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More updated information soon!
A link to the Anesthesia Incident Reporting System (AIRS) - The Anesthesia Quality Institute (AQI) has activated the first nationwide system for collecting individual adverse events from anesthesia, pain management and perioperative care. It is called AIRS: the Anesthesia Incident Reporting System. AIRS is an online reporting tool easily accessed on the AQI website at www.aqiairs.org. The AQI uses data from AIRS to abstract interesting cases which are published as de-identified case reports in the ASA Newsletter. AQI will also periodically examine the entirety of AIRS for emerging trends in anesthesia patent safety. This is a valuable easy-to-use tool your members may want to utilize to compliment their quality initiatives. July 15, 2008
VICTORY: Medicare bill becomes law! H.R. 6331 includes SGR fix, Teaching Rule reform In a historic triumph for ASA, a law has been enacted that will reverse Medicare payment cuts for 2008, provide a 1.1% positive update for 2009, and permanently restore full Medicare payment to anesthesiology teaching programs beginning in 2010! Earlier today President Bush vetoed H.R. 6331. This afternoon, however, both chambers of Congress voted overwhelmingly to override the veto--the House by a vote of 383-41 and the Senate by a vote of 70-26—meaning that the legislation has now become law. “The enactment of H.R. 6331 marks a tremendous victory for the medical specialty of anesthesiology and all of organized medicine,” said ASA President Jeffrey L. Apfelbaum, M.D. “Anesthesiologists help make modern medicine possible, and this new law will help ensure seniors’ access to their life-saving medical care.” The bill includes many critical Medicare provisions, several of which are vital to anesthesiology. Of particular importance, the legislation:
ASA applauds Ways and Means Committee chair Charles Rangel (D-NY) and Energy and Commerce Committee chair John Dingell (D-MI) for authoring H.R. 6331, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) for moving the bill through the House. On the Senate side, ASA is extremely grateful for the leadership of Sens. Harry Reid (D-NV) and Max Baucus (D-MT). ASA also sincerely appreciates Sen. Rockefeller, Sen. Kyl, Rep. Becerra, and the 157 other Members of Congress who worked to ensure the continued viability of anesthesiology teaching programs by supporting H.R. 2053 and S. 2056 through direct sponsorship of these bills. Further, ASA commends Component Society leaders, Key Contacts, committee members, officers, and other ASA members who contacted their lawmakers in support of the legislation. We are also grateful to the AMA and the federation of medicine for their strong efforts supporting this bill. Previously:
The BCBSAL conversion factor adjusted on April 1, 2008 to $48.50!
The 2008 Medicare conversion factor is $19.05 until the end of June. After
June, unless Congress acts, we may see a decrease in this recently realized gain.
The 2007 Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama PMD schedule shows that the anesthesia
conversion factor will increase on January 1, 2007, from $46/unit to $47/unit.
The ASSA leadership continues to work with all providers and hopes that our progress
will result in future positive results.
Attention Medicaid Providers
EDS is ready to begin accepting NPI information from providers. The information
will be entered and stored until the required date to submit claims using NPI
instead of provider numbers, which is May 23, 2007.
Providers will need to request an NPI through the enumerator, then complete a
form available on the Medicaid website and mail the form along with the notification
received from the enumerator. Additional information on NPI, and how to complete
the necessary information for Medicaid can be found on the website at the following
link: http://www.medicaid.alabama.gov/billing/npi.aspx If you have any questions, you may contact your provider representative at 1-800-688-7989. BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD endoscopic anesthesia policy is now available
Newsletter is posted on the Web at this WebSite under Members Login
MAKE SURE YOUR LATEST INFORMATION IS ON RECORD
GO TO www.assa.md or www.alabamassa.info , log in at MEMBERS LOGIN and edit your information. Register if you have not
already registered. Questions send to info@alabamassa.info
CMS Post Anesthesia Note Changes
Medicare Conditions of Participation for hospitals have mandated that the individual
who administers anesthesia personally sign a post-anesthesia follow-up report
within 48 hours. This has been difficult for the many practices in which another
member of the group, a resident, nurse anesthetist or AA performs the post-op
visit. CMS has rewritten its surveyor instructions to clarify that the responsibility
for the post-anesthesia report may be delegated to another qualified anesthesia
"provider."
BCBSAL ANESTHESIA MANUAL
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama (BCBSAL) has published a newer version of their
anesthesia manual. Please click here for the link to the manual.
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