Government Affairs: CHIP Reauthorized, Reformed
Last week, Gov. Tom Corbett signed legislation that reauthorizes Pennsylvania’s Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) through Dec. 31, 2015 and eliminates the program’s six-month waiting period for some uninsured children. Nine insurance company contractors across the state provide benefit packages through CHIP. The 2013-14 state budget included $8.5 million for enrollment and outreach efforts for CHIP, with a goal of insuring an additional 9,000 children in the program.

Practice Advocacy: New ICD-10 1500 Claim Form Announced
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced a new ICD-10 1500 form that will be in use for Medicare beginning Jan. 6, 2014.

Call your EMR vendor or practice management vendor and assemble a plan to transition your claims to this new form before the beginning of the year. Medicare advises that reserves be in place for practices to maintain finances in the midst of all the coming ICD-10 changes.  To receive copies of the new ICD-10 1500 claim form, contact the Government Forms & Phone Directories webpage via the U.S. Government Bookstore or call (866) 512-1800.

Education: 2 More Weeks to Pre-Register for Erie CME
There are only two more weeks to pre-register for the Erie CME Conference, Nov. 8-10! Additional rooms have been added at the Sheraton Erie Bayfront hotel, so reserve your stay today to receive the PAFP room block discount. This conference includes over 16 hours of CME, a SAM Study Group, and plenty of opportunities to see breathtaking Erie with fellow PAFP members and colleagues! Click here for the full conference agenda and to register! If you can’t make it to Erie, register for up to live streaming 12 CME sessions as they happen in Erie!

Public Health: Close the Gap on Fall Screening, Prevention
Falls are the leading cause of injury deaths and the most common cause of disability, premature nursing home admissions, medical costs, and hospitalizations among people 65 and older. Interventions can reduce fall rates by 30 to 40 percent, but studies show that screening by family physicians is substandard. Join us from noon to 1 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 29 for the free, live online webinar “Practical Fall Risk Assessments & Interventions for Primary Care.” Register today!

Quality Improvement: Data Diamond to Collect Patient-Specific Data
The PAFP is developing the capability to collect patient-specific data and information in the Data Diamond data collection system by introducing a patient registry module. This will enhance Data Diamond’s value as an integral part of managing patient populations. It will allow the monitoring of provider and patient interactions, assuring appropriate and timely care for individuals and patient populations.

It will also include demographic and patient care data, indicators of needed patient interventions, patient care plans, and reports of patient and population management activities. A presentation is being planned for key stakeholders in December. Further details will be available soon.

Residents & Students: FMEC Heads to Phila., Resident Research, Research Day
There’s still time to register for the Family Medicine Education Consortium (FMEC) Conference in Philly Nov. 1 through 3! Students, please submit online student scholarship application. Residents may register onsite. Residents, please check out the Preparing to Succeed in Practice program, developed with your needs in mind! 

Other News:
As if next year's PAFP CME Cruise couldn't get more enticing, the PAFP has now added even more valuable CME credits! Gain up to 20 hours of CME on board Royal Caribbean's Grandeur of the Seas, sailing to the beautiful Bahamas June 20 through 27, 2014. Click here for full details. Registration closes Nov. 12!

Schedule a Tar Wars presentations to coincide with the Great American Smokeout, Nov. 21! Visit www.pafp.com/tarwars for details. And don’t forget the poster contest – you will really enjoy seeing how kids illustrate your messages!