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February 11, 2011
MAFP E-BULLETIN,
February 2011, VOL.5, NO.2
In this issue:
New Health Coverage
Option for the Uninsured - The Pre-Existing Condition Plan
Sign Up to Learn How
to Be a Health Care Activist!
Members of Atlantic
Health Partners Receive the Lowest Vaccine Prices!
Environmental Scan and News You Can Use
New
Health Coverage Option for the Uninsured - The Pre-Existing
Condition Plan
Are you providing care to uninsured patients who have a
pre-existing condition and can’t find health coverage? If so, a
new federal program – the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan
– can change or save the lives of your patients who’ve been
locked out of the health coverage market because of a medical
condition. This program does not base eligibility on income and
enrollees receive comprehensive health coverage at the same
price that healthy people pay.
To qualify for the program, applicants must be a citizen of the
United States or residing here legally, have been uninsured for
at least 6 months and have a pre-existing condition or have been
denied coverage because of a medical condition.
The Plan covers physician and hospital services and prescription
drugs. All insurance benefits are available to enrollees – even
to treat a pre-existing condition. Premiums vary by state and
annual out-of-pocket expenses for enrollees are capped.
Each state may use different methods to determine whether a
person applying for the Plan has a pre-existing condition or
whether he or she has been denied health coverage. As such,
people need to check on how to establish eligibility in their
state. For more information about the Pre-Existing Condition
Insurance Plan and how to apply, visit
www.PCIP.gov or, between the hours of 8am and 11pm EST, call
866-717-5826 (TTY: 866-561-1604). We hope you will tell your
patients and colleagues about this important new health coverage
option.
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Sign Up to Learn How to Be a Health Care
Activist!
THave you wondered how you as a physician or a medical student
could help bring change to health care locally or across the
nation? Would you like to work with decision makers to ensure
there is greater access to quality and affordable health care
but you’re not sure how to effectively talk to them?
On Saturday, February 19th, Doctors for America will be holding
a training program in Baltimore that is aimed at helping
physicians and medical students bring about positive change on
health care. The program will not only be a fantastic
opportunity to learn and build the skills necessary to
successfully engage your colleagues, the media and
decision-makers on health care issues but it is also an
opportunity to connect with other physicians and medical
students in your area that are interested in making quality
health care accessible and affordable for all Americans.
You will learn how to:
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Get
other physicians and medical students involved.
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Communicate a pro-health care reform message in the media.
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Effectively engage local decision-makers.
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Plan
local organizing strategies to increase access to care on a
local, state and national level.
Date: Saturday, February 19, 2011
Time: 9am-5pm
Location: John Hopkins University School of Medicine
Armstrong Medical Education Center, Rm. 270
1600 McElderry St, Baltimore, MD 21202
Application for CME credit has been filed with the American
Academy of Family Physicians. Determination of credit is
pending. Click on link below to register.
As physicians and medical students, we are the best advocates
for making our health care system work for all Americans.
Join us on February 19th so we can work together with the
skills necessary to create change.
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Members of Atlantic Health
Partners Receive the Lowest Vaccine Prices!
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As you know, the MAFP has a
strong partner in helping our members lower their
vaccine costs.
Atlantic Health Partners helps thousands of
physicians save money and advocates on your |
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behalf
with payers and manufacturers. MAFP members who join Atlantic
and pre-book their Flu with Atlantic’s contract partners by
March 31st will receive the lowest contract prices and the
maximum manufacturer discounts.
Atlantic can save you money on pediatric, adolescent, adult and
flu vaccines. Many of our members currently participate with
Atlantic, and they report strong satisfaction, most notably for
the savings, ability to make smaller purchases and customer
support.
Additional benefits offered by Atlantic:
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Medical supply discount program
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Office
and business supply discounts
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Discounted patient recall program
Jeff
Winokur and Cindy Berenson are the primary contact persons at
Atlantic. We encourage you to contact them at 800-741-2044 or at
info@atlantichealthpartners.com for more information and
details about how your practice can benefit from participation.
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Environmental Scan and News
You Can Use
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Help to improve medical
decision-making! Researchers from the Psychology department
at Princeton University are eagerly seeking family
physicians to participate in a quick 5-10 minute online
survey about the use of computerized decision aids.
Participating in research is a great way to build the
medical knowledge database and to help improve care! Click
the link below and complete the anonymous survey to be
entered to win one of five $100 gift cards to Amazon.com.
For questions, send an email to
hcalev@princeton.edu.
https://princetonsurvey.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_2fxrbfUAaUNpUSo
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PCPCC Stakeholders' Working
Meeting March 30: The Patient Centered Primary Care
Collaborative (PCPCC) is a coalition of major employers,
consumer groups, patient quality organizations, health
plans, labor unions, hospitals, clinicians and many others
who have joined together to develop and advance the patient
centered medical home (PCMH). The PCPCC stakeholders'
Working meeting will be held in Washington, DC on Wednesday,
March 30. Registration and lodging information may be found
on the
PCPCC website.
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EHR Incentives: The Medicare and
Medicaid Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Programs
will provide incentive payments to eligible professionals,
hospitals and critical access hospitals as they adopt,
implement, upgrade or demonstrate meaningful use of
certified EHR technology. Registration for the Medicare and
Medicaid EHR Incentive Program is now open. Participate
early to get the maximum incentive payments. For
registration and more information, visit CMS website.
http://www.cms.gov/EHRIncentivePrograms/
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CA-AFP HIT Toolkit: The
California Academy of Family Physicians (CA-AFP) has
developed a free and publicly available online HIT Toolkit
which includes a Qualification and Assessment Wizard to help
physicians determine for which incentive program to
register, a guide to working with the Regional Extension
Center program (CRISP in Maryland), tips on vendor selection
and contracting, a practice readiness assessment tool,
advice from physician champions who have implemented an EHR,
etc. Access to the toolkit:
http://www.familydocs.org/pcmh/health-information-technology.php
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MAFP 2011 Annual CME Assembly
and Trade Show, "Conversations and Controversies in Primary
Care:" Materials are now posted at
www.mdafp.org – brochure with schedule and registration
options, faculty listing, etc. Sign up now and be on the
lookout for more details coming up!
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MAFP or MAFP Foundation
5710 Executive Drive, Suite 104
Baltimore, MD 21228
Phone:
(410) 747-1980 - Fax: (410) 744-6059
E-Mail:
info@mdafp.org
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