This e-newsletter is sponsored by
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Contact Us
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American Society of
Bariatric Physicians
2821 S. Parker Road
Ste. 625
Aurora, CO 80014
303.770.2526 | asbp.org
Staff
Laurie Traetow, CAE
Executive Director
laurie@asbp.org
Beth Amelon
Administrative Coordinator
beth@asbp.org
Carly Crosby
Administrative Coordinator
carly@asbp.org
Peter Conway
Intern, Marketing & Communications
peter@asbp.org
Heidi Gordon
Director of Marketing &
Communications
heidi@asbp.org
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Obesity Medicine e-Weekly
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News
Preliminary program for upcoming ASBP symposium, Overcoming Obesity, now available for download
 Click here to download a complete PDF of the preliminary program for the upcoming ASBP 63rd Annual Obesity & Associated Conditions Symposium, themed Overcoming Obesity: Diagnose. Personalize. Treat. A printed version will be delivered via postal mail to you next week. Remember to register for the symposium and book your hotel room soon! Early rates end on Sept. 13 (symposium) and Sept. 16 (hotel).
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Advocacy
Physician Payments Sunshine Act: What you need to know and how to prepare
 The Sunshine Act regulations provide that manufacturers of drugs, medical devices and medical supplies that participate in federal health care programs must begin reporting on their financial interactions with physicians beginning tomorrow (Thursday, Aug. 1). The majority of this information will be posted in 2014 on a public website managed by the federal government. The overwhelming majority of physicians are not familiar with the major provisions of the Sunshine Act. Most physicians are not prepared for the eventual public disclosure of the financial information that industry is tracking and reporting. The American Medical Association (AMA) offers a FREE webinar that provides an overview of the financial interactions and ownership interests that will be reported and the excluded financial interactions. It also outlines the resources, tools and steps that physicians should consider in order to ensure they are able to successfully challenge inaccurate, false or misleading reports before information is publicly posted.
Click here to view the webinar or click here to view the toolkit. (Non-members of the AMA may create a complimentary log in to access the webinar.)
A note about the AMA...Remember, your membership in the Society includes representation from the only obesity medicine-focused medical specialty society with a seat in the AMA House of Delegates. It is important we retain enough ASBP member physicians who are also members of the AMA, or we risk losing our seat. If we lose our seat, we lose our ability to influence AMA policy, such as last month's victory in the fight for obesity being recognized as a disease. Click here to learn more.
CMS releases 2014 MPFS proposed rule
On July 8, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the proposed rule for the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS). This proposed rule would revise payment polices under MPFS and make other policy changes related to Medicare Part B payments. These changes would be applicable to services furnished in 2014. Of particular interest to members of the obesity community, CMS states that "...for 2015 we are proposing to establish a separate payment under the MPFS for complex chronic care (CCC) management services furnished to patients with multiple complex chronic conditions that are expected to last at least 12 months, or until the death of the patient, and that place the patient at significant risk of death, acute exacerbation/ decompensation or functional decline." CMS states their belief that the resources required to furnish CCC management services to beneficiaries with multiple chronic conditions are not adequately reflected in the existing evaluation and management (E&M) codes. CMS states that the CCC management services are part of a "broader strategy" and that "the physician community continues to tell us that the care management included in many of the E&M services, such as office visits, does not adequately describe the typical non-face- to-face management work involved for certain categories of beneficiaries." CMS further states, "Furnishing care management to beneficiaries with multiple chronic conditions requires complex and multidisciplinary care modalities that involve regular physician development or revision of care plans, subsequent reports of patient status, review of laboratory and other studies, communication with other health professionals not employed in the same practice who are involved in the patient's care, integration of new information into the care plan, or adjustment of medical therapy." At the time of this report, the obesity community was still reviewing the details of the CMS CCC management proposal and other aspects of the 2014 MPFS proposed rule.
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Resources
Obesity Updates: Click titles to view articles
Vidal, A.C., et al. International Journal of Obesity, April 2013.
Maternal antibiotic use has been associated with changes in infant birth weight. Both high birth weight and low birth weight are consistent risk factors for childhood and adult obesity, type 2 diabetes,and cardiovascular disease. The study evaluated the association between maternal antibiotic use and low birth weight. Results showed that newborns exposed to antibiotics during pregnancy had a lower birth weight when compared with infants not prenatally exposed to antibiotics. These differences were most apparent in males and white infants and in newborns born to women a body mass index of <30.
Vallis, M., et al. Can Fam Physician, January 2013.
Primary care is an important setting for obesity management. However, many primary care providers feel ill-equipped or inadequately supported to address obesity. The 5 As (ask, assess, advise, agree and assist) model is a minimal intervention that can guide the process of counseling a patient about behavior change. This article reports on ways to adapt the 5 As model in order to provide primary care practitioners with a framework for obesity counseling.
Daley, C.A., et al. Nutrition Journal, July 2010.
Historically, beef produced in the United States until the 1940s came from grass-fed cattle. The 1950s saw the birth of the feedlot industry in which grains were fed to cattle as means to decrease days on feed and improve marbling. Changes in consumer demand and new research on the effect of feed on nutrient content have caused many producers to return to grass-feeding, despite the inherent inefficiencies. This review article examines the fatty acid profiles and vitamin content of grass-fed versus grain-fed beef.
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| Education
 Learn how to become a mentor or mentee at the Overcoming Obesity symposium
Join us at the Arizona Biltmore in Phoenix on Oct. 9-13 for the ASBP 63rd Annual Obesity & Associated Conditions Symposium and volunteer to be part of the first ASBP Mentorship Program! Seasoned and
emerging obesity medicine specialists can make connections and share advice about obesity treatment options and professional development during this unique opportunity. Learn more about the program on p. 3 of the downloadable preliminary program or visit www.overcoming-obesity.org. The symposium offers up to 30 hours of continuing medical education through these courses:
Obesity Medicine Certification Review Course (12.5 CME Hours)Wednesday, Oct. 9 - Thursday, Oct. 10
Provides preparation to those planning to take the American Board of Obesity Medicine certification exam. Earn $100 for each person you refer and who attends this course! Call 303.770.2526 for details.
Innovate 2013: Cultivate the Leader in You (12.5 CME Hours) Wednesday, Oct. 9 - Thursday, Oct. 10
*NEW COURSE* Offers education about how to complete marketing, communication, advocacy and research that will amplify YOUR voice as an obesity medicine expert.
Obesity Course (17.5 CME Hours)
Friday, Oct. 11 - Sunday, Oct. 13
Provides a wide selection of plenary and breakout sessions focused on trending topics in obesity medicine.
Register by midnight to save $26 on Aug. 3 course
 The last of the summer Obesity Basic Medical Treatment courses is Saturday, Aug. 3, in Providence, R.I. Attendees earn 7 hours of continuing medical education (CME), plus the second and subsequent registrations from the same office receive a $30 discount. The registration fee is $199, if received by tonight (Wednesday, July 31) or $225 from Thursday to Saturday. The course, presented by the Obesity Medicine Association (a division of the Society), provides basic clinical information and tools to effectively treat patients affected by obesity and related conditions. Click here to learn more, or download a registration form and read details about the course. Online registration is also available.
Free DVD and guidebook patient education tool available to heath care providers from OAC
 Working with the American College of Physicians, the Obesity Action Coalition (OAC) has created the DVD and Guidebook, Excess Weight and Your Health-A Guide to Effective, Healthy Weight Loss. The OAC is proud to offer this educational resource to members who are health care professionals. As an ASBP member, you are also a member of the OAC, so we urge you to take advantage of this FREE resource. The guidebook provides an in-depth look at excess weight and its impact on health and is accompanied by a DVD, which gives a comprehensive overview of weight, health, nutrition, treatment and more. The DVD features experts in the field of obesity who provide easy-to-use knowledge on how to combat excess weight. The DVD and guidebook are excellent tools for patient waiting rooms and can be an effective resource in your practice - click here to order your FREE DVD and guidebook online today.
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