Contents tagged with payment
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Congress approves 12-month SGR extension, AAFP calls for permanent fix
Congress approves 12-month SGR extension, AAFP calls for permanent fix
posted 12.09.10
Congress has passed a 12-month extension of the Medicare physician payment rate. The U.S. Senate approved … more
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Medicaid takes another hit as state agencies implement 2.5% reduction for 2011
Medicaid takes another hit as state agencies implement 2.5% reduction for 2011
posted 12.09.10
On Monday, Dec. 6, all state agencies received a letter from Gov. Rick Perry, Lt. Gov. David … more
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Latest Medicare cut looms
Latest Medicare cut looms
MGMA study predicts sharp physician reaction to pay cut
posted 11.02.10
Unless Congress acts before the end of the month, payments to physicians for the services they … more
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MGMA survey: Primary care physicians report pay increase in 2009
MGMA survey: Primary care physicians report pay increase in 2009
By Kate McCann
Primary care physicians, nurse practitioners, and primary care physician assistants experienced an increase in … more
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21.3 percent Medicare pay cut goes into effect
21.3 percent Medicare pay cut goes into effect
Senate sends short extension, positive update to House
posted 06.18.10
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services began processing Medicare … more
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HHSC proposes Medicaid provider rate cut of 1-2 percent starting Sept. 2010
HHSC proposes Medicaid provider rate cut of 1-2 percent starting Sept. 2010
posted 02.18.10
Physicians who treat Medicaid patients could see a 1 to 2 percent cut in their Medicaid payments if the … more
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TAFP and RemitData join forces to improve practice efficiency and revenue
TAFP and RemitData join forces to improve practice efficiency and revenue
TAFP and RemitData, a pioneer in Web-based reimbursement and productivity tools, have launched a pilot project to improve … more
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Who’ll be there to care for me?
By John Kurt Frederick, M.D.
He slowly totters into the exam room with his daughter-in-law in tow. The plastic grocery bag holds all his pill bottles and his metal walker looks like it has been well used. A faint smell of urine wafts from him and his shirt is stained with breakfast. He manages to make it into the room. With difficulty he turns stiffly and lands his bottom in the exam room chair.
He is my newest Medicare patient, an elderly parent of a friend. He recently moved to the area to be nearer to his only son, his existence now too difficult to manage alone. His medical problems are myriad and complex and he takes a recipe of pills several times a day. I smile and welcome him to Austin as I gently grip his gnarled hand. We converse briefly before I dive into the box of medical records and the sack of pill bottles, many expired, many duplicated, and all powerful and dangerous in their own right.
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America’s health care price tag: An inflationary tale
By Roland A. Goertz, M.D., M.B.A.
What is it that makes American health care so expensive compared to every other developed country? I am often asked that question, and giving an accurate or simple answer is difficult. Instead of a long list of items that underlie the problem, I will describe four well-intended processes that I believe have created an inherently inflationary model of care. We have all benefited from the creation of the four processes, but we now pay a huge price for maintaining them.
Health Insurance
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Rewards and challenges of family medicine
From the inaugural address of TAFP’s new president
By Robert Youens, M.D.
TAFP President, 2008-2009I’m a board-certified, residency-trained family physician starting my 30th year of practice in Weimar, Texas. My grandfather started practicing in my community 100 years ago and my father started 60 years ago. Sometimes I feel that I am simply a continuation of that one spirit. I love what I do. I love what our specialty does and I embrace its uniqueness. The longer I am at this business the more I realize how our particular brand of medicine is what’s best for all patients. Our holistic approach to the treatment of our patients continues to make us the best specialty on which to found a health care system. As the president of TAFP, I will continue our efforts to reinforce the truths that have been known to us and proven by repeated studies that family medicine delivers better outcomes at lower cost. We will continue to actively participate in any arena that will allow us to promote and support our proper place in the health care of our nation.
We need to be properly paid for what we do and TAFP will be there for any effort, including defining a medical home, that will get this done.
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