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TOA
President's
Update
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By John T. Gill, MD
President, Texas Orthopaedic Association
What a great year! Congratulations to President David
Teuscher, Executive Director Donna Parker and all of our
staff and volunteer leaders for being recognized as the
State Orthopaedic Society of the Year. Many thanks to you,
and to your families, for your time, your effort, and your
dedication to our profession. |
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And what else can I
say about David, the EBOS. No, not the electronic boss, which it
could be for his outstanding work on the website and our electronic
communications. But rather, the Energizer Bunny on Steroids. The guy
is stronger than a garlic milkshake. He is the “go to” guy at every
level, city, state and federal, if you want to get something done. We
are indeed fortunate to have him on our team, just ask the
opposition. It is somewhat daunting to be taking the reins from
David, a bit like having Lance Armstrong say as he enters the Champs
Elyseé, “Here, you pedal for a while.”
That being said, it
is indeed a privilege for me to take the helm of the Texas Orthopaedic
Association as your 66th President. A little known fact is that I
grew up in Beaumont where my father practiced orthopaedics for over
forty years. In fact, the clinic he founded is now a part of Beaumont
Bone and Joint, where David (EBOS) practices now. As I go through my
presidential year, I will try to follow the advice my father gave me
on my 16th birthday, “Here are the keys, try not to wreck
it.”
In the past year,
we have greatly improved upon our internal communications with our
membership. Going forward, I would like to continue that trend by
improving our communication with our patients, our legislators and the
public in general. As orthopaedic surgeons, we shoulder a dual role.
We are primary care for the musculoskeletal system and specialists for
the surgical treatment of bone and joint disorders. The AAOS has an
arsenal of literature and public service announcements available, but
it is up to us to get it circulated to our respective media outlets.
As the public debate moves to quality and value in healthcare, we must
rise to the occasion to educate our public.
Dr. Teuscher has
also done an excellent job increasing membership and improving
participation. We must continue that trend by improving our
interactions with elected officials and the political process. This
year will offer an incredible opportunity for healthcare with the
presidential debate. For the first time in several decades there is
no favorite son in either party; the race is wide open. Healthcare
will be a priority issue and the debate will be lively. Each of us
has an opportunity to participate in that debate by engaging at an
early stage with the candidate of our choice. I would hope that we
could have an orthopaedic surgeon in every camp promoting our ideals.
Nothing like a win, win scenario.
The coming year
will be a busy one. I very much look forward to serving as your
President. The secret sauce, however, that makes the TOA a great
organization is the army of volunteer physicians who give of their
time and talent to serve our patients and our profession. Thank you
in advance for your continued support.
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2007 Texas Orthopaedic
Association Annual Meeting
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If
you didn't join us at the TOA Annual Meeting, you missed a great
opportunity. It was a beautiful weekend at the Four Seasons Hotel in
Austin.
The Capitol Visits and the Legacy of Heroes Exhibit in the lower
Capitol rotunda were featured on Friday morning, along with the
T-Bones Annual Meeting. On Friday afternoon, the Workers Compensation
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Seminar and Communication
Course offered members good information.
Friday evening Col. Mark
Bagg addressed the reception attendees and his
presentation entitled Wounded Warrior Care updated us
on orthopaedic treatment for our military. Food and drink
were served on the beautiful lakeside lawn of the Four
Seasons.
Saturday's scientific
session was well attended and members especially enjoyed
guest speaker, Dr. Bernie Morrey's presentation on The
Elbow. The Fifth Annual TOA Resident Quiz Bowl was,
as usual, very informative and entertaining. We want to
thank Dr. Mark Brinker and Dan O'Connor for serving as
Emcee and Sidekick. This year's teams were: Brooke Army,
John Peter Smith, UT San Antonio, UT Houston, Wm. Beaumont
and last year's winner UTMB. The final quiz round came
down to a heated match between UTHSC San Antonio and
Brooke Army Medical Center contestants. Drs. Jason Lowe
and Syed Ahmed of BAMC took home the Quiz Bowl trophy this
year. Brooke Army residents have won three out of five
Quiz Bowls. UTMB has won two out of five Quiz Bowls. We
thank all the resident contestants for playing. Resident
paper winners were UTMB's Dr. Matthew Mays in first place,
JPS's Dr. Jason Tinley in second, and UTMB's Dr. Jay
Rapley was awarded third place.
The Texas Society of Sports
Medicine elected Dr. Omer Ilahi to serve as 2007-2008
President. The Texas Orthopaedic Association elected Dr.
John T. Gill of Dallas as President, Dr. Tim Beck of Tyler
as President-Elect, Dr. John Early as 2nd
President-Elect, Dr. Brannan Smoot of Austin as
Secretary/Treasurer and Dr. Andy Kant of Houston was
elected to serve as AAOS Board of Councilor. The
membership showed its appreciation for a Presidential
term well-served by David Teuscher, MD of Beaumont.
Mother's Day Brunch at the
Four Seasons on Sunday was incredible. The meeting events
ended on a wonderful and appreciative note.
Many thanks to the TOA
Executive Staff for a well planned and executed Annual
Meeting. In particular, TOA Deputy Director Jeseka
Wallace, deserves our appreciation for a job well done.
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Texas
District by District:
Dawnna Dukes
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Dawnna Dukes is a seventh term member of the Texas House of
Representatives and a third generation native of District 46, which
comprises inner-city East Austin and Northeast Travis County. Dukes
currently serves as a respected member of the Appropriations
Committee, Chairman of the Special Issues subcommittee on
Appropriations, member of the Health and Human services subcommittee
on Appropriations, Chair of Budget and Oversight for the Culture,
Recreation and Tourism Committee, and a member of the Calendars
committee.
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As an
active member of the Texas House of Representatives,
Representative Dukes has led the fight to: improve public
and higher education by requiring school districts to inform
parents of uncertified instructors teaching in the
classroom; increase funding for early childhood education;
and promote dropout prevention programs as well as an across
the board pay raise for every full-time teacher, counselor
and school nurse. She has also fought to make college more
accessible to low income students by co-sponsoring the 100
million dollar TEXAS Grant Program.
In her
commitment to increase school safety and build safer
neighborhoods, Representative Dukes created tougher
penalties against gang recruitment and activity; expanded
the
Agun
free school zones@ provision and protected a child=s right to due process under the law by requiring that
proper counsel be provided to youth during law enforcement
interrogations. She also strengthened protective orders to
ensure that victims of child, spousal, adult and elder abuse
receive greater protection. In 2003 Dukes passed
legislation increasing the rights of minors by allowing them
access to emergency shelters to protect the physical health
and safety of the minor. Due to her consistent crusade for
the equality of all people, she was named the 1999
Outstanding Human Rights Advocate by the Human Rights
Campaign.
In
2003, Representative Dukes was instrumental in crafting
the two year budget for the Department of Human Services
totaling $9.12 billion and the two year budget for
the Interagency Council on Early Childhood Intervention
totaling $249 million, preserving funding to ensure that
Texans with disabilities and the aging population would
continue to have access to vital health care services and
their long term care needs would be met. In 2005,
Representative Dukes was active in crafting the two year
budget for the Department of Family and Protective Services
totaling $2.09 billion, including Child Protective Services
Reform and restoring the funding for prevention programs for
at risk youth. She also passed an Appropriations rider
directing the state to apply for a Woman's Medicaid Waiver
that expands physical exams, health care screenings and
family planning services for low-income women.
Representative Dukes has systematically challenged state
leadership to address environmental racism by preventing the
development of undesirable industry in neighborhoods, has
worked to reduce air pollution from Texas industries, and
has strengthened State oversight of municipal landfills. Due
to her innovative guidance and strong efforts to protect the
environment, the Lone Star Chapter of the Sierra Club
presented Representative Dukes with the "New Leadership for
the Environment"
award in 1995.
In 1999,
Representative Dukes engineered comprehensive legislation to
improve the State=s Historically Underutilized Business program that leveled
the playing field for women and minority owned businesses in
the competition and the awarding of state contracts. She
received national recognition in 1999 for her legislative
efforts to promote the increased participation of women and
minority owned businesses in Texas by being named State
Legislator of the Year by the National Association of Small
Disadvantaged Businesses. In 2002, Representative Dukes was
presented with the YWCA Woman of the Year award for her
dedication and work in public policy and government
services.
Representative Dukes has traveled extensively as an
ambassador for the State of Texas and the United States. In
1995, Dukes was one of eight legislators chosen from the
United States to be part of the 1995 American Council of
Young Political Leaders (ACYPL) delegation to Taiwan. She
was also selected by ACYPL and an ancillary group, the
Atlantic Association of Young Political Leaders (AAYPL), to
represent the United States in a conference on the future of
NATO in the 21st century with Canadian and European
counterparts in Brussels, Belgium. During her second term,
Dukes was among four individuals nationwide to be selected
by the Japan Society to become a 1997 Local Public Policy
Fellow. For two months, Dukes traveled through Japan to
research and write about women-owned business, and race and
gender relations in Japan.
Representative Dukes is a graduate of Texas A&M University
with a B.S. in Psychology. She is the owner of DM Dukes and
Associates, Inc., a consulting firm; a member of the Links,
Inc.-Austin Chapter and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority,
Inc.-Beta Psi Omega Graduate Chapter.
Email
Dawnna Dukes to thank her for her work!
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This Week In Texas: Mignon
McGarry Memos
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By Mignon McGarry
TOA Legislative Advocate / Memos: Fri May 11 & Tue
May 8, 2007
TOA Online Version: All Memos
May 11, 2007, Friday
Yesterday was the last day for the House to consider HB’s
and HJR’s on 2nd reading. The House continued its floor
session until midnight in order
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to reach as many bills as
possible. Bills remaining on the Calendar at midnight are now officially
dead unless they are revived and attached as amendments on bills still
moving through the process.
On Tuesday afternoon, Governor Perry announced that he would allow House
Bill 1098, to become law without his signature. HB 1098 would rescind
Gov. Perry’s vaccination order and prohibit HHSC from using
discretionary authority to mandate HPV vaccination.
Next week the focus will be on committees again as members of both the
House and Senate try to get their bills through the other chamber by
week’s end. Look for both the Senate and the House to meet at least one
day next weekend.
May 8, 2007, Tuesday
The deadlines for House and Senate action on bills begin to kick in this
week. The following is a list of “last days”:
May 10th is the
last day for the House to consider HB’s and HJR’s on 2nd
reading.
May 11th is the
last day for the House to consider consent HB’s and HJR’s.
May 18th is the
last day for the House to consider local HB’s.
May 19th is the
last day for House committees to report SB’s and SJR’s.
May 22nd is the
last day for the House to consider SB’s and SJR’s on 2nd
reading.
May 23rd
is the last day for the House to consider local and consent SB’s and
SJR’s and is the last day for the Senate to consider
ALL bills and JR’s.
May 25th
is the last day for the House to consider
HB’s with Senate amendments.
May 27th
is the last day for the House to adopt Conference Committee Reports and
the last day for the Senate to concur in House amendments to SB’s or
adopt Conference Committee Reports.
May 28th
is the last day of the 80th Regular session and only
corrections are allowed.
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Billing
For Case Mgmt When Dealing With Disability Mgmt In WC
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HOT WC ISSUE - Disability management in WC went into effect May 1.
This process adds administrative burdens to physician offices.
Physicians can now bill for case management in workers' compensation.
Q. Are treating doctors reimbursed for
developing and coordinating treatment plans?
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A. Yes, Division Rule 134.202, the Medical
Fee Guideline (MFG), addresses billing and reimbursement for treatment
planning in subsection (e)(3) regarding case management. The MFG
instructs physicians to bill using the team conference and telephone
call CPT codes for an amount that does not exceed their usual and
customary charges. The CPT codes are valid, but are not valued in the
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ RBRVS system. The insurance
carrier should reimburse in accordance with §134.202(c)(6).
134.202(c)(6) for products and services for which CMS or the commission
does not establish a relative value unit and/or a payment amount the
carrier shall assign a relative value, which may be based on nationally
recognized published relative value studies, published commission
medical dispute decisions, and values assigned for services involving
similar work and resource commitments.
Here are the actual codes to bill:
99361 - Medical conference, approx. 30 minutes
99362 - Medical conference, approx. 60 minutes
99371- Telephone call, simple or brief
99372 - Telephone call, intermediate
99373 - Telephone call, complex or lengthy
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