[Histonet] A call to action for US AP/Histologyprofessionals

Wed Feb 22 17:36:11 CST 2006

I have a copy of the top 100 tests to be affected, the ASCP letter and forms to complete if anyone is interested. 

Joyce Weems
Pathology Manager
Saint Joseph's Hospital of Atlanta
404-851-7376
404-851-7831 - fax

-----Original Message-----
From: Julia Dahl [mailto:jdmd77 <@t> hotmail.com]
Sent: Wednesday, February 22, 2006 6:17 PM
To: Weems, Joyce; Rcartun <@t> harthosp.org; histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu; tkngflght <@t> yahoo.com
Subject: RE: [Histonet] A call to action for US AP/Histologyprofessionals

From the sources that I've been in touch with - the next week is actually
the crucial time to interact with our specialty societies - specifically the
ASCP and the CAP.  The CAP is compiling a response to the MUEs and working
with other specialty societies and the AMA to present a package of
information to the legislators who will be able to effect a change in these
edits.

Waiting until July 1 will, unfortunately, be too late.

If you have cases in which a patient's care would be substandard if only TWO
biopsies were performed, those cases should be gathered, the patient's
identifying information removed and those cases sent to the CAP (I will
locate the contact information for anyone who needs it) for the summary of
information to be worked in with the CAP/AMA/ASCP society approach to
handling this.

Julia Dahl, M.D.

>From: "Weems, Joyce" <JWEEMS <@t> sjha.org>
>To: "Julia Dahl"
><jdmd77 <@t> hotmail.com>,<Rcartun <@t> harthosp.org>,<histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu>,<tkngflght <@t> yahoo.com>
>Subject: RE: [Histonet] A call to action for US AP/Histologyprofessionals
>Date: Wed, 22 Feb 2006 18:06:09 -0500
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>Thanks for explaining it better. We really do need to work together on
>this and we need to make it happen before July 1 and not let it hang
>around like the cyto proficiency testing which took a year of frayed
>nerves and thousands of dollars before it got held.
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Julia Dahl [mailto:jdmd77 <@t> hotmail.com]
>Sent: Wednesday, February 22, 2006 6:01 PM
>To: Weems, Joyce; Rcartun <@t> harthosp.org;
>histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu; tkngflght <@t> yahoo.com
>Subject: RE: [Histonet] A call to action for US
>AP/Histologyprofessionals
>
>
>Thank you Joyce for your understanding of the issues at hand with the
>discrepant handling of MUEs for the people doing the procedure and those
>of
>us involved in making the diagnosis on the tissue procured from the
>procedure.
>
>If the MUE for a biopsy is TEN - then the MUE for the pathology services
>on
>biopsies should be TEN, not two.
>
>Yes, healthcare costs are rising and do need to be curtailed, blanket
>reduction in pathology services reimbursement out of proportion to other
>
>specialties - claiming that anything beyond two biopsies on a single
>patient
>on a single day are "unbelievable edits" so far outside the standard of
>care
>as to be considered equivalent to a typographical error is heinous.
>
>Every patient with chronic diarrhea, iron deficiency anemia, dysphagia,
>Barrett's esophagus, inflammatory bowel disease NEEDS to have more than
>two
>sites biopsied FOR the standard of care;  every man with an elevated
>PSA,
>every woman with multiple breast lumps needs to have more than two sites
>
>biopsies FOR the standard of care to be maintained.
>
>Again, Joyce, thank you.  The MUEs for pathology are not the answer to
>the
>current ails of the American Medical system.
>
>Julia Dahl, M.D.
>Pathologist
>
>
> >This is true, but it should be a fair thing. Why should a dermatologist
> >collect for 10 reimbursements and the pathologist only two of those
>ten?
> >j
> >
> >-----Original Message-----
> >From: histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
> >[mailto:histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of Richard
> >Cartun
> >Sent: Wednesday, February 22, 2006 4:13 PM
> >To: Histonet; Cheryl
> >Subject: Re: [Histonet] A call to action for US
> >AP/Histologyprofessionals
> >
> >One way or another, we must cut spending.  Health care costs are out of
> >control (16% of our economic output is consumed by health care).  Our
> >country cannot continue down this path.
> >
> >Richard
> >
> >Richard W. Cartun, Ph.D.
> >Director, Immunopathology & Histology
> >Assistant Director, Anatomic Pathology
> >Hartford Hospital
> >80 Seymour Street
> >Hartford, CT  06102
> >(860) 545-1596
> >(860) 545-0174 Fax
> >
> > >>> Cheryl <tkngflght <@t> yahoo.com> 02/21/06 10:00AM >>>
> >Hello Folks--
> >
> >   There is another issue we should consider a call to paper the Senate
> >with letters stating our opinions....The AFIP faces closure due to
> >realignment by base closures (BRAC)--this includes the pathology center
> >AND the school!!  We've lost so many good schools, and the AFIP is
>among
> >the best.  There is a bill to relocate core services of the AFIP to
> >another center and the link below provides an easy way to write you
>your
> >senator in support of this bill:
> >
> >   http://capwiz.com/ascpath/issues/alert/?alertid=8171231&type=CO
> >
> >   Please take a minute to show your support for our science on MUE
> >billing (Peggy's email of earlier today),AFIP closure, and two
> >additional issues threatening continued viability of lab science in
>this
> >country.  The form is easy to fill out, and you can forward the link to
> >several friends once you submit your letter (it will give you another
> >pop-up for sharing the letter once you click to submit yours) to
> >increase the impact of our unified voice.  This link will lead you to
> >both letters and you can send it by email or snail mail:
> >   http://capwiz.com/ascpath/home/
> >
> >   Thank you for your continued interest and support tp maintain
> >visibility and viability of our craft.  Together we DO make a
> >difference.
> >
> >
> >
> >Cheryl Kerry, HT(ASCP)
> >Full Staff Inc.
> >Staffing the AP Lab by helping one Tech at a time.
> >281.883.7704 c
> >281.852.9457 o
> >admin <@t> fullstaff.org
> >
> >Sign up for the FREE monthly newsletter AP News--updates, tricks of the
> >trade and current issues for Anatomic Pathology Clinical Labs. Send a
> >'subscribe' request to APNews <@t> fullstaff.org. Please include your name
> >and specialty in the body of the email.
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> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
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> >
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> >
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Confidentiality Notice ** The information contained in this message may be privileged and is confidential information intended for the use of the addressee listed above. If you are neither the intended recipient nor the employee or agent responsible for delivering this message to the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution or the taking of any action in reliance on the contents of this information is strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please notify us immediately by replying to the message and deleting it from your computer. Thank you. Saint Joseph's Health System, Inc.