Gary H. Gibbins, MD begins NHLBI director role
Earlier this week, Gary H. Gibbons, became acting director of the NIH National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI). Gibbons is the founding director of the Morehouse School of Medicine Cardiovascular Research Institute in Atlanta. He replaces Susan Shurin, MD, who served as acting director for the previous two and half years
61 percent of U.S. businesses expect health care costs to increase under health reform law
Sixty-one percent of businesses expect to pay more for their workers' health coverage when the Affordable Care Act fully takes effect in 2014, according to a survey of 1,203 companies conducted by Mercer. The survey found that 20 percent of respondents said they expect their costs to increase by at least 5 percent.
Health care reform overview: premium and cost-sharing subsidies
Beginning in 2014, individuals who purchase health insurance coverage through the new health insurance exchanges will be eligible for financial assistance if their income is no more than 400 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL). These amounts are updated for inflation annually and vary by family size. In 2010, this amount is $43,320 for individuals and $88,200 for a family of four.
New state-by-state compliance resources
On Aug. 1, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the Provider Compliance Interactive Map, which provides state-by-state information for organizations that monitor compliance for CMS. The map lists organizations' contact information including websites, email addresses and phone numbers. The map also provides brief descriptions of the types of monitoring performed by each organization.
CMS set to release Final Rule on ICD-10 delay
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is expected to publish a final rule which will announce a delay in the compliance date for ICD-10. As the AASM previously announced, CMS published a proposed rule in April which recommended a one-year delay to the implementation of ICD-10. The new date of compliance would be Oct. 2014. CMS solicited comment on the proposed delay.
Major changes to the AASM Inter-scorer Reliability Program coming soon
The AASM launched its Inter-scorer Reliability Program to help sleep centers meet the AASM accreditation standards for inter-scorer reliability. Since the program began in 2010, it has saved numerous accredited center valuable time; over 80 percent of users would recommend this program to their colleagues. Based on valuable feedback from users, the program is currently being updated.
SLEEP 2012 course books available only until Aug. 31
Did you miss out on SLEEP 2012’s most popular courses because they sold out early? Don’t worry! We have all the latest findings from the SLEEP 2012 postgraduate courses available for purchase in convenient PDF format. Individual course books are $50 for AASM members, but only members can save 50 percent by purchasing the SLEEP 2012 Course Book Bundle. Don’t wait too long; the SLEEP 2012 course books are only available until August 31!
AASM Sleep Medicine Board Review course updated for 2012
Physicians who need a comprehensive review of sleep disorders and treatments or who are planning to take the 2013 ABMS examination in sleep medicine should also plan to attend the AASM's two-and-a-half-day Sleep Medicine Board Review course on Oct. 11-14 at the Renaissance Harborplace Hotel in Baltimore, MD. This course will provide a comprehensive review of sleep medicine presented by expert faculty of basic researchers, academicians and clinicians at the forefront of the field.
Hypnogram: The role of the sleep physician
Every day we hear from our patients that the care they receive for their sleep disorders has transformed their lives. The sleep health care provided by an expert team – captained by board certified sleep medicine physicians – improves their health, job performance, relationships and well-being.
2011 survey: Nearly a third of physicians unwilling to accept new Medicaid patients
In a recent survey, 31 percent of physicians indicated that they were unwilling to accept any new Medicaid patients. An article in the Health Affairs disseminated data from the 2011 National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey.
New practice parameters on restless legs syndrome published in August issue of SLEEP
Practicing physicians are encouraged to review two new practice parameters published by the AASM in the August issue of the journal SLEEP. The Treatment of Restless Legs Syndrome and Periodic Limb Movement Disorder in Adults- An Update for 2012: Practice Parameters with an Evidence-Based Systematic Review and Meta-Analsyses and an accompanying update letter to the editor effectively replace practice parameters from 2004 and 1999. Since that period, extensive research has demonstrated that two pharmacological treatments for restless legs syndrome, pramipexole and ropinirole, are effective with limited adverse effects.
Large companies expect health costs to increase next year
Large employers expect health care costs to increase by about 7% next year, according to a survey by the National Business Group on Health (NBGH). The expected increase for 2013 is about the same as what employers projected in 2012.
Health care reform overview: Expansion of public programs
With the recent Supreme Court decision to uphold the Affordable Care Act, there is much speculation on how this legislation will change clinical practice. While the unknowns are greater than what we currently understand about the ACA, the AASM has been analyzing what is in store for sleep medicine. Over the next several weeks, the AASM website will provide a synopsis of certain provisions in the bill. This week will focus on the expansion of public programs.
Data breaches affect nearly 21 million – reflect need for online security measures
Protected health information data breaches are common, affect millions and can result in large fines. Has your sleep center developed policies and procedures for electronic information security to protect itself against information breaches? Don't let your sleep center be at risk of a data breach.
Case-based course to discuss out of center sleep testing (OCST)
The AASM is hosting a revamped version of its Interpreting Sleep Studies course at the AASM National Office in Darien, IL on Sept. 29-30. With the increasing use portable monitoring for the diagnosis of sleep disorders, the AASM has added sessions on interpreting out of center sleep studies. Sleep medicine professionals interested in how to perform sleep studies to diagnose and manage patients with sleep disorders are encouraged to sign up for the course on or before Aug. 31 to save on registration fees. Complimentary access to the AASM's online sleep study scoring test will be available following the course.
The AASM thanks its July member recruiters
By recruiting your colleagues to join the AASM, you reinforce our impact on the future of sleep medicine. Membership growth strengthens our organization’s presence and voice, so it’s imperative that current members explain the value of membership to their colleagues and urge them to apply. New members can take advantage of prorated dues for the remainder of the year, so regular dues are now just $125 through 2012! Recruitment tips and materials are posted on the Member-Get-A-Member website.
Portable monitoring to be discussed at upcoming Interpreting Sleep Studies course
The AASM is hosting a revamped version of its Interpreting Sleep Studies course at the AASM National Office in Darien, IL on Sept. 29-30. With the increasing use portable monitoring for the diagnosis of sleep disorders, the AASM has added sessions on interpreting out of center sleep studies. Sleep medicine professionals interested in how to perform sleep studies to diagnose and manage patients with sleep disorders are encouraged to sign up for the course on or before Aug. 31 to save on registration fees.
AMA publication profiles changing sleep testing model
An article in the July 30 edition of the American Medical News, the official publication of the American Medicine Association, examines how the sleep center business is adjusting to increasing pressures to provide higher quality care at a lower cost. Current AASM President Sam Fleishman, MD and AASM Past President Lawrence Epstein, MD both offer up how their sleep centers are using new technology and care models to respond to market changes. Read the full article on the AMA website.
Workers wary of access to adequate coverage, survey finds
About 53% of U.S. workers say they are not confident that they will be able to find similar or better health coverage in the insurance exchanges than they currently receive through their employers, according to a survey by the National Business Group on Health. The survey found that health insurance is the most vital benefit that employers can offer, with 87% of respondents saying that health insurance is very or extremely important, up from 84% in a similar 2007 survey.
Health care reform overview: employer requirements
With the recent Supreme Court decision to uphold the Affordable Care Act, there is much speculation on how this legislation will change clinical practice. While the unknowns are greater than what we currently understand about the ACA, the AASM has been analyzing what is in store for sleep medicine. Over the next several weeks, the AASM website will provide a synopsis of certain provisions in the bill. This week will focus on employer requirements.
HHS announces new fraud prevention partnership
The Department of Health and Human Services announced a new fraud prevention partnership comprised of both private and public players. The companies and public organizations have joined efforts to “share information and best practices in order to improve detection and prevent payment of fraudulent health care billings.” Specifically, Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Attorney General Eric Holder identified a desire to share tips about schemes, billing codes and “geographical fraud hotspots” to encourage quick action. The partnership includes a number of large insurance plans as well as both the US Department of Health and Human Services and the US Department of Justice.
Submit your questions about the Affordable Care Act on the AASM LinkedIn Group
The AASM is offering members the opportunity to have their questions about health care reform answered by AASM government analysts. Members can submit their questions on the AASM official LinkedIn Group. These questions will be compiled and answered in an upcoming free online session to be announced soon.
Legislation introduced to delay to Medicare payment cuts by one year
On July 18, Rep. Michael Burgess (R-Texas) introduced legislation to extend Medicare physician payment rates for one year. The bill, called the Assuring Medicare Stability and Access for Seniors Act of 2012, addresses projected cuts to overall payment described in the CY 2013 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule. The proposed rule, published earlier this month, includes an almost 30% cut to the conversion factor, which is used to establish payment rates for all physician services under Medicare.
We’re advocating for you and hope you’ll do the same for us!
By recruiting your colleagues to join the AASM, you reinforce our impact on the future of sleep medicine. Membership growth strengthens our organization’s presence and voice, so it’s imperative that current members explain the value of membership to their colleagues and urge them to apply. New members can take advantage of prorated dues for the remainder of the year, so regular dues are now just $125 through 2012! For recruitment tips and materials, please visit the AASM Member-Get-A-Member website.
Impact factors place SLEEP, JCSM among leading journals in the field
The AASM is pleased to announce that the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine received its first impact factor of 3.232, placing it third among all non-review journals on sleep. The leading journal, SLEEP, remains in the top tier among all peer-reviewed scientific journals. For the third year in a row, the impact factor for SLEEP exceeded 5.0. The impact factor for the journals is calculated based on the number of citations articles within the journal received in other scientific publications. Journals with a higher impact factor are generally viewed as more influential and important in their fields.