In February, the NCMS provided information about General Statute 90-106.1, the law passed by the NC General Assembly during the 2011 Legislative Session that requires photo identification prior to the dispensing of certain controlled substances. Pharmacies began requesting identification on March 1, 2012.

At the request of the NCMS House of Delegates at the 2011 Annual Meeting, the Society will continue to educate members about General Statute 90-106.1. Below are a few resources that will provide updates on the law:

• The North Carolina Board of Pharmacy (NCBOP) released frequently asked questions pertaining to the requirement for photo identification prior to dispensing certain controlled substances updated in early March 2012. This document addresses how dispensing physicians and physician assistants must comply with identification check requirements.
• The NCBOP also provides updated memos about the controlled substances identification requirement. Click here to view the memos.
• WRAL reported on the law and its importance.
• WSOC-TV also reported on what the new law will bring. Click here to read the article.

 Refer to future Bulletin articles for updates on this statute and other House of Delegates actions.

Ann Miller Wilson, MD, recently spent time with the NCMS Government Affairs Department completing a one-month elective to learn more about how to help protect physician interests in the state legislature. During this time, Dr. Wilson created several whitepapers pertaining to scope of practice issues currently being discussed at the North Carolina General Assembly. The whitepapers will be available shortly.

Dr. Wilson became interested in physician advocacy when Chip Baggett, NCMS Director of Government Affairs, visited Carolinas Medical Center in an effort to rally support around the monumental tort reform bill. Dr. Wilson is completing her residency in physical medicine and rehabilitation at Carolinas Medical Center.

Dr. Wilson is a Virginia native who grew up in Richmond, VA. After graduating from high school in 2000, she attended the University of Virginia where she earned a BA in Psychology. Immediately following graduation in 2004, Dr. Wilson worked in the National Preparedness and Response Corps (NPRC) at the American Red Cross and aided in disaster relief efforts nationwide. She also worked in event planning for the Red Cross and created a Girl Scout badge program focusing on disaster preparedness. After her year of work with the NPRC, Dr. Wilson pursued her medical degree from the Medical College of Virginia. There she became a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha honor society. After graduation, she accepted an intern position with the University of Virginia’s Department of General Surgery. Thank you Dr. Wilson for all of your hard work!

The NCMS thanks all of the newly licensed physicians and physician assistants who attended the a reception in their honor last week.

To view more photos of the reception, visit the NCMS Facebook page here.

Last week Doctors Making Housecalls, LLC, announced that it has been selected as a demonstration site for CMS’ Independence at Home (IAH) demonstration program, which was developed to provide homebound and elderly Medicare patients with medical care in their homes. This program, which will begin on June 1, 2012, will provide care to 10,000 home-limited Medicare beneficiaries in the hopes to increase quality of life, reduced cost of care and the number of hospital and emergency room visits.

Doctors Making Housecalls has made more than 250,000 medical home visits to patients, who are typical medically fragile and elderly, since 2002. The practice also provides comprehensive and urgent care to younger adults and older children. Such demonstration sites will help determine whether a home medical care model can contain escalating health care costs. The program is funded entirely from self-savings.

To learn more about IAH and Doctors Making Housecalls, contact Alan Kronhaus, MD, NCMS member and co-founder and CEO, at 919-246-9455 or akronhaus@doctorsmakinghousecalls.com.

As a Physician Lending Specialist with SunTrust Mortgage, Paul Godbold helps physicians achieve their homeownership goals with the Doctor Loan Program, a unique program offering up to 100 percent financing and no mortgage insurance requirements. NCMS members may be eligible for relationship discounts and competitive pricing via this new member benefit program.

As a full-service lender, SunTrust Mortgage provides financing solutions for every stage of homeownership. Whether you are considering building or renovating a home, purchasing a second home or investment property, or refinancing your existing mortgage, Paul will work with you to understand your needs and help you identify the best mortgage to meet your individual goals.

Click here for more information about the SunTrust Mortgage Doctor Loan Program or contact Paul Godbold, Physician Lending Specialist, at 704.362.5461 or paul.godbold@suntrust.com.

The Nominating and Leadership Development Committee is seeking nominations from physician members for NCMS leadership positions that will become vacant in 2012. The deadline for receiving all nominations is July 1. If you are interested in serving in the following positions, please submit a nomination form to John R. Mangum, MD, Chair of the Nominating and Leadership Development Committee, NCMS, PO Box 27167, Raleigh, NC 27611-7167.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS:

▪ Officers

President-Elect (1-year term)

▪ Region and At-Large Members (3-year term)

Region 1 Representative (1)

At-Large Member (1)

OTHER POSITIONS:

▪ AMA Delegates (3) (2-year term)

▪ AMA Alternate Delegates (2) (2-year term)

The NCMS Board of Directors is seeking nominations for the following positions. If you are interested in serving in these positions, please submit a nomination form and resume to Robert W. Monteiro, MD, President, NCMS, PO Box 27167, Raleigh, NC 27611-7167.

NORTH CAROLINA MEDICAL CARE COMMISSION (1)(4-year term)

NOMINATING AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE (5) (2-year term) 
     - Region 1 (2)
     - Region 2 (1)
     - Region 3 (1)
     - Region 4 (1)

 Region 1: Beaufort, Bertie, Brunswick, Camden, Carteret, Chowan, Columbus, Craven, Currituck, Dare, Duplin, Edgecombe, Gates, Greene, Halifax, Hertford, Hyde, Jones, Lenoir, Martin, Nash, New Hanover, Northampton, Onslow, Pamlico, Pasquotank, Pender, Perquimans, Pitt, Tyrrell, Washington, Wayne, Wilson

Region 2: Alamance, Caswell, Chatham, Davidson, Davie, Durham, Forsyth, Franklin, Granville, Guilford, Johnston, Lee, Montgomery, Orange, Person, Randolph, Rockingham, Stokes, Vance, Wake, Warren

Region 3: Anson, Bladen, Cabarrus, Cleveland, Cumberland, Gaston, Harnett, Hoke, Lincoln, Mecklenburg, Moore, Richmond, Robeson, Sampson Scotland, Stanly, Union                                                                         

Region 4: Alleghany, Alexander, Ashe, Avery, Burke, Buncombe, Caldwell, Catawba, Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Iredell, Jackson, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rowan, Rutherford, Surry, Swain, Transylvania, Watauga, Wilkes, Yadkin, Yancey

For a nomination form for any of the above positions, please contact Linda Carter, Executive Assistant to EVP, CEO, at 800-722-1350 or by email at lcarter@ncmedsoc.org.

 Legislation to avoid mandatory cuts awaits budget panel, 5-1-12, Modern Healthcare
Writer Jessica Zigmond reports that the House Budget Committee will consider legislation that includes healthcare spending reductions and the repeal of some provisions of the reform law as part of a package to avoid across-the-board cuts to federal programs set to begin next year.

Finance Committee to seek provider input on fraud prevention, 5-1-12, Modern Healthcare
Writer Joe Carlson reports that the Senate Finance Committee planned to issue an open letter to US healthcare providers earlier this week to broadly solicit advice on the best ways to prevent waste, fraud and abuse in federal healthcare program.

Health centers for poor, uninsured see ranks swell, 5-1-12, Reuters
Reporter David Morgan writes that community health centers that cater to the poor and uninsured saw their patients’ ranks swell by nearly 18 percent from 2008 to 2011 as job losses left more Americans without health insurance.

Cognitive Medical Systems to implement wireless decision support platform for Perinatal Quality Collaborate of North Carolina, 5-1-12, Healthcare IT News
Cognitive Medical Systems reported that they will implement a wireless clinical decision support platform for the Perinatal Quality Collaborate of North Carolina (PQCNC), which will help improve the care of mothers and infants admitted to labor and delivery.

Study questions quality of medical evidence found in clinical trials, 5-3-12, CBS News
Reporter Ryan Jaslow writes about the findings of a new study that claims most major medical studies that guide doctors and lead to new treatment advice are not as sound as patients might expect.

NC’s Blue Cross fights lawsuit over pricing power, 5-2-12, Bloomberg Businessweek
Writer Emery P. Dalesio reports that Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina and the national Blue Cross licensing organization asked a federal court to reject a lawsuit claiming the company’s network of insurance plans across the country are limiting competition.

Poll: More in NC oppose health care law than support it, 5-2-12, Times-News
Reporter Mike Wilder reports findings from an Elon University poll that showed North Carolina residents are more likely to oppose than support national health care reform.

Stop suing patients, NAACP tells Carolinas HealthCare System, 5-1-12, The News and Observer
Reporter Ames Alexander writes that the NAACP and other groups representing low-income and working families called on Carolinas HealthCare System to stop suing patients who can’t afford to pay their hospital bills.

Houston hospitals, doctors infected by social media, 5-4-12, The Houston Business Journal
Reporter Molly Ryan writes that many Houston physicians and hospitals are considered to be “from the frontline of social media and medicine.”

Brandon collects large donations from out of state, 5-2-12, News and Record
Blogger Doug Clark writes about donations given to House District 60 candidate Democrat Marcus Brandon by many out-of-state contributors as well as in-state contributors, which included the NCMS.

NC HIE Roadshows, held by the North Carolina Health Information Exchange (NC HIE), will provide numerous sessions across North Carolina during the month of May to teach health care professionals about how NC HIE strives to implement the access, exchange and analysis of health information to improve the quality of care to patients. Click here to view the schedule and to register.

Upcoming ICD-10 Training Sessions for Practice Administrators: Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) across the state will be holding ICD-10 training and implementation sessions for medical practices. The sessions will assist practice administrators, managers, coders, billers and clinical staff understand ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes and identify documentation and implementation issues that may impact a practice. The program costs $135 for early registration and $150 up to ten days before the event. Click here for training session schedules, session agendas and to learn more about awarded continuing education credits.

North Carolina Health Information Exchange (NC HIE) Participation Agreement webinar, hosted by the North Carolina Society of Health Care Attorneys (NCSHCA) will be held on Tuesday, May 8, 2012, 11:00 am – 12:30 pm, to discuss the efforts of NC HIE in providing secure and private exchange of health information across care settings. Health care professionals participating in NC HIE must sign this agreement so it is imperative that it is easily understood. The webinar fee is $35.00 for NCSHCA members $45.00 for non-NCSHCA members. Click here for more information and to register.

First Spine Care Conference, offered by the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) Multidisciplinary Spine Center, will be held from Friday-Saturday, May 11-12, 2012 at Kiawah Island, South Carolina. The conference will focus on diagnostic and therapeutic strategies, both operative and non-operative, for patients suffering from spinal disorders. Click here to register. Questions can be directed to Pamela Benjamin, MUSC CME Program Coordinator, at 843-876-1925 or benjamin@musc.edu.

NC Hospice Free Pain Assessment Workshop, hosted by the Association for Home and Hospice of North Carolina and the Hospice and Home Care Foundation of North Carolina, will be on Wednesday, June 13, 2012, 12:30 pm – 3:30 pm at the Hospice of Wake County, Raleigh, NC. The workshop will focus on pain management and assessment in patients with dementia. Click here to register.

“What’s Up, Doc, with the Future of Healthcare Law?”, a CME program hosted by the North Carolina Bar Association (NCBA), the North Carolina Society of Healthcare Attorneys, and Duke University, will be held on Friday, June 15, 2012, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm, at the Duke University – North Pavilion. The program allows physicians and lawyers to discuss healthcare reform, malpractice reform and other current healthcare issues. Participants can receive up to 7.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Click here to register.

2012 Sports Medicine Symposium, an event sponsored by the North Carolina Academy of Family Physicians, the Southern Regional Area Health Education Center (SR-AHEC) and the NCMS Sports Medicine Committee, will be held Saturday-Sunday, July 7-8, 2012, at Kingston Plantation Embassy Suites Hotel, Myrtle Beach, SC. Attendees can receive up to eight AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Click here for more information and to register.

North Carolina Dermatology Association (NCDA) 2012 Summer Meeting, sponsored by the Wake Area Health Education Center (Wake AHEC), will be held Friday-Sunday, July 13-14, 2012 at the Homestead Resort, Hot Springs, VA. Attendees can receive up to 10.75 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Click here for discussion topics; meeting schedule and fees; accommodations information and to register. Contact Nancy Lowe, NCMS Associate Director, Specialty Society and Meeting Services, at 800-722-1350 or nlowe@ncmedsoc.org for more information.

‘Alcohol Misuse and Abuse Affects Us All’ Patient Resources: ACTnowNC has launched an initiative to build awareness and communication about alcohol issues. Visit http://www.actnownc.org/ or contact Tayna Roberts, MSW, ICPS, NC ABC Commission Contractor, at 252-665-3424 or taynaroberts@gmail.com for these alcohol education resources.

Earlier this year the North Carolina Senate’s Judiciary I Committee appointed a subcommittee to discuss potential changes to the state’s laws regarding pharmaceutical manufacturer liability. Senator Thom Goolsby (R – New Hanover) chaired three meetings of this subcommittee, with the final meeting taking place earlier this week.

As in past meetings, members of the subcommittee heard testimony from stakeholders on both sides of the debate this week:

• Roland Larino, Finance Director, GlaxoSmithKlein
• Kim Wilson, Lewis & Roberts
• Mary Bethel, AARP Associate State Director for Advocacy
• Paul Schmidt, Covington & Burling, LLP
• Eddie Kirby, Civil Chief, NCDOJ Medicaid Investigations Unit
• Doug Kenyon, Hunton & Williams
• Kevin Anderson, Chief, NCDOJ Consumer Protection Division
• Burton Craig, Legal Affairs Counsel, NC Advocates for Justice

No action was taken by the subcommittee at this meeting. You can find all of the past agendas and handouts from the subcommittee’s proceedings by visiting the NCGA website here.

Join the NCMS Foundation and Abbott Laboratories for a free webinar teleconference regarding the National Committee for Quality Assurance’s (NCQA) Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH) 2011. Part one of the webinar will be offered Wednesday, May 2, 2012 and part two will be held on Wednesday, May 16, 2012. Both parts will be at 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm. The teleconference will assist practices in becoming familiar with PCMH 2011 standards and guidelines.

DAH Solutions LLC CEO Donna Hedrick, RN, BSN, CDE, will provide a hands-on review of the processes surrounding PCMH 2011 and will address issues practices are having with PCMH 2011 implementation. Click here to register. Registration is required once for both webinars.

On April 25, 2012, NCMS president Robert Monteiro, MD, and senior NCMS staff met with Melanie Combs-Dyer, Deputy Director, Provider Compliance Group at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to discuss programs aimed at reducing improper payments in the Medicare program. While there are five categories of contractors, each fulfilling different roles in improper payment mitigation for CMS, the majority of this meeting focused on the Recovery Audit Program (RAC) and Zone Program Integrity Contractors (ZPIC). Information about all of these programs can be reviewed here.

The NCMS identified several areas for potential improvement, but emphasized: 1) the need for on-site visits by the contractor performing the audit, 2) the need for an identified contact person who can provide accurate information to the practice regarding the status of an audit, and 3) the general poor quality of communication between the claims processor and audit contractors.

The meeting, which was requested by Ms. Combs-Dyer, represented an unusual opportunity to communicate directly with a senior program administrator from CMS. The NCMS appreciates the opportunity to engage in productive discussions about programs that have a significant impact on physicians in North Carolina.

The North Carolina Society of Health Care Attorneys (NCSHCA) will be holding the North Carolina Health Information Exchange (NC HIE) Participation Agreement webinar Tuesday, May 8, 2012, 11:00 am – 12:30 pm, to discuss the efforts of NC HIE in providing secure and private exchange of health information across care settings. Heath care professionals participating in NC HIE must sign this agreement so it is imperative that it is easily understood. The webinar fee is $35.00 for NCSHCA members and $45.00 for non-members.

Webinar speakers include Jeffrey D. Miller, NC HIE CEO, Linda Attarian, NC HIE Policy Director, Frederick Zufelt, JD, of Smith, Anderson, Blount, Dorsett, Mitchell & Jernigan, LLP and Patricia Markus, JD, of Smith Moore Leatherwood. The webinar will focus on the goals and strategies of NC HIE and provide an overview and insight into the HIE Participation Agreement, which governs the use of the HIE network.

Click here to register.

The North Carolina General Assembly (NCGA) convened earlier this week in a skeletal session in which no votes were taken and floor sessions adjourned within minutes. The mini-session had been scheduled in order to address potential action on redistricting, however such work became unnecessary.

The regularly scheduled short session of the General Assembly will begin on May 16 and focus primarily on budget-adjustments. In the meantime, appropriations subcommittees have continued to meet in order to identify areas of concern and possible solutions to impending shortfalls – including those within the Medicaid budget.

Your legislative team is already hard at work to prepare for a very short session with goals to protect Medicaid reimbursement and services, defend hard-won medical liability reforms, protect against half a dozen scope of practice threats and address needed legislation regarding insurance regulation.

With so much to discuss in such a short period of time, it is important for our members to build relationships with legislators and play an active role in advocating for your profession. Watch upcoming issues of the Bulletin and for information on the NCMS website regarding the latest developments on the many issues facing the medical community this year.

The Medical Board Review Panel is seeking candidates to fill Board seats, which will become available in November 2012. Candidates are needed for two physician Board positions and one Board seat for a physician assistant (PA) or nurse practitioner (NP). The incumbents are not eligible to apply for another term.

“The NCMB has a vitally important job of regulating the practice of medicine. I encourage NCMS members to consider serving their profession by taking a leadership role with the Medical Board,” said NCMS President Robert Monteiro, MD.

Candidates must have an active North Carolina medical license or, if applying for the PA/NP seat, an active physician assistant or nurse practitioner license. Candidates must be practicing at least part-time and have no history of public discipline for the past 10 years. Candidates should be aware that serving on the NCMB requires a significant commitment of time and those who are interested should possess both the ability and willingness to dedicate this level of service to the people of North Carolina, as well as the medical profession.

The process, established by North Carolina General Statutes  90-2 and 90-3, requires anyone interested to apply through the Review Panel, which screens applicants, conducts interviews, and makes recommendations to the Governor, who then makes appointments to the Medical Board. The application is available at: http://www.ncmedboardreviewpanel.com/ and is due by July 2, 2012. The Review Panel will interview all qualified applicants in Raleigh on August 25, 2012.

For more information, contact David Feild, the administrator for the Review Panel, at 919-414-4259.