APMA News Brief

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released a report that explored the longer-term effects on Medicaid spending if the Senate’s Better Care Reconciliation Act of 2017 became law.

Visit http://www.healthcaredive.com/news/cbo-senate-healthcare-bill-will-reduce-medicaid-spending-by-35-by-2036/446256/ to view the full article online.

U.S. President Donald Trump urged Republican senators in a tweet on Friday to repeal Obamacare immediately if they cannot agree on a new plan to replace it, muddying the waters as congressional leaders struggle for consensus on healthcare legislation. 

Visit https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-healthcare-idUSKBN19L1F6 to view the full article online.

With the CMS' Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) and value-based care model in full effect, it's important for physicians to understand what MIPS means for their practices, particularly when it comes to understanding what types of technologies are available to help them avoid a negative adjustment to their Medicare reimbursement.

Visit http://www.diagnosticimaging.com/blog/tips-succeeding-mips to view the full article online.

The Medicus Firm released its 2017 Physician Practice Preference & Relocation Survey, outlining statistics on physician practice in the U.S. 

Visit http://www.beckersasc.com/asc-turnarounds-ideas-to-improve-performance/5-trends-in-physician-income-and-compensation.html to view the full article online.

The measure would set nationwide limit of $250,000 on non-economic damages.

Visit http://www.healthleadersmedia.com/leadership/house-passes-restrictions-some-malpractice-awards# to view the full article online.

The Merit-based Incentive Payment System—the reimbursement system the government will use to move Medicare payments to a quality- and value-based approach—is in its initial year.

Visit https://www.healthdatamanagement.com/news/providers-still-scrambling-to-gather-data-needed-for-new-reimbursement-approach to view the full article online.

More than 50 percent of Dr. Michael A. Sherwin’s podiatry practice in Bellingham, Family Foot Care, is caring for the feet of senior citizens, so he understands their needs. 

Visit http://www.bellinghamherald.com/living/seniors-aging/article155680104.html to view the full article online.

Flip-flops are popular, polarizing and really poor for your health. 

Visit http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/are-flip-flops-bad-for-you_us_59566a31e4b0da2c73230df6 to view the full article online.

A bunion is a bony bump or deformity in the joint at the base of the big toe.

Visit http://catchinghealth.bangordailynews.com/2017/07/05/q-and-a/bunions/ to view the full article online.

Summer is a great time to be more physically active outdoors but don't take for granted the part of your body that makes it all possible. 

Visit http://www.pantagraph.com/lifestyles/when-outside-be-sure-to-protect-your-feet/article_c03d099b-3305-5173-b90d-413eb2cb71d1.html to view the full article online.

What if you are told that the pedicure that you paid big bucks for can leave you with a rather unpleasant gift?

Visit http://reportshealthcare.com/everything-need-know-toenail-fungus/ to view the full article online.

Even with Medicare’s adoption of chronic care management (CCM) codes, some physicians say they aren’t getting paid for performing these services. 

Visit http://medicaleconomics.modernmedicine.com/medical-economics/news/are-your-ccm-codes-correct to view the full article online.

The Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB) has been unpopular almost from the moment it was included in the Affordable Care Act. 

Visit http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/finance/quest-to-get-congress-to-repeal-independent-payment-advisory-board-heats-up to view the full article online.

The healthcare ecosystem's shift to value — helped along by programs like the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act and the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System, bundled payment demonstrations and commercial payer reforms — requires hospitals and physicians to redefine their relationship. 

Visit http://www.beckershospitalreview.com/hospital-physician-relationships/redefining-the-hospital-physician-relationship-how-integration-is-evolving-for-success-under-value-based-reimbursement.html to view the full article online.

As healthcare becomes more digitalized and networked, issues around data exchange make patient identification an increasing challenge. 

Visit http://www.healthcaredive.com/news/it-wont-be-an-easy-road-to-a-national-patient-identifier/445503/ to view the full article online.