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E-news for November
17, 2006
1.
IAFP News and link to last e-News
2. GOVERNMENT RELATIONS
– Election results
3. Medicaid – Illinois
Health Connect Information
4. TOBACCO NEWS
5. MEMBERS IN THE NEWS
6. STUDENTS AND RESIDENTS
INFORMATION
7. NEWS YOU CAN USE
8. REMINDERS WORTH
REPEATING
9. CLASSIFIEDS
INFORMATION
____________
IAFP News
*Board passes
strategic plan
After months of review
and online discussion from the IAFP volunteer leadership, the IAFP Board
of Directors approved the Academy’s strategic plan, which will serve as
a framework for the IAFP leadership, staff and membership moving forward.
See the basics on the IAFP Web site at http://www.iafp.com/about/mission.htm.
* iGive lets you raise
money for the IAFP Foundation any time!
Do you ever shop online?
By signing up with iGive.com, any time you purchase an item online
from a participating store or company, a percentage of that sale will be
directed to the Family Health Foundation of Illinois.
Visit http://www.iGive.com and
sign up with the credit from your purchases to go to the Illinois Academy
of Family Physicians Foundation (you must select the Foundation as the
charity of your choice). Then
you simply purchase items online as you normally do.
There are no hidden fees or extra costs passed on to you.
The donation percentages are small, but they’ll add up quickly
when more people join and shop with iGive merchants.
Did you miss the last
E-news on November 4?
Link to it here http://www.iafp.com/newsletter/E-news/nov4.htm
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GOVERNMENT
RELATIONS
ELECTION RESULTS-- Illinois
goes dark blue
Following a
resounding sweep of the country, democrats in Illinois painted this state
dark blue by holding every constitutional office and both state chambers. Governor
Rod Blagojevich, Lt. Governor Pat Quinn, Secretary of State Jesse White
and Attorney General Lisa Madigan were all re-elected.
They will be joined by newcomer democrat Alexi Giannoulias, who won
the Treasurer’s office vacated when Judy Baar Topinka ran for governor.
The Senate
Democrats gained six seats to give them a veto proof majority which
ensures they can override any governor vetoes.
In the House, democrats picked up one seat and remain in control
with a 66-52 advantage.
FIRST WEEK OF VETO SESSION
ENDS WITH NO CLOSURE
Legislators returned to
Springfield for the first half of Veto session this week.
Those legislators who lost in the Nov 7th election will
serve out the Veto session before the new General Assembly is inaugurated
in January.
The most important
legislation of note to family physicians is the imminent sunset of the
Medical Practice Act on December 31st.
IAFP had initially hoped the renewal would pass during the spring
session and the Act would remain in tact for another ten years.
Unfortunately, the Act remains in flux with no indication that it
will pass without any amendments during Veto session.
Several other practice acts sunset next year (nurses, physician
assistants, etc.) and there may be an effort to extend the Medical
Practice Act for one year in order for the legislature to open all the
acts under consideration simultaneously.
IAFP will continue its efforts to promote passage of the Medical
Practice Act yet this year during Veto session.
The second half of Veto
session is scheduled for Nov 28-30, however, the Governor has indicated
that deadline may be extended through the winter holidays if his minimum
wage hike initiative stalls in the House the week after Thanksgiving.
------------------------------
** DIAL IN FOR ILLINOIS
HEALTH CONNECT INFORMATION
Illinois Health Connect is
Illinois’ statewide Primary Care Case Management program. Under this
program, most people with an HFS or All Kids medical card will have a
medical home through a Primary Care Provider.
What does this mean to
the family physician?
Any physician who treats Medicaid patients must sign up to continue
serving these individuals. Sign
up is quick and easy.
Here are just a few of the
benefits to being an enrolled IHC PCP:
· Enhanced
Maternal and Child Health Rates
· A
Special Monthly Care Management Fee of $2-4 per patient
· Payment
Cycle Improvements by HFS
To hear more about Illinois
Health Connect and to have your questions answered, we hope that you will
participate in one of the upcoming Informational Teleconference Sessions
held on Wednesdays in November and December:
Nov. 29, 7 p.m.
Dec. 6, noon
Dec. 13, 7 p.m.
Dec. 20, noon
To participate, RSVP to
Kristen Jackson at 630-435-0356, ext. 221 and leave a message with your
name, phone number and which session you wish to attend. The call in
number for these teleconferences is 800-201-6800, Passcode 894-2625#.
You can also get more
information by visiting IHC’s website at www.IllinoisHealthConnect.com
or calling the Provider Helpline at 1-877-912-1999.
**IAFP has answers on the Web. Link to the article on the PCCM program at http://www.iafp.com/legislative/allKids%20overview.htm
________________
TOBACCO NEWS-
*November 16 was the Great American Smoke Out. Encourage every patient you see that smokes to stick with their plan to quit! Also give them the Rx to call the Illinois Tobacco Quitline at 1-866-QUIT-YES (784-8937).
*Smoke-free Naperville was
honored at the American Cancer Society of DuPage at their annual volunteer
recognition banquet in Oak Brook. IAFP
Executive director and Naperville resident Vince Keenan has been an active
leader in the coalition.
*Meanwhile numerous
hospitals and medical facilities around the state implemented 100%
smoke-free campuses – making a strong statement for the role of the
health community in promoting a smoke-free lifestyle.
*Support a statewide
smoke-free Illinois
Please go to and sign the
Smoke-free Illinois Resolution as an individual doctor, a practice or an
institution or an FMIG group to show your support.
Local lawmakers need to see supporters in their district!
Go to http://www.smokefreeillinois.org/state/
for more information and to download the resolution to sign and submit!
*Cities on the move
in debating clean indoor air ordinances include:
Mount Prospect will take
testimony Tuesday, Nov. 21 on a draft ordinance for a comprehensive clean
indoor air law. Please offer
your support for the proposal as is with no amendments.
Keep up with all the
smoke-free coalition activity in your community or across the state at http://www.smokefreeillinois.org.
Federal View – More
states pass good tobacco control policy!
*Smokefree Workplace Laws
Passed in Arizona, Ohio and Nevada
Voters in Arizona and Ohio joined the 14 other smokefree
states that have passed comprehensive smokefree workplace laws. Nevada
also passed its Clean Indoor Air Act to protect everyone in restaurants,
grocery stores, shopping malls, other retail establishments and bars that
serve food. It also gives local governments the authority to pass tougher
smokefree laws.
*Tobacco Prevention Funding
Restored in Florida
Florida – which
once had one of the top tobacco control programs in the nation – will
again fund tobacco prevention and cessation programs at a significant
level now that voters decided that the state should use its tobacco
settlement money for its original intent.
*Tobacco Tax Increase
Approved in South Dakota:
South Dakota voted
to increase its tobacco excise taxes and use many of the proceeds to fund
tobacco prevention and cessation programs. Unfortunately, voters in
California and Missouri did not approve increases in tobacco excise taxes.
_____________________________________________
Members in the News
– If you would like a copy of
any of the articles below, contact Ginnie Flynn at gflynn@iafp.com.
Some quick thinking and excellent medical
skills by IAFP member Robert Boll, DO of Orland Park saved a life
at a November 4 church fundraiser. A
woman at a nearby table began choking on a piece of turkey.
After several attempts using the Heimlich maneuver failed to
dislodge the food and unblock the victim’s airway, Dr. Boll knew that
time was running out. Using
another guest’s switchblade knife and a trach tube that actually
belonged to the victim’s handicapped grandson, Boll performed an
emergency tracheotomy which provided an airway and saved her life.
The story ran in the November 9 Daily Southtown and Chicago
Sun Times.
Matthew Hunsaker, MD,
director of Rural Medical Education (RMED) program at University of
Illinois at Rockford, made a presentation on the role of primary care
physicians in oral health at the Oral Health Summit II, held at the
Governor's Haunted House Mansion in Springfield on November 13.
-------------------------------
INFORMATION AND
REMINDERS FOR STUDENTS AND RESIDENTS:
Who are the superstars of
family medicine education? Nominate
your favorite full-time or part-time faculty for the IAFP Teacher of the
Year Awards:
http://www.iafp.com/PR/toy.htm
STUDENTS:
Link to the FMIG leader
update from your student board members
Aaron Traeger (IAFP Board)
and Jeffrey Griesemer (Foundation Board)
http://www.iafp.com/Students/update.htm
which includes a full list of FMIG presidents.
Link to FMIG resources on the web http://www.iafp.com/students/fmig%20resources.htm
RESIDENTS:
E-MAIL your resident
leaders - IAFPResidents@yahoo.com
Please send any questions
or comments here in the future.
Allison Rittmann (PGY-3,
Lutheran General)
IAFP Resident President and
IAFP Board Liaison
Ravi Shah (PGY-2, Illinois
Masonic)
IAFP Resident
President-Elect and IAFP Foundation Board Liaison
Link to the full Resident Update on our web site: http://www.iafp.com/residents/update.htm
JOB LISTINGS AND OTHER INFO
ON-LINE
Here is a place to start: http://www.iafp.com/JobListings/
What else will be helpful
on the IAFP website? E-mail us
with suggestions!
FP Jobs Online
has launched an exciting new feature for job seekers called My Work Style.
This state-of-the-art self evaluation tool will help you to uncover
your personal professional style to identify optimal work environments and
potential professional obstacles. The My Work Style self evaluation, a
$100 value, is free to job seekers! Visit
FP Jobs Online to
learn more and get on the right career path today!
Link to new resources for residents IAFP web site http://www.iafp.com/Residents/index.htm
NEWS YOU CAN USE
*AAFP advocates for you to
the national payers
AAFP send a letter to the
national payers and regional Blues plans, which advocates for them to
adopt the increases in relative value units to the Evaluation and
Management codes and not to adjust their conversion factors making the
increase budget neutral. In
that letter, AAFP says
“In
agreeing to these increases, CMS has acknowledged what we and other
specialties have known for a long time - many E/M services have been
historically undervalued. The
increases to the E/M codes are not a fix, but a step in the right
direction to support more appropriate payment for the added value provided
to patients who have a family physician.
In addition to asking that you adopt the new RVUs for E/M services,
we also request that you not adjust your conversion factor for E/M
services to make the changes “budget neutral.”
Such a move would defeat the intent of revaluing these services,
and we would view it as showing a lack of support for family medicine and
other primary users of E/M services.”
*Thanksgiving week is
also National Influenza Vaccination Week
The Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced the designation of the week
after Thanksgiving as National Influenza Vaccination Week. This year,
National Influenza Vaccination Week will run from November 27 to December
3. CDC is recommending that people take this opportunity to be vaccinated
and is hopeful that flu vaccine providers will use this time to enhance
flu vaccine availability by scheduling additional clinics; extending
clinic hours; and enabling a larger role for mass vaccination at places
such as retail locations.
National Influenza Vaccination Week is a collaborative effort of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, including the CDC, and the National Influenza Vaccine Summit (for more information about the Summit, please go to http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/13732.html).
REMINDERS WORTH
REPEATING
** Nominations are now
open for IAFP 2007 Awards
1.
The Family Physician of the Year Award
2.
IAFP Media Award
3.
Family Medicine Full-time Teacher of the Year
4.
Family Medicine Part-time Teacher of the Year
Link to full information and nomination forms at http://www.iafp.com/PR/Award%20forms.htm
*Christine Petty, MD
resigns as delegate to AAFP, new vacancy in IAFP leadership
IAFP Past President Christine
A. Petty, MD (Coal Valley) resigned from the AAFP Delegate position on
October 29. As a result,
Alternate Delegate Tim J. Vega, MD of Peoria moves up to fill her
slot in the Illinois delegation. This
leaves a vacancy for Dr. Vega’s unexpired term at the Alternate Delegate
position. Any IAFP member
interested in running for that position must submit a nomination to IAFP
executive vice president Vince Keenan at vkeenan@iafp.com.
Nominations are due January 26, 2007.
See the latest update from IAFP Tar Wars at: http://www.iafp.com/tarwars/presenter%20update.htm
Thinking about
volunteering as a presenter? View
a sample presentation video on the National Tar Wars web site at http://www.tarwars.org/x900.xml
scroll down to the link at the bottom of the page
"Family
Physicians and Youth Tobacco-free Education: Outcomes of the Colorado Tar
Wars Program" JABFM November-December
2006 Vol.19 No.6 (Click on the
full abstract or download the full text PDF)
Classified Ads
If you would like to
list your job opening here, please contact Ginnie Flynn at gflynn@iafp.com
for assistance.
If you have any news
items to share with the IAFP membership, please e-mail Ginnie Flynn at gflynn@iafp.com
