APMA News Brief

When the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) passed Congress in 2015, most people felt it was better than the old "Sustainable Growth Rate" (SGR) approach to setting physician Medicare fees that had been in place for more than a decade.

Visit http://healthaffairs.org/blog/2017/01/27/medicare-physician-payment-why-its-still-a-problem-and-what-to-do-now/ to view the full article online.

Trump is wasting no time in making sweeping changes to national policy, and the effects on healthcare will be far-reaching. 

Visit http://www.healthcaredive.com/news/trump-executive-orders-healthcare/435095/ to view the full article online.

The Affordable Care Act’s fourth open-enrollment season drew toward its scheduled close at midnight Tuesday amid uncertainty over how much actions by the Trump administration to undercut the law had affected the number of Americans signing up for health insurance through its marketplaces.

Visit https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/aca-enrollment-period-ending-amid-uncertainty-about-trumps-impact-on-it/2017/01/31/1ee944fc-e408-11e6-ba11-63c4b4fb5a63_story.html?utm_term=.abe0051f24aa to view the full article online.

Electronic health records have become an integral part of healthcare delivery over the past decade or so, and for the most part, providers have adapted to using them in varying capacities.

Visit http://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/making-most-electronic-health-records-easier-said-done to view the full article online.

Neuromas of the foot, a painful condition caused by an inflamed nerve in the ball of the foot, can be effectively treated at home with daily massage and stretches and over-the-counter painkillers, said Dr. Jacqueline Sutera, a doctor of podiatric medicine and surgery.

Visit https://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2017/01/27/are-there-home-treatments-for-neuromas-of-the-feet/?_r=0 to view the full article online.

In the past, we have written about women’s running shoes, but lately there have been questions regarding information on ladies dress and/or casual shoes.

Visit http://www.dariennewsonline.com/news/article/The-Running-Doctor-Finding-the-shoe-to-match-10898898.php to view the full article online.

If the cold weather this time of year causes your feet to itch, burn and develop painful blisters, you may be suffering from a common condition called chilblains or pernio. 

Visit http://www.kyforward.com/foot-health-do-you-have-cold-painful-feet-in-the-winter-that-blister-you-just-may-have-chilblains/ to view the full article online.

Feet get a bad rep. Many people describe them as 'ugly', 'smelly' and even 'disgusting'. 

Visit http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/healthy-living/wellbeing/a27562/why-people-hate-feet/ to view the full article online.

Fond du Lac native Olivia Wehner is back — and better than ever — on the court and on the course. 

Visit http://www.fdlreporter.com/story/news/local/2017/01/31/local-podiatrist-fixes-teens-birth-defect/96832666/ to view the full article online.

When patients visit Dr. Judy Baumhauer in hopes of getting rid of bunions—a painful, bony bump that develops at the base of the big toe—they often have just one question: Will surgery help?

Visit http://www.modernhealthcare.com/article/20170128/MAGAZINE/301289940/the-next-frontier-in-quality-care-measurement-how-patients-feel to view the full article online.

On January 1, 2015, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) implemented a new reimbursement program for providers administering chronic care management (CCM) services. 

Visit http://www.mdmag.com/physicians-money-digest/practice-management/chronic-care-management-reimbursement-why-arent-more-doctors-billing-for-it to view the full article online.

Surprise medical bills have become a rallying point for healthcare advocates, patients and providers who are frustrated with oblique pricing practices and narrowing payer networks. 

Visit http://www.beckershospitalreview.com/finance/20-things-to-know-about-balance-billing-2017.html to view the full article online.

What do you do 37 times in a given workweek? 

Visit https://wire.ama-assn.org/practice-management/survey-quantifies-time-burdens-prior-authorization to view the full article online.

The debate surrounding a shortage in physicians in the United States has loomed for decades — some experts have offered solutions to problems surrounding a shortage in care, and others have disputed claims of a shortage all together. 

Visit http://azbigmedia.com/ab/fixing-doctor-shortage to view the full article online.

There’s no doubt that more hospitals are employing physicians, but there’s no easy answer to the best kind of contractual relationship between the two sides. 

Visit http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/practices/no-simple-answer-to-best-physician-hospital-relationship to view the full article online.