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News -> November, 1999 News
The August 1999 Academy News of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma
and Immunology included a progress report on their 'Sinusitis Initiative,'
as follows:
Advances in pediatric rhinitis and sinusitis have reached over 1,000 of
our primary care colleagues across the country through programs at managed
care organizations. This is important because each program has built bridges
for the specialty and for referrals. In offering primary care physicians this
information for their young patients with rhinitis, sinusitis and asthma, we
emphasize when it is appropriate to refer to an allergist. We know we are
specially trained to provide such care, and that our outcomes are better.
Do I have your attention?
The response of organized otolaryngology has 2 key elements, (1) superiority
in the management (medical and surgical) of paranasal disorders by
otolaryngologists across the country on a daily basis, and (2) public
and primary care physician outreach campaigns by the Sinus & Allergy
Health Partnership, a joint venture of the American Academy of Otolaryngology
- Head and Neck Surgery, the American Academy of Otolaryngic Allergy and the
American Rhinologic Society.
Since March, 1998, the Partnership has raised $862,000 in unrestricted grants,
with another $350,000 pledged by year's end from pharmaceutical sponsors
(Schering, GlaxoWellcome, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Smith-Kline Beecham, Pfizer/UCB
Pharma, Ortho McNeil, and Bayer). Consider thanking representatives of the
aforementioned when they visit your offices.
The Partnership has a full-time employee, Heather Raglin, a toll-free number
(#877-724-7999), and a web site (www.allergysinus.org) listing the Partnership's
activities, patient information materials and the like. Current Partnership
initiatives include (1) public education via 10,400 media releases to date,
(2) managed care outreach via a supplement to the Medicom Managed Care Journal,
and (3) primary care outreach that includes a Distinguished Lecture Series for
the annual meetings of national primary care organizations (Dr. Denneny will
address the Southern Medical Association next month), an otolaryngology
Professor for the Day for 100 primary care residencies not associated with
an otolaryngology training program, and a Board of Governors-based (but open
to any otolaryngologist) slide lecture series for local medical associations,
hospital staff meetings and the like.
The Partnership is incorporating as a C6 organization, and as such can add
socioeconomic issues to its education initiatives. Note the HCFA ruling on
an AAO-HNS appeal regarding the laterality of turbinate surgery. The 2000
Medicare fee schedule should now specifically allow CPT codes #30930 (outfracture
of turbinates), #30130 (turbinectomy) and #30140 (submucous resection, turbinate)
to be classified as unilateral rather than bilateral procedures. Note CPT #61795
now provides a code for the use of stereotactic assistance in sinus surgery.
Despite favorable rulings from the PEAC and RUC on a joint effort by the AAOA
and AAO-HNS, CPT code #95165 (allergen vials) remains a problem. Widespread
third party payor refusals to recognize endoscopic sinus surgery as having a
zero day global period have been addressed with a formal 'position statement'
adopted by the AAO-HNS Board of Directors and by supporting documents from
the ARS legal consultant. For more information, please contact the AAO-HNS
at #877-722-6467 (www.entnet.org)
Expect another update from the Partnership this coming spring, and in the
interim feel free to contact Heather Raglin (#301-588-1800, ext. 101) or
any of the Partnership Steering Committee, which includes James Denneny, M.D.,
James Hadley, M.D., Ivor Emanuel, M.D., Jack Anon, M.D., James Stankiewicz, M.D.,
Michael Benninger, M.D., and me.
J. David Osguthorpe, M.D.
Sinus & Allergy Health Partnership
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