From the President

Dear FAPM Members and Associates:

The Florida Academy of Pain Medicine Board of Trustees met recently to make plans for this fiscal year. Included on the agenda was location for this year's annual conference, dates for the conference, membership recruitment and benefits, FMA programs, communications, and conference program and speakers.

Now as we move forward with these plans, we need the support of everyone practicing pain medicine in Florida. We may be small in numbers, but we have maintained a strong voice within the FMA and other medical associations. Please take time to check our website for updates and take note of the e-mails sent to each member with important information.

While paying your annual dues is important to our programs, it is also important for you to attend our annual conference that provides funds for two-thirds of our budget.

While still in the planning stages this year's event will take place on October 18-20, 2019, at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress Hotel in Orlando. The pre-conference workshops will include two Cadaver Sessions, Regenerative Injection Therapy, Ultrasound Guided Interventional Procedures and sessions on "What is the future of pain care?" These hands-on sessions offer eight CME credits on Friday, October 18^th .

Then for the annual meeting lecture series, the program includes, "Cognitive Behavioral Therapy", Medical Cannabis Usage for Treatment, Amniotic Fluid versus Umbilical Cord Blood, New Frontiers in Regenerative Medicine and much more. These sessions will be offered on October 19-20, 2019 and offer twelve CME credits.

I hope you will plan now to join us for these exciting programs. Together we can make this a great year for FAPM members and associates.

Fraternally,

Stanley R. Dennison, MD

President

P.O. Box 13489 St. Petersburg, FL 33733 727.581.4319 www.fapmmed.net

Requirement for license renewal deadline for Controlled Substance Prescribing Course

APPLICATION FOR EXEMPTION FROM

PAIN MANAGEMENT CLINIC REGISTRATION

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Special message from FMA President, Corey L. Howard, M.D.

Dear Colleagues, I challenge each of you to talk to four physicians and let them know the importance of your FMA, what it means to you and what it could mean to them:

·       Let them know that your FMA is dedicated to making Florida a great place to practice medicine by helping to get rid of regulations and other barriers that come between you and your patients.

·       Let them know that your FMA is working to improve the economic viability of all types of medical practices in Florida.

·       Let them know that your FMA is dedicated to promoting public policies that reinforce your role as THE leader of the healthcare team and preserve your ability to be independent advocates for your patients.

AND

·       Let them know that to be that powerful voice of change, we need to come together as physicians, as leaders, as moms and dads, as teachers and as people so that we can all deliver the highest quality healthcare found anywhere in the United States.

I need all of you to be the champions of the FMA and help us grow, help us become better, help us fight the fights worth fighting and, most of all, help us help you practice medicine.

Thank you.

Corey L. Howard, M.D.
President, Florida Medical Association

FAPM Tradition of Excellence Continues

The Florida Academy of Pain Medicine Annual Scientific Meeting & Alliance Medical Summit speaker line up continues a tradition of excellence. This year’s program features another impressive group of 16 nationally known pain leaders sharing the latest pain medicine therapies that includes the impact of opioids, marijuana, and other up-to-date topics in pain research and pain management. You won’t want to miss this chance for an in-person session with these multidisciplinary leaders!

The entire schedule

FAPM Conference & Alliance Medical Summit

Offering Cadaver Stations 

On Friday, July 27^th, the Florida Academy of Pain Medicine & Alliance Interventional are offering a pre-conference 8 hour session with two cadaver stations. These stations will provide attendees opportunities for ultrasonography and US guided injections, shoulder, knee, hip costotransverse joints, SIJ and cervical, thoracic, lumbar median branch blocks. These sessions will allow two participants per cadaver simultaneously, then after one hour they will rotate with those who are scanning each other in another room.

The pre-conference program is offered at a reduced rate thanks to special grants and support from Medtronic and Alliance Interventional. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to improve your skills in these specialized treatment areas.

Also offered in the pre-conference program is a workshop on Basic Pain Evaluations & Non-Opioid Treatments. This workshop will present information on current trends in pain medicine to include appropriate ways to use opioids as well as substitute non-opioid treatments for those in pain. This program provides hands-on demonstrations that address the basic pain evaluation techniques along with state of the art uses of physical and historical workup, nutritional alterations and cognitive behavioral techniques that are effective in improving the quality of life for those in pain.

Interventional Pain Medicine Specialist Presenting at Conference

 Gennady Gekht, MD an Interventional Pain Medicine and Neurophysiology specialist will be making a presentation at the Florida Academy of Pain Medicine’s Annual Scientific Meeting being held July 27-29, 2018, at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress Hotel in Orlando, Florida. The topic of his presentation will be, “What Matters Now & What’s Next.”

Dr. Gekht is a graduate of the Emory University Medical College in Atlanta, Georgia. He is the Medical Director for the Coastal Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Center in Lakewood Ranch, Florida. This center is a world-class healthcare organization specializing in the care and treatment of the entire musculoskeletal system, including: orthopedics, sports medicine, and pain management. Their specialists also have advanced expertise in work-related injuries, participate in clinical research trials and offer a host of onsite services, including outpatient surgery, diagnostic imaging and physical therapy.”

 Dr Gekht is Board Certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology with specialty certification in pain medicine.

Gladstone McDowell, II, MD, presenting on
“Intrathecal Treatment Options for Pain Management"
Non-Opioid Options

The Florida Academy of Pain Medicine will hold their Annual Scientific Meeting and will highlight several nationally known speakers who are leaders in the field of pain medicine. One of them is Gladstone McDowell, II, MD, who will be presenting updates on “Intrathecal Treatment Options for Pain Management with a Focus on Non-Opioid Options”.

Dr. McDowell, II, is the Medical Director of Integrated Pain Solutions in Columbus, Ohio. He attended medical school at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. He completed Residency in Anesthesiology at the University of Colorado in Denver. Dr. McDowell completed a Urologic Oncology Fellowship at the University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. He performed a Pain Management Fellowship in the Dept. of Anesthesiology at the Ohio State Pain Control Center.

Dr. McDowell is the former Medical Director of Grant Pain Management Center and Director of Pain Services for Grant Medical Center, Ohio Health. He is on the board of the Texas Medical Institute of Technology, Community Emergency Health Initiative, and the Ohio Clinical Advisory Board of the National Multiple Sclerosis Association. Dr. McDowell has held faculty appointments at the National Patient Safety Congress meetings and National Institute for Healthcare Fraud. He has been the Primary Pain Consultant for Care leaders and TMIT. He recently taught at the FBI Health Care Fraud Managers Meeting and served on the International Polyanalgesic Consensus Panel.

President’s Message

Dear Fellow Physicians:

I’m sure you are aware that FAPM is a small specialty within the scope of the FMA framework. Therefore, it is imperative for pain medicine physicians to support our annual conference and renew their membership annually. The FAPM Board and staff strive each year to keep our members informed of key issues that may affect the practice of medicine, and to present a conference that has topics that are current and relevant.

Therefore, as your FAPM President, I am asking each of you to continue to support our association by paying your annual dues and by attending our annual conference. Our success as an association depends largely on your support.

Our thanks to each of you for your continued support.

Fraternally,

Stanley Dennison, Jr., MD, MBA

Offered at Annual Conference

The 18^th Annual FAPM Scientific Meeting will offer “special certification certificates” for attendees at the 8-hour pre-conference courses offered on Friday, July 27^th.

The first workshop will be on “Basic Pain Evaluation and Non-Opioid Treatments”. This hands-on workshop will address the basic evaluation of someone in pain and demonstrate the most state-of-the-art uses of physical and historical workup, physiological understandings, laboratory testing, manual therapies, nutritional alterations, and cognitive-behavioral techniques that are effective and can be ordered by primary care practitioners, as well as specialists, to improve the quality of life and functional status of those in pain.

An additional workshop will be offered in Regenerative Injection Therapy and Ultrasound MSK workshop with ultrasound guided interventional procedures. This program will offer a correlation of physical findings and clinical anatomy with ultrasonography: shoulder, knee and hip. This includes demonstrations with chemical injectates under ultrasound guidance.

In a different track will be two cadaver stations addressing shoulder, knee, hip, joints and cervical thoracic, lumbar median branch blocks. This program will have 2 participants per cadaver simultaneously, then after 1 hour they rotate with those scanning each other in a separate area.

Also, offered this year is a Cadaver Workshop: Interventional Procedures with Fluoroscopy (SCS, DRG, RFA, Pump, mild).

Gain your certificate that shows your completion of these special programs.

The 18^th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Florida Academy of Pain Medicine will be held on July 27-29, 2018, at the beautiful Hyatt Grand Cypress Hotel in Orlando.  This year’s pre-conference offers several new and interesting programs with a total of 20 CME credits available over the three days of the event. 

On Friday, July 27^th, there are Pre-conference Programs offering hands-on experiences.  For the first time, FAPM is offering two cadaver stations for ultrasonography and US guided injections in the shoulder, knee, hip, joints and cervical, thoracic and lumbar blocks.  This session will be held in conjunction with Regenerative Injection Therapy and Ultrasound MSK Workshop with Guided Interventional Procedures.  

Also offered in the pre-conference program is a workshop on Basic Pain Evaluations and Non-Opioid Treatments.  This workshop will present information on current trends in pain medicine to include appropriate ways to use opioids as well as substitute non-opioid treatments for those in pain.  This program provides hands-on demonstrations that address the basic pain evaluation techniques along with state of the art uses of physical and historical workup, nutritional alterations and cognitive-behavioral techniques that are effective in improving the quality of life for those in pain. 

All the pre-conference programs offer eight CME credits, and participants will receive certificates for the attainment of these special skills. 

Special Events Highlight Conference

The 18^th Annual FAPM Scientific Meeting on July 27-29, 2018 will offer some "special events" for all attendees. On Friday, July 27^th, a "Social Hour" will be offered following the workshops at 5:00 p.m. This is a time for fellowship and networking over beverages and refreshments near the lecture hall.

On Saturday, July 28^th the annual luncheon will be held with great food, special awards and a featured speaker. At 5:30 p.m. there will be a reception in the exhibit hall with food and beverages as we take time to thank our exhibit sponsors. Spouses are welcome to attend these events as well.

Specifically for the spouses, there will be a cooking class with the hotel Chef and a discount at the spa. More info to come.

Also included each day will be breakfast and special coffee break options in the exhibit areas. All of these events are planned to make the conference more festive and enjoyable for all attendees.

Hyatt Regency
Grand Cypress Hotel
Orlando, FL

20 Hours of CME Available

Florida Academy of Pain Medicine
2018 Annual Scientific Meeting

In conjunction with the

American Academy of Regenerative Orthopedic Medicine

& Alliance Interventional

Many recent changes have affected the practice of pain medicine. This conference is designed to promote a better understanding of the pathophysiology of acute and chronic pain, enhance knowledge regarding various chronic pain conditions, and provide review of state-of-the-art interventional and non-interventional techniques in diagnosis and management of chronic pain, cancer pain and headache. Educational formats will include a “hands-on” workshop, lectures, power point presentations, and plenty of Q&A time for audience participation and learning.

ACCREDITATION STATEMENT

This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the Essential Areas & Policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education through the joint sponsorship of Bayfront Medical Center and Florida Academy of Pain Medicine. Bayfront Medical Center is accredited by the FMA to provide CME for physicians.

With 3 pre-conference workshops: 

Regenerative Injection Therapy & Ultrasound MSK Cadaver Workshop with Ultrasound Guided Interventional  Procedures 

Cadaver Workshop: Interventional Procedures with Fluoroscopy (SCS, DRG, RFA, Pump, mild) 

Basic Pain Evaluation & Non-Opioid Treatments

Host Hotel:     Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress Hotel

                                             1 Grand Cypress Blvd., Orlando, FL  32836

The Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress is a family-friendly, luxury resort where elegance and convenience come together. See for yourself with our scheduled shuttle service to area theme parks, outdoor gardens, twelve tennis courts and 45 holes of Jack Nicklaus Signature designed golf. Inside, you’ll find 815 guestrooms, award-winning restaurants and more than 65,000 sq. ft. of meeting, wedding and event space.

The luxurious guest rooms and suites are elegantly designed and indulgently appointed. Event space is provided for attendees to enjoy classic business settings with a unique air of contemporary sophistication.

In between business and meetings, leisure activities abound in the heart of Disney. Annual meeting Disney bargains posted on website at www.fampmed.net.

Perhaps, best of all, extraordinary dining can be savored at any one of the resorts restaurants and lounges, each heralded for their innovating preparation, delicious taste, and uncompromising focus on intuitive service.

A LUXURIOUS LOCATION MINUTES FROM THE MAGIC AND ATTRACTIONS OF ORLANDO.

Florida Academy of Pain Medicine Annual Scientific Meeting

American Academy of Regenerative Orthopedic Medicine & Alliance Interventional

Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress Hotel  Orlando, Florida

President's Message

The FAPM 18^th Annual Scientific Meeting will be held on July 27-29, 2018, at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress Hotel in Orlando. Dr. Felix Linetsky has a great program planned that includes: regenerative injection therapy, update on proper use of opioids and marijuana, bone marrow derived stem cell injections, control of chronic visceral pain, ultrasound guided procedures, and much more. This three -day program offers 20 CME credits.

I hope you will mark your calendars now and plan to attend this enlightening event.

Fraternally,

Stanley R. Dennison, MD

FAPM President

                     Disney Bargains - Annual Meeting 2018 - July 27-29

Check out more Conference photos on our Facebook page.

Discussing Migraine With Your Patients

MACRA rule expands exemptions and provides more flexibility for physicians

The Florida Academy of Pain Medicine has researched recent actions of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services including the MACRA rules and MIPS program. See here, and here and registration here "Medicare Speaks 2016" which offers sessions in Tallahassee on November 2-3, 2016. FAPM will continue to keep our members updated on important issues affecting the practice of pain medicine.  

The MACRA Final Rule:
Eight Things Physicians Need to Know

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
OCTOBER, 2016 

The Florida Academy of Pain Medicine’s Annual Scientific Meeting this year provided attendees with excellent national and international speakers, three distinct pre-conference workshops, great social events, and a first class hotel venue. We thank all of those who attended this conference, and we hope you will plan to join us again next year. 

I want to remind any members who have not paid their 2016 dues that our fiscal year ends on December 31, 2016, so please send your check in or pay online with your credit card. Within the scope of the Florida Medical Association, the FAPM is one of the smaller specialty affiliates. Dues collection provides only 25% of our budget, yet we maintain an office and staff to serve our members. However, without our members financial support we could not meet our budget needs nor could we provide the services for our members or present our annual conference. I ask every pain medicine physician in Florida to become a member of the society that best represents your interests and that is the Florida Academy of Pain Medicine! 

Our Education Committee is already in the planning stages for our annual scientific meeting to be held on June 16-18, 2017, at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress Hotel where we can best meet the interests of our members, exhibitors and sponsors as we did for several previous years. Mark the dates on your calendar and plan to join your pain medicine colleagues at this beautiful hotel in the heart of Disney World. Bring your family members so they can enjoy all of the amenities of this hotel as well as the many attractions in the Orlando area. 

If we can be of any service to you as a member, please do not hesitate to call our office at 727-581-4319. 

Sincerely, 

Vinny Malik, MD, President 

Turn the Tide:
The Fight to End the Opioid Crisis

 Pre-Conference Workshops Provide Special Certification Recognition

Attendees registering for the Florida Academy of Pain Medicine pre-conference workshops will receive a certificate depicting their special training received in these programs. Specialist certificates will be presented for Musculoskeletal Ultrasound and International Pain Therapies, Interdisciplinary Approaches to Pain Medicine, and Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Treatments and Therapies. (Complete Program)

The "Musculoskeletal Ultrasound and Interventional Pain Therapies" will include ultrasonography of the shoulder, knee and hips as a correlation of physical findings and clinical anatomy. The Interventional Spine Procedures will teach the use of innovative techniques such as facet joint injections, nerve blocks, neuroaugumentation, spinal fusion and implantable drug delivery systems.

The "Interdisciplinary Approach to Pain Medicine Workshop" features nationally known speakers on pain medicine issues on such topics as: pain, stress, mood, cognitive and memory holographic pain treatments, low level inflammation and fascia stimulation and sensitization, opioid crisis concerns, medical laser applications and much more.

The third workshop deals with PM&R treatments and therapies. Featured topics include updates on subacute rehabilitation, medical marijuana update, intrathecal therapies, treatment and management of spinal stenosis, and multimodal approaches to the treatment of low back pain.

Each workshop offers 8 CME hours.

AAPM's 33rd Annual Meeting
March 16-19, 2017 (Preconference Sessions: March 15-16, 2017)
Loews Sapphire Falls Resort
Orlando, Florida

FAPM Board Reviews
CDC Guidelines for
Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain 

The FAPM Executive Board met recently to discuss the CDC Guidelines for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain. It was noted that the original draft by CDC was not altered, in spite of over 4,000 testimonies from societies, corporations and individuals.

However, the board recognizes the challenges involved with prescribing opioids for chronic pain, and the necessity for safety precautions and effectiveness when providing pain treatments.

Therefore, we support the efforts and concerns expressed by the American Academy of Pain Medicine in the following letter: (MORE)

Drug industry on edge for Obama action on prices
Peter Sullivan –The Hill
 The pharmaceutical industry is anxiously awaiting a series of regulatory actions from the Obama administration aimed at combating high drug prices. 

Drug prices have been a major issue on the campaign trail, with Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump pounding pharmaceutical companies.

Martin Shkreli, the ex-pharmaceutical company CEO who made headlines for hiking the price of a life-saving drug by 5,000 percent, also has put the issue of drug prices in the spotlight.

Spending on drugs in 2014 grew by a sharp 13 percent, the most in a decade. The spike was driven partly by new high-cost drugs for Hepatitis C, but it seemed to point to a larger issue.

A Kaiser Family Foundation poll in August found that 24 percent of the public had not filled a prescription in the past year because of cost. (More)

President’s Message:
February, 2016

 I am often asked the question, “What is the mission or purpose of the Florida Academy of Pain Medicine?” My answer is simple, We are a unique medical specialty society that represents physicians practicing in the field of pain medicine. As such, we are involved with education training, as provided at our annual conference, legislative issues affecting the practice of medicine in Florida, and research of medical issues confronting our members. (More)                         

IMPORTANT NOTICE !!!!
FAPM  annual membership renewal notices have been mailed to our membership list. This year the renewal can be paid online. The renewal fiscal year is January 1-December 31, 2016.
Thanks to each of you for your continued support of the Florida Academy of Pain Medicine.

    December 14, 2015 

Dear FAPM Members and Friends: 

At this busy season of the year, I wanted to take a moment to wish everyone a Happy Holiday Season and a wonderful New Year. As we are all involved in the medical profession, may each of us enter the New Year with renewed confidence in our abilities to treat our patients with the best possible care. 

As we face the issues confronting our medical professions, be assured that your FAPM Board Members will continue to address your concerns and interests in dealing with legislative matters, practice management issues, and medical education programs. 

Our “Executive Committee” is planning an excellent program for the annual FAPM Scientific Meeting to be held on August 12-14, 2016, at the beautiful Waldorf Astoria Hotel in Orlando. I hope you all are planning to attend this event. 

Let us all be proud of the profession we serve and strive for excellence in all that we do for our profession, patients and community. 

Fraternally yours,

Vinod Malik, DO

FAPM President

SENATE COMMITTEE TO TACKLE PATIENTS' PAIN MED PROBLEMS

THE CAPITAL: TALLAHASSEE, October 20, 2015 ...... The Legislature may have inadvertently made it harder for legitimate patients to get critical pain medications when it passed a 2011 law aimed at shutting down rogue clinics that branded the state as the “pill mill capital" of the country. But now, a powerful state senator said he intends to fix the problem. (Read More)

Pain Management Physicians If you are a physician practicing in a Pain Management Clinic and were registered based on the 6th qualification option in Rule 64B8-9.0131, F.A.C ., please keep in mind that as a part of your 40 hours of Continuing Medical Education (CME) required per biennium, you must complete 15 hours of live lecture format, Category I CME in pain management for every year you practice in pain management. These will need to be reported to CE Broker along with the rest of your CME credits in order for the Board to renew your license. Answers to many questions regarding license renewal can be found at the Board of Medicine's website at flboardofmedicine.gov 

Congratulations to
Dr. Felix Linetsky

Tweet Dr. Felix Linetsky, FAPM Board Member and nationally recognized medical education leader, has written a chapter in the Second Edition of Pain Medicine and Management – Just the Facts Textbook published by McGraw Hill. Chapter 71 – Regenerative Injection Therapy (aka – Prolotherapy was co-authored by Peter Peter Staats and Mark Wallace, MD. This book can be purchased from Amazon for the amount of $80.90.

FAPM Represented at Florida Board of Pharmacy's
Controlled Substances Meeting (see below) 

The Florida Board of Pharmacy’s Controlled Substances Standards Committee recently met at Delray Beach, Florida, to discuss issues regarding the availability of certain medications for patients. They have been receiving numerous complaints from patients and physicians across the state regarding this issue. 

Jeffrey Zipper, MD, the Immediate Past President of the Florida Academy of Pain Medicine, attended this meeting representing the Academy. He noted that those attendees at this meeting made several recommendations for the board to consider. The board will review these matters and report back to the committee at the next meeting. 

FAPM will continue to monitor the activities of the Florida Board of Pharmacy, and report any new developments to the members.

Featured speakers included Alan Harmon, MD, President of the Florida Medical Association and Judy Foreman, author of the bestselling book, “A Nation in Pain". The panel discussions held on the second day featured specialists in various disciplines, a representative on E-FORCE and PDMP issues, and legal and legislative programs. Panel moderators were: Albert Ray, MD, FAPM Past-President, and Jeffrey Zipper, MD, current FAPM President.

Highlights of the annual membership luncheon included FAPM awards. Marla Golden, DO, received the Felix Linetsky, MD, Education Award for her leadership and participation in FAPM educational programs the past few years. The Distinguished Service Award was presented to Jeffrey Zipper, MD, for his leadership in legislative issues affecting the practice of medicine in Florida. Lynne Columbus, DO, from Clearwater, Florida was elected to the FAPM Board of Directors.

Patient Op-Ed: Denying necessary prescriptions to needy patients 

The Florida Academy of Pain Medicine is working diligently to bring attention to our legislature, patients and citizens regarding the problems patients are having getting drug prescriptions filled. The following article was printed in the Tampa Bay Times in support of our concerns over this process of denying necessary prescriptions to needy patients. Please feel free to share this article with you patients, colleagues and staff. We will continue our efforts to help patients across the state to be able to have their physician prescribed drug requests filled. Should you have any similar cases to report of patients not getting their prescribed drugs in a timely manner, please let us know. Together we can help alieviate this problem. (Read OpEd)

Fraternally, Jeffrey Zipper, FAPM President 

ALERT ALERT

Dear Colleagues, 

            The FAPM has hired a public relations firm to help bring media attention to issues of importance and concern to us and our patients. We are presently working on a project to help our patients gain better access to their needed medications from Pharmacies. To that end, if you have any patients experiencing difficulty with getting their prescriptions filled for CS’s please contact Mr. Brian Burgess from Meteoric Media Strategies ASAP at 850-273-2270 or email to brianjburgess@gmail.com. Thank you! 

Regards,
Jeffrey A. Zipper, M.D.
President

Peripheral nerve blocks -- revision to the Part B LCD
LCD ID number: L29258 (Florida)
LCD ID number: L29466 (Puerto Rico/U.S. Virgin Islands)

The local coverage determination (LCD) for peripheral nerve blocks was most recently revised January 1, 2013. Since that time, major revisions were made throughout the entire LCD. The ‘Indications and Limitations of Coverage and/or Medical Necessity’ section of the LCD has been revised to clarify indications versus limitations of coverage. In addition, the ‘CPT®/HCPCS Codes’, ‘ICD-9 Codes that Support Medical Necessity’, ‘Documentation Requirements’, ‘Utilization Guidelines’ and ‘Sources of Information and Basis for Decision’ sections of the LCD were revised.
Effective date
This LCD revision is effective for services rendered on or after March 17, 2014. First Coast Services Options Inc. LCDs are available through the CMS Medicare coverage database at http://www.cms.gov/medicare-coverage-database/overview-and-quick-search.aspx .

Coding guidelines for an LCD (when present) may be found by selecting “LCD Attachments” in the Jump to Section…” drop-down menu at the top of the LCD page.

Note: To review active, future, and retired LCD for jurisdiction 9, please click here

FAPM has a “Neutral” Position on Medical Marijuana Amendment:
Florida is facing a pain medicine crisis, and lawmakers must find a way to deliver pain medicine to legitimate patients while still blocking these controlled substances from those who abuse them. No matter how Floridians vote on medical marijuana amendment this November, the real burden must be on lawmakers to overhaul our pain medicine regulations so that patients with legitimate health issues can get the medications they need to have a high quality of life. They deserve to have this access legally and without undue excessive burden.

Congress Reaches Deal on SGR Repeal

Today, February 6, 2014, Congress reached a bipartisan, bicameral agreement on a bill that would repeal the Medicare Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) and replace it with a pay-for-performance system that would evaluate and incentivize quality health care. All 3 congressional committees of jurisdiction—the Senate Finance Committee, the House Ways and Means Committee, and the House Energy and Commerce Committee—have agreed on 1 piece of legislation that will now move through the legislative process as a consensus bill.

Specifically, the legislation would:

• Repeal the SGR immediately
• Provide positive annual payment updates of 0.5% for 5 years
• Install a Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS), which would include prospectively set performance thresholds and offer flexibility in the imposition of performance requirements that are inappropriate for some specialties
• Delay the effective date of the MIPS program 1 year, from 2017 to 2018
• Increase the MIPS funding pool and adjust the phase-in of penalty risks for those who fall in the lowest performance quartile to be capped at a maximum of 9% (as opposed to the previous 12%)
• Sustain a 5% incentive payment for physicians participating in alternative payment models
• Double original funding for technical assistance to small practices of 15 or fewer professionals
• Recognize the development of functional status quality measures as a priority

Many of the provisions of the bill are improvements from previous proposals and current law. AAPM&R advocated strongly to incorporate items that would be beneficial in highlighting the care that physiatrists provide. However, because this legislation is not budget neutral, legislators will now spend several weeks considering budget-cutting options to offset the cost of the repeal. Some options have been leaked, including cuts to postacute care and changes to the in-office ancillary services exceptions to the physician self-referral law (Stark law). 

Your Academy is advocating tirelessly to ensure that the SGR repeal is not achieved on the backs of our physician members. Stay tuned for additional information in the coming weeks. 

 Regards,
Jeffrey A. Zipper, M.D.
FAPM President

ALERT, ALERT, ALERT 

Medicare will deny claims for referring physicians who are not enrolled in PECOS as of January 6, 2014. Physicians must be enrolled to prescribe durable medical equipment. For more information, refer to their website at https:llcms.hhs.gov/. (at the time of this post, this website is down).

Some of our vendors are concerned that prescribing physicians who are not enrolled will not be able to prescribe the durable medical equipment that you have prescribed in the past.  

ALERT ALERT

Dear Colleagues,           

            FSCO the Medicare administrate contractor for jurisdiction J 9 has retracted its previous article titled “Ultrasound Guidance for Needle Placement in the Office Setting”. This retraction was based upon input from your specialty society CAC representatives. Although this article has been retracted there are still some limitations on these services (please see attachment). Please also note, that in the 2014 proposed rule for Revisions to Payment Policies under the Physician Fee Schedule, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) proposes a reduction in the relative value units (RVUs) based on equipment inputs and procedure time assumptions for Current Procedural Terminology (CPT®) code 76942. 
Regards,
Jeffrey Zipper
President FAPM
Chief Executive Officer 

ALERT ALERT
FY 2014 Medicare OBS Reimbursement Rates for SCS Trials

September President's Message

Dear Colleagues,
            I hope everyone has enjoyed their summer and all are ready to get back into the swing of things. I would like to start off by thanking Dr Albert Ray our immediate past president for his leadership and tireless efforts in serving our organization over the past two years; as well as, Dr. Felix Linetsky, Dr Kenneth Webster and the entire FAPM board of directors for putting on an excellent educational program at this year’s annual scientific conference. If you were unable to attend this year’s conference you certainly missed out and I hope to see you at the conference next year. In fact, place it on your calendar today! (June 20-22, 2014). The Florida Academy of Pain Medicine largely exists to advocate for and to protect the rights of the chronic pain patients and the physician community that serves them within the State. Your membership in this organization is of paramount importance and without your support we would not have a voice in Tallahassee. I personally value your membership in the Academy and believe that together we are making a difference in your practice and patients’ lives. I hope each of you will see fit to renew your membership this year. If you know of a colleague that is not presently a member of FAPM, please encourage him or her to join today!  (READ MORE)

FMA’s Business of Medicine Survey Reveals Florida Physicians’ Top Concerns 

Pictures from Past Conferences