The Appellate Division of the New Jersey Supreme Court ruled in July that “physician assistants are precluded by statute from performing EMG needle tests.” This ruling was the result of a case involving a physician billing for EMG studies performed by a physician assistant. The court relied heavily on the legislative intent of the statutory language added in 2005 that limits performance of needle EMG to a “person licensed to practice medicine and surgery” in New Jersey.
As a result of this case the AANEM Board of Directors considered the organization’s policies regarding non-physician providers and voted to add specific language to the organization’s Recommended Policy for EDX Medicine and its Model Policy for EMG and NCS.
Those policies are available at http://www.aanem.org/.
Friday, August 20, 2010
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
AANEM files a motion to intervene in the Red Flag lawsuit
Normally, a lawsuit involves the plaintiffs (who bring the suit), and the defendants (whom the suit is brought against). A motion to intervene is used when a someone not party to a lawsuit in progress wants to become a party in that suit.
On Monday, August 16th, AANEM joined forces with 25 other medical societies to file a motion to intervene in the AMA lawsuit seeking relief from the Red Flag Rules for physicians. Without other groups intervening in the lawsuit, there were concerns raised that any ruling would apply only to AMA members.
Once the motion is granted, all 26 medical societies will file a proposed complaint and ask the FTC to expand the current stipulation to refrain from enforcing the Red Flags Rule against physicians, including those who are not members of the AMA, and their medical practice groups. The AANEM action will ensure that any decision will apply to all AANEM members
For more information on the Red Flags Rule, visit: http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2010/05/redflags.shtm
On Monday, August 16th, AANEM joined forces with 25 other medical societies to file a motion to intervene in the AMA lawsuit seeking relief from the Red Flag Rules for physicians. Without other groups intervening in the lawsuit, there were concerns raised that any ruling would apply only to AMA members.
Once the motion is granted, all 26 medical societies will file a proposed complaint and ask the FTC to expand the current stipulation to refrain from enforcing the Red Flags Rule against physicians, including those who are not members of the AMA, and their medical practice groups. The AANEM action will ensure that any decision will apply to all AANEM members
For more information on the Red Flags Rule, visit: http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2010/05/redflags.shtm
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
CMS awards funding to six states & District of Columbia for EHR incentive programs
Connecticut, Delaware, Indiana, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia are the latest to receive federal matching funds for state planning activities necessary to implement the electronic health record incentive program established by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
The recipients will use the funds for planning activities that include an analysis of health IT activities in the region. They will gather information on issues such as existing barriers to use of EHRs, provider eligibility for EHR inventive payments and the creation of a state Medicaid health IT plan, all of which will help define the vision for long-term health IT use.
CMS has thus far allocated funding to 39 other states and Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.
The recipients will use the funds for planning activities that include an analysis of health IT activities in the region. They will gather information on issues such as existing barriers to use of EHRs, provider eligibility for EHR inventive payments and the creation of a state Medicaid health IT plan, all of which will help define the vision for long-term health IT use.
CMS has thus far allocated funding to 39 other states and Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.
Monday, August 2, 2010
Regional Extension Center News
As part of the HITECH act, Regional Extension Centers were established to offer technical assistance, guidance and information to support and accelerate health care provider's efforts to become meaningful users of an Electronic Health Record.
The federally designated Regional Extension Center for New York City (NYC REACH) will be offering an electronic medical record and practice management system developed by eClinicalWorks to its providers in the five boroughs of New York City. NYC REACH will be using a $21.7 million grant awarded by HHS to assist providers with the purchase and implementation of an EHR. Check out their website (www.nycreach.org) for upcoming events that are designed to help providers learn more about switching from a paper based record to an electronic record.
West Virginia has also established a Regional Health Information Technology Extension Center (WVRHITEC) to help providers across the state implement electronic health records systems. WVRHITEC will begin working with regional and community based organizations during the summer of 2010 to provide information, guidance and technical assistance to eligible participants in primary care settings. This includes providers in rural and medically under served areas, community health centers and certain public, not for profit or critical access hospitals.
To find information about these and other State's Regional Extension Centers, click on this link: http://healthit.hhs.gov/portal/server.pt?open=512&objID=1495&mode=2&cached=true
The federally designated Regional Extension Center for New York City (NYC REACH) will be offering an electronic medical record and practice management system developed by eClinicalWorks to its providers in the five boroughs of New York City. NYC REACH will be using a $21.7 million grant awarded by HHS to assist providers with the purchase and implementation of an EHR. Check out their website (www.nycreach.org) for upcoming events that are designed to help providers learn more about switching from a paper based record to an electronic record.
West Virginia has also established a Regional Health Information Technology Extension Center (WVRHITEC) to help providers across the state implement electronic health records systems. WVRHITEC will begin working with regional and community based organizations during the summer of 2010 to provide information, guidance and technical assistance to eligible participants in primary care settings. This includes providers in rural and medically under served areas, community health centers and certain public, not for profit or critical access hospitals.
To find information about these and other State's Regional Extension Centers, click on this link: http://healthit.hhs.gov/portal/server.pt?open=512&objID=1495&mode=2&cached=true
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