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NAMDRC will host its 42nd Annual Educational Conference March 14-16, 2019, in Sonoma, California, with a blue chip program featuring nationally recognized speakers. Keynote speakers include Bartolome Celli, MD, FCCP; E. Wesley Ely Jr., MD, FCCP; and a special “Conversation on Health Care Strategies” with Troyen Brennan, MD, Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of CVS Health.
The NAMDRC conference format is unlike other pulmonary focused conferences. All sessions are plenary, and speakers are encouraged to take advantage of our wireless audience response system by simply texting their responses to questions. Sessions begin by 8:00 AM each day and conclude by 12:30 PM to provide ample time for all attendees to enjoy the Napa Sonoma region.
Details regarding registration, lodging, and more specifics regarding the program, social events, and related matters are available at the NAMDRC website at www.namdrc.org.
A few highlights:
• Thursday, March 14
Wesley Ely, MD – ICU Liberation and the ABCDEF Bundle – New Data; and ICU Delirium in Ventilated Patients – New Data
Neil MacIntyre, MD – Managing Severe Hypoxemic Respiratory Failure: The Ever Expanding Evidence Base
Samuel Hammerman, MD – Role of Long Term Acute Care
A Panel with Drs. Ely and MacIntyre – Challenges in Critical Care: Spontaneous Ventilation in Lung Injury, ECMO and Other.
Troyen Brennan, MD – A Conversation on Health Care Strategies
• Friday, March 15
Peter Gay, MD, FCCP – Heart Failure in Central Sleep Apnea
Susan Jacobs, RN, Christine Garvey, FNP, MSN, Phil Porte – Optimizing Oxygen Therapy
Bartolome Celli, MD, FCCP – Changing the Natural Course of COPD
Alan Plummer, MD, FCCP – Coding Update, 2019
Steve Peters, MD, FCCP – Practice Management Update
Phillip Porte – Legislative and Regulatory Updates
• Saturday, March 16
Bartolome Celli, MD, FCCP -- Pharmacological Therapy of COPD: Reasons for Optimism
Richard Channick, MD – Management of Acute Pulmonary Embolism: New Approaches
Colleen Channick, MD – The Role of Interventional Pulmonology in the Management of Cancer: From Diagnosis to Palliation
Stanley Yung-Chuan Lui, MD – Surgical Approach to OSA
Daniel Culver, DO, FCCP – Sarcoidosis
Regulatory proposals from CMS trigger NAMDRC responses
CMS has released several proposed rules to take effect January 1 that, if implemented as proposed, will impact patients, as well as physicians. The first regulation recommends important changes in the durable medical equipment competitive bidding program in general, with specific recommendations related to improving availability of liquid oxygen. CMS acknowledges that access to liquid oxygen has become problematic and is seeking comment on a proposal that would bump payment for liquid oxygen, including high flow, approximately 50%.
While the acknowledgement is important, the proposed solution falls far short of what virtually everyone in the industry believes is workable. For perspective, allowable charges for 2016 for liquid portable systems was just over $2 million, less than 2% of all outlays for portable equipment. Statutory language would require “budget neutrality,” thereby reducing payment for all other oxygen systems to bump liquid payment. Experts in the field agree that the proposed 50% bump is nowhere near the bump necessary to address the costs to suppliers to provide oxygen. Just as most oxygen modalities fit into the “nondelivery business model” that has reduced direct contact with patients, liquid fits into a “delivery business model” that necessitates constant refills by the supplier. That added cost needs to be reflected in any payment, and competitive bidding has eviscerated that payment.
NAMDRC and other societies recommend a “carve out” for liquid oxygen, removing it entirely from competitive bidding. While this approach would revert to a 1986 payment methodology, adjusted over time, it could be enough incentive for some suppliers to re-enter the liquid arena.
The second proposal espoused by CMS reduces payment for Level 4 and Level 5 office visits, with extra dollars going to lower intensity visits. Depending on a physician’s particular practice, the impact could be minimal or, at the other end of the spectrum, quite damaging. The proposal has its origins with the family practice community, long frustrated by the relatively low payment for Level 1 and level 2 visits. CMS ostensibly refers to reduced paperwork, but most physician groups see the real impact affecting their memberships.
CMS will publish final rules, reflecting public comment, around November 1, with an implementation date of January 1, 2019.
NAMDRC will host its 42nd Annual Educational Conference March 14-16, 2019, in Sonoma, California, with a blue chip program featuring nationally recognized speakers. Keynote speakers include Bartolome Celli, MD, FCCP; E. Wesley Ely Jr., MD, FCCP; and a special “Conversation on Health Care Strategies” with Troyen Brennan, MD, Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of CVS Health.
The NAMDRC conference format is unlike other pulmonary focused conferences. All sessions are plenary, and speakers are encouraged to take advantage of our wireless audience response system by simply texting their responses to questions. Sessions begin by 8:00 AM each day and conclude by 12:30 PM to provide ample time for all attendees to enjoy the Napa Sonoma region.
Details regarding registration, lodging, and more specifics regarding the program, social events, and related matters are available at the NAMDRC website at www.namdrc.org.
A few highlights:
• Thursday, March 14
Wesley Ely, MD – ICU Liberation and the ABCDEF Bundle – New Data; and ICU Delirium in Ventilated Patients – New Data
Neil MacIntyre, MD – Managing Severe Hypoxemic Respiratory Failure: The Ever Expanding Evidence Base
Samuel Hammerman, MD – Role of Long Term Acute Care
A Panel with Drs. Ely and MacIntyre – Challenges in Critical Care: Spontaneous Ventilation in Lung Injury, ECMO and Other.
Troyen Brennan, MD – A Conversation on Health Care Strategies
• Friday, March 15
Peter Gay, MD, FCCP – Heart Failure in Central Sleep Apnea
Susan Jacobs, RN, Christine Garvey, FNP, MSN, Phil Porte – Optimizing Oxygen Therapy
Bartolome Celli, MD, FCCP – Changing the Natural Course of COPD
Alan Plummer, MD, FCCP – Coding Update, 2019
Steve Peters, MD, FCCP – Practice Management Update
Phillip Porte – Legislative and Regulatory Updates
• Saturday, March 16
Bartolome Celli, MD, FCCP -- Pharmacological Therapy of COPD: Reasons for Optimism
Richard Channick, MD – Management of Acute Pulmonary Embolism: New Approaches
Colleen Channick, MD – The Role of Interventional Pulmonology in the Management of Cancer: From Diagnosis to Palliation
Stanley Yung-Chuan Lui, MD – Surgical Approach to OSA
Daniel Culver, DO, FCCP – Sarcoidosis
Regulatory proposals from CMS trigger NAMDRC responses
CMS has released several proposed rules to take effect January 1 that, if implemented as proposed, will impact patients, as well as physicians. The first regulation recommends important changes in the durable medical equipment competitive bidding program in general, with specific recommendations related to improving availability of liquid oxygen. CMS acknowledges that access to liquid oxygen has become problematic and is seeking comment on a proposal that would bump payment for liquid oxygen, including high flow, approximately 50%.
While the acknowledgement is important, the proposed solution falls far short of what virtually everyone in the industry believes is workable. For perspective, allowable charges for 2016 for liquid portable systems was just over $2 million, less than 2% of all outlays for portable equipment. Statutory language would require “budget neutrality,” thereby reducing payment for all other oxygen systems to bump liquid payment. Experts in the field agree that the proposed 50% bump is nowhere near the bump necessary to address the costs to suppliers to provide oxygen. Just as most oxygen modalities fit into the “nondelivery business model” that has reduced direct contact with patients, liquid fits into a “delivery business model” that necessitates constant refills by the supplier. That added cost needs to be reflected in any payment, and competitive bidding has eviscerated that payment.
NAMDRC and other societies recommend a “carve out” for liquid oxygen, removing it entirely from competitive bidding. While this approach would revert to a 1986 payment methodology, adjusted over time, it could be enough incentive for some suppliers to re-enter the liquid arena.
The second proposal espoused by CMS reduces payment for Level 4 and Level 5 office visits, with extra dollars going to lower intensity visits. Depending on a physician’s particular practice, the impact could be minimal or, at the other end of the spectrum, quite damaging. The proposal has its origins with the family practice community, long frustrated by the relatively low payment for Level 1 and level 2 visits. CMS ostensibly refers to reduced paperwork, but most physician groups see the real impact affecting their memberships.
CMS will publish final rules, reflecting public comment, around November 1, with an implementation date of January 1, 2019.
NAMDRC will host its 42nd Annual Educational Conference March 14-16, 2019, in Sonoma, California, with a blue chip program featuring nationally recognized speakers. Keynote speakers include Bartolome Celli, MD, FCCP; E. Wesley Ely Jr., MD, FCCP; and a special “Conversation on Health Care Strategies” with Troyen Brennan, MD, Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of CVS Health.
The NAMDRC conference format is unlike other pulmonary focused conferences. All sessions are plenary, and speakers are encouraged to take advantage of our wireless audience response system by simply texting their responses to questions. Sessions begin by 8:00 AM each day and conclude by 12:30 PM to provide ample time for all attendees to enjoy the Napa Sonoma region.
Details regarding registration, lodging, and more specifics regarding the program, social events, and related matters are available at the NAMDRC website at www.namdrc.org.
A few highlights:
• Thursday, March 14
Wesley Ely, MD – ICU Liberation and the ABCDEF Bundle – New Data; and ICU Delirium in Ventilated Patients – New Data
Neil MacIntyre, MD – Managing Severe Hypoxemic Respiratory Failure: The Ever Expanding Evidence Base
Samuel Hammerman, MD – Role of Long Term Acute Care
A Panel with Drs. Ely and MacIntyre – Challenges in Critical Care: Spontaneous Ventilation in Lung Injury, ECMO and Other.
Troyen Brennan, MD – A Conversation on Health Care Strategies
• Friday, March 15
Peter Gay, MD, FCCP – Heart Failure in Central Sleep Apnea
Susan Jacobs, RN, Christine Garvey, FNP, MSN, Phil Porte – Optimizing Oxygen Therapy
Bartolome Celli, MD, FCCP – Changing the Natural Course of COPD
Alan Plummer, MD, FCCP – Coding Update, 2019
Steve Peters, MD, FCCP – Practice Management Update
Phillip Porte – Legislative and Regulatory Updates
• Saturday, March 16
Bartolome Celli, MD, FCCP -- Pharmacological Therapy of COPD: Reasons for Optimism
Richard Channick, MD – Management of Acute Pulmonary Embolism: New Approaches
Colleen Channick, MD – The Role of Interventional Pulmonology in the Management of Cancer: From Diagnosis to Palliation
Stanley Yung-Chuan Lui, MD – Surgical Approach to OSA
Daniel Culver, DO, FCCP – Sarcoidosis
Regulatory proposals from CMS trigger NAMDRC responses
CMS has released several proposed rules to take effect January 1 that, if implemented as proposed, will impact patients, as well as physicians. The first regulation recommends important changes in the durable medical equipment competitive bidding program in general, with specific recommendations related to improving availability of liquid oxygen. CMS acknowledges that access to liquid oxygen has become problematic and is seeking comment on a proposal that would bump payment for liquid oxygen, including high flow, approximately 50%.
While the acknowledgement is important, the proposed solution falls far short of what virtually everyone in the industry believes is workable. For perspective, allowable charges for 2016 for liquid portable systems was just over $2 million, less than 2% of all outlays for portable equipment. Statutory language would require “budget neutrality,” thereby reducing payment for all other oxygen systems to bump liquid payment. Experts in the field agree that the proposed 50% bump is nowhere near the bump necessary to address the costs to suppliers to provide oxygen. Just as most oxygen modalities fit into the “nondelivery business model” that has reduced direct contact with patients, liquid fits into a “delivery business model” that necessitates constant refills by the supplier. That added cost needs to be reflected in any payment, and competitive bidding has eviscerated that payment.
NAMDRC and other societies recommend a “carve out” for liquid oxygen, removing it entirely from competitive bidding. While this approach would revert to a 1986 payment methodology, adjusted over time, it could be enough incentive for some suppliers to re-enter the liquid arena.
The second proposal espoused by CMS reduces payment for Level 4 and Level 5 office visits, with extra dollars going to lower intensity visits. Depending on a physician’s particular practice, the impact could be minimal or, at the other end of the spectrum, quite damaging. The proposal has its origins with the family practice community, long frustrated by the relatively low payment for Level 1 and level 2 visits. CMS ostensibly refers to reduced paperwork, but most physician groups see the real impact affecting their memberships.
CMS will publish final rules, reflecting public comment, around November 1, with an implementation date of January 1, 2019.