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2009 Membership Dues
The deadline to renew your membership dues is December 31, 2008. You may pay your dues 24hrs/7days a week online at https://www.entnet.org/iweb/MemberDR/SimplifiedMembershipOptions.aspx or contact us at .
Help Us Help You!
The AAO-HNS’ Medical Devices and Drugs Committee has the important mission to inform, empower, and protect our patients and AAO-HNS members in this increasingly complex time of device and drug development. Legal actions against physicians and healthcare institutions are growing, and corporate-physician relationships are coming under greater scrutiny in the press and in Congress. We would like to know what you need the AAO-HNS to do for you. Please complete this short, nine question survey by Friday, October 24, so that we can better serve you.
CMS Limits Recoupment of Overpayments
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has directed its contractors to limit the recoupment of certain overpayments to providers. The agency is implementing a provision in the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003. This statutory mandate will prevent CMS from collecting overpayment debts when providers decide to appeal the overpayment determination. This limitation applies to both the first and second levels of appeal. If the provider succeeds on appeal, CMS will refund, with interest, any overpayments it had previously collected. However, if the provider’s appeal is unsuccessful, CMS will recoup overpayments with interest. The limitation only applies to certain overpayments, including post-pay denials of claims for benefits under Medicare Part A and B. More information here.
2008 Socioeconomic Survey
The results of the 2008 Socioeconomic Survey are now available on our website. More information here.
CIGNA’s Non-Coverage for the Meniett Device
The Academy is pursuing payer advocacy with CIGNA, regarding its non-coverage for the Meniett device. Please notify our Health Policy Unit at 1-703-535-3727 or if you notice any adverse coverage for any ENT procedures.
WellPoint’s Medical Policy for the Treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Recently, the Sleep Disorders Committee reviewed and provided recommendations for WellPoint’s medical policy draft for the treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea. For more details on this review, contact the Health Policy Unit at 1-703-535-3727 or .
CREDIT CHECK: Claim Your CME Credits for the 111th Annual Meeting & OTO EXPO
The online CME evaluation site will close October 19, 2007 at 5PM EST. To claim credits, complete the evaluation online using your registration ID number. The AAO-HNSF designates this education activity for AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™.
Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity:
Foundation Annual Meeting Symposia (FAMS)
Hour/Hour (maximum 3)
General Scientific/Research Sessions
Hour/Hour (maximum 14)
Instruction/Mini Courses
Hour/Hour (maximum 14)
Category 1 credit is awarded to physicians when documented by the submission of the appropriate evaluation form. These credits will be recorded on your official annual transcript that will be issued in January 2008.
FUNDING SOUNDS GOOD: Tinnitus Research Grant Available
The American Tinnitus Association’s Tinnitus Research Grant Program is inviting proposals for funding for 2008, with an application deadline of December 31, 2007. The program, which offers awards of up to $300,000 over three years, supports research efforts investigating tinnitus. Student Research Grants, awarding up to $10,000 for one year, are also available. Click here for more information or to download an application.
MONEY MATTERS: Academy Adds Financial Service to Academy Advantage Program
AAO-HNS is pleased to announce that Physicians First Financial Services has joined the Academy Advantage program. Physicians First Financial Services is committed to providing outstanding service to members of the AAO-HNS. They have provided unbiased, fee-based financial planning, asset, and wealth management services to physicians since 1986 and are dedicated to serving your unique individual needs. Call 1-800-584-5157.
ONE MORE CHANCE TO SPEAK UP: Soliciting Opinions on Proposed Changes to The News
To further refine our messages to you, we want to know your preferences about advertising. Please answer the two-question survey by following this link to voice your opinion.
Designate Sleep Medicine As Your Specialty
Providers can now designate sleep medicine as their specialty when completing their National Provider Identifier (NPI) application with the new healthcare provider taxonomy codes (HPTC) for sleep medicine.
The new sleep medicine codes are classified as a Level III subspecialty code under the Level II specialty codes of internal medicine, otolaryngology, pediatrics, and psychiatry and neurology. Listed below are the 10-digit codes for sleep medicine that are located within their respective classifications.
KNOW NOSES: Clinical Practice Guideline for Adult Sinusitis Released
The Academy has issued a new multi-disciplinary, evidence-based clinical practice guideline for treating adult sinusitis, the common ailment that affects one in seven adults. To read the guideline, click here.
NO FOOLIN’: Medicaid Requires Tamper-Resistant Rx Pads by April 1, 2008
The implementation date of the Medicaid requirement for tamper-resistant prescription pads has been moved back to April 1, 2008 - allowing physicians and states more time to prepare for the new rule. (The previously-set implementation date was October 1, 2007.) The stated goal is to reduce the potential for fraud committed through the use of unauthorized, improperly altered, or counterfeit prescriptions. More details about the rule can be found in the November Bulletin and on the Academy website.
SURVEY SAYS: Help Researchers of Congenital Ear Canal Atresia
Do you treat patients with congenital ear canal atresia? Rady Children’s Hospital San Diego is asking for your help by completing a short, online, anonymous questionnaire on management of this problem. Your responses, along with those of others within the specialty, will be used in a future publication. Click here to participate in the survey.
CODE CORRECTION: New NCCI Edits Begin October 1
The newest National Correct Coding Initiative edits (Version 13.3) are available for download at the CMS website. The Version 13.3 coding edits “bundle” certain ENT-related pairs of CPT codes (skin repair codes 20205, 20525, 20680, 20926, 21015, 21235, 21244, 21325, 21330, 21335, 21344, 21365, 21406, 21470, 21501, 21555, 21556, 21557), making only one of the pair reimbursable when billed together. However, the use of a modifier is allowed with all these code pairs. A detailed explanation of the edit program and the Academy’s advocacy efforts will appear on our website later this week and in the November Bulletin.
CLASS IS IN SESSION: AcademyU™ is Open!
Sign up now for the Academy’s newest member benefit provided at no charge for dues-paying physician members. AcademyU, AAO-HNSF’s online learning system, lets you access CME courses, track your CME credits, and more. (Internet Explorer 6.0 or higher is required.)
ELECTION CYCLE: More Results from Annual Meeting
Click here to view Board of Governors (BOG) & Section for Residents and Fellows (SRF) Election Results from the 2007 Annual Meeting in Washington, DC.
Save the Date! 2008 Joint Anglo-American Meeting in Dublin, Ireland, July 6-8, 2008
This program is co-sponsored by the Royal Society of Medicine and the AAO-HNSF. For more information, visit www.entuk.org. This course is approved for AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ for physicians.
Save the Date! 2008 China Meeting and Tour
After the great success of the China meeting/tour in May, Dr. KJ Lee is pleased to announce the next tour is May 12-24, 2008. The post-congress tour will include Beijing, Xian, Chengdu and Shanghai. The cost is $3,995 roundtrip, all-inclusive from the West Coast. To learn more, email kjleemd@aol.com or international@entnet.org, or call 1-703-519-1556. Click here to download information from the Academy website. |