Welcome Guest, if you have an account you may login

Medigram - April 3, 2008


CONTENTS


TOP STORY

Reminder: Annual Meeting April 11-12; CME available

All Society members are encouraged to participate in the Society’s Annual Meeting, which is April 11-12 at Monona Terrace Convention Center in Madison.

Although only delegates are allowed to vote on policy issues, all Society members can take an active role by voicing their opinions on proposed action items during “town-hall” style reference committee meetings Friday afternoon. The Society’s 155th president, Steven C. Bergin, MD, of Stevens Point, will be sworn in during Friday evening’s inaugural and award ceremony. For a schedule of events, click here.

A CME session is also available to Society members Friday afternoon from 12:30–2:30 p.m. “Health Literacy: What is it and what can we do about it?” will be presented by Paul D. Smith, MD, who is an Associate Professor in the Department of Family Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. There is no charge for the CME and lunch will be provided. For more details, including registration information, click here.

NEWS BRIEFS

Physicians asked to complete workforce survey by April 10

The Wisconsin Medical Society, in partnership with the Wisconsin Council on Medical Education and Workforce and the Wisconsin Hospital Association, e-mailed a survey Monday to physicians and chief medical officers statewide to assess physician recruitment and retention issues. A survey of this type has not been conducted since 2000, when the Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services explored the issue.

After the first two days, more than 800 physicians had completed the survey, demonstrating physicians’ strong desires to address workforce issues. The final results will be used in a report called “Who Will Care for Our Patients? Wisconsin Takes Action to Fight a Growing Physician Shortage” and will aid in efforts to advocate on behalf of these issues.

All physicians who received an invitation to complete the survey are asked to do so no later than April 10. Please note that if you do not wish to complete your survey on-line, you can fax it to 608.283.5424. Input from every physician is critical for an accurate representation of the issues facing the workforce today, and individual responses will be kept confidential.

If you have questions, please contact the Society's Senior Vice President of Quality and Efficiency Nancy Nankivil.


CMS issues final Medicare e-prescribing rule

A final rule issued yesterday by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Service (CMS) establishes new electronic prescribing standards under Medicare Part D. According to CMS, the regulation is expected to result in greater safety for beneficiaries, increased use of lower-cost generic equivalents and more efficient communications between physicians and pharmacies.

“Establishing standards for e-prescribing under Medicare’s prescription drug program will help pave the way for widespread adoption of e-prescribing throughout the medical community. Broader use of e-prescribing offers beneficiaries safer and more efficient care at lower costs,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt in this press release.

Prescribers, dispensers and other providers are not required to implement e-prescribing, but those who do must comply with the new Medicare standards when using e-prescribing to send prescriptions and prescription-related information for covered drugs prescribed for Part D eligible individuals.

Click here to view the final rule on Part D e-prescribing standards (CMS-0016-F/CMS-0018-F) and the earlier final rule establishing e-prescribing foundation standards (CMS-0011-F).


Sign-up open for June conference on eHealth

The third Annual Summit of Wisconsin’s eHealth Initiative is set for June 12 in Madison. The summit will focus on Wisconsin’s five-year action plan for e-health care quality and patient safety. It is being held on behalf of Governor Doyle’s eHealth Care Quality and Patient Safety Board.

Click here for program details. To register on-line, click here.


UW medical students host symposium to encourage ‘healthy classrooms’

Already looking to make an impact in the field of medicine, students from the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health are hosting “Healthy Classrooms: A Public Health in Education Symposium.” The April 9 event is designed to provide new and exciting ways for teachers, principals, administrators and parents to increase classroom awareness of important public health issues.

Keynote speaker Chuck McCauley, MD, a cardiologist with the Marshfield Clinic, will discuss the vital role educators have for providing healthy resources to youth in the community. A variety of topics, including sexual education, childhood obesity and physical fitness, will be addressed to raise awareness and encourage the integration of public health into the K-12 curriculum.

The symposium is free and open to the public. To register, click here.

CAPITOL INSIDER

Society physicians visit Congress to highlight Medicare concerns

Society members traveled to Washington, DC, this week for face-to-face meetings with Wisconsin’s Congressional delegation, urging a fix for a looming 10.6 percent Medicare physician reimbursement cut scheduled to take effect July 1. The visits with Congress members and their staffs, as part of the American Medical Association’s annual National Advocacy Conference, highlighted the dramatic effects such a cut could have for medical practices and patients’ availability of care. (Click here to see a Wisconsin-specific fact sheet describing the impact the scheduled cut would have.)

The Society was well represented at the conference. Attendees included AMA Trustee Cyril “Kim” Hetsko, MD, Society President Clarence Chou, MD, President-Elect Steven Bergin, MD, Past President and AMA delegate Paul Wertsch, MD, Society CEO/EVP Susan Turney, MD, WISMedPAC Chair Sridhar Vasudevan, MD, AMA delegate Mike Miller, MD, and UW resident Claudia Louise Reardon, MD. Alliance President Sherry Clarke and Alliance member Gina Daly also joined the meetings as did medical students Cheryl Maenpaa, Jack Bagley and Richard Leake of the Medical College of Wisconsin and Jennifer Jenkins of the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, who also raised the issue of the financial burden of medical student loans. The trip was organized by Jeremy Levin of the Society’s Government Relations staff as part of that department’s continuous lobbying efforts.

Although the Congressional meetings are over, it’s not too late to add your voice to the dialogue about Medicare physician reimbursement cuts. Contact your Congress members and urge them to prevent the July cut. Just click here to access your members of Congress.

For more information, contact Jeremy Levin or Mark Grapentine, JD.

F.Y.I. FOR YOUR INSURANCE

WMSI&FS ranked no. 1 in ‘Best of 2007’

Society Insurance recently announced the top 25 agencies considered their “Best of 2007” and Wisconsin Medical Society Insurance & Financial Services, Inc. was ranked number 1! This honor is bestowed to recognize exceptional performance and professionalism within the insurance industry.

Society Insurance, headquartered in Fond du Lac, first introduced its Best Award in 2007 to define and reward the company’s best agencies. Twenty-five agencies were recognized, ranging from some of the largest in the Midwest to small hometown agencies. This diverse group shares the Society Insurance idea of a common quest to offer value with excellent service in the market of business insurance.

To discuss your business insurance needs, contact Wisconsin Medical Society Insurance and Financial Services today to schedule an appointment with one of our “Best” agents. Whether you are looking for Worker’s Compensation or Business Owners Insurance, we are here to help. Call 866.442.3810 or complete our on-line contact form.

QUALITY CORNER

Consumers, purchasers, physicians and insurers agree on principles to guide physician performance reporting

Leading consumer, employer and labor organizations have announced a comprehensive national agreement with leading physician groups and health insurers on principles to guide how health plans measure doctors’ performance and report the information to consumers. The “Patient Charter for Physician Performance Measurement, Reporting and Tiering Programs” creates a national set of principles to guide measuring and reporting to consumers about doctors’ performance. To read more, click here.

FAQ

Question:
What are the two types of Medical Professional Liability Insurance policies and how do they differ?

Answer:
The two types of Medical Professional Liability Insurance Policies are “occurrence” and “claims-made.”

“Claims-made” policies are most common. They cover claims made only while that policy is in effect. Therefore, physicians must carry a claims-made policy indefinitely so that claims filed in the future for past incidents will be covered. Most claims-made policies also guarantee the right to purchase a “tail policy” at the end of the coverage period. (A tail policy covers claims for incidents that occurred while you were insured, but were not filed until later.)

“Occurrence” policies provide lifetime coverage for any incidents that occur while the policy is in effect, regardless of when a claim is filed. This means that even if you cancel your occurrence policy in the future, you will still have coverage for incidents that occurred while the policy was in effect.

For answers to other frequently asked questions about insurance matters e-mail insurance@wismed.org.