Position statement: Avoid using medical marijuana to treat sleep apnea
DARIEN, IL – Medical cannabis and synthetic marijuana extracts should not be used for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea, according to a position statement from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM). In November 2017 the Minnesota Department [...]
Medscape Physician Compensation Report shows salaries vary by specialty
The Medscape Physician Compensation Report indicates that the average physician compensation for specialists in 2018 is $329,000, which is up from $316,000 in 2017. Compensation includes salary, bonus, and profit-sharing contributions. The annual survey also shows that physician income [...]
Watch and see what SLEEP has for you!
SLEEP 2018 is just around the corner, and one of the most important dates for you to know is the Early Bird Registration Deadline. When registering by April 20 to attend, you can save up to [...]
Thousands learn about healthy sleep at 5th USA Science and Engineering Festival Expo
From April 6 – 8 the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) sponsored and exhibited at the 5th USA Science & Engineering Festival Expo, the nation’s largest celebration of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). AASM members and [...]
FDA issues new guidance on highly concentrated caffeine in dietary supplements
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued a new guidance document for industry addressing safety concerns related to highly concentrated caffeine in dietary supplements. According to the FDA, products consisting of or containing only pure or highly concentrated [...]
Sleep field needs your support prior to lobby day in Washington D.C.
The AASM is headed to Washington, D.C., for our biggest, most well-represented advocacy trip in years. To make our biggest impact, we need your help today! In a political climate that becomes more chaotic and noisy by the minute, [...]
AASM Foundation celebrates 20 years with new name and website
Today the American Sleep Medicine Foundation announced it has a new name, the AASM Foundation, and a new website at foundation.aasm.org. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the AASM Foundation, which was established by the American Academy of [...]
AASM is proud to sponsor the 5th USA Science & Engineering Festival Expo
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) is sponsoring the 5th USA Science & Engineering Festival Expo, the nation’s largest celebration of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). An AASM exhibit at the event will be staffed by sleep [...]
New “All-Payer Combination Option,” Health Care Innovation Caucus support value-based care
Two recent developments signify a growing emphasis on value-based care in the U.S. health care system: establishment of a new flexibility within the Quality Payment Program (QPP) and creation of the Health Care Innovation Caucus. Beginning in performance year [...]
Trump fires VA Secretary Shulkin, intends to nominate Ronny Jackson
On March 28, President Donald Trump fired Dr. David Shulkin, Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA), with the intent to nominate Rear Admiral Ronny Jackson, MD, as his replacement. In the interim, Robert Wilkie, U.S. Department of Defense under secretary [...]
Gallup poll shows rising anxiety about health care access and costs
A Gallup poll released March 26 shows that health care availability and costs ranked as the most common worry among American adults for the fifth consecutive year. The poll indicates that 55 percent of Americans worry about health care [...]
CDC data show continued rise in obesity among US adults
A new study found that increases in obesity and severe obesity prevalence have persisted among U.S. adults over the most recent decade, but adjusted linear trends among youth remained nonsignificant. Results show that obesity among adults increased from 33.7% [...]
Dr. Robert Redfield, longtime AIDS researcher, is new CDC director
On March 26, Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar swore in Dr. Robert Redfield, an accomplished AIDS researcher, as the 18th director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a position that did [...]
NIOSH webinar on managing fatigue in safety-critical workforces is March 28
As part of its Working Hours, Sleep, and Fatigue series, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is hosting the webinar, “Managing fatigue in safety-critical workforces: Primary risk factors and practical approaches,” on Wednesday, March 28, 2018 [...]
Palmetto GBA now requiring sleep-specific accreditation in Jurisdictions J and M
Medicare contractor Palmetto GBA recently released revisions to its local coverage determination (LCD) policy for polysomnography and other sleep studies for Medicare Jurisdictions J and M (L36593), affecting sleep facilities in 7 states: Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina, South [...]
MedPAC issues report calling for the elimination of MIPS
On Mar. 15 the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), an independent congressional agency charged with advising Congress on issues affecting Medicare, released to Congress its Medicare Payment Policy report, which calls for the replacement of the Merit-based Incentive Payment [...]
AMA survey highlights need for prior authorization reform
On March 19 the American Medical Association (AMA) released the results of a physician survey showing widespread negative experiences with the implementation of prior authorization in the U.S. health care system. In a group of 1,000 physician respondents, 9 in [...]
AASM Member Appreciation Week is here – March 19-24
In honor of member appreciation week, we have arranged some special discounts and resources as a way of thanking our members for your support and dedication to the field. Take advantage of these special offers before the week runs [...]
The spring issue of Montage is now available
The newest issue of Montage, the AASM’s quarterly membership newsletter, is ready to read! Take a look at the fresh, updated look online and download a digital copy. This issue features an article about a doctor and his staff [...]
Submit your 2017 reporting data to MIPSwizard by March 26, 2018
The deadline to submit data for the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) via MIPSwizard is March 26, 2018. MIPSwizard helps guide clinicians through a few easy steps to rapidly collect, validate and submit performance results to the Centers for [...]
Updated AASM Scoring Manual, Version 2.5, to be released April 2
The AASM Manual for the Scoring of Sleep and Associated Events, Version 2.5, will be released April 2, 2018. Based on the recommendations made by the AASM Scoring Manual Editorial Board, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine Board of [...]
Nightmares are common but underreported in U.S. military personnel
DARIEN, IL – A new study shows that a high percentage of military personnel with sleep disturbances met criteria for nightmare disorder, but few of them reported nightmares as a reason for sleep evaluation. Those with nightmare disorder had [...]
Cost of sleepiness too pricey to ignore
DARIEN, IL – Getting insufficient sleep and working while fatigued have become commonplace in the modern 24/7 workforce, with more than 37 percent of workers sleep-deprived. Over-worked and over-tired employees experience cognitive declines and present employers with heightened safety [...]
NIH announces funding opportunity for projects focusing on sleep and stress
A resource-related research projects (R24) funding opportunity announcement (PAR-18-694) from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) encourages applications that develop, strengthen, and evaluate transdisciplinary approaches, methods, and investigative teams in basic behavioral, social, and/or biobehavioral research to generate fundamental [...]
Private insurance claims for sleep apnea rose steeply from 2014 to 2017
Private insurance claims with a diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea grew 850 percent in the U.S. from 2014 to 2017, according to a press release from FAIR Health, a national, independent, nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing transparency to health [...]