AAPM&R Connection E-Newsletter

On September 8, 2016, Andrew Slavitt, Acting Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), announced in a blog post that the agency heard concerns expressed by AAPM&R and other physician organizations about the proposed start date for performance reporting by physicians under the new payment systems created by the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015, or MACRA.

On Thursday, CMS announced that the final MACRA regulation will exempt physicians from any risk of penalties if they choose 1 of 3 distinct MIPS reporting options in 2017, in addition to the option of participating in an advanced APM. Read more.

On Wednesday, September 7, AAPM&R President, Gregory Worsowicz, MD, MBA, testified at the U.S. House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee's Health Subcommittee hearing on Incentivizing Quality Outcomes in Medicare Part A. His testimony placed an emphasis on improving the quality and efficiency of patient care through payment reform measures and value-based purchasing in the post-acute care (PAC) sector. Learn more.

AAPM&R sent a comment letter to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on September 6, 2016 regarding their proposed rule on the Physician Fee Schedule, named “Medicare Program; Revisions to Payment Policies Under the Physician Fee Schedule and Other Revisions to Part B for CY 2017; Medicare Advantage Pricing Data Release; Medicare Advantage and Part D Medical Low Ratio Data Release; Medicare Advantage Provider Network Requirements; Expansion of Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program Model.” Read the full comment letter.

We recently held an "Update Your Member Profile" contest! Any current member who logged in and updated their member profile was entered into a raffle to win a $50 mē^® gift card.

These lucky winners have each won a gift card:

• Eric Buchner, MD
• Pablo Celnik, MD
• Kris Homb, MD
• Ross Lumsden, MD
  

Congratulations!

P.S. Have you updated your member profile yet? Log in here and make sure your information is current, so your peers and patients can find you.

The purpose of Visioning PM&R Bold is to develop a unified vision for the specialty of physical medicine and rehabilitation. Watch the video below from your Board of Governors to learn why the Academy is acting now. Plus, be sure to register for an upcoming Virtual Town Hall. Virtual town halls bring physiatrists together to collaborate on a shared vision for the future of the specialty. Our upcoming events include:

• Solo Private Practice
• Women in Physiatry
• Rural Physiatrists
  

Do you know this person? Of course you don’t—and neither does anyone else.

Adding your photo encourages a true conversation among peers on PhyzForum. A profile image indicates to your colleagues that someone is real behind the post—someone with whom they can build rapport and develop a professional relationship. It only takes a few minutes to upload your profile picture. Log in, click on “My Account” at the top right and then the orange button, “Go edit your AAPM&R profile.” While you’re there, make sure to update other aspects of your profile, such as your Practice Profile and Professional Details areas.

Don’t delay! The cutoff date for discounted hotel rooms is tomorrow, September 15. Learn more and book your room today.

Great news! Our #AAPMR2016 mobile app is now available—download it today. You can build your personal schedule, access maps, speaker information, and an attendee list, as well as find exhibitors that match your clinical interests.

More than 30 hands-on workshops are offered at #AAPMR2016 that cover a variety of topics. Take a look at a few of our open workshops below and view the full list here. Don’t miss your opportunity for hands-on education!

• W114. Capsule-Preserving Hydraulic Distension for Adhesive Capsulitis
• W120. NCS and Ultrasound in CTS and Ulnar Neuropathy
• W129. Ultrasound Imaging of Lower Extremity Nerves: Identification and Injection Techniques
• W130. Ultrasonography in Scapular Dyskinesis—An Interactive Diagnostic Workshop
  

AAPM&R has the resources you need to prepare for the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation’s (ABPMR) subspecialty exams. ABPMR’s Brain Injury Medicine Subspecialty Exam is less than 1 month away on October 11, 2016. Check out our collection of brain injury medicine resources on mē^® to help you prepare, including:

• Concussion and Mild Traumatic Brain Injury SAE-P
• Brain Injury Medicine Subspecialty Exam Prep
• Slide lectures, print resources, podcasts, and PM&R Journal articles
  

Head to mē^® to check out some helpful new resources to aid your practice:

• Running a Cash Practice
• VBP, MIPS, APMs, and ACOs: Where Do Physiatrists Fit?
• The New Health Care
• Focusing on the Health of Your Practice Bundle
  

Learn more about how these resources can lead you through the transitions occurring in the business of health care.

• Cheri Blauwet, MD, instructor at Harvard Medical School and sports medicine physiatrist at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital/Brigham and Women’s Hospital, is featured in this article showcasing her experience as a Paralympian. Dr. Blauwet now serves as the chair of the International Paralympic Committee’s Medical Committee and was featured in our August issue of The Physiatrist. Read more.

• Craig DiTommaso, MD, assistant professor of PM&R at Baylor College of Medicine, discusses the importance of giving the brain time to heal after a concussion in the article, “Don’t be hard-headed about concussion recovery.” Read more.

Do you have a newsworthy story to share with your peers? Send us an email at: pressinquiries@aapmr.org.