Table of Contents: June 22, 2009

American Medical News vol. 52 no. 16. Posted online June 15, 2009.

"The ball is in the court of the physicians. The profession has a responsibility to do a better job with this to figure out how to make these discussions less terrifying, less threatening, more practical and more caring for patients. ... When patients hear physicians talking about hospice, they think doctors are going to abandon them," says Anthony L. Back, MD, professor of oncology at the University of Washington School of Medicine.

THIS WEEK

Serving servers
David J. Ores, MD, led an effort to create a nonprofit cooperative to provide health care to New York City restaurant workers.
Professional Issues
5 answers to your recession queries
Practice management consultants answer the questions physicians are asking most often.
Business
Anti-fraud efforts pressure doctors
A federal fraud prevention and enforcement team has a more targeted approach and increased resources.
Government & Medicine

Government & Medicine

Feds' new anti-fraud effort pressures doctors
A joint Justice Dept.-HHS program cracks down on fraud and abuse, while amendments to the False Claims Act expand the law's reach.

AMA: Better care guidelines would slow health spending
Meanwhile, insurers suggest standardized transactions, and the Senate HELP Committee outlines a public health insurance plan that would pay doctors more than Medicare does.

Some in Congress want to boost MedPAC's power over pay
A Senate bill would place MedPAC in the executive branch, giving the panel independent authority over Medicare payment policy for physicians.

Interactive: How federal stimulus money will impact states' Medicaid spending

Government news briefs:

Physicians worry health reform will increase their costs
Bill to end generic drug delays clears House subcommittee
Florida tobacco tax increase to benefit state Medicaid program
Nebraska governor approves abortion-related measure

Professional Issues

Doctors, lung cancer patients skirt hospice talk
These time-consuming conversations are emotionally difficult for everyone involved, experts say.

Serving the servers: Health care co-op for restaurant workers
A New York general physician treats the workers, many of whom are uninsured or underinsured. View in PDF

Geriatric Consult: Knowing when to ask seniors for the car keys

Professional Issues news briefs:

Overcrowding is still the norm in EDs, says GAO
Tort reform leads to better ranking for Illinois medical liability insurer

Opinion

AMA tool kit guides informed choices on PPO contracts
The resource aims to help doctors understand what a legitimate PPO arrangement should look like -- and to understand they can say no.

Business

5 answers to your recession questions: Tips to keep your practice solvent
The concerns aren't new, but the urgency is. Practice management consultants answer the questions physicians are asking most often. View in PDF

Technically Speaking: Prepare to meet "meaningful use" EMR requirement

Contract Language: Dissolving a practice takes more than closing the door

Business news briefs:

Medical tourism gaining appeal
Indiana hospital temporarily turns patients away after EMR outage
Antitrust waiting period for WellPoint's NextRx sale expires

Vote refines AMA stance on health reform
The AMA House of Delegates rejected attempts to rescind support of a U.S. House health reform bill and any new government-sponsored health insurance plan during the 2009 Interim Meeting.
Story - AMA House - Slideshow