AMA Advocacy

Attached two examples how the American Medical Association advocates on behalf of physicians. I encourage you to renew your AMA membership to support those efforts which are helping us to practice medicine.
Have a great Memorial Day Weekend.
Bernd Wollschlaeger,MD,FAAFP,FASAM
AMA Outreach Recruiter

FTC Delays Red Flags Rule

The Federal Trade Commission on May 28 announced it would delay enforcement of the Red Flags Rule from June 1 to Dec. 31, 2010.

The commission cited congressional consideration of legislation that would affect the scope of entities covered by the rule to require businesses to take specific steps to minimize identity theft. For instance, S. 3416, introduced on May 25 in the Senate, would exempt health care practices with 20 or fewer employees, as well as accounting and legal practices of similar size.

Covered health care professionals under the bill include physicians, dentists, podiatrists, chiropractors, physical therapists, occupational therapists, marriage or family therapists, optometrists, speech therapists, language therapists, hearing therapists and veterinarians.

The commission in its announcement urged Congress to quickly act "to pass legislation that will resolve any questions as to which entities are covered by the rule and obviate the need for further enforcement delays. If Congress passes legislation limiting the scope of the Red Flags Rule with an effective date earlier than December 31, 2010, the Commission will begin enforcement as of that effective date."

The American Medical Association, which on May 21 filed a lawsuit to prevent the FTC from applying the rule to physicians, applauded the delay. "We call on the FTC to exempt physicians from the rule completely."

The extension is a promising sign that the AMA lawsuit caught the attention of the FTC, the association says. "Last November, a federal court blocked the rule from being applied to attorneys after the FTC was found to be extending its regulatory power beyond that authorized by Congress. We hope this latest extension will be long enough for the FTC to take a good, hard look at the rule and finally exclude physicians from this unjustified and burdensome regulation of medicine."

AMA eVoice Logo

eVoice® Alert

May 28, 2010

Tell Congress enough is enough!

Congress failed to address this year’s Medicare physician payment cut before the June 1 deadline next week. Although the U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation at the last minute to suspend cuts for another 19 months, the U.S. Senate left for a week-long Memorial Day recess without taking action. When Congress returns from their vacation on June 7, the Senate is expected to take up the House-passed bill.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services already issued instructions to its contractors to postpone processing claims for Medicare physician services provided on or after June 1 for 10 days to provide time for Congress to complete its action and overturn the scheduled cut retroactive to June 1.

The new proposal being considered by Congress would provide payment updates of 2.2 percent for the remainder of 2010 and an additional 1 percent increase in 2011. However, in 2012 the SGR formula will once again go into effect and payments will be cut by an estimated 33 percent!

Congress needs to hear from you! Call your representative and senators today using the AMA’s toll-free grassroots hotline at (800) 833-6354 or send them an e-mail. Urge them to end their mismanagement of these important health care programs, and honor their commitment to military families and older Americans.

It is long past time for Congress to find a long-term solution to the SGR that does not create an even bigger problem in the future. Enough is enough!