NEWS FROM AOS
NOVEMBER 2009


HOUSE DEMOCRATS PASS HEALTH CARE BILL

  • In a victory for President Barack Obama, the Democratic controlled U.S. House of Representatives narrowly passed landmark health care legislation on Saturday night, November 7, 2009.

  • The 220-215 vote cleared the way for the U.S. Senate to begin debate on the issue which has been the focus of Capitol Hill for months. 

  • All Alabama U.S. Representatives voted against HR 3962, the "The Affordable Health Care for America Act."

  • The House legislation would for the first time require every individual to obtain insurance, and would require all but the smallest employers to provide coverage to their workers.  It would vastly expand Medicaid and create a new marketplace where people could obtain federal subsidies to buy insurance from private companies or from a new government-run insurance plan.  Both consumers and companies could run the risk of penalties for defying the government's mandates.

  • Not since the 1965 passage of Medicare and Medicaid has a chamber of Congress approved such a vast expansion of coverage.

  • Nearly unanimous in their opposition, minority Republicans cataloged their objections to the 1,990-page, $1.2 trillion legislation.

  • Missing from HR 3962, is a permanent repeal and replacement of the Medicare Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) formula.  HR 3961, the so-called "companion bill" to HR 3962 is a bill that would take these needed steps.  Now that the House has passed its health care reform legislation, it becomes even more imperative that passage of HR 3961 be a priority.

Alabama Orthopaedists Seek Delay in New BCBS Fee Schedules

  • On September 1, 2009, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama notified all Alabama physicians that, effective December 1, 2009, it would implement a new payment methodology, replacing its current PMD model with a new Resource Based Relative Value System (RB-RVS).   According to BCBS officials, the change was made to adopt a national edit system and to address certain components of an HMO lawsuit settlement against BCBS of Alabama and other health insurance providers.  The Alabama Orthopaedic Society estimated the change would result in cuts in orthopaedic procedures of 13-15%.

  • On October 29, 2009, AOS officials met personally with BCBS Vice-President, Jeff Ingrum, and Medical Director, Dow Biggs, M.D., similar to earlier meetings with BCBS by other Alabama sub-specialty societies since the new payment method was announced.  AOS noted that the 1992 BCBS PMD schedules for orthopaedic services were 6.7% higher than the proposed schedules for December 1, 2009. In addition, with the cost of living having risen 54% during this 18 year period, orthopaedic surgeons have lost 60.7% in purchasing power since 1992 although expenses have continued to rise in accordance with the cost of living.

  • Subsequent to this discussion with AOS and in consultation with other specialty groups, BCBS of Alabama agreed to delay implementation of its December 1, 2009, new fee schedules pending further negotiations with the specialty societies concerning health care costs and quality of care issues.

  • For information contact AOS Executive Director, Mike Merrill, Esq., at jmikemerrill@gmail.com.


AOS 2010 Annual Meeting At Sandestin to Feature New 2-Day Format

  • AOS Board of Directors at their November 1, 2009, meeting in Montgomery, made significant changes to the format of the AOS Annual Meeting, beginning with the 2010 Annual Meeting, May 13-15 at Sandestin, Florida. The new agenda will look like this:

Thursday, May 13
Exhibitor Set-Up TBD
AOS BOD Meeting 3:00 P.M.
Welcome Reception 6:00 P.M.-7:00 P.M.
AOS BOD Dinner with Guest Speakers and Selected Vendors 7:30 P.M.-9:30 P.M.

Friday, May 14
Annual Meeting Begins 8:00 A.M.
Golf and/or Break-Out Sessions 1:30 P.M.
Presidential Reception/Buffet Dinner/Band 6:00 P.M.-10:00 P.M.

Saturday, May 15
Fellowship Breakfast 6:30 A.M.-7:30 A.M.
Annual Meeting 2nd Day 8:00 A.M.
Exhibitors Break-Down 12:00 Noon
*MEETING ENDS TODAY*

  • Meeting information will be posted on the AOS website at www.aosdocs.com as it becomes available.

MASA Legislative Forum

  • MASA will host its annual Legislative Forum at the Willard Hotel in Washington, D.C., from February 6-9, 2010.  Meeting information is available at www.masalink.org.

  • Dr. John Killian, Dr. John Gould and AOS Executive Director, Mike Merrill, will represent AOS at the meeting.

AAOS 2010 Annual Meeting Set for New Orleans

  • The 2010 AAOS Annual Meeting is set for March 9-13 in New Orleans. See www.aaos.org for meeting information.

New AOS Officers and Directors for 2009-2010

  • Please click the "Officers and Directors" tab on the home page of this website to access a listing of AOS Officers and Directors for 2009-2010.

Foot Club 2010 Annual Meeting at Sandestin

  • Information about the 2010 Annual Foot Club Meeting is available at http://www.southalabama.edu/com/ortho/conference.shtml. The Foot Club meeting will once again be held in conjunction with the AOS 2010 Annual Meeting at Sandestin.

  • AOS 2010 Dues to Be Mailed In November, 2009

  • AOS 2010 dues statements will be mailed in November, 2009, for tax purposes. Please support AOS with the payment of your dues.