The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the MN chapter of the AAP (MN-AAP) along with more than 100 other national medical specialty societies and state physician member societies sent a letter recently to House and Senate leaders expressing their "strong opposition to proposals that would eliminate the Medicaid primary care payment increase that was recently in a final rule issued by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and scheduled to be implemented on January 1."

Pediatricians have been watching the progress of a long-awaited Medicaid payment increase for preventive health services that will affect primary care pediatricians and some specialists statewide. The Minnesota Department of Human Services will have until March 30, 2013 to submit a plan to the federal CMS on how the implementation would occur. Once approved by CMS, the higher payments to pediatricians would be retroactive to Jan. 1, 2013 for their charges at or above the Medicare rates.

The rule, which was authorized by the Affordable Care Act, increases Medicaid payments for primary care services in 2013-14 to no less than the applicable Medicare rates, fully paid for by the federal government. The signers pointed out that many physicians do not participate in the Medicaid program due to poor payment rates that, historically, are well below the actual costs of providing care. Although a principal goal of this Medicaid policy is to improve access to primary care, the policy also increases payments to many subspecialists in pediatrics and internal medicine, with the purpose of increasing participation and access to their services.

MN-AAP also sent a similar letter to the Minnesota delegation in partnership with other Minnesota primary care organizations. Watch for information about how the final decision could impact Minnesota pediatricians in the coming weeks.

Resources for Coping with the Newtown Tragedy

Pediatricians and their clinic staff are in a unique position to help parents, families and communities in Minnesota respond to the violence in Newtown last week and the media attention to this event.

• Take care of your patients and families. Resources on the AAP website http://www.healthychildren.org/English/news/Pages/AAP-Offers-Resources-to-Help-Parents,-Children-and-Others-Cope-in-the-Aftermath-of-School-Shootings.aspx, the CDC website www.bt.cdc.gov/mentalhealth/general.asp and the AACP website www.aacap.org may be useful.
• Mourn. It is hard to take care of others if we don't take care of ourselves. Leave yourself time to reflect on this event and the other recent events in Minnesota in which children/teens were victims or their parent/guardian was a victim of gun violence.
• Connect with your community. Local responses are happening in schools, faith communities, hospitals and community-based organizations. Look for ways in which they can leverage your professional expertise, and learn from them how you can be helpful to the healing process.

Please look for further information and response from MN-AAP in the coming days and weeks.  

Join Your Fellow Pediatricians for Peds Day at the Capitol:
February 13, 2013

There are no children in the legislature and no pediatricians elected at the state capitol. Legislators need to hear from you on issues important to you and your patients! Join us for meetings with key legislators to discuss access to quality care, newborn screening, pediatric obesity, immunizations and other important issues. No experience necessary. Join us for the afternoon session between 12:30 and 5 p.m.

Click here to register. Contact cairns@mnaap.org with questions.

All Varicella Cases will Be Reportable in 2013

Starting Jan. 1, 2013, varicella (chickenpox) providers will be required to report all varicella cases to MDH in accordance with the Communicable Disease Reporting Rules, Chapter 4605.

Reportable cases include:

• Clinically diagnosed cases seen by a health care provider,
• Laboratory confirmed cases, and
• Clinically diagnosed cases with symptoms relayed by phone to the provider by the patient or parent/guardian.

Document these calls so the patient can obtain provider evidence of immunity. Cases not seen by a provider are important to report because they likely represent a large proportion of total cases. MDH will differentiate these cases from those seen by a provider and/or laboratory confirmed cases.

A change to case-based reporting of varicella is necessary to monitor the changing epidemiology of the disease. High two-dose varicella vaccination rates have resulted in a dramatic decline in varicella disease in Minnesota. During the 2011-2012 school year, eight varicella outbreaks were reported, and the 80 selected sentinel schools reported a total of 35 cases. Reporting allows for post-exposure follow-up and other public health interventions.

For more information on reporting varicella, visit www.health.state.mn.us/divs/idepc/dtopics/reportable/varicella.html

AAP's Section on Hospital Medicine (SOHM) Offering Grants to Attend Annual Conferences

Annual Pediatric Hospital Medicine Conference, August 1-4, 2013, New Orleans: Three $750 scholarships are available to Residents who are interested in attending. Chief Residents, Pediatric Residents, Medicine-Pediatric Residents, and combined program Residents are all eligible. Interested in applying or want more details? Applicants must submit a CV and a cover letter (1 page) to Niccole Alexander at nalexander@aap.org by February 15. Notifications will be sent no later than April 15.

Annual Legislative Conference. April 28-30, 2013, Washington, DC: SOHM covers registration, as well as airfare, hotel, meals, and ground transportation. The Conference has served to instill knowledge of the state and federal legislative process, develop advocacy skills, and introduce strategies and techniques for utilizing the media. If you are interested in being considered, please send a copy of your CV along with a 500 word or less essay to Niccole Alexander at nalexander@aap.org by February 15. Notifications will be sent no later than April 15. For more information, visit http://www.aap.org/en-us/advocacy-and-policy/federal-advocacy/Pages/LegislativeConference.aspx