Advancing family medicine - building primary care
The NCAFP works aggressively to advance health policy that improves and strengthens the specialty of family medicine and primary health care in North Carolina. The Academy is a leading voice in many state health initiatives and actively engaged in helping impact NC's delivery system.
NCAFP Advocacy Updates
Posted On: Friday, April 26, 2013 - 20:59
Posted On: Tuesday, April 16, 2013 - 15:33
- 1 of 34
- ››
Latest Policy Headlines from the National Level
Sourced On: Wednesday, May 22, 2013 - 06:00
According to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), there is a backlog of 558,000 disability claims for U.S. veterans. In response to this backlog, the AAFP is encouraging its members to help military veterans fill out applications for their disability benefits. In a recent letter sent to members, AAFP President Glen Stream, M.D., M.B.I., of Spokane, Wash., asked members to help their patients who are veterans fill out disability benefit questionnaires (DBQs) to speed the processing of veterans' disability compensation and pension claims.
Sourced On: Wednesday, May 22, 2013 - 06:00
A recent study issued by the Bipartisan Policy Center concludes that the U.S. health care system could achieve billions of dollars in savings and improve patient care and satisfaction rates by fundamentally changing the way health care is paid for and delivered in this country. "We are convinced that reforming our nation's health care system to prioritize quality and value over volume will not only improve health outcomes and the patient experience, but also constrain costs and produce systemwide savings," says the report from the center, a think tank headed by former Senate Majority leaders Tom Daschle, D-S.D., and Bill Frist, R-Tenn.; former Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M.; and former Congressional Budget Office Director Alice Rivlin, Ph.D.
Sourced On: Wednesday, May 22, 2013 - 06:00
The AAFP and several other physician organizations are calling on CMS to provide more information and clarification about how physicians can qualify for a provision in the health care reform law that will pay them more for providing Medicaid services in 2013 and 2014. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act put in place a provision to bring Medicaid rates for primary care services at least in line with Medicare levels in 2013 and 2014. To qualify for the parity provision, participating physicians are required to either self-attest that 60 percent of their claims billed to Medicaid are evaluation and management codes or that they are board-certified in one of the primary care specialties.
Sourced On: Wednesday, May 22, 2013 - 06:00
This year's Family Medicine Congressional Conference (FMCC) took place amid growing optimism that Congress finally would succeed in repealing and replacing the sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula with a Medicare payment system that would better recognize and reward physicians who provide primary care services. "Congress and the administration are really engaged in dialogue to move beyond the SGR," said Jason Dees, D.O., who introduced a plenary session on primary care payment and valuation at the FMCC on May 14. "And we all know that is essential for the health of our practices."
Questions or Additional Information?
If you have any questions or desire additional information on the NCAFP's advocacy and health policy efforts, please contact Gregory K. Griggs, MPA, CAE, Executive Vice President, at (919) 833-2110.
