Some specialists will see extra cuts in Medicare pay :: Nov. 16, 2009 Specialties involving heavy use of MRI and CT imaging will see particularly large reductions, prompting worry that some practices will close. http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2009/11/16/gvl21116.htm- 34.3KB

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Disruptive behavior by doctors, nurses persists a year after crackdown :: Nov. 16 ... A survey of physician and nurse executives raises questions on how to implement zero-tolerance policies required by the Joint Commission. http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2009/11/16/prl11116.htm- 35.6KB

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New database for out-of-network pay set to replace disputed Ingenix system :: Nov ... The independent project claims it's fairer than the previous system, run by a UnitedHealth Group-owned company. But the effect on physician payments remains unknown. http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2009/11/09/bil21109.htm- 33.1KB

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House option for public plan wouldn't limit physician pay to Medicare rates :.. Democratic leaders also introduced a stand-alone Medicare physician pay reform measure as a companion to the health system overhaul. http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2009/11/09/gvl31109.htm- 35.4KB

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Liability reform demos must have patient safety element :: Nov. 9, 2009 It's not clear how closely projects must focus on medical errors in order to qualify for some of the $25 million in federal grants. http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2009/11/09/gvsa1109.htm- 33.4KB

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AMA's flu site 1st to link to care after rating symptoms :: Nov. 2, 2009 After patients answer questions online, they can request results be forwarded to their physicians http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2009/11/02/bisb1102.htm- 30.0KB

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AMA's 7 guiding principles for health system reform :: Nov. 2, 2009 AMA Leader Commentary - A message to all physicians about current events in medical practice http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2009/11/02/edca1102.htm- 32.0KB

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Editorial - Where to turn for H1N1 information :: Nov. 2, 2009 Physicians need to be armed with facts to calm patient fears and ensure proper treatment and vaccination. http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2009/11/02/edsa1102.htm- 29.7KB

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Failed Senate vote clouds future of SGR reform :: Nov. 2, 2009 Doctors hope the House will have more success with a Medicare pay bill and put pressure on the Senate to revisit the issue. http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2009/11/02/gvl21102.htm- 32.6KB

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Health reform bills light on medical liability reform :: Nov. 2, 2009 A recent Congressional Budget Office report citing potential savings and revenues from tort reform could breathe new life into the debate. http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2009/11/02/gvsb1102.htm- 33.7KB

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Senate rejects plan to repeal Medicare physician pay formula :: Oct. 26, 2009 Legislation to scuttle the SGR methodology and freeze rates for 10 years fell on a procedural vote. http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2009/10/26/gvl11026.htm- 35.4KB

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APlan to advertise? Be mindful of ethical, legal rules :: Oct. 19, 2009 Contract Language - A column examining the ins and outs of contract issues http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2009/10/19/bicb1019.htm- 30.8KB

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Scientific method offers view to solving liability crisis :: Oct. 19, 2009 AMA Leader Commentary - A message to all physicians about current events in medical practice http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2009/10/19/edca1019.htm- 31.6KB

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Editorial - Insurer consolidation deserves a critical look :: Oct. 19, 2009 The American Medical Association supports government efforts to re-examine health insurance merger guidelines. http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2009/10/19/edsa1019.htm- 29.2KB

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Senate panel's health reform bill OK'd with 0.5% Medicare pay hike :: Oct. 19, .. Concerns persist about the lack of a permanent pay solution and the addition of provisions that could reduce Medicare pay for physicians after 2010. http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2009/10/19/gvl11019.htm- 33.5KB

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Certificate-of-merit law struck down by Washington Supreme Court :: Oct. 12, 2009 ... The high court, in a separate ruling, declined to allow trial lawyers to include consumer protection act claims in medical liability cases. http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2009/10/12/prsb1012.htm- 33.6KB

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AMA's private sector advocacy efforts yield results :: Oct. 5, 2009 .. American ... AMA Leader Commentary - A message to all physicians about current events in medical practice http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2009/10/05/edca1005.htm- 31.9KB

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Merger guideline review could affect insurer consolidation :: Oct. 5, 2009 .. ... The AMA applauds an announcement that the FTC and Justice Dept. will explore updates to the 17-year-old guidelines on consolidations. http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2009/10/05/gvsb1005.htm- 32.5KB

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Challenges to medical liability caps go before Georgia, Maryland high courts :.. Doctors say the cases threaten to destabilize liability climates and highlight the need for tort reform to be part of federal health system reform. http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2009/09/28/prl20928.htm- 34.6KB

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New specialty approved for treating child abuse :: Sept. 28, 2009 .. American ... Meanwhile, a specialty in obesity care is being developed by 12 medical associations. http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2009/09/28/prsb0928.htm- 29.9KB

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Two nations, one debate over how to achieve reform :: Sept. 21, 2009 .. American ... AMA Leader Commentary - A message to all physicians about current events in medical practice http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2009/09/21/edca0921.htm- 32.7KB

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Ending unequal treatment :: Editorial Sept. 21, 2009 .. American Medical News The Commission to End Health Care Disparities is uniting physicians and others to eliminate racial and ethnic disparities. http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2009/09/21/edsa0921.htm- 29.6KB

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Doctors, nurses, seniors target reform myths :: Sept. 21, 2009 .. American ... The AMA joins with AARP and the American Nurses Assn. to clarify positions on health system reform and help move the debate beyond anti-reform rhetoric. http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2009/09/21/gvsb0921.htm- 32.9KB

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States targeting Medicaid physician pay :: Sept. 14, 2009 .. American Medical ... The federal stimulus package that boosted Medicaid funding to states did not protect doctors from reductions. http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2009/09/14/gvsb0914.htm- 29.3KB

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AMA offers students, residents a head start in medicine :: Sept. 7, 2009 .. ... AMA Leader Commentary - A message to all physicians about current events in medical practice http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2009/09/07/edca0907.htm- 32.0KB

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Health plans still need to work on basic skills :: Editorial Sept. 7, 2009 .. ... The AMA report card shows the mixed progress insurers have shown in improving their services for physicians. http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2009/09/07/edsa0907.htm- 29.4KB

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AMA takes health reform message on the road :: Sept. 7, 2009 .. American Medical ... The Association makes a house call to Michigan, where physicians, as well as their patients, have been hit hard by the economic decline. http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2009/09/07/gvl20907.htm- 33.1KB

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N.J. liability trial swamped with errors :: Sept. 7, 2009 .. American Medical .. In the Courts - A column analyzing the impact of recent court decisions on physicians http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2009/09/07/prca0907.htm- 35.2KB

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Organized medicine aims to strengthen liability provisions in reform bill :: Aug. ... An approved amendment would encourage states to explore certain liability alternatives, but lawmakers rebuffed attempts at damage caps and other physician-backed proposals. http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2009/08/31/gvsc0831.htm- 34.0KB

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When patients lose jobs, physicians feel impact :: Aug. 24, 2009 .. American ... Ohio doctors report that visits are down as laid-off patients are dropped from insurance plans and have trouble paying bills. http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2009/08/24/bisc0824.htm- 28.2KB

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End-of-life care provision stirs angst in health reform debate :: Aug. 24, 2009 ... The public outrage over reimbursement for patient counseling catches doctors by surprise but shows how delicate the discussion over advance-care planning can be. http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2009/08/24/prsa0824.htm- 35.1KB

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Patient satisfaction with PPOs driven down by administrative hassles :: Aug. 17, ... A Consumer Reports survey revealed that 62% of PPO members called their insurer with billing complaints while only 27% of HMO members did. http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2009/08/17/bisa0817.htm- 29.2KB

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Physicians stop states from raiding liability funds :: Aug. 17, 2009 .. American ... New Hampshire and Pennsylvania are the latest state governments to attempt to divert the money to other purposes. http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2009/08/17/gvsa0817.htm- 33.3KB

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Louisiana cuts physicians' Medicaid payments :: Aug. 17, 2009 .. American Medical ... Citing 'cataclysmic' reductions in federal matching money, the state will reduce doctor pay by about $19 million in fiscal 2010. http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2009/08/17/gvsb0817.htm- 31.9KB

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'Making the sausage' that will reform broken system :: Aug. 10, 2009 .. American ... AMA Leader Commentary - A message to all physicians about current events in medical practice http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2009/08/10/edca0810.htm- 34.1KB

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Health reform bill awaiting House return retools public plan to encourage doctor .. Physicians who choose to accept patients enrolled in the public plan option would not be tied to Medicare rates. http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2009/08/10/gvl10810.htm- 34.2KB

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Wis. high court maintains limits on awards to third parties :: Aug. 10, 2009 .. ... Justices say $200,000 awarded to a father for emotional distress after his son's death is not allowed under state's medical liability laws. http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2009/08/10/prsd0810.htm- 31.9KB

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Indiana medical association files complaint against WellPoint over payment ... The health plan says glitches caused by a new computer system have been resolved, but doctors say problems persist. http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2009/08/03/bisb0803.htm- 31.5KB

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AMA report: Payers more accurate, transparent, but problems continue :: Aug. 3, ... The Association's insurer report card also says increased use of electronic claims-processing will help keep costs down. http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2009/08/03/bisc0803.htm- 30.8KB

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AMA backs House health system reform bill that includes Medicare pay overhaul :.. President Obama and others call the support crucial and historic, but some medical societies are rejecting the legislation. http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2009/07/27/gvl10727.htm- 35.5KB

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Reform needs a more rational insurance purchasing system :: July 20, 2009 .. ... AMA Leader Commentary - A message to all physicians about current events in medical practice http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2009/07/20/edca0720.htm- 31.1KB

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Building solid medical homes :: Editorial July 20, 2009 .. American Medical News In this emerging model of health care, the AMA has focused on outlining the essential elements of providing the best care and the fairest funding. http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2009/07/20/edsa0720.htm- 29.8KB

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Former AMA trustee Dr. Benjamin nominated to be surgeon general :: July 20, 2009 ... Obama also picks former Human Genome Project chief Dr. Collins to be NIH director. http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2009/07/20/gvl10720.htm- 34.8KB

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Ohio court blocks sweeping records disclosure :: July 20, 2009 .. American ... Citing privacy concerns, organized medicine helped defeat a request for hundreds of Planned Parenthood records of patients not involved in the case in question. http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2009/07/20/gvsa0720.htm- 33.0KB

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Senate report criticizes plans' use of Ingenix database :: July 13, 2009 .. ... The findings are similar to what New York's attorney general found in his investigation, which resulted in insurers promising to create a new system. http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2009/07/13/bisb0713.htm- 29.3KB

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Part B drug proposal would curtail Medicare pay cuts after 2010 :: July 13, 2009 ... The CMS plan would stop more than $45 billion worth of future rate reductions. Other revisions would boost pay for primary care physicians. http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2009/07/13/gvl10713.htm- 36.7KB

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N.H. doctors sue to stop state raid on medical liability fund :: July 13, 2009 ... Physicians say the move is illegal and threatens access to care. State officials defend their plan to use the funds for other health care programs. http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2009/07/13/gvsb0713.htm- 32.8KB

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Physician-patient privilege waived in fraud probe :: July 6, 2009 .. American ... Physicians worry the Ohio Supreme Court ruling could open patient records in other types of cases and create additional risk for doctors. http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2009/07/06/prsa0706.htm- 31.7KB

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Final health plan reaches settlement over Ingenix database :: June 29, 2009 .. ... Health Net agrees to use, and help pay for, a new database. http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2009/06/29/bisc0629.htm- 27.7KB

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AMA connects with doctors at each stage of their careers :: June 29, 2009 .. ... AMA Leader Commentary - A message to all physicians about current events in medical practice http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2009/06/29/edca0629.htm- 30.4KB