President unveils $3.77 trillion budget proposal
This week President Obama released his $3.77 trillion budget proposal for fiscal year 2014, which includes $400 billion in spending cuts to health care and would raise taxes on higher-income individuals.
House Republicans release plan to permanently repeal SGR
Republican leaders recently released an updated draft plan to permanently repeal and replace the sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula, which sets the Medicare physician payment rates. The draft was developed by House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Fred Upton (R-Mich.), Ways and Means Committee Chair Dave Camp (R-Mich.) and the committees' health subcommittee chairs, Reps. Kevin Brady (R-Texas) and Joe Pitts (R-Pa.).
Celebrate National Library Week April 14-20 with AASM children’s books
Show your support for your community by donating the AASM children’s books: I See the Animals Sleeping and The Animals Sleep to local school libraries. Children will learn the importance of sleep for both themselves and animals. Purchase these beautifully illustrated books now in order to receive them for National Library week. Instant discounts for bulk quantity purchases, order today!
Sleep Medicine Board Review Course and Cram Courses
In 2011, only 64 percent of the individuals who took the sleep medicine exam passed. As the leader in sleep medicine education, the AASM has the essential Sleep Medicine Board Review courses to prepare you for success
SLEEP 2013 to feature new sessions on clinical, research and business trends
The SLEEP Annual Meeting has long been recognized as the leading meeting for sleep medicine and sleep research professionals from around the world. Featuring the latest developments in research, clinical and business trends in sleep medicine, the meeting serves as an ideal opportunity for sleep medicine professionals to learn about the newest advances in this multi-disciplinary field.
Survey finds Affordable Care Act’s potential impact concerns small business executives
According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's latest small-business survey, the Affordable Care Act and its potential effect on employee coverage costs and hiring trends is the top concern among a vast majority of U.S. small businesses.
HHS proposes rule clarifying navigator role for federal exchanges
Health and Human Services (HHS) released a proposed rule defining the eligibility, standards and training of “navigators,” who are responsible for providing guidance to people enrolling in federal health exchanges under the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
Hypnogram: OCST supply and demand
In recent months many of us have been learning new economic lessons about supply and demand. Insurers in some regions of the country have dramatically increased the demand for out of center sleep testing (OCST). As a result, sleep centers are faced with the challenge of supplying OCST services to meet this demand.
ASMF announces 2013 High School Video Contest
The American Sleep Medicine Foundation is issuing a nationwide creative challenge to young filmmakers: Tell a sleep story to help us shine a light on the effects of sleep problems. The contest is open to high school students in grades 9-12. Judges will pick the three best videos that tell a story about the importance of sleep. Winners will receive up to $1,000 to split with their school. The best videos will be used to educate the public about sleep.
NSF issues a call for research symposium proposals
The National Sleep Foundation seeks proposals to organize and conduct a research symposium to advance the understanding of sleep. NSF will lend its name and resources to symposia with the greatest potential for advancing public health as related to sleep. View the Call for Research Symposium Proposals online. Proposals are due May 31, 2013.
Blog post examines history and future of sleep medicine
As part of the Huffington Post’s ongoing coverage of sleep news, a recent blog post by Stanford Center for Sleep Sciences and Medicine director Emmaunel Mignot, MD, PhD, explored the rapid growth of sleep medicine. Dr. Mignot noted that, like many other areas of medicine, sleep medicine is experiencing a shift from a testing and diagnosis paradigm to a focus on effective treatment. He concluded that, “The field is young and inventive, and we believe patients will be better served at the end.”
Study in SLEEP links OSA to behavioral and learning problems in children
A study in the April issue of SLEEP found that children with sleep apnea have a higher risk of behavioral, adaptive and learning problems. Sleep-disordered breathing doubled and tripled the odds of threshold scores on most assessments, reported MedPage Today. Children with persistent sleep apnea also were seven times more likely to have parent-reported learning problems and three times more likely to have school grades of C or lower, noted UPI.
Loophole could allow insurers to avoid ACA requirements through 2014
Some health insurers are planning to let residents renew their current coverage to avoid new requirements under the Affordable Care Act, a move that could temporarily derail efforts to reform the insurance market, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Subsidies individuals receive in ACA carries little-known repayment clause
According to the AP/Sacramento Bee, millions of residents who will obtain federal subsidies to offset the cost of health insurance through the ACA's insurance exchanges could be subject to additional taxes if they do not accurately project their income,.
Officials behind past local, state efforts highlight future challenges for state exchanges
Officials behind previous local and state efforts to enroll uninsured individuals in health coverage say that such individuals often are reluctant to purchase coverage and that outreach efforts take longer than expected, which could foreshadow similar struggles for the health insurance exchanges under the Affordable Care Act.
White House defends ACA after remarks about possible increase in consumers’ health care costs
The Obama reiterated that the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is helping to reduce health care costs even after Health and Human Service (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius stated that some newly insured residents could experience higher health costs in the coming years.
Support your local school libraries by donating AASM children’s books
April is School Library Month, a celebration of school librarians and their programs by the American Association of School Librarians. Every year, school librarians are encouraged to create activities to help their school and local community celebrate the essential role that strong school library programs play in a student's educational career.
Prepare for the ABMS exam with the Sleep Medicine Board Review Course
Planning on taking the 2013 ABMS exam in sleep medicine? Prepare yourself by studying with an expert faculty of basic researchers, academicians and clinicians at the forefront of the field at this year’s Sleep Medicine Board Review Course.
SLEEP 2013 hotels are quickly filling-up
Only two weeks remain to receive SLEEP 2013 early bird pricing and the official SLEEP 2013 hotels are selling out quickly! With the Hilton Baltimore and the Sheraton Inner Harbor Hotels already sold-out and three additional hotels nearly sold-out, we encourage all members to register early and book your hotel room today to reserve your spot at the largest meeting dedicated solely to sleep medicine and sleep research.
Children with sleep apnea have higher risk of behavioral, adaptive and learning problems
A new study found that obstructive sleep apnea, a common form of sleep-disordered breathing (SDB), is associated with increased rates of ADHD-like behavioral problems in children as well as other adaptive and learning problems. The five-year study, which appears in the April issue of the journal SLEEP, utilized data from a longitudinal cohort, the Tucson Children's Assessment of Sleep Apnea Study (TuCASA).
Hypopnea scoring: Meeting requirements of payers and the AASM Scoring Manual
In October 2012 the AASM published the AASM Manual for the Scoring of Sleep and Associated Events: Rules, Terminology and Technical Specifications Version 2.0. All AASM accredited sleep centers will be required to follow the new manual by October 1, 2013.
Wall Street Journal examines pediatric sleep testing
On Tuesday, March 26, an article in the print and online editions of the Wall Street Journal highlighted the importance of overnight sleep testing for children with suspected sleep apnea.
Browse employment opportunities on AASM Job Board – March 2013
The AASM Job Board is a useful tool to help you find new employment opportunities in sleep related fields. The job board on the AASM website features numerous positions in sleep for physicians, technologists and managers. AASM members and non-members can browse online listings and apply for jobs free of charge. It is quick and easy for employers to post a job opening on the AASM Job Board; AASM members receive a discount on each classified ad.
Businesses might look to temporary-staffing agencies to avoid ACA health coverage requirements
Some businesses might begin hiring more workers through temporary-staffing agencies to avoid providing health insurance under the Affordable Care Act, the Washington Post reports.
Majority of voters say they do not have enough information to understand ACA
According to the Kaiser Family Foundation's March tracking poll, nearly six in 10 U.S. residents feel they do not have enough information to understand the Affordable Care Act (ACA)and how it will affect them.