TABLE OF CONTENTS

Dec. 28, 2009

American Medical News  Print edition cover date Jan 4, 2010, vol. 53 no. 0.

Top stories - Government - Profession - Opinion - Business - 2009 index

Top stories

Medicare physician pay cut delayed until March
As Congress passed a temporary pay patch, it also approved increased 2010 funding for the NIH and other federal health agencies.

H1N1 exemplifies nation's struggle with public health emergencies
A pattern of underfunding is cited as a key factor in why state and federal health departments are largely unprepared for crisis response.

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Government & Medicine

Medicare pay-for-reporting targeted for improvement
The AMA is working with CMS to boost PQRI education. Practices want more timely feedback reports and an option to appeal.

Florida doctors challenge low Medicaid pay
Access issues caused by insufficient rates deprive children of timely care and screenings, they say. Similar lawsuits have prompted changes in other states.

News briefs:

• Six more states awarded EMR money
• California uninsured population higher

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Professional Issues

California gets tougher on substance-abusing physicians
Doctors on probation will be tested twice a week, and license changes will be made public. Physicians say this will discourage doctors from seeking help.

Patient safety improving slightly, 10 years after IOM report on errors
A new report does find "unmistakable progress," despite setbacks. Critics say mandatory disclosure of medical errors is the key to breakthrough safety improvement.

News briefs:

• GSK reveals physician payments
• California county will repay loans for pediatric subspecialists
• Teens using less meth, but more pot

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Opinion

What editorial writers are saying about H1N1 vaccine and emergency preparedness
The slower-than-expected manufacture and distribution of H1N1 vaccine has put a spotlight on how ready America is to respond to any emergency.

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Business

Chinese delegation looks at U.S.-style health IT
The visit to various medical facilities was part of China's effort to collect information on how to improve its new universal health care system.

Practices can speed collections by preauthorizing credit cards
Although few physicians have signed up, companies offering the service hope new computer security and ease of billing will reverse that.

Facebook games lure players to campaign against public option
Promises of game rewards were linked to a coalition of health insurers. But the organization denies any involvement in the health reform lobbying effort.

Technically Speaking: How to use social networking in your job hunt
View in PDF  

News briefs:

• Deal between United, Health Net finalized
• Coventry Health Care subsidiaries agree to reprocess emergency claims

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