AMA Issues Grace Period Guide to Assist Physicians

“The American Medical Association (AMA) released new resources that are geared to the needs of physicians and will help support their practices by outlining key issues associated with the grace period and provide guidance on administrative policies, financial agreements and communications with patients and insurers. All the new resources and more are available to physicians at: www.ama-assn.org/go/graceperiod.

These new AMA resources for physicians include: Step-by-step guide to the ACA grace period, grace period collections policy checklist, model financial agreement language for patients receiving Advance Premium Tax Credits, and a sample grace period notice to patients.

A key issue for physicians is having accurate information from health insurers regarding patients' grace period status. The AMA recently delivered a letter urging CMS to amend the grace period rule to require insurers to notify physicians as soon as a patient falls behind on their premiums, rather than the current notification requirement that provides insurers with discretion as to when and how to notify physicians during the 90-day grace period.”  [Source: AMA]

2013 Healthy Communities/Healthy America Grant Opportunity

The American Medical Foundation supports the efforts of physicians and other volunteers working at free clinics to provide quality, affordable health care. The program awards $10,000-$25,000 grants to physician-led free clinics. To date, we have awarded over $1 million to 56 free clinics across the country.

The 2013 Healthy Communities/Healthy America program will address Diabetes management and education projects for free clinic patients.

The AMA Foundation is currently accepting Letters of Inquiry (LOI) for this program. LOIs must be received by March 15, 2013.  Download the LOI form Word File, which includes detailed instructions.  Guidelines to request funding from the AMA Foundation are located here. 
[Source: American Medical Foundation]

AMA Offers Online Tutorial to Help with Health IT

"The American Medical Association plans to launch several Web-based tutorials to help physicians integrate health information technology into their practices.

The tutorials offered are: e-prescribing, pre-visit planning, and point-of-care documentation. Each of the tutorials focuses on understanding workflow and what changes to expect with new technologies.

To read the entire article, click here."  (Source: Colorado Rural Health Center)

American Medical Association (AMA) Foundation to give grants to free clinics for diabetes programs

The AMA Foundation is accepting applications for its Healthy Communities/Healthy America program, which will award up to 10 free clinics with grants of $10,000 to implement diabetes management and education projects for the uninsured. Projects must focus on helping uninsured diabetics successfully achieve or maintain recommended A1C levels and improve their self-management skills. Letters of inquiry are due March 21. Visit the AMA Foundation website at http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/about-ama/ama-foundation/our-programs/public-health/healthy-communities-healthy.shtml to view eligibility criteria and to download an application.