IAFP e-News for JULY 3, 2008
Happy 4th of July weekend from IAFP

1. MEDICARE MESS AND WHAT WE ARE DOING ABOUT IT
As you now know, the US Senate failed to act on HR 6331 – which passed the House with overwhelming and bi-partisan support. Senate Republicans engineered a block and the measure fell one vote shy of the 60 needed to bring the bill to the floor for full debate. Needless to say, the physician community is outraged and dismayed by the political games played by the Senate with their livelihood and Medicare patients. 

Here in Illinois: You should know and be proud that both Senators Dick Durbin and Barack Obama voted for HR 6331. All we can do is thank them and ask that they do all they can to bring some of their Republican colleagues to support us. We must hope that our family physician colleagues in states where the Senators voted “no” will rain on their 4th of July parades and insist that they do right by Medicare patients and the doctors who care for them.

The IAFP deployed a letter to the editor on Tuesday, June 24 and then released a reaction statement on Friday June 27 once we knew that the Senate had failed to stop the impending cut.

From IAFP President Steven D. Knight, MD of Harrisburg: 
”Family physicians are extremely disappointed and outraged by the U.S. Senate’s failure to stop the 10.6 percent cut in Medicare physician reimbursement rates that will take effect July 1. Medicare as we know it will now go from serious condition to life support. Patients here in Illinois and around the country age 65 and older who rely on Medicare will face longer waits and may have to find a new doctor to care for them…” 

You can link to the entire IAFP statement at http://www.iafp.com/PR/medcut2.htm 

Currently CMS has instituted a temporary claims processing freeze until July 9. This will allow for any action that Congress MIGHT take when they return from their 4th of July break on July 7. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has indicated that he plans to bring the bill back for another vote. 

Link to complete coverage at AAFP News Now
http://www.aafp.org/online/en/home/publications/news/news-now.html 


2. IAFP News

**NEW MEMBER BENEFITS SECTION ON IAFP WEB SITE
Check out the new “Membership has its benefits” section on the IAFP web site for all the perks of IAFP membership in one place, with links to take you right where you need to go to take advantage of special IAFP member offers and discounts.
http://www.iafp.com/about/membership.htm  

**IAFP OFFICE ON SUMMER SCHEDULE
The office is open 7:00 a.m. till 4:00pm Monday through Thursday, and 8:00 a.m. until noon on Friday. The IAFP will operate on this schedule through August 29th. The IAFP office is closed on Friday, July 4th. 

**SAVE THE DATE: PRESIDENT INAUGURATION SPECIAL EVENT
The next IAFP president, Javette C. Orgain, MD of Chicago will take the oath of office at a special IAFP event at the Harold Washington Library in downtown Chicago. Join us on Tuesday, Nov. 18th at 5:30 p.m. for the ceremony and reception. Your personal invitation will follow later this summer. 

**2008 IAFP ANNUAL MEETING INFORMATION
With so much going on at your Academy, this is the year to attend our annual meeting. Plan now and SAVE THE DATES:

IAFP Annual Meeting: December 5-6, 2008
Hilton St. Louis at the Ballpark in St. Louis, Mo.
Highlights include a wine tasting reception, five CME programs, the All Member Assembly and the annual awards banquet. Look for details on page 1 in the June/July issue of Family Physician. http://www.iafp.com/pdfs/junejuly08.pdf 

**SEND YOUR IDEAS OR CONCERNS TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
You can contact your IAFP Board of Directors through the IAFP website at http://www.iafp.com/about/officers.htm.  

3. State Government Relations Activities

** GOVERNOR BLAGOJEVICH CALLS SPECIAL SESSION 
Despite the great weather forecast, General Assembly members will see rain on their 4th of July parades. On Wednesday Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich announced he was calling a special session for July 9-10 demanding that the legislature return and patch a nearly two billion dollar hole in the state’s FY 2009 budget. 

What does this mean? This passage from the July 3 Chicago Tribune lays out some options and possible scenarios:

“He could veto the entire budget, requiring lawmakers to start from scratch and creating havoc for state workers and others who count on state funding. He also could veto or reduce specific line items in the budget. Or he could simply hold back spending in agencies. Whatever he does, some interest group will be angry. Blagojevich wants Madigan's troops to change positions on ideas they've already rejected: leasing the lottery, borrowing billions to pump into ailing pension systems, removing money from politically sensitive funds.

”And, for good measure, the governor wants lawmakers to approve a long-delayed $33.7 billion statewide construction program that would be paid for in part by a massive expansion of gambling.

The state Senate has backed those money-raising initiatives at the urging of Senate President Emil Jones (D-Chicago), the governor's strongest ally. House Democrats, burned by Blagojevich's veto pen last year, are in no mood to go along.”

Read the entire article at http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-clout-street-blagojevich03jul03,0,6596504.story  

CTBA ANALYSIS 
The Center for Tax and Budget Accountability, a non-partisan think tank on fiscal issues and policy offers analysis of the state budget as it currently stands.

You can read more on the CTBA web site at:
http://www.ctbaonline.org/Weekly%20Review/2008/6-24-2008%20Weekly%20Review.htm  

**UPDATE ON NPI RULES FOR ILLINOIS FROM HFS
The NPI requirement for Other Physician IDs, such as, Prescribing, Attending, Operating, and Other was delayed and now has been implemented as of July 1, 2008. Providers should continue to bill as they are currently. Information regarding the new implementation date will be forthcoming. 

HFS is also reminding providers that the billing provider’s NPI is now required on all paper, direct data entry, and electronic claims submitted to HFS. In an Informational Notice dated April 11, 2008, providers were advised that the billing providers NPI would be required by HFS effective May 23, 2008. The April 11th notice can be viewed on the departments Web site at: http://www.hfs.illinois.gov/html/041108npi.html 

On paper claim forms, the NPI must be reported in the same field that the HFS Legacy Provider Number had been reported. The only exception to this is the paper UB04, which has a designated NPI field. 

Providers should continue to report the HFS Legacy Provider Number on the following: paper adjustment forms, Optical Prescription Order (OPO) forms, and; paper prior approval forms. Do not report the NPI in place of the HFS Legacy Provider Number on these paper forms. 

Questions regarding the reporting of NPIs should be directed to the Bureau of Comprehensive Health Services at 1-877-782-5565. You can also view this posting on the HFS Web site: http://www.hfs.illinois.gov/medical/  

4. CME Information

** NEW! NATIONAL PROCEDURES INSTITUTE:
Our Illinois chapter is proud to partner with NPI to provide you an exciting opportunity to bring new procedures and generate revenue for your practice and state Academy at the same time. When you attend an NPI course, NPI will send $50 to the Illinois Academy of Family Physicians. All you have to do is enter “Illinois” in the Referral Code field when you register online at the NPI Web site so that our chapter receives credit for your attendance. You can attend the Chicago NPI series September 10-14, or any of the NPI offerings around the country. Register early for a $100 early bird discount!

Visit NPI online at http://www.npinstitute.com  to view course descriptions, learn about NPI’s outstanding faculty, and register. Don’t forget to enter ILLINOIS in the Referral Code field during the registration process and start getting more out of your practice with NPI.

View the entire 2008 NPI Schedule at http://www.iafp.com/pdfs/2008Schedule.pdf  

** FREE QI/CME RESOURCES AT http://www.YHPlus.com  
Your Healthcare Plus’ CME activities can be viewed and completed through the http://www.YHPlus.com  Web site. Activities can also be downloaded to listen to at your convenience.
The Quality Improvement programs include 
-How to Conduct a Quality Improvement Program in Primary Care Practice,
- Managing Type 2 Diabetes in Primary Care, 
-Managing Adult Depression in Primary Care,
-Managing Childhood Asthma in Primary Care...with more topics on the way.
This valuable resource is absolutely free. Check it out today at http://www.YHPlus.com  

**IAFP ONLINE CME
IAFP is offering free online CME case studies on Hypertension, Diabetes and Depression at http://www.IAFP.com/education . There are two to three case studies for each topic. The patient in each case study is uniquely different and represents what you see in your everyday practice. Each study takes about 45-60 minutes to complete. 

• NEW Online - Depression in Primary Care Practice: a case study with coding

IAFP continues to offer free online CME case studies on 
• Hypertension in Primary Care Practice
• Diabetes in Primary Care Practice

Log on to http://www.IAFP.com/education  

**PRI-MED CME INFORMATION 

Partnering with the IAFP, Pri-Med offers world-class CME programs in your area. Taught by leading experts, you can earn Continuing Medical Education credits at little or no cost. All activities listed are approved for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s). Application for AAFP Prescribed credit has been submitted. 

*Pri-Med Updates 
Locally held continuing medical education programs designed for Primary Care Physicians currently engaged in patient care. By attending, you’ll have the opportunity to interact with expert faculty, participate in question-and-answer periods, and test your knowledge and receive immediate feedback on patient care scenarios. 

Oak Brook, IL – Thursday & Friday, October 30-31, 2008 
http://www.pri-med.com/30oak08b/r12  

Chicago, IL – Tuesday & Wednesday, December 2-3, 2008 
http://www.pri-med.com/30chi08b/r12  

St. Louis, MO – Thursday & Friday, November 13-14, 2008 
http://www.pri-med.com/30stl08b/r12  

* Diabetes In Depth
Rosemont, IL – Thursday, September 4, 2008
http://www.pri-med.com/ada/31oak08a/r12 

Presented by Pri-Med in collaboration with the American Diabetes Association, this 1-day CME program is designed to meet the education and practice needs of clinicians who regularly diagnose and manage patients with diabetes. At every session leading experts will provide world-class information on the co morbidities and risk factors associated with what has become one of the greatest health problems.

* Pri-Med Midwest Conference & Exhibition 
Rosemont, IL - Wednesday-Saturday, March 4-7, 2009 
http://www.pri-med.com/midwest09  
(Please note: Registration for this event will open in fall 2008) 

Over four full days, Pri-Med Conference & Exhibition provides a diverse spectrum of learning opportunities in one place, including Harvard Medical School’s Current Clinical Issues in Primary Care lectures, practice management sessions, Industry-Supported Symposia, and an interactive Exhibit Hall, offering AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™.

*Pri-Med Online 
Pri-Med.com offers over 300 primary care focused eCME activities at no-cost in key Condition Resource Centers including: Alzheimer’s/Dementia, Asthma, Cancer, Diabetes, Dyslipidemia, Heart Failure, Hypertension, Infectious Disease, Obesity, Pediatrics, Sleep Disorders and more. Plus, four eCME activity types are offered so you can thoroughly examine a topic, including: Patient case studies, Clinical reviews, Expert perspectives and Multi-media slide lecture series. Earn high-quality physician-authored eCME anytime at http://www.pri-med.com/onlineCME. 

**2008 WOMEN’S HEALTH CARE CME CONFERENCE AND EXHIBITION 
Friday, September 12 – Saturday, September 13
Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, Rosemont 

Registration Information: http://www.womenshf.com/2008national/chi2008/  
IAFP MEMBER DISCOUNT: Women’s Healthcare Forum and IAFP are pleased to offer all IAFP members a discounted registration fee of $75, a 50% savings on the standard 2008 registration fee. When registering, please use priority code: WHFC801 to take advantage of this offer. 

** AAFP PRACTICE ENHANCEMENT FORUM IS COMING TO OAK BROOK
Our own IAFP board member Carrie Nelson, MD is a features presenter at this forum! Send three people (one FP and two support staff) to AAFP’s Practice Enhancement Forum October 10-11 in Oak Brook. Along with up to 20 prescribed CME credits, participating FPs will attain the following 
Objectives:
• Assess your practice and determine where to direct improvement efforts. 
• Begin implementing the Chronic Care Model into your practice. 
• Motivate your office team to deliver optimal patient care. 
• Understand how to implement and sustain improvement. 
• Be a champion for change in your practice

Learn more on from AAFP’s web site at 
http://www.aafp.org/online/en/home/practicemgt/quality/cme/pef.html  
Link to registration
http://www.aafp.org/online/etc/medialib/aafp_org/documents/prac_mgt/quality/pef/reg-il.Par.0001.File.dat/PEFreg08-IL.pdf 


**FIND IAFP EVENTS AND OTHER CME OPPORTUNITIES FOR FAMILY PHYSICIANS ANY TIME AT http://www.iafp.com/education/ 


5. Members in the News
For a copy of any IAFP news story below, please e-mail Ginnie Flynn at gflynn@iafp.com.  

*Ben Brewer, MD focuses on the amazing journey of one of his dying patients in his June 18 “From the Doctor’s Office” in the Wall Street Journal. A 95-year-old patient, who knew he was days away from dying recounted some of his fascinating past, which Dr. Brewer re-told to WSJ readers as one the privileges of being a family physician. 

*The IAFP’s Public Relations Task Force’s newest member, Michael Adams, MD of Marion, had two media articles in recent days. He is a source for a July 2 Southern Illinoisan article dispelling many myths about summer safety and health care. He is also quoted in a July 7 story in American Medical News about physicians taking sabbaticals –those who have done it and why it’s impossible for many physicians to find the time and money to take a sabbatical themselves.

*Our home care expert, Thomas Cornwell, MD is featured in the July 2 TribLocal (Chicago Tribune section for the western suburbs) in a story about home care and the potential for legislation in Washington to make home care a viable reality for US home bound patients. 

6. NEWS YOU CAN USE

**SURE SCRIPTS AND RxHUB MERGE
If you participate in an electronic prescribing service and were wondering what the effect of merger of Sure Scripts and RxHub would be, here is an answer from Steven E. Waldren, MD MS, Director, Center for Health-IT, American Academy of Family Physicians to the following questions:

-Does this mean we will now be able to eRx to the major PBM’s? 
-Will the formulary checking of RxHub actually start working? 

Dr. Waldren says: “The hope is that will be the case, yet it will not happen overnight. The two companies will become two divisions of the new company and operate as fairly independent divisions while a search for a CEO is undertaken. Then they will be able to really begin integration of the two networks. The technical infrastructures of the two networks are different so they will need to begin work on converting to a single network. 

“In talking with Rick Ratcliff, acting CEO of SureScripts, I believe there intent is to make it very easy for HER and eRx application developers to allow prescribers to seamlessly (1) check formularies; (2) send scripts to retail pharmacies; and (3) send scripts to mail order pharmacies. Due to external issues #1 will be the most difficult to achieve. SureScripts only makes money from the pharmacies when scripts are sent through the network, which aligns their business model with making sure it is as easy as possible for a physician to send a script electronically.”

**JOINT COMMISSION STANDARDS NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE:
The Joint Commission’s revised standards, rationales and elements of performance for 2009 are now available online at http://www.jointcommission.org/  The standards will take effect January 1, 2009 and have been placed online to give all health care organizations time to become familiar with the new language, ordering and numbering.

The changes are part of the Standards Improvement Initiative (SII), launched in 2006 as part of The Joint Commission’s ongoing quality improvement efforts. SII focuses on clarifying standards language, ensuring that standards are program-specific, deleting redundant and nonessential standards, and consolidating similar standards. While no new requirements were added, chapter overviews, standards, introductions, rationales, and elements of performance were designed for ease of use.

**IMPORTANT VACCINE PROGRAM UPDATE
Atlantic Health Partners, the IAFP’s vaccine program partner, is pleased to announce that Sanofi Pasteur has received approval for Pentacel, its new pediatric combination vaccine. Pentacel is the first 5 in 1 pediatric combination for immunization against Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis, Polio, and HIB. The Atlantic program provides you with favorable pricing and purchasing terms for Sanofi and Merck vaccines, and is now even stronger with the addition of Pentacel. We encourage you to contact Jeff Winokur at 800-741-2044 or jwinokur@atlantichealthpartners.com  for more information.


7. News from AAFP 

**DEADLINE EXTENDED FOR EARLY DISCOUNT AT AAFP’S 2008 SCIENTIFIC ASSEMBLY IN SAN DIEGO 
Register by JULY 10 and save $200 over on-site registration fees. 

Your Assembly experience includes: 
• Up to 45 CME credits (look for your CME brochure in the mail) 
• Evidence-based CME 
• Top speakers 
• Clinical procedures workshops (extra fees required) 
• Bonus: Connect with colleagues from around the world 
To register by July 10 and save $200, go to www.aafp.org/assembly. 

**AIM GROUP VISITS GUIDE NOW AVAILABLE
Let your members know about this new AIM step-by-step guide to conducting and getting paid for group visits for patients with chronic conditions affected by overweight and obesity. Group visits have proven to be an effective way to improve patients’ dietary compliance and increase both physician and patient satisfaction. 
Download the PDF at http://www.aafp.org/online/en/home/clinical/publichealth/aim/foryouroffice.html  
If you'd like printed copies of the guide to distribute at your CME events, email americansinmotion@aafp.org. 

** AAFP OFFERS "ASK THE EXPERT" PODCAST INTERVIEWS ON TOBACCO CESSATION.
Specific topics include: 
1. New Public Health Service Clinical Practice Guidelines.
2. Pharmacotherapy for Tobacco Dependence.
3. Tobacco Cessation Quitlines. 
4. How to Provide Tobacco Cessation Treatment to Patients with Mental Illness.
5. Payment for Tobacco Cessation Treatment. 

Each podcast is 10-15 minutes. They're available online at www.aafp.org/askandact/podcasts.  


8. Worth Repeating

** RENEW YOUR ILLINOIS LICENSE BY JULY 31
You should have received a postcard from the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) announcing your opportunity to renew your medical license online. To renew go to the IDFPR web site http://www.IDFPR.com  and enter the PIN provided on your postcard. 
Physicians’ licenses MUST be renewed by July 31, 2008. Before a license is renewed, physicians must provide the information for their profiles. You can do that at https://www.idfpr.com/applications/ProfessionProfile/ProfileUpdateMain.aspx  

9. CLASSIFIED ADS

*AURORA - Family Medicine residency full time faculty position available in vibrant suburban Chicago community, working with a great team of faculty and staff. Rush-Copley Residency, an unopposed program with university affiliation, seeking board-certified family physician with experience, obstetrics optional. Competitive salary, benefits.

Send CV to Carrie Nelson, MD at carrie_e_nelson@rsh.net  or 2020 Ogden Avenue, Suite 325, Aurora, IL 60504. Phone: 630-518-3635.

*CHAMPAIGN, IL--Christie Clinic is a physician-owned multi-specialty group of 90 physicians that is recruiting for Family Physicians for its satellite offices in nearby Danville and Tuscola.
Danville: 35 miles east of Champaign. Join 3 Family Physicians. Call of 1/4. 
Tuscola: 25 miles south of Champaign. Solo practice. Call of 1/9.
Starting salary range of $170-200K. With productivity, incomes are well above national and regional averages. Champaign is the home of the University of Illinois, with many cultural, social, and athletic amenities. 2.5 hours south of Chicago. Contact Christopher Kashnig at Christie Clinic. Phone 217-366-5374. E-mail address: ckashnig@christieclinic.com.  Website: http://www.christieclinic.com.  

*IAFP’S RESOURCES FOR YOUR JOB SEARCH OR POSTING
The RIGHT job or job candidate is out there in family medicine, and we’re here to help find it! We post jobs here in e-News, in Family Physician and at our Web site http://www.iafp.com  for Jobs Online. Select “Job Listings” from the menu on the left to learn more.