Policy & Politics
Access | AMA and the College | Bioterrorism | College advocacy | Electronic information | End-of-life care | Graduate medical education | Health care financing | HIPAA | Labs | Liability reform | Managed care policy | Medicare issues | Member advocacy | Nonphysician providers | Patient rights | Patient safety | Pay for performance | Politics of health care | Privacy | Quality | Tobacco | Miscellaneous
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Access
Improving access key to reform, says Commonwealth Fund VP
May '08
Community projects rely on local doctors for larger success
May '08
It takes work to design an office with patients at the center
May '08
College outlines plan for price transparency. (July-August 2006)
ACP supports new legislation to boost insurance coverage. (June 2006)
Letters
Readers discuss clinical research, drug safety reporting, and access to health care. (July-August 2005)
ACP issues recommendations on redesigning Medicaid. (July-August 2005)
ACP urges USP to draft less restrictive drug lists. (November 2004)
College urges support of sickle cell treatment bill. (May 2004)
Cover the Uninsured Week slated for May 10-16. (April 2004)
College supports Senate bill to reduce racial disparities. (April 2004)
New study: Most internists treat uninsured patients. (December 2003)
ACP President-elect outlines access problems for legislators. (November 2003)
ACP expresses concern about final rule on emergency medical care. (November 2003)
Letters
Readers discuss health care reform. (October 2003)
New House bill based on ACP proposals to expand access to care. (July-August 2003)
Senate bill based on ACP's plans to expand access
The legislation mirrors the College's call for all Americans to have health coverage by the end of the decade. (May 2003)
College members help highlight plight of the uninsured
Members participated in Cover the Uninsured Week events nationwide (April 2003)
Bill would boost efforts to bring doctors to underserved areas (March 2003)
College joins campaign to highlight the plight of the uninsured (March 2003)
New College report shows access problems are growing (February 2003)
College supports proposals to improve access to care (September 2002)
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AMA and the College
College members elected to AMA office (September 2001)
Four College leaders elected to AMA positions (September 1999)
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Bioterrorism
College says smallpox vaccination plan should target limited group (April 2003)
New CDC guide to smallpox vaccination has photos of normal and adverse reactions (March 2003)
Smallpox vaccine should target 'first-contact' health providers (October 2002)
ACP-ASIM supports bioterror preparedness (April 2002)
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College advocacy
Members urge lawmakers to protect internal medicine
Patient-centered medical home topped agenda of the more than 300 internists who converged on Capitol Hill. (July-August 2007)
Web Extra!
Drawn to political issues, these female physicians advocate for health care reform. (July-August 2007)
ACP issues recommendations on drug importation. (January-February 2006)
College comments on payment rules for power mobility devices. (January-February 2006)
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Electronic information
New protections for HIT. (September 2006)
'Seal of approval' for EHR systems. (September 2006)
ACP urges support for information technology funding. (July-August 2006)
ACP adopts new policy on personal health records. (June 2006)
College supports new information technology bills. (July-August 2005)
College promotes new technology bill. (June 2005)
College comments on proposed Medicare e-prescribing rule. (May 2005)
College, others, ask for increased QIO funding. (April 2005)
College endorses national electronic infrastructure conference. (May 2004)
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End-of-life care
College endorses bill to improve pain management (June 1999)
College blasts Dr. Kevorkian, supports palliative care (January 1999)
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Graduate medical education
College calls for student loan, deferment reform. (June 2004)
ACP supports bill to help doctors refinance student loans. (October 2003)
ACP-ASIM signs brief supporting use of race to encourage diversity in medical schools (March 2003)
College opposes proposed cuts to teaching hospitals (September 2002)
College favors most points in plan to change how training is funded (June 2001)
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Health care financing
ACP leaders call for revamping health care. (May 2006)
College, others urge Congress to avert Medicare payment cuts. (November 2005)
ACP seeks support to retool, rescind payment formula. (November 2005)
College members urged to contact representatives. (October 2005)
ACP, others, present plan for phasing in pay for performance. (October 2005)
ACP issues recommendations on retiree drug benefits. (April 2005)
College calls on Senate to support full Title VII funding. (November 2004)
College joins coalition to protect AHRQ funding (March 2003)
ACP-ASIM urges Congress to fund new nursing legislation (November 2002)
College calls on president to boost health care budget (March 2002)
Health care and the politics of vulnerability
Recent events mean that bioterrorism has supplanted the patient bill of rights, Medicare reform and patient safety as the top health issues (November 2001)
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HIPAA
With HIPAA rules, the actions of others can make or break physicians' efforts
Physicians scrambing to comply with new HIPAA transaction rules are being hamstrung by vendors and health plans. (January-February 2004)
Your next step in HIPAA compliance: the security rule
Designed to protect patient electronic health care information, the HIPAA security rule gives practices much-needed flexibility. (January-February 2004)
Letters
Readers discuss HIPAA compliance problems, error disclosures. (January-February 2004)
HIPAA requires more than a new format for claims
If you don't start collecting and reporting certain information by Oct. 16, payers might reject your claims. (July-August 2003)
ACP calls for flexibility in upcoming HIPAA deadline
The College asks for a transition period for implementing the HIPAA transactions and code sets rule. (July-August 2003)
New HIPAA rule will protect information security
While physicians have two years to comply, time is running out to implement two earlier rules (April 2003)
Time is running out to meet two key HIPAA deadlines
Privacy regulations and transactions standards take effect in April. You need to act now to get ready (March 2003)
New tools to help you prepare your practice for HIPAA
To file claims electronically, you need to make sure your office software complies with the law (January 2003)
Despite a reprieve, first HIPAA deadline is coming soon
The government is expected to grant extensions to help resolve specific compliance problems (February 2002)
For more stories, see Privacy
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Labs
Recent CMS lab test standards simplify billing rules
Medicare has standardized policies for physician documentation requirements and frequency limitations for lab tests. (December 2003)
CMS establishes national standards for lab tests
The new rule creates uniform, national Medicare coverage for common lab tests (July-August 2002)
Is your waived lab compliant? Try these four tips
To avoid problems, know the limits of a waiver certificate and document well (September 2001)
ACP-ASIM part of new effort to alleviate lab test hassles (December 1999)
For more stories, see Ancillary services
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Liability reform
Doctors take tort reform fight directly to voters
In state elections, physicians press for ballot initiatives that would cap awards and fees. (October 2004)
Making a case for overhauling the malpractice tort system
A policy expert argues that even extensive tort reform won't fix what's wrong with the current approach to liability. (June 2004)
A supercharged liability environment brings growing scrutiny of physician expert witnesses
Advocates call for peer review and tougher state oversight of expert witnesses to safeguard physicians. (May 2004)
ACP-ASIM supports bill to reform medical liability insurance (March 2003)
ACP-ASIM seeks Senate support of liability reform (November 2002)
Fed up, two West Virginia physicians run for office
Malpractice premiums and a provider tax are pushing two political novices to try their hand at politics (October 2002)
College supports bill to reform liability insurance for physicians (October 2002)
Overcoming the obstacles to medical liability reform
While doctors may believe that tort reform is the right thing, lawyers often have the backing of the public. Here's why. (September 2002)
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Managed care policy
Letters
Readers discuss the presidential candidates, eye exams for diabetic patients, health plan data and chronic stable angina. (November 2004)
College supports online mechanism for physician complaints. (June 2004)
College calls on Calif. insurer to stop recoding E/M services. (December 2003)
College calls for an end to mandatory hospitalist policies. (November 2003)
Physicians must file claim form for Aetna settlement by Sept. 30. (September 2003)
How ACP is working to reduce administrative hassles
The College's goal is to reduce the insurance hassles that unnecessarily limit internists' ability to provide patient care. (July-August 2003)
Trouble with health plans? Report problems online
A new complaint form will help organized medicine track problems with insurers. (July-August 2003)
Creative solutions to physicians' time and pay dilemmas
The College is committed to developing creative solutions to fairly compensate internists for the time they spend with patients. (June 2003)
Problems with health plans? ACP wants to know. (June 2003)
College urges N.J. insurer to stop bundling, downcoding. (June 2003)
ACP protests insurer's move against gastroenterologists who work in hospitals. (June 2003)
Two new ACP papers explore time pressures, e-consults
The College released two new position papers that touch on issues affecting most internists. (May 2003)
ACP urges insurer to follow CPT guidelines (April 2003)
ACP-ASIM urges the Blues to cover screening colonoscopy (January 2003)
College seeks support for collective bargaining bill (June 2002)
Joint negotiations bill would level playing field (April 2002)
ACP-ASIM urges patients, health plans to continue mammography (March 2002)
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Medicare issues
College, others, comment on 'medically unbelievable' program. (May 2006)
ACP President urges Congress to pass key payment reforms. (April 2006)
ACP, others, present plan for phasing in pay for performance. (October 2005)
ACP holds Hill briefing on physician payment system. (April 2005)
ACP: MedPAC should champion payment changes. (January-February 2005)
ACP urges USP to draft less restrictive drug lists. (November 2004)
ACP makes recommendations on new patient acceptance indicator. (June 2004)
What will new Medicare legislation mean for reimbursement, practice hassles, patient care?
The new Medicare law rules out physician pay cuts for two years, but there are long-term concerns. (January-February 2004)
Changes in Medicare pay for drugs should exempt vaccines. (December 2003)
College urges Medicare to pay physicians' costs of administering drugs. (November 2003)
ACP calls for changes in Medicare reform legislation
The College has pressed for increased physician pay and argued against a proposal for mandatory e-prescribing. (October 2003)
CMS offers coding 'edits' on the Web free of charge. (October 2003)
Medicare should use better data to calculate drug costs. (October 2003)
Medicare bill must address physician pay, other issues
ACP has been urging Congress to make sure that Medicare reform legislation does not hurt access to care. (September 2003)
ACP objects to onerous Medicare billing privileges proposal. (September 2003)
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Member advocacy
Proposed changes would boost Medicare payments
The CMS is now accepting comments on changes that would boost E/M payments. (July-August 2006)
Primary Care's collapse tops agenda on Leadership Day
Members visited Capitol Hill to convince lawmakers that payment reform is critical to primary care's future. (July-August 2006)
Low-tech approach yields high rewards for Key Contact winner
Murli Manohar, FACP, received the College's Key Contact of the Year Award during Leadership Day 2006. (July-August 2006)
President's column
To best serve our patients, we must embrace advocacy
Congress needs to see and hear from physicians if we want change in the national political agenda on health care. (July-August 2003)
One internist takes her advocacy efforts on the road
Key Contact of the Year Dawn Clancy, FACP, has a passion for improving access. (July-August 2003)
ACP leaders find attentive audience at Leadership Day
With an important election year approaching, health care reform has become a hot topic on Capitol Hill. (June 2003)
Medicare win showcases the power of grassroots advocacy
Physicians will receive a 1.6% raise instead of a 4.4% cut. The College's efforts helped win the fight (March 2003)
Strategies for effective advocacy in state chapters
Tips for having a greater influence on your state laws and regulations (November 2002)
Make your voice heard through the ACP-ASIM Key Contact Program
Talk medical politics with members of Congress (October 2002)
Why participating in politics is the right thing to do
Get involved and make Washington work for you (October 2002)
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Nonphysician providers
Needed: standards to guide pharmacists on therapeutic substitutions. (January-February 2004)
ACP-ASIM urges Congress to fund new nursing legislation (November 2002)
College recommends ways to head off nursing shortage (June 2002)
House rejects language identifying chiropractors as primary care providers (February 2002)
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Patient rights
ACP supports amendments on prisoner rights. (November 2005)
In light of Supreme Court case, U.S. needs federal patient rights (March 2002)
ACP-ASIM works to support meaningful patient bill of rights (September 2001)
Navigating the policy and substance of patient protection legislation
To make progress, all parties in the patient protection debate must work together to resolve remaining disagreements (June 2001)
Navigating the policy and substance of patient protection legislation
To make progress, all parties in the patient protection debate must work together to resolve remaining disagreements (June 2001)
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Patient safety
College urges House leaders to enact patient safety bill. (November 2004)
Letters
Readers discuss prisoner abuse, problem physicians, professional ethics. (September 2004)
ACP applauds Senate passage of patient safety act. (September 2004)
ACP urges Senate passage of patient safety bill. (April 2004)
College to Senate: Help fund technology to improve patient safety. (September 2003)
ACP-ASIM launches project to improve patient safety (November 2001)
What we can do to prevent errors and improve patient safety
Improving systems—and our own practice habits—can reduce medical errors (June 2001)
ACP-ASIM joins statement on latest IOM report (May 2001)
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Pay for performance
College releases sweeping pay-for-performance guidelines. (January-February 2006)
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Politics of health care
ACP President testifies on Capitol Hill. (September 2006)
College warns of looming collapse of nation's primary care
ACP leaders issue sweeping recommendations to safeguard primary care and boost physician workforce numbers. (March 2006)
Letters
Readers discuss the presidential candidates, eye exams for diabetic patients, health plan data and chronic stable angina. (November 2004)
Presidential election focuses attention on American medicine
The candidates in this year's race for president are turning a sharp eye on the growing population of uninsured Americans and on problems in American medicine. (March 2004)
What can internists expect from the 108th Congress?
Republicans now control both houses, but can they overcome gridlock that prevented progress last year? (January 2003)
What history can teach us about medical politics today
Many issues debated today echo the controversies and conflicts of the past. (July-August 2002)
How Medicare legislation is made in the real world
In the real world, lawmakers must decide whether to accept a compromise or risk everything by holding out for better legislation (June 2002)
What a difference a year makes in health care policy
A look at how the surprising past year has affected progress on the College's top policy concerns (February 2002)
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Privacy
Time is running out to meet two key HIPAA deadlines
Privacy regulations and transactions standards take effect in April. You need to act now to get ready (March 2003)
Answers to questions about the HIPAA privacy rule
Recent guidelines offer tips to help you meet the rapidly approaching April compliance deadline (February 2003)
ACP-ASIM seeks further changes to privacy rule (June 2002)
Tips to comply with HIPAA's new privacy regulations
While the rules are still in flux, you need to comply by April 2003. Here are some strategies to get started. (May 2002)
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Quality
College joins coalition to protect AHRQ funding (March 2003)
College has concerns about new data bank to track doctors (January 2000)
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Tobacco
College urges Congress to regulate tobacco products. (September 2004)
ACP-ASIM supports Mass. efforts to disclose contents of cigarettes (March 2001)
Governors debate resolutions on pay, tobacco and Fellowship (November 2000)
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Miscellaneous
ACP advocates for changes in consultation policy. (October 2006)
ACP President warns of payment cuts in proposed fee schedule. (October 2006)
ACP physicians meet with members of Congress about Medicare cuts. (October 2006)
ACP president commends working group on health care access. (October 2006)
Medicare moves to income-based premiums. (October 2006)
College endorses tax credits for living organ donors. (June 2006)
ACP Associate presents perspective of young physicians to Congress. (January-February 2006)
Regents' Chair testifies on DTC ads. (November 2005)
ACP supports amendments on prisoner rights. (November 2005)
ACP Services strengthens the voice of internal medicine on Capitol Hill. (October 2005)
College: DEA is sending mixed message. (March 2005)
College-backed sickle-cell bill becomes law. (January-February 2005)
College weighs in on NIH plan for enhanced journal access. (December 2004)
College supports new WHO initiative on HIV/AIDS. (December 2004)
Letters
Readers discuss the presidential candidates, eye exams for diabetic patients, health plan data and chronic stable angina. (November 2004)
White House responds to ACP's prison abuse concerns. (November 2004)
ACP says interpreter guidelines still too onerous. (January-February 2004)
How performance measures can actually help internists
Physicians who meet the mark could receive bonuses—and be exempt from some of the current administrative requirements. (November 2003)
College supports bill to create health care workforce commission. (September 2003)
College supports Senate bill to give immunizations a boost. (May 2003)
College protests plans to nearly double costs of DEA registration. (May 2003)
College supports HHS decision to process J-1 visa waivers for IMGs (March 2003)
College supports parts of guidelines to curb unethical drug marketing (February 2003)
HHS will take over J-1 visa waiver program (February 2003)
College supports protections, care for refugees (December 2002)
ACP-ASIM gives HHS recommendations on new strategic plan (November 2002)
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