March 2008

(03/26/2008)  --  After a six-month delay, CMS will start requiring physicians to use tamper-resistant prescription pads when prescribing for Medicaid patients beginning April 1. More

(03/24/2008)  --  If you've been considering the idea of presenting a paper or poster on research you've conducted in your practice or academic setting at this year's AAFP Scientific Assembly, but you haven't yet made the decision to forge ahead, don't delay any longer. The cutoff to submit your application, April 18, is coming up fast. More

(03/19/2008)  --  The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, or MedPAC, is considering sending Congress a number of recommendations that call for, among other things, an increase in Medicare payments for physicians who provide primary care services and implementation of a medical home pilot project to better coordinate and improve care for Medicare beneficiaries. More

(03/12/2008)  --  Physician practices across the country are beginning to limit the care they provide for Medicare patients as Medicare physician payments fail to keep pace with the cost of providing health care to seniors. That's according to a study of more than 1,000 physician practices conducted by the Medical Group Management Association, or MGMA. More

(03/10/2008)  --  Many patients, particularly older patients, have their blood cholesterol checked regularly, but some may not understand why. Because these patients might not have any unusual symptoms, they may view the tests as a waste of their time and money. To help such patients understand the value of blood cholesterol screening, the NIH has added information on the topic to NIHSeniorHealth.gov, a patient information Web site designed especially for seniors. More

(03/04/2008)  --  The diverse member organizations of the Partnership for Medicaid, including founding member AAFP, are urging Congress to block several proposed and current CMS regulations that would terminate coverage for thousands of recipients now covered by Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program, or SCHIP, by tightening eligibility requirements for the two programs. More

(03/04/2008)  --  Primary care physicians should not screen asymptomatic pregnant women at low risk for preterm delivery for bacterial vaginosis, according to guidance recently issued by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, or USPSTF. The task force also concluded that currently available evidence is insufficient to assess the balance of benefits and harms of screening for bacterial vaginosis in asymptomatic pregnant women at high risk for preterm delivery. The recommendations and supporting documents are available online. More