Bright light therapy may reduce insomnia and depression in nurses working night shifts
A study in the July issue of the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine examined the impact of bright light therapy on insomnia in female nurses working rotating shifts. Results show that 30 minutes of bright light therapy during the first half of the evening/night shift may reduce insomnia, anxiety and depression. A commentary notes that the findings were surprisingly strong, and the treatment approach could be fairly easy to implement in the workplace.
CMS unveils final rule for ACA’s navigator program
Individuals working in the Affordable Care Act's "navigator" program for the law's health insurance exchanges must be affiliated with certain community organizations according to a final rule released by CMS. The rule outlines training and certification requirements for the program's workers. In addition, the workers must undergo at least 30 hours of training to before they can be qualified as a "certified application counselor".
House committee to mark up ‘doc fix’ bill
Next week, the House Energy and Commerce Committee is scheduled to begin marking up legislation that would permanently repeal and replace the sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula, which determines Medicare physician reimbursement rates.
Health and Human Services awards $150M in exchange outreach grants
HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius recently announced $150 million in grant awards to 1,159 community health centers nationwide to help educate uninsured residents about coverage options through state health exchanges.
New in 2013 – Group savings for PQRS incentives
Now is the best time to submit for your 2013 PQRS incentives through the AASM PQRIwizard. Register today as an individual and the program is $225, but if you register in a group of 10 or more, each individual will receive 10% off the AASM PQRIwizard program, 21 or more, each individual will receive 15% off! Instant savings on top of the regular savings of $74, when you compare the price of the AASM’s PQRIwizard to the retail price of $299. Visit the Practice Management page on the AASM website to sign-up and learn more about the AASM PQRIwizard.
Learn procedures for treating patients with co-morbid conditions
Join our faculty of experts on October 5-6, 2013 as they provide strategies and tactics on how to treat the complex patient at the Managing Sleep Disorders in Patients with Co-morbid Conditions Course at the AASM National Office in Darien, IL. This one-and-a-half-day course will provide physicians with the knowledge of when and how patients with co-morbidities should be treated for their sleep disorders which physicians can apply in their practice immediately.
Still time to save – Sleep Medicine Board Review Course and Cram Course
Planning on taking the 2013 ABMS exam in sleep medicine? Prepare yourself with the expert faculty of basic researchers, academicians and clinicians at the forefront of the field at this year’s Sleep Medicine Board Review Course. Topics to mirror the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) sleep medicine examination content areas. This two-and-a-half-day comprehensive review of sleep medicine will take place at the Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel in Denver, Colorado from August 1-4, 2013.
Call for Volunteers: AASM Membership Sections Test-Writing Subcommittee
Membership Sections are looking for volunteers to participate on Maintenance of Certification Test-Writing Subcommittees. These subcommittees will write section-related questions for the development of new Maintenance of Certification modules.
Join us on Twitter Wednesday at noon CST for #SleepChat with WSJ and other sleep experts
Join AASM President M Safwan Badr, MD, The Wall Street Journal’s Shirley Wang, Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, the National Sleep Foundation and the American Academy of Neurology Wednesday, July 17, 1 - 2 p.m. ET on Twitter for a discussion on sleep and sleep disorders.
Hypnogram: Preauthorization concerns
Recently the AASM requested that members complete a preauthorization survey to help us gather data from your experience with utilization management review and preauthorization for diagnostic sleep testing. I am grateful to all of the members who took the time to complete this survey.
ABIM MOC changes and new updates
Starting January 1, 2014, ABIM diplomates will need to earn 100 points between 2014 and 2018 to be reported as “Meeting MOC Requirements”. Points earned before 2014 will not count towards the 100 points unless the diplomate’s certification expires before December 31, 2018.
ABIM releases Fall 2013 Sleep Medicine Exam blueprint
An updated version of the Fall 2013 Sleep Medicine Certification Examination blueprint was released July 2, 2013. In this updated version, categories previously used in the exam such as, Organ System Physiology, Sleep Evaluation, Pharmacology and Disorders Unique to Childhood, have been redistributed throughout the remaining categories in the exam.
Dead tired? Seek out a certified sleep doctor
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has labeled insufficient sleep as a “public health epidemic.” With approximately 70 million Americans suffering from a sleep problem, and 60 percent of those having a chronic sleep illness, such as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) or insomnia, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) is stressing the importance of proper evaluation and treatment of these potentially life-threatening conditions.
HealthPocket survey finds few think the ACA individual mandate should take affect in 2014
According to a study released by HealthPocket, a technology company that compares and ranks health plans, just 12% of individuals think the Affordable Care Act's individual mandate should take effect as scheduled in 2014.
CMS issues 2014 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule proposed rule
On July 8 the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued the display copy of the 2014 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule proposed rule. The rule reflects proposed updates to payment policies and payment rates for services billed on or after Jan. 1, 2014.
Health and Human Services rolls back income verification requirements for health insurance exchanges
In a final rule published July 5, Health and Human Services (HHS) said it will roll back requirements for state and federal health insurance exchanges to verify the income and insurance status of people applying for coverage.
Delay of employer mandate to cost about $4B in 2014 according to congressional budget office
The Obama administration's decision to delay the Affordable Care Act's employer mandate will cost the federal government billions of dollars in employer penalties in 2014, according to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), USA Today reports.
Cigna utilization management review and preauthorization concerns addressed
The AASM has heard from members around the country experiencing issues related to utilization management review and preauthorization for diagnostic sleep testing, including the credentialing and appeals processes. Leadership and staff are taking action on your behalf and working with carriers to ensure their processes are centered on quality care for our patients.
Nominate speakers for SLEEP 2014 by Wednesday, July 17
Submit your recommendations for speakers for SLEEP 2014, the 28th Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies, LLC which will be held May 31 – June 4, 2014 at the Minneapolis Convention Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Last day to purchase the SLEEP 2013 postgraduate course books is 7/15
Available in convenient PDF format, the SLEEP 2013 course books are downloadable and easily viewed from any computer or mobile device. Choose a few or buy the whole bundle, but don't wait too long, the SLEEP 2013 course books are only available until July 15!
Register today for new AASM courses
Join our expert faculty for two all-new courses this fall! Managing Sleep Disorders in Patients with Co-morbid Conditions on October 5-6, 2013 will provide physicians with the knowledge of when and how patients with co-morbidities should be treated for their sleep disorders.
Prepare with the Sleep Medicine Board Review Course
Register today to take part in the Sleep Medicine Board Review Course; a two-and-a-half-day comprehensive review of sleep medicine which will take place at the Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel in Denver, Colorado from August 2-4, 2013.
Now updated – AASM Scoring Manual app
The app for the AASM Manual for the Scoring of Sleep and Associated Events: Rules, Terminology and Technical Specifications has been updated to include Version 2.0.1 of the Scoring Manual.
CPAP therapy reduces nightmares in veterans with PTSD and sleep apnea
A new study suggests that CPAP therapy reduces nightmares in veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
ACA employer mandate delayed until 2015
The Obama administration announced that it will postpone the Affordable Care Act's employer mandate for one year. Under the provision, employers with at least 50 workers beginning in 2014 would have been required to provide affordable health coverage or face a fine of as much as $3,000 per employee, the New York Times reports.