The Coalition for ICD-10 has issued the following statement in response to the recent efforts to create a "safe harbor" for physicians, which would prohibit claims from being denied due to incorrect or unspecified ICD-10 codes, will result in dangerous consequences for the health care delivery system.
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Editors note: APMA’s ICD-10 Resources will help you prepare for the transition to happen October 1, 2015.

Mention the phrase "ICD-10 transition" to a health care provider, and most will respond with an instinctive grimace and a few choice words for federal regulators intent on seeing the new code set implemented on October 1, 2015 — for real, this time.
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Editor’s note: APMA is hosting a webinar June 18 for members to ask questions about the upcoming transition to ICD-10. If you miss it, a recording will be made available Friday.

Whistleblowers from Veterans Affairs medical facilities across the country are banding together to keep pressure on the VA to fix the agency, protect whistleblowers and improve veteran patient care.
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Editor’s note: On a related note, podiatrists working within the VA are recognized based on guidelines written in 1976. Learn how APMA is working to change this antiquated standard.

Obama's statement, in an interview with Fast Company
published online Monday, wasn't the first time he has noted there are problems
with the way the federal government buys and builds information technology. But
it was the clearest mea culpa he's issued thus far. 

In order to truly strengthen EHR interoperability and advance health information exchange across the medical care sector, federal regulations and standards may not be enough to make a difference.
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Editor’s note: Review APMA's EHR resources for more information on purchasing an EHR system.

 

Numbers released in The Journal of Foot and Ankle Surgery reveal that American women are sustaining high-heel-related injuries at an ever-increasing rate. The study examined data from 2002 to 2012 and found that the injury rate nearly double over the time span.

In low-income Latino patients with type 2 diabetes who
took part in a diabetes education program that was specifically designed for
them, those with "food insecurity" — a belief that they could not
access adequate food to feed their families — reported eating fewer healthy
vegetables at their main meal and had worse initial glycemic control than their
peers.

Rosier was invited to be a guest speaker at the annual
American Diabetes Association's Camp (AZDA) held at Friendly Pines every summer
since 1992. Friendly Pines is hosting four medical camps this summer. 

A
student whose family mistook diabetes for an eating disorder has spoken out
about gorging on over 5000 calories a day. 

Studies indicating that metformin combined with
insulin might help Type 1 diabetics. Moreover, the drug is being studied in
clinical trials as a way to lower the risk of cancer, heart disease and
dementia — not just for diabetics, but for everyone. There is another possible
benefit — as a treatment for polycystic ovary syndrome, an endocrine disorder.

Many commentators have pointed out that the new movie "Jurassic World" is scientifically suspect, if not fantastical. But they have overlooked one of the more prominent ways in which the blockbuster diverges from established research. The movie’s heroine runs from rampaging beasts in high heels, without turning a hair or an ankle. But research on the biomechanics of wearing heels, including a new study of the effects on ankle strength and balance, says of her equipoise: "Ha."

When shopping for shoes, you want to have more than fashion in mind — you’ll also want to consider function and keeping your feet in good shape. These 10 tips can help you choose the right shoe.
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Editor's note: Recommend APMA Seal products to your patients.

Johnson & Johnson has begun a research partnership
to find the root cause of Type 1 diabetes and stop the hormonal disorder in its
tracks. It's the health care giant's first project under its ambitious
initiative to prevent or at least intercept and reduce harm from many diseases.

By the end of this month, the Supreme Court is expected to decide whether to throw out a crucial piece of the 2010 health care law: the insurance subsidies for lower-income Americans in the 34 states that have insurance-buying marketplaces operated by the federal government.

A hospital
group in cash-strapped Illinois says the state might be able to set up a health
insurance exchange at a lower cost by "leasing" the federal
government's technology, an option that could appeal to as many as 34 states
where subsides could be jeopardized by an unfavorable U.S. Supreme Court
decision.

Governor Charlie Baker announced that the Commonwealth of Massachusetts has secured a one-year waiver from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), authorizing the Commonwealth to maintain the use of its existing rating factors that are otherwise prohibited under the Affordable Care Act.

Health care is the world's largest industry today — it
is three times larger than the banking sector. After lagging behind for almost
five decades, this industry is revitalizing and transforming itself faster than
any other vertical. 

If you think costs would come down if hospitals were all owned and operated by big for-profit corporations like Hospital Corporation of America, you might want to take a look at a study published last week by the journal Health Affairs.

Improving a facility's quality of care may have as much of an impact on lowering the number of medical malpractice lawsuits as tort reform does, a new study suggests.

The Obama administration is giving conditional approval to Arkansas, Delaware and Pennsylvania to run state-based insurance marketplaces created under the 2010 health care law.