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New Jersey Podiatric Medical Society January/February 2016
FOR MEMBERS ONLY
CMS Announces Submission Timeframes for 2015 Physician Quality Reporting (PQRS) Data
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) are pleased to an-
nounce the 2015 PQRS data submission timeframes:
EHR Direct or Data Submission Vendor (QRDA I or III) - 1/1/16 -
2/29/16
Qualified Clinical Data Registries (QCDRs) (QRDA III) - 1/1/16 -
2/29/16
Group Practice Reporting Option (GPRO) Web Interface - 1/18/16 -
3/15/16
Qualified Registries (Registry XML) - 1/1/16 - 3/31/16
QCDRs (QCDR) XML) - 1/1/16 - 3/31/16
Submissions ends at 8:00 p.m. eastern time on the end date listed. An Enter-
prise Identity Management (EIDM) account with the “Submitter Role” is re-
quired for the PQRS data submission methods. Please see the EIDM System
Toolkit for additional information.
NJPMS Ranks 8th Nationally
Here are the rankings as reported by
APMA as of November 2, 2015:
1. New York - 1,145 members
2. California - 1,043 members
3. Florida - 971 members
4. Pennsylvania - 791 members
5. Ohio - 669 members
6. Illinois - 652 members
7. Texas - 648 members
8. New Jersey - 633 members
9. Georgia - 298 members
10. Massachusetts - 297 members
The full listing can be reviewed on
page 52 of the APMA News - No-
vember/December 2015 issue.
APMA National and Leadership Dinner
Slated for Philadelphia
Registration is open for the APMA National Scientific Meeting which will be
held in Philadelphia July 14 – 17, 2016. Early bird registration, for $399.00,
began January 4th and continues through March 4th. Beginning March 5th, the
fee increases to $499.00. After June 1st, the fee becomes $599.00. Registra-
tion for life members is $199.00 until March 4th and increases to $299.00 af-
ter that date. Young APMA members (those in practice ten years or less) as
well as APMA residency directors will be charged $299.00 to register. Podi-
atry students and APMA resident members can attend on a complimentary
basis. All registrants signed up by April 18th qualify for a $500.00 travel ex-
pense voucher offered by APMA. Refer to the APMA website
www.apma.org/the national for specific registration details.
In regards to the NJPMS Leadership Dinner, our annual event is scheduled in
conjunction with the APMA National Scientific Meeting and will be held
Saturday evening, July 16, 2016 at the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown.
Richard Leichter, DPM of Red Bank will be installed as the 97th NJPMS
President. Jacob Reinkraut , DPM becomes NJPMS President Elect. Krupa
Patel, DPM and Gregory Rubinstein, DPM climb the ranks to NJPMS vice
president and treasurer respectively. The Society’s secretary position will
then be available. Candidates interested in filling this slot should forward
their Notice of Declaration to the NJPMS executive office after receiving the
election process guideline which was emailed February 3rd.
A formal invitation to the dinner will also be emailed in the near future.
Mark your calendar and be part of our “historic” evening in a historic Ameri-
can city.
Spring Seminar Revised Slated Now for April 6th
The NJPMS spring seminar date has
been changed from March 2nd to
April 6th. This revision was neces-
sary due to schedule conflicts with
speakers.
Detailed registration information
will be emailed shortly. The full-
day seminar will be held at The Bat-
tleground Country Club in Ma-
nalapan, NJ. Registration begins at
7:30 a.m. Breakfast, lunch, an after-
noon ice cream break and one-on-
one time with vendors are all includ-
ed in the $149.00 registration fee.
Sign up before March 25th to avoid
the $20.00 increase in the registra-
tion fee.
Mark your calendar and plan to at-
tend this informative educational
program.
A publication of the
New Jersey
Podiatric Medical Society
2 King Arthur Court
Suite C
North Brunswick, NJ 08902
Tel: (732) 967-9003
Fax:(732)-246-2162
Website:
www.njpms.com Email: [email protected]
Editor
Herman Hammerschmidt Jeffery Katz, DPM President
Richard Leichter, DPM President-Elect
Jacob Reinkraut, DPM Vice President
Krupa Patel, DPM Treasurer
Greg Rubinstein, DPM Secretary
Sharon Monter, DPM Imm. Past President
Herman Hammerschmidt
Executive Director
Lorraine Fenenic
Financial Administrator
Barbara Kreitzman
Administrative Assistant/Receptionist
Deborah Mucisko
Events Coordinator
Mission Statement
The NJPMS is a professional medical
society founded in 1905, whose pur-
pose is to advance the profession of
Podiatric Medicine in the state of New
Jersey; to advance and promote the art
and science of Podiatry; to elevate and
maintain professional standards; to
safeguard the integrity of its member-
ship; to establish mutual relationships
and understanding between the
podiatric and other medical professions;
to inform and establish a credible
relationship with the public.
The NJPMS and its official publication of
For Members Only assumes no respon-
sibility for the statements or opinions
appearing under an author’s name or
for articles reprinted from other
publications.
For Members Only The President’s Message
Jeffery Katz, DPM, President
2
It’s the beginning of a new year and I would like to wish all of
you and your families a Healthy and Happy New Year. I, like
most of you, have been accustomed to making a few resolutions
and trying to set some goals. Forgetting about all the common
ones having to do with diet and exercise, I’ve been focusing on
what changes can I bring to my practice to help me navigate through the dense
fog created by regulatory statutes, government regulations and the insurance
companies. Often times as I laughingly look and shake my head at some of
the requirements the medical profession is saddled with, I think back to the
days of “The New Math”. I can remember telling my kids that I could show
them how to get to the answer of their math question, but I had no idea of how
to do it the way they were being taught. In a similar fashion, I often question
the rationale for some of the current rules and regulations that we have to fol-
low and if any of these things were tested in the real world before being be-
stowed upon us.
Anyway let’s not dwell on the things that we can’t control. Let’s look at the
half-filled portion of that glass and what NJPMS is trying to do to help each
and every one of us stay afloat. The Society is beginning to move forward
with the podiatric assistant radiology course. We have been in contact with
TUSPM regarding setting up the online curriculum.
As of last year, all divisions of NJPMS voted in favor of joining the First Na-
tional Guild for Health Care Providers of the Lower Extremity, Guild #45
AFL-CIO. At the NYSPMA seminar in New York City on January 23rd, we
met with representatives of the AFL-CIO to discuss issues of importance to
our membership and ways that they may provide assistance in helping us to
achieve our goals. For those of you who have not sent in your Guild dues,
please do so.
In discussions with representatives from PICA, we have been informed of ef-
forts they are making in trying to lower malpractice premiums in New Jersey.
Governor Christie signed into law the bill expanding physician dispensing to
include vitamins and nutraceuticals. S2997/A4133 would permit physicians
and podiatric physicians to dispense and charge for certain nutritional supple-
ments. Current law generally restricts physicians from dispensing more than a
seven-day supply of most drugs, including nutritional supplements, and limits
administrative charges to patients to 10 percent of a drug's cost. The new law
exempts vitamins and nutraceuticals from those provisions.
It’s important, and at times difficult, to try to keep up with all of the things that
affect our ability to practice our profession. In publishing For Members Only
we attempt to include all relevant information presented and discussed at our
regular board meetings. Please make the time to review all of the articles pre-
sented in the publication.
Remember that this year there will not be a Region 3 APMA meeting in Atlan-
tic City. Instead, the meeting will be in conjunction with the APMA National
Meeting in Philadelphia July 14th-17th. Please be sure to register for the early
bird discount.
As always, any member of NJPMS is welcome to attend any of our Board of
Trustees meetings. And last but not least, for those of us who've been around
since the 70's and 80's, there is nothing new about what's been coming down
from the insurance companies. It's like I said earlier it's just the "New Math".
Remember, we are the experts in the treatment of foot and ankle disorders.
3
New Jersey Hospitals Facing Medicare Funding
Cuts of Approximately $23 Million
Recently, it was announced that the federal government penalized nearly every
hospital in the state of New Jersey due to the fact that too many Medicare pa-
tients had to be readmitted within a month of their discharge. New Jersey is
the state with the highest percentage of hospitals penalized in the country. On-
ly one (1) hospital, Bergen Regional Medical Center in Paramus, received no
penalty. The Medicare funding cuts make up roughly 2.5 percent of a hospi-
tal’s Medicare payments. Medicare provides more than $3 billion in annual
funding to New Jersey’s hospitals, making it the largest source of their reve-
nue. The New Jersey Hospital Association (“NJHA”) estimates the cuts will
yield a loss of $23 million for the state. Aline Holmes, Senior Vice President
at the NJHA, estimates that two-thirds of the state’s hospitals decreased their
readmission rates this year, but others still have some work to do.
Federal Appeals Court Rules on Patient Assignment of Health Insurance Benefits
On September 11, 2015, the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Cir-
cuit ruled, in North Jersey Brain & Spine Center v. Aetna, Inc., that a patient’s
assignment of health insurance benefits, without a specific reference to a right
to file suit, sufficed to give the provider standing to bring an action under §
502(a), 29 U.S.C. § 1132(a), of the Employee Retirement Income Security
Act of 1974 (“ERISA”). This reversed a prior ruling of the United States Dis-
trict Court for the District of New Jersey that such assignment was insufficient
to confer standing on the provider under ERISA. The ruling clarifies the
standard for ERISA standing in the Third Circuit, which had previously been
ambiguous. Aetna argued that a prior Third Circuit decision, Community Med-
ical Center v. Local 464A UFCW Welfare Reimbursement Plan, recognized a
distinction between assignment of benefits and an assignment of a legal claim
to those benefits. In the North Jersey Brain case, the Third Circuit rejected
this distinction, holding that, “as a matter of federal common law, when a pa-
tient assigns payment of insurance benefits to a healthcare provider, that pro-
vider gains standing to sue for that payment under ERISA. An assignment of
the right to payment logically entails the right to sue for non-payment.
Source: StatLaw, Volume XXIII Number IX - September 15, 2015
Medicare Extends Deadline
to Appeal Two Penalties
The Centers for Medicare & Medi-
caid Services (CMS) have extended
the deadlines for physicians and
group practices facing two different
Medicare penalties in 2016 to request
an informal review if they believe the
government made a mistake. The
penalties, which whittle down reim-
bursement, are levied under Medi-
care’s Physician Quality Reporting
System, (PQRS) and the Value Based
Payment Modifier (VBM) program.
The original deadline for an informal
review of both penalties had been
November 9th. Now it is November
23rd.
In PQRS, Medicare penalizes physi-
cians for unsatisfactory reporting of
clinical quality data. The penalty in
2016, based on performance in 2014,
will lower fee-for-service payments
by 2%. Physicians, medical groups,
and accountable care organizations
can learn if they are due for a pay cut
by obtaining a PQRS feedback report
for 2014. The CMS website explains
how to obtain the report. Requests for
an informal review can only be made
online through the Quality Reporting
Communication Support Page of
CMS. CMS promises a decision,
which is final, within 90 days.
Source: PM News
November 11, 2015, #5,521
Publisher-Barry Block, DPM,JD
Podiatry Patient Information Brochure Available Online to Society Members
by Marc Haspel, DPM
Past NJPMS President and Communications Committee Chairman
A new informational brochure for podiatry patients will soon be
available for downloading on the NJPMS member-protected web-
site www.njpms.com. The publication, entitled “Today’s Podia-
trist”, was developed by the NJPMS Communications Committee
as an informative, up-to-date and cost efficient patient handout that
can easily be displayed in any podiatric office. Via the website,
NJPMS members can also personalize the back panel of the bro-
chure by adding their name, address and phone number for conven-
ient patient access. Hard copies of this publication have been avail-
able to members at NJPMS seminars and division meetings.
Uninsured Rate Drops To 9%, CDC Data Shows
The Wall Street Journal reports that
about nine (9) percent of Americans,
or 28.5 million people, were without
health coverage in the first half of
2015, according to new figures from
the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention’s National Center for
Health Statistics. The number is a
significant drop of 7.5 million people
from a year earlier, when the unin-
sured was 11.5 percent.
Source: Louise Radnofsdy
Wall Street Journal via the
Daily (11/6/15), PM News
11/10/15, #5,520, Publisher-
Barry Block, DPM, JD
Bako Integrated Physician Solutions
6240 Shiloh Road
Alpharetta, GA 30005
Telephone: 855.4Bako.CTS
Fax: 770.475.0528 www.BakoCTS.com
Mr. Thomas Sager, Account Manager, NJ
Boenning & Scattergood
4 Tower Bridge, 200 Barr Harbor Drive, Suite 300
West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2979
Mr. Brian J. McGrath, Senior Vice President
Private Client Group
Phone: 610.832.5292
Toll Free: 1.800.883.1212
Fax: 610.832.1232
Cell Phone: 215.813.8238
www.boenninginc.com
J.M. Patton Associates, Inc. — Insurance Brokers
1608 Walnut Street, Suite #902
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Mr. James Wiley - Telephone: 1.800.229.7609 x 104
www.jmpatton.com
Endorsed PICA Malpractice Program Manager
Kern Augustine Conroy & Schoppmann, P.C.
1120 Route 22 East
Bridgewater, NJ 08807
Attorney at Law Telephone: 908.704.8585
www.drlaw.com
Mr. Daniel Giaquinto, J.D. Legal Counsel to the Society
Endorsed Legal Defense Plan
The NJPMS Corporate Member Family Let us recognize and thank our corporate sponsors. They support and assist your society with their efforts. Please utilize
their services and products.
Medline Industries, Inc.
1 Medline Industries
Mundelein, IL 60060
Mr. Tim Dakil, Vice President Surgeon Preference Division
Telephone: 847.643.3927
Fax: 866.325.9159
Email: [email protected]
Advanced Wound Care, Orthopedic Soft Goods
PICA Group
3000 Meridian Blvd. #400
Franklin, TN 37067
Ms. Sunday Elam, Account Manager
Telephone: 800.251.5727; 615.371.8776 ext.2223,
Fax: 615.370.9021
Practical Billing Solutions, LLC
225 Route 35, Suite #208
Red Bank, NJ 07701
Ms. Luanne Wainwright-Erskin - CEO
Telephone: 732.383.4190
Fax: 732. 383.4171
Email: [email protected]
www.practice-alt-com.
Billing Services
Source Staffing Solutions, Inc.
2 Carnegie Road
Lawrenceville, NJ 08648
Mr. Scott Balyer, Vice President of Staffing
Telephone: 609.895.9700
Fax: 609.964.1929
Email: [email protected]
Billing, Management, Payroll & Human Resources, Staffing,
Computer Consulting and Training
The Manta Group
P.O. Box 785
Farmingdale, NJ 07727
Mr. Raymond Posa, President
Telephone:732.919.0944
Fax: 732.835.5901
Email: [email protected]
Technology Consulting Firm — EMR
The Gandelman Agency
684 Whitehead Road
Lawrenceville, NJ 08648
Telephone: 609-695-1496
Fax: 609-695-7889
Mr. Perry Gandelman, CEO
www. TheGandelmanAgency.com
Insurance: Property & Casualty, Long-Term Care, Disability
NJPMS’ 110th Year
4
CME Notice of Retention
Please note that all members must retain their original
CME documentation for a period of seven years. Addi-
tionally, you should neatly maintain your file in a safe
and easily accessible location should the State Medical
Board request to examine the original documents.
Please summarize your Category II credits by submitting
to NJPMS a total of contact hours on a quarterly basis.
These are non-verifiable and a summary total is accepta-
ble.
Do not hold your Category I and Category II credits and
submit them at the end of the licensure cycle. This over-
whelms the NJPMS administrative office and places un-
necessary burden on them. Please submit them quarterly!
You should forward only copies of those documents to
NJPMS. Please call the executive office at 732-967-9003
if you have any questions.
Our 13th year without a dues increase!
Free NJPMS Seminar Offer Any member who successfully assists NJPMS in adding a corporate member to our
society will be entitled to attend a free NJPMS seminar of their choice.
5
Are You a Life
or Senior Member?
To qualify as a senior APMA mem-
ber:
you must be in good standing
for 15 consecutive years
must be 62 years of age
or have been forced to curtail
practice due to illness
in practice no more than 20
hours per week
Thus you qualify for 50% dues.
A life member is as follows:
completely retired, 65 years of
age and a member in good
standing for 15 years
OR
a member in good standing for
25 consecutive years and retired
OR
a member in good standing for
50 years
A life member is exempt from dues
and assessments. For the current
fiscal year, all Society life members
are exempt from paying registration
fees for all NJPMS-sponsored semi-
nars.
We at NJPMS wish to again reiter-
ate these points for clarity. Mem-
bers must inform the society to be-
come eligible for these categories.
Any questions may be directed to
the executive office at 732-967-
9003. Thank you.
Life Members Offered
Free NJPMS Seminars
The NJPMS Board of Trustees, at its
meeting on January 14, 2015, voted
to permit NJPMS life members to
attend NJPMS seminars free of
charge for a one-year trial.
This decision does not include Re-
gion III or The Podiatry Institute
programs since they are not NJPMS
exclusive seminars. Life members
should still complete and submit the
seminar registration form to ensure
that adequate seating is available.
NJPMS Insurance Committee Member Notice
by Alan Warren, DPM, Insurance Committee Chairman
The Insurance Committee has been receiving an increased number of requests
for explanations of ‘why was this denied’ type issues, which lack adequate
information to enable an informative response.
To help the Insurance Committee help you, when requesting assistance re-
garding claims, please provide the following minimum generic data:
—Which insurance carrier
—Which CPT-4 and ICD-10 codes utilized
—Which explanation of benefits reason for line item denial(s)
In the event of receipt of request from the Insurance Committee for additional
information, please follow-up and submit the requested information as
promptly as possible. Without the requested additional information, the Insur-
ance Committee will be unable to provide further assistance. Please note: due
to liability issues, neither NJPMS nor the NJPMS Insurance Committee is
able to instruct as to what specific codes, or what specific charges, should be
used, only objective general guidelines. That information may be available
from your billing service and/or professional service representatives from the
insurance carrier.
Membership is advised to always have on hand copies of LCD/policy from
each insurance carrier to which they submit claims applicable to the services
they provide, to assure they are in compliance with protocols, as well as to
assist in attestation of compliance in the event of a post-payment audit. Most
carriers will provide free notification of policy changes via email to providers,
it is strongly recommended membership subscribe to all applicable email lists
to assure they are up-to-date with the carrier’s policy.
Continued on page 11
CMS’ National Fraud Prevention Program Authorizes
Unannounced Site Visits for Medicare
Part A/B Providers and Suppliers
In 2011, CMS implemented a site visit verification program using a National
Site Visit Contractor (NSVC). The site visit verification program is a screen-
ing mechanism to prevent questionable providers and suppliers from enrolling
or maintaining enrollment in the Medicare program. The NSVC will conduct
unannounced site visits for Medicare Part A/B providers and suppliers. The
site visit may be either an observational site visit or a detailed review to verify
enrollment related information and collect specific information based on pre-
defined checklists and procedures determined by CMS. During an observa-
tional visit, the inspector engages in minimal contact with the provider or sup-
plier and does not inhibit the daily activities that occur at the facility. The in-
spector may take photographs of the facility as part of the site visit. During a
detailed review, the inspector will enter the facility, speak with staff, take pho-
tographs, and collect information to confirm the provider’s or supplier’s com-
pliance with CMS standards. Inspectors performing the site visits will be CMS
subcontractors and shall possess a photo ID and a letter of authorization issued
and signed by CMS that the provider or supplier may review. We urge all
practices to contact our firm in the event of an unannounced site visit to ensure
the CMS contractors do not investigate beyond their scope or abuse their pow-
er. Source: StatLaw, Volume XXIII Number VIII-August 15, 2015
6
State Medical Board Update Physician Publicly Reprimanded for Failure to Cooperate
A physician failed to respond to three (3) successive letters from the State
Board of Medical Examiners over the course of a year that requested patient
records and a narrative response concerning allegations raised by a former
patient. The patient alleged payments made by her and her insurance company
resulted in an overpayment of $400.00 to the physician, which the doctor
failed to refund despite numerous requests from the patient, her health advo-
cate and the doctor’s own billing service. Upon reviewing the medical rec-
ords, the Board noted multiple inconsistencies and deficiencies. The Board
also found the billing records troubling, noting that the patient’s office visit
bills were increased without any explanation and an “Itemized Payments” list
only showed patient payments and not the insurance payments that were re-
ceived. Concerning the overpayment of $400.00, the physician admitted re-
ceiving the three notices from her billing company to issue a refund to the
patient but stated to the Board that she felt entitled to back-charge a higher
fee. The physician also testified that she felt entitled to keep the overpayment.
The Board reprimanded the physician for her conduct, ordered her to cease
and desist from her billing practices, required her to change her office’s elec-
tronic medical record system, ordered her to refund the $400.00 overpayment
to the patient, ordered CME courses and assessed a penalty of $2,000.00 for
the deficiencies in conduct.
Physician Suspended for Overprescribing Opioids
A family practitioner recently en-
tered into a Consent Order with the
Board after appearing before a Medi-
cal Review Practitioner Panel
(“Panel”). The Panel was convened
to review the facts and circumstances
surrounding the death of a former
patient who overdosed on opioids
prescribed by the family practitioner.
The Panel found that he provided
grossly negligent care to the patient
in prescribing excessive amounts of
opioids in the four months prior to
the patient’s death. The Panel further
found that the physician failed to
consider the combination effects of
the drugs prescribed to the patient
and failed to consider or investigate
whether the patient was abusing the
prescribed drugs. Additionally, the
Panel found that the physician failed
to make referrals to a psychiatrist,
knowing that the patient had made
several suicide attempts and was
continuously diagnosed with depres-
sion and anxiety. The physician was
also found to have repeatedly violat-
ed the Board’s regulations on record-
keeping by failing to adequately doc-
ument and monitor prescriptions
written for the patient and by failing
to document the results of examina-
tions performed on the patient.
Physician Publicly Reprimanded After Hospital Privileges Were Revoked for Sexual Harassment
A physician was recently called before the Medical Practitioner Review Panel
(“Panel”) after it received an Adverse Action Report from the physician’s em-
ployer. The physician’s privileges at the hospital were revoked following
complaints of sexual harassment. Various female staff members had alleged
that the physician made inappropriate comments with sexual innuendo,
touched them without invitation and made inappropriate comments. Although
the physician denied many of the allegations and alleged the comments at-
tributed to him were snippets of conversations being taken out of context, the
Board found sufficient evidence to reprimand the physician. The Board fur-
ther ordered the physician to immediately cease and desist from using inap-
propriate and/or sexually charged language and conduct in professional set-
tings or with professional co-workers. The physician was also required to pay
a civil penalty in the amount of $10,000.00, ordered to successfully complete
both professional boundaries and ethics courses and required to continue to
enroll and follow all recommendations from the Physician Assistance Pro-
gram (“PAP”) for no less than one (1) year.
Physician Disciplined for Selling Art Work and Herbal Supplements to Patient
A psychiatrist was recently disciplined after the Board received a complaint that the psychiatrist had engaged in improp-
er behavior by selling at least six (6) personal paintings and books of artwork, and non-therapeutic herbal supplements to
his eighty-nine (89) year-old patient. The physician appeared before the Preliminary Evaluation Committee (“PEC”)
which found that the psychiatrist did not secure the level of medical malpractice insurance coverage required by statute
and was deficient in continuing medical education (“CME”) credits for the last reporting period. The Board ordered the
psychiatrist to cease and desist from engaging in private practice in NJ until he procured the level of medical malpractice
insurance coverage required by law. The physician was further ordered to cease and desist from the preparation and sale
of natural herbal medications. The Board further ordered a full refund to the patient for all monies paid to him for his
paintings and books of artwork, which totaled $13,500.00. The physician was also assessed penalties in the amount of
$8,000.00 for misrepresenting completion of CME requirements and for failure to procure the statutorily-required level
of malpractice insurance.
Source
For All Four Articles:
State Board of
Medical Examiners Reporter
Fall 2015
Volume 4, Issue 4
7
Uninsured Rate Drops
To 9%, CDC Data Shows
The Wall Street Journal reports that
about nine (9) percent of Americans,
or 28.5 million people, were without
health coverage in the first half of
2015, according to new figures from
the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention’s National Center for
Health Statistics. The number is a
significant drop of 7.5 million people
from a year earlier, when the unin-
sured rate was 11.5 percent.
Source: Louise Radnofsky
Wall Street Journal via the
Daily (11/6/15), PM News
11/10/15, #5,520, Publisher-
Barry Block, DPM,JD
Obama Signs Law Giving Providers
MU Hardship Exemptions
President Obama recently signed into law the Patient Access and Medicare
Protection Act, which makes it easier for eligible professionals and hospitals
to apply for hardship exemptions from Meaningful Use electronic health rec-
ord requirements. In particular, the law provides EPs and EHs with relief
from financial penalties for failing to meet State 2 MU requirements this
year, ensuring that providers have “flexibility in applying the hardship excep-
tion for Meaningful Use for the 2015 EHR reporting period for 2017 payment
adjustments.”
To avoid a penalty, physicians and hospitals had to attest that they met the
requirements for MU Stage 2 for a period of 90 consecutive days during cal-
endar year 2015. However, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services
did not publish the 2015-2017 modifications rule for Stage 1 and 2 of MU
until October. As a result, by the time providers were notified of the require-
ments, fewer than the 90 required days for reporting remained in the calendar
year. The APMA will be forwarding the form when available.
Source: Greg Slabodkin, Health Data Management (12/29/15)
PM News, December 31, 2015 #5,564 Publisher-Barry Block DPM, JD
The Stimulus Act Started a
Cyber Crime Wave of Medical Data Theft
Six years after the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 opened
the floodgates to digitized medical records, so-called “protected health infor-
mation” is now the most precious commodity in pilfered consumer data—
fetching up to 10 times the price of a stolen credit card number on the “Dark
Web.” A report from International Data Corporation forecasts that 1 in 3 con-
sumers will have their health data compromised next year due to weak cyber-
security.
Starting this year, Medicare-eligible providers who aren’t “meaningful users”
of electronic medical records will begin facing penalties. Without a corre-
sponding push to compel investments in security, however, the majority of
medical providers incorporated EHR into legacy systems that lacked the tech-
nology required to protect it. This created an open pathway for thieves who
once would have faced a locked door.
Source: Christoher Moraff, The Daily Beast (12/21/15)
PM News, December 31, 2015 #5,564 Publisher-Barry Block, DPM, JD
Podiatrist is
“Hardest to Fill” Job
On December 16th, The American
Staffing Association (ASA) released
its Skills Gap Index listing the hard-
est-to-fill occupations in the United
States for the third quarter of 2015.
The top 10 positions were:
1. Podiatrists
2. Photographic process workers and
processing machine operator
3. Occupational therapists
4. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck
drivers
5. Psychiatrists
6. Forest fire inspectors and
prevention specialists
7. Internists, general
8. Physical therapists
9. Speech-language pathologists
10. Occupational therapy assistants
The ASA Skills Gap Index was es-
tablished by the American Staffing
Association, using a hiring indicator
developed by ASA corporate partner
CareerBuilder. The hiring indicator
measures the level of difficulty to fill
a specific occupation based on de-
mand, supply of active candidates,
and all individuals working in that
occupation.
Source: Advanced Healthcare
Network (12/30/15)
PM News, January 2,2016 #5,566
Publisher-Barry Block, DPM, JD
CMS Announces Submission Timeframes for 2015 Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS) Data
Continued from page one (1)
Eligible professionals who do not satisfactorily report quality measure data to
meet the 2015 PQRS requirements will be subject to a negative PQRS pay-
ment adjustment on all Medicare Part B Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) ser-
vices rendered in 2017.
For questions, please contact the QualityNet Help Desk 1-866-288-8912 or via
email at [email protected] from 7:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. central time.
Complete information about PQRS is available at http://www.cms.gov/
Medicare/Quality-Initiatives-Patient-Assessment-Instruments/PQRS/index.
html.
8
Labor Working for Podiatry
by George Nassoor, DPM
Guild Board Member, New Jersey
NJPMS Past President
Politics make strange bedfellows,” wrote Charles Dudley Warner, an American essayist and novelist, around the later
1800’s. Many of you have commented to me over the years that you have no common interests with Labor or the Labor
movement. Several times I have been told that podiatric physicians are professional physicians and have no business as-
sociating with unions or labor. Luckily, the majority of our members around New Jersey and in seven other states see the
actual truth of the matter.
The Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU), which we are members of, recently made a contri-
bution to Republican Congressman Brad Wenstrup, DPM from Ohio as well as Senator John Tester, a Democrat from
Montana, in the amount of $5,000 each. These donations came from OPEIU’s PAC account. No podiatric physician has
given any amount of money to that PAC, nor has our Guild donated any money to that PAC fund. Therefore, that
$10,000 came from Union members from other professions. These Union members donated their money to help fund the
campaign of a Republican podiatric physician because one of their associated unions (in this case, our Guild) needed to
support a Congressional member who is sponsoring a bill that will bring parity to our members who serve in the VA.
Union members understand parity; they understand equal pay as well. Charles Dudley Warner understood how politics
works; he understood that sometimes individuals or groups need to get together to support their common goals. Further-
more, he understood that sometimes those individuals or groups would not consist of people whom society would be-
lieve fit together.
Our Guild continues to work with OPEIU and the AFL-CIO to achieve our common goals. The OPEIU has been work-
ing to educate and emphasize podiatry’s value and podiatric physicians’ training and expertise. Lately, OPEIU respond-
ed to our needs during the conversion to ICD-10. This is not an issue except for physicians; nevertheless, OPEIU made
ICD-10 Pocket Guides available to every one of its podiatric members. Furthermore, our Guild has successfully used the
large scale of the AFL-CIO to achieve purchasing power for services a relatively small organization like NJPMS would
not otherwise be able to provide. The emergency roadside assistance service, identity theft protection, dental plans and
discounts for AT&T Wireless and Wells Fargo Home Mortgages are just some examples of the benefits currently availa-
ble to members through OPEIU.
Additionally, please note, I am always available to answer your questions or clarify the big picture. I am also available if
you just want to complain about how podiatric physicians shouldn’t associate with unions. We live in a union state and
also have many elected officials, both state and local, that are union members.
A list of OPEIU benefits available to NJPMS members is listed below. This information will be added to the NJPMS
website in the near future.
Please remember to forward your Guild membership dues to the executive office. These funds were forwarded on your
behalf and must be returned to the NJPMS Deep Reserve. Let us work together and move forward.
OPEIU Membership Benefits
Effective July 1, 2014, all Guild 45 members in good standing are eligible for a $7,000 life insurance benefit and a
$7,000 AD&D benefit.
Up to two (2) towing/service calls per year (valued at up to $100 each) applicable to all family members living in
the same household.
Identity theft protection through InfoArmor (valued at $150 per year).
Eligibility for the Howard Coughlin Memorial Scholarship Fund providing full-time scholarships of $6,500 ($3,250
1st year - $3,250 2nd year) and part-time scholarships of $2,650 ($1,325 1st year - $1,325 2nd year.) Selections are
made among applicants on a lottery basis.
Eligibility for the John Kelly Labor Studies Scholarship Fund providing scholarships up to $3,250 for ABMSP
members and associate members (total for all OPEIU members together is 10 scholarships.)
Eligibility for the Romeo Corbeil/Gilles Beauregard Memorial Scholarship Fund “Summer Camp” program for chil-
dren, stepchildren or a legally adopted child between the ages of 13 and 16.
9
10
2015-2016 Board of Trustees/Advisory Board
President Jeffery Katz, DPM
Vineland (856) 691-1287
President-Elect Richard Leichter, DPM
Red Bank (732) 747-2111
Vice President Jacob Reinkraut, DPM
Ridgewood (201) 445-2288
Treasurer Krupa Patel, DPM
Westfield (908) 232-3346
Secretary Greg Rubinstein, DPM
Teaneck (201) 836-7173
Immediate Past President Sharon Monter, DPM
Pt. Pleasant (732) 295-1211
President’s Advisory Board
Marshall Feldman, DPM
Rahway (732) 388-2375
Harvey Karpo, DPM
Woodbury (856) 845-3668
George Nassoor, DPM
Phillipsburg (908) 454-3770
James Ricketti, DPM
Hamilton Square (609) 587-1674
Christian Robertozzi, DPM
Newton (973) 579-1300
Sharon Root, DPM
Succasunna (973) 252-8787
Division Chairpersons
Northern Division (Co-chair) Diane Guadara, DPM
Hackensack (201) 488-8599
Northern Division (Co-chair) Franklin Levinson, DPM
North Bergen (201) 868-2400
Southern Division Harvey Karpo, DPM
Woodbury (856) 845-3668
Western Division Alan Warren, DPM
Parsippany (973) 334-5928
Atlantic Division Emma Bryan, DPM
Smithville (609) 404-3200
Capital Division David Dondero, DPM
Lambertville (609) 397-0631
Central Division Elliott Lehrer, DPM
Monroe Twp. (609) 655-2222
Eastern Division Monica Spencer, DPM
Westfield, NJ (908) 232-3346
February 10, 2016 Executive Meeting
March 16, 2016 Executive and
Board of Trustees
March 18 - 21, 2016 APMA House
of Delegates
April 13, 2016 Executive and
Board of Trustees
May 18, 2016 Executive Meeting
June 1, 2016 Golf Tournament
June 15, 2016 Executive and
Board of Trustees
July 14 - 17, 2016 APMA National
Scientific Seminar,
Philadelphia, PA
August 17, 2016 NJPMS Leadership
Meeting
September 21, 2016 Executive and
Board of Trustees
October 19, 2016 Executive Meeting
November 16, 2016 Executive and
Board of Trustees
2016 Board Schedule
NJPMS’
110th Year
Save the Date!
APMA National Meeting
July 14 - 17, 2016
Philadelphia, PA
NJPMS Insurance
Committee Insurance Notice
Continued from page seven
Effective January 12, 2016, Mi-
crosoft discontinued support for
‘older’ versions of Internet Explorer,
specifically versions earlier than IE
11 are no longer supported. The im-
pact of this is use of an obsolete, un-
supported browser will likely result
in inability to access secure websites,
such as NaviNet. It is strongly rec-
ommended that members utilize cur-
rent, updated definitions for both
your internet browser and antivirus
programs when you go online.
11
Dates to Remember
State
NJPMS Professional Marketplace
Northern NJ…. Morris County. 31-
year-old established, respected office with four DPMs. Large referral base from PCPs, Vascular, Peds and Orthopedists. A well-rounded hospital-and-surgical center based podiatry practice encompassing all aspects of foot and ankle care. Large number of new patients weekly, solid surgical schedule. Large modern office with digital x-rays and EMR. Involved with residency program. Looking for a personable individual with strong ethics and high motivation. Seeking serious associates only leading to partnership. Must have PMSR/RRA or equivalent train-
ing. Very competitive compensation pack-age. Starting July 2015. Please email CV and reference to [email protected] (1/16)
Podiatry Office Equipment …. Practice recently closed in North Jersey. Some Equipment is still available: electri-cator, Kidde tourniquet, oxygen tank, x-ray view boxes, instruments, lead apron, some walking boots and a few surgical shoes. Photos available. If you are local feel free to email Dr. Sharit for an ap-pointment at [email protected]. (1/16)
Office for Sale….Twenty-year-old part-
time office in Hudson County. Great location, great opportunity to expand. Currently working one and a half days a week. Excellent patient load and reasonably priced. Please send inquiry to NJPMS, 2 King Arthur Court, Suite C, PO Box 1005, North Brunswick, NJ 08902. (1/16)
For Sale….Pad Net vascular testing
machine. The unit is three years old and in brand new condition. Priced to sell! Send an email to: [email protected]. (1/16)
Practice/Position Wanted…. ABPS Board Certified podiatrist with over
20 years experience in foot & ankle sur-gery looking for either a buy-in situation to be a partner or to purchase a busy practice. Central Jersey most desirable but will travel a reasonable distance for the right situation. I already have hospital privileges in North and Central Jersey. I am available almost immediately. Please e m a i l : m e d p o d 1 0 0 @ g m a i l . c o m . (1/16)
For Sale….Whitehall Whirlpool with
tub. Good working condition. $300 or best offer. Please call 973-477-2833. (1/16)
“Alone we can
do so little;
together we can do so
much.”
Helen Keller 12
Part-time position Central NJ….Well established podiatry prac-
tice is looking for a hard working and
motivated individual to work in all as-pects of podiatric medicine and sur-gery. Please send CV to: [email protected]. (1/16)
Surgical Instruments for Sale….Complete set of surgical in-
struments, including osteotome set, rongeur, double action bone cutter, weitlander, stats, needle holder, etc. All instruments are in perfect condition. Best offer. 50 instruments available. Please email to: [email protected]. (1/16)
Associate Position Full Time….Do you have eight arms and
12 legs? Can you handle a challenge? Associate wanted for amazingly busy practice. Must be surgically trained but conservatively minded. The skies the limit! Wonderful environment and great support team. Great pay with potential for expansion in Bergen County, New Jersey. Please email CV to:njfootankle @yahoo.com. (1/16)
Position Available….Part-time-
Jersey shore. Seeking a podiatrist to serve residents of long-term care/subacute rehab facility in Ocean Coun-ty. Perfect opportunity for a person looking to supplement their income.
Must have good work ethic, be hard working, board certified/qualified, have knowledge of billing and have malprac-tice insurance. Please forward CV to: [email protected] (1/16)
NJPMS/APMA Dues
Payment Reminder
FINAL PAYMENT IS DUE JAN-
UARY 15, 2016. IF PAYMENT
WASN’T SENT, IT IS NOW
PAST DUE!!
Outstanding payment statements
were recently mailed.
Remember to place your invoice
number or full name on the check.
Because APMA and NJPMS engage
in certain restricted lobbying activi-
ties, 5% of your National Dues and
State Dues are not deductible as an
ordinary and necessary business ex-
pense, if otherwise deductible.
If you are having a problem paying
your dues, please contact Lorraine
Fenenic, 732-967-9003, ext. 104
or email her at: [email protected]
to discuss many payment options that
may be available to you.
We are here to help!
2016 Seminar Dates
Wednesday, April 6th
Spring Seminar
Wednesday, August 17th
Leadership Forum
Wednesday, September 28th
Fall Seminar
Wednesday, December 7th
Medicare Update
The seminars will be held at the Bat-
tleground Country Club, Manalapan,
New Jersey. Please mark you calen-
dars!
2016 Golf Dates June 1st, Robertozzi Golf Tourna-
ment at the Pine Barrens Golf
Course, Jackson, NJ.
October 5th, Nine and Dine Golf
Day at the Battleground Country
Club, Manalapan, NJ.
Medical Association:
Bans Pharmaceutical Ads
The American Medical Association
this week called for Congress to
ban pharmaceutical advertising,
arguing that it hurt consumers and
increased drug prices. The pharma-
ceutical industry, meanwhile, de-
fended its practices.
Source: Association Now Daily
News, 11/19/15