eNewslineMay 17, 2013 Vol. 20, No. 10

Senate Confirms Tavenner as CMS AdministratorTavenner receives broad, bipartisan support Marilyn Tavenner was confirmed in a 91­7 vote by the Senate on Wednesday to head Medicareand Medicaid, making her the first permanent CMS administrator since 2006. Tavenner has served as acting administrator since late 2011, when Donald Berwick, MD, steppeddown. According to Modern Healthcare, Tavenner has come to be seen as an apolitical and effectiveadministrator of one of the federal government's largest agencies, even as it implements the still­controversial Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Read more in The New York Times...

Saul Levin, MD, Steps Down as Interim Director of DCDepartment of Health ..Joins the American Psychiatric Association as Medical Director/CEO Mayor Vincent C. Gray congratulated DC Department of Health (DOH) Interim Director Saul Levin, MD, for beingnamed the American Psychiatric Association's new CEO and Medical Director. Dr. Levin has ledDOH since last July, when its permanent Director, Mohammed Akhter, MD, took a leave ofabsence to serve on the Executive Board of the District's new Health Benefit ExchangeAuthority. In a press release, Mayor Gray said, "Dr. Levin has done an exemplary job leading DOH inthis interim period, and I wish him the best in his future endeavors and thank him for his goodwork for us." According to the DOH, Dr. Levin's last day will be July 12, 2013. His replacementhas not yet been announced. Commenting on Levin's selection as Medical Director, APA President­elect Jeffrey Lieberman,MD, said, "Saul's expertise in electronic health information exchanges and implementation ofthe Affordable Care Act and meaningful­use requirements, as well as his commitment to mentalhealth parity and proven leadership of large organizations, will be extremely important to APAand its members."

In This Issue

Tavenner Confirmed as CMSHead; Levin Leaves DOH

SGR Repeal Update

Member in the News

Get Paid What You Deserve ...from the AMA

Office Space for Lease

Georgetown Survey

Do Your Patients Have TroublePaying For Medications?

Medicare Physician PaymentReform UpdateProgress towards SGR repeal continues On Tuesday, May 7, 2013, the Committee on Waysand Means held a hearing on Medicare PhysicianPayment Reform. During the hearing, members on bothsides of the aisle expressed support for replacing theSGR this year. As you are aware, both the Committeeon Ways and Means and the Committee on Energy and Commerce havereleased draft concepts for replacing the SGR beginning with a period ofstability and then moving to a model the promotes quality, efficiency and value.The committees are now working with draft legislative language, a good sign ofthe progress that is being made. It is anticipated that legislation repealing theSGR will be marked up later in the summer.

MSDC Events

MSDC Board Meeting... JoinUs!Monday, June 24, 20136:30 pm MSDC HeadquartersWashington, DC

Current members requesting aninvitation in advance arewelcome to attend. Fordetails, email Ed Shanbacker

2013 Annual Meeting &Reception... Save the Date!Wednesday, October 23, 20136:00 ­ 9:00 pm The Whittemore HouseWashington, DC For details on how you canparticipate, email Pia Duryea

Partner Events

USE YOUR 50% MEMBERDISCOUNT

2013 Loss PreventionSeminars ~ In Defense ofGood Medicine

Wednesday, June 12, 2013Thursday, July 25, 2013 American College ofCardiology,Washington, DC

Up to 2 CME creditsavailable. More dates inSeptember and October. While previous seminarsexplored how riskmanagement issues candamage a physician'scredibility and a claim'sdefensibility, this seminarreinforces the positive. Readmore here.

International Conferenceon Nutrition and the Brain July 19­20, 2013Grand Hyatt Washington,Washington, DC

Up to 12 AMA PRA Category1 Credits are available.

On May 10, 2013, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D­MT) and Ranking Member Orrin Heath (R­UT) wrote to health care providers,including physician groups, expressing their agreement that SGR must berepealed and that it remains a top priority for the Committee (letter attached).While they expressed their support for the identification of alternative models forthe future, they recognized that for a period of time most physicians willcontinue to be paid under a fee­for­service arrangement. In order to preventduplication with the efforts in the House, Sens. Baucus and Hatch are solicitingspecific recommendations that affect the FFS program. The request focuses onthe validity of resource inputs in determining service prices, volume control, andhow best to incentivize physicians to prepare to engage in alternative paymentmodels. The AMA will be convening Federation conference calls soon to discuss thisrequest and provide further information on the progress toward eliminating theSGR this year. MSDC will keep members informed.

MEDSYSTEM SOLUTIONSPartner in the Spotlight

When Was the Last Time Your PracticeHad a Checkup?......And you received a FREE LUNCH? MedSystems Solutions is part of a nationwide network of over 1,500 offices,and specializes in practice management, revenue cycle optimization, andprivate practice business support. As a welcome to MSDC members, MedSystem Solutions is offering adiscounted monthly fee for using its services, as well as free lunch for youand your staff during a practice analysis and system demonstration.

Isn't it time you took a few minutes tofocus on your needs?

Let MedSystem Solutions help youkeep your business as healthy as youkeep your patients. Please contact MedSystem

Solutions for a free practice analysis and system demonstration. They willprovide lunch for you and your staff.

Welcome!MSDC is pleased to welcome its newest member:

Lavdena A. Orr, MD (Pediatrics)

Member in the News: Neal Barnard,MD, on WTOP NewsNeal Barnard, MD, discusses link between nutrition and neurologicaldisorders Researchers are learning more about Alzheimer's disease. And they arefinding ­ much like heart disease ­ that diet and other lifestyle changes can cutthe risk of cognitive decline. "The connection between what you eat and the health of your brain is just asstrong as the connection between foods and a healthy heart," says Dr. NealBarnard, the author of "Power Foods for the Brain." In both cases, limitingsaturated and trans fats is essential, as is eating more fruits, vegetables, wholegrains and beans. Dr. Barnard, who is president of the Physicians Committee for ResponsibleMedicine (an MSDC Corporate Partner), says by making the right lifestylechoices, even someone with a family history of Alzheimers, can cut his risk by70 to 80 percent. Dr. Barnard says look for foods that are high in B vitamins, which protect the

Experts will share the latestinsights on the role ofnutrients in Alzheimer'sdisease and otherneurological disorders atthis event. Read more here.

Educational Events

Solution Focused BriefTherapy TrainingsJune 24­26, 2013Thurgood Marshall Bldg.,Washington, DC

18 CEUs are available.Hosted by the ColumbiaHeights/Shaw FamilySupport Collaborative.Learn more here.

Corporate Partners

brain. They include leafy greens that provide folate, and bananas, a goodsource of B­6. Dark berries and grapes also are beneficial, as are nuts andseeds rich in vitamin E. Other good sources of E include spinach, mangoes andsweet potatoes. Read more here.International Conference on Nutrition and the Brain: July 19 ­20, 2013 Dr. Barnard and a panel of experts will address the topicof nutrition and the brain at a two­day conference, jointlysponsored by the Physicians Committee for ResponsibleMedicine and The George Washington University Schoolof Medicine and Health Sciences. Click here for more information.

How Omnibus Rule Changes MayImpact Your PracticeWebinars focus on small health care providers The US Department of Health and Human Services(HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) and the Workgroupfor Electronic Data Interchange (WEDI) is launching aseries of co­sponsored webinars on various aspects ofthe Omnibus HIPAA Rulemaking. The 90­minutewebinars are specifically designed for small health careproviders, with a focus on practical strategies forimplementing the Omnibus Rule changes within a smallclinical practice. The virtual sessions are scheduled for June 14, June 28, July 17 and July 26,2013, from 1:00 pm ­ 2:30 pm Eastern Time on the following topics:

HITECH Omnibus Overview of the Rule ­ June 14Drill down on the new HITECH Privacy Rule ­ June 28Breach and Enforcement under the HITECH Omnibus Rule ­ July 17Business Associates and the HITECH Omnibus Rule ­ July 28

Registration is free of charge and available online.

AMA Offers Free Webinar on theSunshine ActWebinar explains what the Sunshine Act means to you Patients soon will have access to physicians' financial ties with drug andmedical device manufacturers. Such information as payments, ownershipinterests and other "transfers of value"will be publicly reported in an onlinedatabase run by the Centers forMedicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Physicians should prepare now toensure the accuracy of the data theirpatients will see when the databaselaunches next year. A newly archivedwebinar hosted by AMA PresidentJeremy A. Lazarus, MD, and an AMAlegislative expert explains what physiciansneed to know about the law.

Get Paid What You Deserve for Out­of­network ServicesPrescription for a healthier practice The AMA has developed the educational resource,Out­of­network payment challenges for thephysician practice, to provide your practice withresources to understand a third­party payer's obligation

2012­13 Board ofDirectors

Catherine S. May, MD

Chair of the Board; At­Large

Daniel I. Perlin, MDPresident

Laura L. Tosi, MD

President­Elect, AMA AlternateDelegate

James C. Cobey, MD

Immediate Past President

Joseph E. Gutierrez, MDTreasurer; AMA Delegation

Chair

Reginald L. Robinson, MDSecretary; At­Large

Peter E. Lavine, MD

AMA Delegate

J. Desiree Pineda, MDAMA Alternate Delegate

Julian R. Craig, MD

At­Large

John W. Larsen, MDAt­Large

Barry Lewis, MD, MBA

At­Large

Joan B. Loveland, MDAt­Large

Carla C. Sandy, MDAt­Large

for payment to out­of­network providers. The resource explains some of thepayment challenges that arise when a physician who is considered out ofnetwork requests payment from a patient and/or health insurer. This is a part of the AMA Practice Management Center's "Prescription for ahealthier practice" series to help physicians and their staff examine how theirpractices are performing in key administrative processes.

Upper NW DC Office for LeaseMEDICAL OFFICE FOR LEASE This office is a custom build­out with 4 examrooms, 2 offices, large waiting and reception areaand restroom. Ready to move in. Medical officelocated in DC at 6323 Georgia Ave, NW. For more details see the complete listing. Call(301) 523­6652 or (202) 321­6880 with questions.

To Maximize Revenue, Focus on....Provided by IC System CNN Money recently revealed insights into the growing trend of medicalpractices being driven into bankruptcy by a perfect storm of:

increasing costs for medical technology and malpractice insurance andclaims declining reimbursement from commercial insurers andMedicare/Medicaid, andmore patient out­of­pocket payment responsibility creating cash flowproblems

So, what should a medical professional do to maintain a healthy, viablepractice? To maximize revenue, focus on....

District Physicians Attend GlobalConference in Romania Eliot Sorel, MD, attended the World Psychiatric Association (WPA) 2013Bucharest Congress with a spirited WPSCLM group. Dr. Sorel indicated that "theCLM team was superb!" The group appears in the photograph to theright and includes (left to right): AdsulePranyjit, MD; Veronica Slootsky, MD;Mona Thapa, MD; Urooj Saeed, MD; andPhilip Murray, MD. Behind them are: Eliot Sorel, MD; Rajeev Sharma, MD;and Milangel Concepcion, MD, MPH. For more information about the 2013 Congress or the WPA activities, seethe attached program.

Johns Hopkins and MedStar Health inthe NewsHospital groups clear important hurdle on proton therapy projects,according to Washington Business Journal Washington Business Journal reporter Ben Fischer writes that a Districtadvisory committee okayed bids from Johns Hopkins Medicine and MedStarHealth to build costly proton therapy centers on Thursday, leaving both just onestep from final approval to proceed on the high­tech cancer treatmentprograms. However, Fischer states that it wasn't a clean victory for either party. Formore information, read the Washington Business Journal...

Stuart F. Seides, MDAt­Large

K. Edward ShanbackerExecutive Vice President

MSDC eNewsline

EditorPia R. Duryea202­355­9414 (direct)duryea@msdc.org

MSDC Offices1250 23rd Street, NWSuite 270Washington, DC 20037202­466­1800 (phone)202­452­1542 (fax)www.msdc.org

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Please Take the GeorgetownPrevention SurveyDear Clinicians The Georgetown University's Department of Family Medicine would like yourhelp on a joint research project between Georgetown University and VirginiaCommonwealth University. Please take a survey that is part of a study on theuse of preventive care by clinicians themselves. Participating in this survey willonly take about 3­5 minutes and your input will be anonymous. The survey canbe found at: www.georgetownpreventionsurvey.com. Please contact Frances Dayton with questions at (202) 687­7477.

The Pulse of CMSHHS has released its quarterly publication for healthcare professionals. Inside the new issue are articles on:

1) Mandatory Payment Reductions in the FFSProgram due to Sequestration: In general, MedicareFFS claims with dates­of­service or dates­of­dischargeon or after April 1, 2013 will incur a 2% reduction inMedicare payment. Read more.... 2) eRx Penalty Adjustment Deadline: The 6­monthreporting period to avoid the 2014 eRx paymentadjustment ends on June 30, 2013. Read more ....

Save Up to 75% Off PrescriptionDrugs Using DC RxCard As a physician in Washington, DC, you and yourpatients have access to a FREE Prescription DrugCard program. The Medical Society is pleased tooffer the DCRx CARD. Your patients can save up to75% on prescriptions, selected eye­wear, vitaminsand other products. The card is accepted inpharmacies in the District, Maryland and Virginia. The Medical Society of DC has new cardsavailable and any Society member who requests itmay receive a supply of 250 cards. Please email PiaDuryea at duryea@msdc.org and ask for cards foryour patients.

Medical Behavior in a CommercialWorld: Who is Responsible? Join PharmedOut's 4th CME conference, "Medical Behavior in aCommercial World: Who is Responsible?" atGeorgetown University on June 6­7, 2013. Speakers include Marcia Angell, Carl Elliott, a formerpharmaceutical executive, and a ghostwriter who helpedsell Low­T syndrome. Topics include industry­funded clinical trials, journaladvertising and editorial policies, medical devices, opioid overuse, thePhysicians Payments Sunshine Act, and much more. 9.5 CME credits available.

Prince Mahidol Award FoundationSeeks Nominations On the 122th anniversary of the Birthday of His Royal Highness PrinceMahidol of Songkla, the Prince Mahidol Award Foundation would like to invite

you to nominate individual(s) or institution(s) for their outstanding performanceand/or research that contributes directly to the betterment of society. TwoPrince Mahidol Awards are conferred on an annual basis, one in medicine andone in public health, each prize increase from $50,000 to $100,000 plus amedal and a certificate.Submission Methods1. All nominations can be submitted by three methods: (A) PREFERRED METHOD: Submit online via the Nomination SubmissionOnline. Nominators are strongly encouraged to use this method. (B) E­mail the nomination form and all supporting materials as attached filesto supat.van@mahidol.ac.th (C) Regular mail delivery. Please send the complete nomination and allsupporting materials to: Secretary­General Prince Mahidol Award Foundation 2nd Floor, Mahidol­Bumpen Building, Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, 2 Prannok Road, Bangkoknoi, Bangkok 10700 THAILAND2. Nominations must be received no later than midnight local time on May 31,2013. 3. Nominations that arrive after the deadline will be held over to the followingyear for consideration. Nominations that did not result in an award can beresubmitted or updated in subsequent years.4. Self­nominations are NOT ACCEPTED.

For more information about the submission process, please contact Prof. SupatVanichakarn,M.D., secretary­general at Supat.van@mahidol.ac.th orpmaf@mahidol.ac.th.