Advocacy
is the pursuit of influencing outcomes — including public-policy and resource allocation decisions within political, economic, and social systems and institutions — that directly affect people’s current lives. (Cohen, 2001)
Click Here for more information on the 2009 IPS Advocacy Day.
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Action Alert: Urgent -- Congress Must Vote to Stop Medicare Physician Payment Cuts from Going into Effect March 1
Background
The U.S. Congress must vote before March 1 to stop the pending 21% cut in Medicare's physician payment formula from automatically going into effect. Congress has to approve legislation this week to again delay this devastating reduction caused by the flawed Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) formula.
As you know, APA, AMA, and virtually all of medicine have fought for over a year to find a permanent fix to the SGR problem. In the meantime, it is absolutely crucial for APA members to let Congress know how important it is to you to block these damaging cuts. If you called your Senators and Representative last year, please call them again and renew your concern. If you have not called, please take a moment to join the fight to stop Medicare payments from being cut.
Requested Action
Please call your Senators and Representative to block the cuts to Medicare physician payment scheduled for March 1.
Call Toll Free
Call Senators Richard Durbin and Roland Burris and Representative Danny Davis using APA's toll-free Hotline: 1-866-727-4894. You will be connected to the Capitol Hill Operator. Ask for your Senators and Representative by name. Once you are connected to your Member's office, leave your name and address, along with our suggested message.
SUGGESTED MESSAGE:
"As a psychiatric physician and your constituent I urge you to act this week to block the 21% cut in Medicare physician payment scheduled for March 1, in order to ensure continued access to quality care for our nation's seniors."
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ALERT*** 1/22/2010
IllinoisPsychiatric Society Praises Gov. Quinn for Signing Prison Medicaid Bill
IPS is pleased to announce that after two years of very hard work by IPS members, the Prison Medicaid Bill has been signed into law by Governor Quinn. This law will help limit recidivism by allowing offenders who relied on Medicaid benefits when they entered prison to have their benefits reinstated immediately upon release.
Click here for more.
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URGENT REQUEST: Please call your Congressperson to support the Physician Payment Fix. Tell them to vote YES on HR 3961, Medicare Physician Payment Reform Act of 2009.
Click here if you do not know the name or contact information for your Congressperson.
Click here for more information.
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Votes in the Senate have been delayed. It is critical that everyone continue to reach out to all Senate offices and engage grassroots in support of this legislation.
URGENT REQUEST: Call Your Senators to Support Physician Payment Fix - "Vote YES on S. 1776, Medicare Physician Fairness Act of 2009."
Unless Congress acts, the Medicare payment update for physicians will be cut by 21% on January 1, 2010. The Senate Finance Committee health reform bill includes another one-year postponement of the cut. This is welcome but Congress needs to get rid of the SGR formula causing these huge cuts permanently.
Click here for more information.
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IMPORTANT CHANGE IN RULES FOR PROVIDING GROUP PSYCHOTHERAPY SERVICES PAID FOR BY MEDICAID:
The Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services has posted a new Provider Notice to the Physicians Provider Notices page. http://www.hfs.illinois.gov/physicians/
These rules became effective October 1, 2009. In relevant part, the new rules provide: Click here to view the rules.
Physicians may contact a physician billing consultant for additional billing information or questions regarding this notice at 1-877-782-5565.
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