Congratulations New Fellow Member of the AASM
Fellow status in the AASM is a unique honor which recognizes special competency in sleep medicine and significant contributions to the field. We are pleased to welcome Michael D. Alter as a new Fellow Member. If you are interested in becoming a Fellow member of the AASM, please review the requirements. All required documentation should be submitted to the AASM Membership Department. Please contact the AASM National Office if you have any questions regarding your membership status.
Join the AASM in Phoenix this February
As the weather turns colder throughout much of the United States, the AASM invites members to register for two courses at the Arizona Biltmore in Phoenix, Arizona this winter! Sleep Medicine Therapies, to be held February 24–25, 2012, is a new course which will review over 15 controversial areas that sleep specialists encounter on a daily basis in clinical practice. And the Business of Sleep Medicine for Physicians course, to be held February 26–27, 2012, will cover important topics for any physician involved in the business aspects of clinical practice. Click ahead to learn more about the acclaimed Arizona Biltmore resort.
Full testing system upgrade scheduled for AASM’s Inter-scorer Reliability Testing program
The AASM is pleased to announce a full system upgrade to the testing software for its online Inter-scorer Reliability (ISR) Testing Program! The new testing system will be released for the January exam and will allow users of the program a significantly improved exam experience. Features of the new system will include default answers to greatly reduce the time needed to take each exam, the ability to score epochs using keyboard commands only and with no need to scroll down, and much more! The AASM is also reducing pricing for centers that are pending accreditation! Not registered for the ISR program yet? Now is the ideal time to take advantage of our free 30-day trial…visit the ISR website at www.aasmnet.org/isr to sign up today.
HypnoGram: Health Care Innovation Challenge
The AASM received an early Christmas gift this year. CMS has a process to apply for the “Health Care Innovation Challenge.” They are awarding up to $1 billion in grants for those who implement “the most compelling new ideas to deliver health, improved care and lower costs.” The AASM is up to the challenge, and we are planning to submit a modified version of our integrated care delivery model for obstructive sleep apnea. The award cycles are March 2012 and August 2012. We will submit our letter of intent by Dec. 19 and the full application by Jan. 27, 2012.
Lawmakers work to address scheduled Medicare cut as year-end deadline looms
Congress has a only a few weeks before a scheduled cut of nearly 30% to Medicare physician payment rates is enacted. Since 2002, Congress annually has passed a series of short-term bills to block scheduled cuts to Medicare reimbursement rates. The most recent "doc fix" bill, enacted in December 2010, is scheduled to expire on Jan. 1, 2012, at which point physicians face a nearly 30% payment rate cut.
The AASM recognizes its top member recruiters – December 2011
Congratulations to the AASM’s top Member-Get-A-Member Campaign recruiter for the month of November: J Brian Allman, DDS, Diplomate, ABDSM. He and 24 other AASM members contributed to the growth of the organization by reaching out to their professional colleagues and encouraging them to join the AASM. For each new member recruited, these individuals received a $15 Recognition of Excellence Money Voucher that can be used toward AASM products and course registrations. Each referral also entered recruiters into a Grand Prize Drawing to win a complimentary 2013 AASM course registration (including travel expenses). Learn more about the AASM Member-Get-A-Member Campaign.
AASM publishes white paper on the Future of Sleep Medicine in the December issue of SLEEP
An AASM white paper on how changes in health care delivery might impact the evaluation, management and treatment of patients with sleep disorders was published online in the December issue of the journal SLEEP. The white paper was compiled earlier this year based on reports by an AASM Presidential Task Force on the Future of Sleep Medicine and workgroups of thought leaders in the field. The white paper addresses three key topics: frameworks for healthcare delivery (such as patient-center medical home), patient registries and now outcome measures and tools for the diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorders.
Lobbyists will spend millions to influence outcome of reform law decision
Lobbyists are expected to spend millions of dollars over the next few months trying to influence the U.S. Supreme Court's forthcoming decision on the constitutionality of the federal health reform law. Lobbyists' efforts are expected to include ideological appeals, arguments about the law's popularity among U.S. residents and campaigns that certain justices recuse themselves from the case. Four lawsuits challenging the law were presented to the justices, but the court selected only the multistate lawsuit filed by 26 states and the National Federation of Independent Business. The court also announced it accepted Health and Human Services petition to review the overhaul.
Berwick steps down as CMS Administrator, President Obama nominates Marilyn Tavenner
Donald M. Berwick, MD, is resigning as Administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), effective December 2, the Washington Post reports. The Obama administration has nominated Marilyn Tavenner, CMS' principal deputy administrator, to replace him. Dr. Berwick has occupied the post since July 2010 as a "recess appointment" by President Obama. As a recess appointee, Dr. Berwick had all the powers of a permanent appointee but could serve only until the end of 2011.
Registration opens for new Sleep Center Management courses
In Spring 2012, the AASM will host several courses for sleep center managers at the AASM national office in Darien, Illinois (a suburb of Chicago). The courses have been designed for managers of all levels of experience, from those who are just entering sleep center management, to experienced/intermediate managers looking for information relevant to current issues affecting the management of a sleep center. Members of the AASM and the American Association of Sleep Technologists (AAST) can now register for these courses at a discounted rate: Basics of Sleep Center Management, Intermediate Sleep Center Management Series: Strategies for Successful Billing and Intermediate Sleep Center Management Series, Expanding and Improving Your Sleep Center Business
Deadline for SLEEP 2012 abstract submission is December 15
SLEEP 2012, the 26th Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies, LLC (APSS), will be held June 9–13, 2012 at the John B. Hynes Veterans Memorial Convention Center in Boston, Mass. Abstract submissions for scientific oral and poster presentations are now being accepted through the meeting’s website until Thursday, December 15, 2011.
New Unopposed Poster Viewing Time! For the first time, SLEEP 2012 will feature unopposed poster viewing time for attendees on the evenings of Monday, June 11 and Tuesday, June 12! During this time, poster authors will be available to discuss their work with other attendees of the meeting. Additionally increased networking opportunities will be available at this time including a cash bar in the poster hall.
OIG issues semiannual report
The Semiannual Report to Congress covers findings, recommendations and activities for the six month period from March 31 to September 30.The highlights of the Semiannual Report note that "for FY 2011, we reported expected recoveries of about $5.2 billion consisting of $627.8 million in audit receivables and $4.6 billion in investigative receivables.” The report outlines the OIG's role in recovery of stolen and misspent funds as well as outreach and training of providers to help them understand rules, statutes and regulations. It also emphasizes the importance of the OIG's continues work to reduce improper payment.
CMS announces 90-day period of enforcement discretion for 5010 compliance
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) Office of E-Health Standards and Services (OESS) issued a statement on Nov. 17 clarifying their intentions with respect to enforcing compliance with Version 5010. The term Version 5010 refers to the new standards for electronic administrative transactions performed by HIPAA covered entities, such as claims submissions and receipt of remittance advice. The compliance date for use of the new standards continues to be January 1, 2012, as previously announced. However, the OESS indicates in the Nov. 17 statement that they will not initiate enforcement actions against non-compliant entities until March 31, 2012.
Slate asks “Is it healthy to sleep sitting up?”
The science of sit-sleep? Slate magazine recently posed a question to AASM member Michael Decker, PhD, RN, at Georgia State University: Is it healthy to sleep sitting up? Occupy movement members, who sleep sitting up to bypass rules against camping on public property, inspired the story.
HypnoGram: Thanksgiving
Oh what a great day Thanksgiving can be – good food, family and a good snooze during the football game! But wait, why do we celebrate Thanksgiving? Oh yeah, that Pilgrim and Native American thing. The first “American Thanksgiving” probably occurred in the 1500s in Saint Augustine, Florida; but for the Pilgrims, the official date was Dec. 13, 1621. In 1789, our first president, George Washington, decreed the first “United States” Thanksgiving Day; but it still wasn’t an official holiday. Abraham Lincoln set aside the last Thursday in November as the national day of Thanksgiving; but again, not until 1941 did Congress permanently establish the day, the fourth Thursday in November, as a national holiday.
Regis Philbin’s exit brings to mind SLEEP study about retirees
When 80-year-old Regis Philbin bid farewell last week to his longtime stint as daytime talk show co-host, the Los Angeles Times seized the opportunity to revisit various studies that followed the health of retirees after they left their jobs. Among the statistics cited was a 2009 study from the journal SLEEP, which looked at the sleeping habits of 14,714 retirees who worked for a French national gas and electric company. They were interviewed seven years before and after retiring. The conclusion? Sleep improved significantly after retirement.
Congress acts to eliminate 3 percent withhold
Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 674, that prevents a planned 3 percent tax-withhold for many Medicare payments, by a vote of 422-0. The Senate passed this legislation on November 10 by a vote of 95 to 0. The statute, originally passed in 2006 and delayed several times, called for all federal, state, and local government payments to those providing services or goods to have 3 percent of their payment withheld until the following tax year in an effort to increase tax compliance. However, the original statute was overly broad and would have applied even to Medicare payments made to physicians. The legislation, now headed to President Obama for his expected signature, repeals this provision of law and eliminates the planned withholding.
Congressional debt panel will not reach agreement
The Republican and Democratic leaders of a 12-member congressional "super committee" issued a joint statement on Monday indicating that the group will not reach an agreement. The panel was tasked with finding at least $1.2 trillion in budget savings over 10 years. However, Republicans said Democrats want to rely too heavily on new tax revenue and will not accept significant cuts to entitlement programs, such as Medicare and Medicaid. Democrats said Republicans are unwilling to allow new taxes to balance spending cuts. If the panel does not finalize an agreement before Thanksgiving, $1.2 trillion in automatic spending cuts over 10 years will be implemented beginning in 2013. If a debt agreement is not reached, House and Senate leaders will have to take action on the sustainable growth rate (SGR) issue. Because the panel is unlikely to offer a plan to Congress, lawmakers must act quickly to fix to the SGR. The most recent "doc-fix" bill, enacted in December 2010, is scheduled to expire on Jan. 1, 2012, at which point physicians face a nearly 30% payment rate cut.
Take advantage of free shipping on the AASM Online Store until Dec. 2
From now until Friday, December 2, 2011, the AASM will be offering free shipping through the AASM Online Store on all UPS Ground orders to the 48 contiguous United States. This includes orders for all of our most popular products including reference manuals, patient education brochures (non-personalized), educational CD-ROMs and more!
ASMF accepting entries in the High School Review in Sleep Science Contest
To encourage an interest in sleep medicine and sleep research at the high school level, the American Sleep Medicine Foundation is now accepting entry forms for the 2011 – 2012 High School Topical Review in Sleep Science Contest. This contest recognizes excellence in the understanding of scientific research and in the preparation of a topical review paper related to sleep, wakefulness, public health, and disorders of sleep and daytime alertness. U.S. High school students in their junior or senior year are eligible to enter. The first-place winner will receive a 3-day/2-night trip to Boston, Massachusetts with one parent/guardian to attend SLEEP 2012, and will be recognized with a commemorative plaque during the AASM General Membership Meeting on Monday, June 11, 2012 along with a $1,000 savings bond. Entry forms must be received by Monday, February 6, 2012
NIH issues challenge to promote science in the classroom
The National Institutes of Health is looking for ideas for inexpensive and highly feasible K-12 classroom experiments to help generate interest in the science. The Lessons About Bioscience (LAB) Challenge is the perfect opportunity to help promote awareness of sleep. Each entry must have at least one clear learning objective related to health and life science, use safe and inexpensive materials and take less than 90 minutes to complete. The deadline to enter in the LAB Challenge is December 15, 2011.
The National Sleep Research Network: A time to get together
In 2008, the National Sleep Research Network (SRN) was established to address a gap in the sleep medicine research infrastructure needed to support collaborative research. The SRN aims to create a forum for sleep researchers to connect and form collaborations to promote clinical and translational sleep research that requires large-scale, coordinated and multidisciplinary approaches. The most recent SRN conference, supported in part by the AASM, occurred on October 5-6, 2011 and was attended by 61 participants representing 43 institutions, officials from the NIH and members of the Sleep Research Society (SRS) and the AASM. To learn how to participate in future collaborative efforts, go to the Sleep Research Network website.
Transitioning to ICD-10 – new CMS resources available
Effective Oct. 1, 2013, all Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) covered entities will be required to transition to the ICD-10 code sets. To help providers prepare for this transition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has developed a number of informational handbooks. The handbooks, which are specific to the type and size of the provider’s practice, include relevant timelines and templates to assist in the transition.
AASM provides support for NIH Sleep and Circadian Biology Datablitz
On Monday, November 14, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) hosted a Sleep and Circadian Biology Datablitz in Washington, D.C. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine supported the event by providing an educational grant. The fast-paced Datablitz featured one-minute presentations on recent research developments in Sleep and Circadian Biology. Representatives from the National Center on Sleep Disorders Research and various NIH institutes were on hand to discuss the findings.
AASM President pens ethics column for American Medical Association
AASM President Nancy Collop, MD, authored the ethics piece for the Nov. 7 issue of American Medical News, published by the American Medical Association (AMA). Dr. Collop answered the AMA-supplied question, “What should doctors tell patients about insomnia medications?” In addition to setting the record straight, Dr. Collop was able to promote responsible sleep medicine practices and further the Academy’s message.