricts it so as to not allow physicians not licensed in Illinois to circumvent obtaining a regular license.

No State-Based Marketplace for Illinois: The General Assembly failed to pass legislation that would access $300 million available in federal funding to enable a State-Based Marketplace. Lack of action further jeopardizes vital tax subsidies for Illinoisans enrolled in plans through our current Marketplace model. Going forward, Illinois will continue to participate in the Partnership Marketplace model that is currently in place, with an open enrollment period occurring each year. In addition, the pending Supreme Court decision in King v. Burwell, will determine the legality of federal tax subsidies that have enabled consumers to afford their Marketplace coverage; depending on the Supreme Court ruling, newly insured Illinoisans could return to the ranks of the uninsured, with the financial burden again falling on tax payers. Stay tuned. 

Looking ahead to January: The Constitutional Officers swearing-in ceremony will be held January 12^th and the swearing-in ceremony for the 99th General Assembly will be on January 14^th. Calendars for both the House and Senate indicate the new session starting January 15^th but the Senate has January 13^th scheduled for any remaining business of the 98^th General Assembly.  No "lame duck" session is scheduled.

Exchange Open Enrollment Info

The window is open until February 15 for new enrollments and for those looking to change their plan.  Link to an IAFP brochure with details

Doctors for America pocket cards: Keep this with you for encounters with still-uninsured patients.

Be Covered http://illinois.becovered.org/ an unbranded campaign by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois to increase residents' understanding of how to use their new insurance and also assist those who still need coverage, prepare for the next enrollment period

Your IAFP contact is Gordana Krkic, CAE Phone: 630-427-8007 Email: gkrkic@iafp.com

SIU Medical Students and Nicaragua need you!

Have you ever wanted to provide access to health care for an in-need community?  Would you like to travel to beautiful Central America?  Join the Southern Illinois University School of Medicine students April 11-19, 2015 in bringing access to doctors and health care to in-need communities.  The students are looking for more medical providers (physicians, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners) to travel with them and help them to provide medical care to families in Nicaragua. Anyone, even non-medical trained volunteers, are welcome to join us on this trip.  Speaking Spanish is not mandatory and translators will be provided during brigade.  If you are unable to volunteer but would like to make a donation or volunteer on a future trip please contact Dr. Tabatha Wells (Twells@siumed.edu) for more information.  Trip is organized by Global Medical Brigades and sponsored in part by International Assist Medical Missions (http://iammspringfield.com/).

Survey from IPC

If you've ever used the Illinois Poison Center resources, please complete the Health Care Professional Satisfaction Survey.  Illinois family physicians' comments and suggestions would be valuable in helping the IPC improve its services in 2015.  The survey should take about one minute to complete.  Responses to the survey will be kept confidential; no identifying information will be included in the analysis. The survey will be open until Friday, December 12, 2014.

Doc Assist new services

Illinois DocAssist will offer perinatal mental health consultation in addition to child psychiatric consultation.  The new service launch date is January 1, 2015 and this flier outlines their services.

Click here for full information on each of the positions listed below:

Gurnee - Outpatient (no OB) position with NorthShore Health Systems

Core Faculty position, West Suburban Family Medicine Residency - Click here for details

SIU School of Medicine Department of Family & Community Medicine/ SIU Decatur Family and Community Residency Program

University of Chicago - Director for Community Health, Service Learning and Scholarship + Assistant Professor

Assistant / Associate Professor of Family & Community Medicine -

Springfield (3 Positions)

Assistant Professor (2) - SIU Quincy and Carbondale

Assistant Professor & Asst. Chair of Geriatrics Program - SIU Springfield

Cermak Health Systems - Cook County

Private Practice - North Shore

Medical Director - Friend Family Health Center in Chicago

Advocate Lutheran General Family Medicine Residency

UIC Illinois Masonic Family Medicine Residency

Faculty position opening

Prime Care Community Health

Multiple positions available with teaching opportunities

PCC Wellness Center

PCC has openings for physicians at their clinics on the Near West Side and in Oak Park and seeks Medical Directors for the Austin and Loretto clinics.