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President comments on Symposium 2006, new Acupuncture CPT Codes
By Michael W. Coomes, MD, FAAMA
President, AAMA
Since the Annual Symposium in Atlanta, the Symposium Planning Committee, chaired by Dr. Tapan Chaudhuri, has been hard at work developing a fascinating combined program of speakers from the US and abroad for our AAMA/ICMART meeting in Washington, DC. If you have not yet marked the April 2006 Symposium date on your calendar, now is the time to do so.
Recently, the AMA CPT Panel that Dr. Marshall Sager has been working with to develop the new acupuncture billing codes, finally published the corrections we asked them to address. The acupuncture codes, with the recently published full RVUs, along with the applicable E&M code when warranted, should result in an increase in overall compensation for the service as compared to pre-January 2005 levels (particularly since many insurers did not permit billing for E&M when providing acupuncture, prior to January 2005). It is likely that it will take time for the insurers to catch up to this new information. The wording is still a bit confusing, but I you refer you to Dr. Sager's explanation in this newsletter for clarification.
The ABMA recently sponsored an item writing workshop in Chicago for developing new Board Certification Examination questions. Seventeen volunteer members participated under the direction of Dr. Tom Haladyna. A nationally recognized expert in testing standardization and development, Dr. Haladyna has been retained by the ABMA to assistant in guiding their efforts to strengthen the exam.
Thanks to all the volunteers who have participated in both this ABMA and other recent Academy activities. Volunteerism is the lifeblood of our organization - and without your help, AAMA couldn't continue to provide services that are offered.
Power of Unspoken Contact
On a less "newsy" note, I want to share a learning experience I had recently with a patient who had been referred to me by a colleague. She introduced herself with that all-too-familiar phrase, "You're my last hope, Doctor..." Who of us has not felt the burden of responsibility with similar situations in the past? I dutifully took her history and carefully plotted a plan of treatment. Over the following six weeks, I gradually learned more about who this person was over and above her presenting problem. As she began to share her expanded history, which involved multiple ongoing painful family conflicts, I adapted my treatment accordingly. I found myself becoming frustrated though, that I could not seem to alter her pain presentation.
On the sixth visit when I asked her if she perceived any measurable change or improvement in her pain, her answer surprised me. She said that the pain, though unchanged on the visual analogue scale I used, was less and less of a problem in her life. She explained that in the course of our series of meetings, her sense of hopelessness and abandonment, along with the accompanying fear, had somehow "lost their hold" on her.
I certainly hadn't resolved her family conflicts, and I didn't think that I had significantly reduced her pain, but what had happened is, in large part, why I continue to do what I do. We had developed that mysterious "therapeutic relationship." One in which I simply listened for the most part, and she told her story.
What I also realized was that it was therapeutic for both of us. It was an important reminder for me and hopefully one that all of us has experienced at one time, but it bears retelling. For all our technical skills and training, it's often that unspoken contact, that we bring an empathetic presence and attitude into the room, that can make all the difference in healing. What a privilege for us all!
Dr. Sager outlines new Acupuncture CPT Codes
By Marshall H. Sager, DO, FAAMA
Establishing CPT Codes for acupuncture has been a lengthy and frequently daunting task.
My first goal was to insure reimbursement for physician Evaluation and Management services separate from the new acupuncture CPT codes. That mission has been accomplished.
The publication and dissemination of the codes by Medicare created additional challenges, which I have been addressing over the past several months. First, I wanted to gain immediate publication of full valuations, the RVUs, for the new codes. I am pleased to announce that Medicare has published the full valuations, and that mission has been accomplished.
Next, I wanted the American Medical Association to correct its seemingly contradictory explanation concerning the use of the new codes. This mission has also been accomplished, and. going forward, there should be no confusion regarding the mixing and matching of non-electric and electric stimulation codes..
All of this information appears on the AAMA website at http://www.medicalacupuncture.org/events/cpt_codes.html.
Finally, there remains an additional, issue of terminology to be addressed; that is, the AMA promulgated phrase, "reinsertion of needles". The underlying rationale for the preceding verbiage was to document the need of additional work by the practitioner in order to qualify for the charge of an additional code.
While the intent of the AMA was to indicate the necessity of removing the current set of needles, repositioning the patient and inserting a new set of needles in another body region(s), clearly the phrase "re-insertion" could be interpreted as "re-insertion of the same needles." The latter interpretation obviously would be inconsistent with standard sterile medical practice. At no time was it intended or expected that the same needles were to be removed and then reinserted.
I am in the process of negotiating with the AMA to re-write that phrase and will inform you as soon as that mission is accomplished.
More on new developments with Acupuncture CPT Codes
By C. James Dowden
AAMA Executive Administrator
We had all hoped that the publication of new CPT codes for acupuncture would see improvement in payments for physician providing acupuncture along with a more reasonable billing system. Academy volunteers, and particularly Dr. Marshall Sager, has toiled for several years on the effort. Unfortunately, what was released in the CPT Code book in January 2005 had errors in interpretation and language that only confused, not clarified the application of the new codes. Then, to compound the confusion, CMS published only partial values for the codes when they published the 2005 Physician Fee Schedule, completely omitting the values for Practice Expense.
Now, after months of effort, including calling on Congressional and other contacts for support, Marshall Sager reports that we have been able to fix those problems.
1) CMS finally publishes the full RVUs for Acupuncture Codes
CMS has issued a July Update to the 2005 Physician Fee Schedule that includes the full values for the four new acupuncture codes. This corrects the incomplete listing of values that appeared in January. The complete values reported now include practice expense values. The full published values are as follows:
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While Medicare will still not cover acupuncture, the Physician Fee Schedule and the published RVU's form the basis for reimbursement by many 3rd party payers. A full copy of the Change Memo from CMS is posted on the Academy's website (We omitted pages not relevant to the acupuncture code information. You may also view the entire Memo from CMS)
2) AMA has published a clarification regarding the acupuncture CPT codes.
In the June issue of cpt Assistant an article entitled "Coding Clarification: Acupuncture Coding" corrected the error that appears in the 2005 CPT Code book regarding whether you can use codes 97810 and 97811 in the same session as you report codes 97813 or code 97814. This correction makes it clear that the intent of the CPT Committee was to permit mixing of the codes within one session, provided that only one "initial" period code was reported for each session.
The article also provides additional information clarifying that each code is used to report a treatment involving 15 minutes of face-to-face time with the physician, not 15 minutes of time that the needles are inserted. In order for a second code to be reported for the same session, a new insertion of needles must take place.
A copy of the relevant article from the "cpt Assistant" is posted on the Academy website.
In the best of all worlds, insurers and other third-party payers would recognize these changes and corrections and would adjust their procedures and payment schedules accordingly. But it is suggested that Academy members make copies of these documents and submit them to your respective payers to make sure they have the full, "corrected", information needed to properly establish reimbursement levels.
Academy establishes Presidents' Council for promotional efforts
The Academy recently established a standing committee called the Presidents' Council to act as an outreach arm speaking to universities, physicians in training and other opportunities to spread the word about the benefits of medical acupuncture. Past presidents of the Academy will make up this body, which will function in PR and information dissemination capacities.
Their role will be to continue to serve AAMA in a defined capacity by reaching out in promotional efforts, as well as to provide a historical continuum for the Board of Directors. For example, Academy Past President Sager H. Sager, DO, FAAMA, has lectured to the Jefferson Medical School chapter of the American Medical Students Association on medical acupuncture and the AAMA. In addition to the councils' outreach to medical schools and medical symposia/conventions, members could also offer newspaper/radio/TV responses concerning medical acupuncture and related political issues.
Organizations wanting a speaker on the Academy and medical acupuncture can contact a council member. AAMA Immediate Past President Nader E. Soliman, MD, FAAMA (nadersolimanmd@yahoo.com), is chairman of the Presidents' Council.
Members earn DABMA certification
The following AAMA members recently met the stringent requirements of the American Board of Medical Acupuncture (ABMA) and have achieved Board Certification in medical acupuncture. They have earned the designation DABMA (Diplomate, American Board of Medical Acupuncture):
Seid Cosovic, MD, of Birmingham Farms, MI; Lawrence P. Frank, MD, of Weston, FL; Leonard Ginzburg, MD, of Round Lake Beach, IL; Mary Patrice Guerrera, MD, of Hartford, CT; Wendy Huang, MD, of Holmdel, NJ; Stephen Hufman, MD, of Wenatchee, WI; Byung J. Kim, MD, of San Diego, CA; Mary Maul, MD, of Reno, NV; Rebecca E. Minser, MD, of Ft Wayne, IN; Kishore Ranade, MD, of Carmel, NY; Michele Willems-Plakyda, MD, of Somerset NJ
The Academy has posted a list of members who are Board Certified online. There is also a link to this web page on the left-hand menu bar of the home page (click on Board Certified Physicians). Diplomates (DABMA) are listed alphabetically by last name, along with their location, and dates of certification and expiration.
ICMART 2005 Symposium enjoyed in Prague, Czech Republic
By Bryan L. Frank, MD, FAAMA
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I am pleased to report that the ICMART 2005 Symposium in Prague, Czech Republic, in association with the XXIII Congressus Acupuncturae Bohemiae et Slovacae com participatione internationali, was a tremendous success.
František Pára, MD, PhD, president of the Symposium, and Ladislav Fildán, MD, scientific secretary of the Symposium, worked diligently for this special event, which featured many leading experts in the field of medical acupuncture and related techniques from around the globe. ICMART President Bryan L. Frank, MD, and François Beyens, MD, ICMART general secretary, led the Board through the official ICMART events of the Symposium Additionally, Walburg Marić-Oehler, MD, led the European Section Meeting, and Marshall Sager, DO, led the Educational Chapter meeting.
About 300 persons from across Europe, North America, South America, Asia and Oceana attended the Symposium, where educational events included plenary lectures, workshops, free papers and posters. Attendees from the USA and AAMA included Academy Past Presidents Bryan L. Frank, MD, and Marshall Sager, DO, as well as Drs. Yang Ahn, Maria Guerra, Douglas Lee and Albert Leung. Many other international presenters and attendees are long-time friends and past presenters at Symposia of AAMA.
The Symposium Faculty and Organizing Committee, as well as attendees, enthusiastically welcomed the formal announcement of the 2006 ICMART Congress, which will be hosted by AAMA and held in conjunction with the 2006 AAMA Symposium in Washington, DC. in April 2006.
ICMART currently represents more than 35,000 physician acupuncturists from 89 societies in 42 nations. It maintains an official website (www.icmart.org), a periodic newsletter, an active Educational Chapter and European Chapter, and promotes its annual Congresses and Symposia in, as well as supporting, national Symposia around the world.
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ICMART & AAMA Symposium being held together in Washington, DC in 2006
By Baron Beyens, MD
General Secretary, ICMART
In Washington DC in 2006, we are going to live a new adventure: a common adventure between the AAMA and ICMART. We are pleased and grateful to the AAMA for taking on the burden of hosting this international Medical Acupuncture Congress. The Symposium of AAMA will not be quite the same because of the input of dozens, if not more, foreign participants, giving to the event a world dimension where you will be able to hear lectures, communications and workshops from medical acupuncturists coming from other continents, giving different views of acupuncture and related techniques, as well as their experience and opinions. Foreign participants, on the other hand, will have the opportunity to merge in the world of the AAMA with its different trends.
This Medical Acupuncture Congress comes at a time of psychological, scientific and political turmoil in the world of medical acupuncture. Attitudes are changing; regulations are being proposed, some useful and some unacceptable by our community, so we must be constantly on our guard. The slow awareness of the existence of numerous groups of medical acupuncturists incites ruling bodies to try to put some order in the practice of these complementary techniques. We are attentive to their initiatives and suggest our help when we can.
The Congress promises to be exciting and thought provoking. Every year, the AAMA has invited one or more foreign speakers, thus keeping contact with other countries' representatives in our field. For the first time, members of AAMA will be mixed with an array of practitioners with different thinking processes, treatment techniques and theoretical approaches. Moreover, the great number of nationalities will enhance the quality and variety of contributions. An international experience will be taking place and it will certainly be worthwhile participating.
Then there will be the mysterious chemistry of these gatherings where you meet so many colleagues, exchange views, discover opinions and express yours, find new friends, and alternate between seriousness and laughs, professional enrichment and human knowledge.
In the name of the Bureau and the Board of ICMART, I suggest that you reserve April 7-9, 2006, and make plans for joining the Congress. We count on your presence, and we know that you will not regret it.
People to People Ambassador trip to China available
People to People Ambassador Programs is coordinating a delegation of professionals specializing in acupuncture who will travel to China Nov. 27 - Dec. 9, 2005.
Delegates will visit clinics, institutions and hospitals, and meet with medical acupuncture professionals in the host country. The exchange will include extensive discussions on the historical and current role of acupuncture as it pertains to current issues in China's healthcare system.
The Acupuncture Delegation is being led by Michael W. Coomes, MD, FAAMA, AAMA president and director of immunization and travel medicine at the University of Minnesota. Delegates will visit three primary areas - Beijing, Guilin and Shanghai - experiencing China's culture and heritage along the way.
More information, program details and a registration form are available by visiting the People to People Ambassador Trip page, by calling 877/787-2000, ext. 100 or by sending an e-mail to info@ambassadorprograms.org. Further details on People to People Ambassador Programs can be found on their website at http://www.ambassadorprograms.org/.
Member News
Watch for your AAMA dues renewal statements in the mail. They're being sent now, and this year, for the first time, you can go on-line to www.medicalacupuncture.org/members to renew your membership (UserID and password is required).
Robert Alan Bonakdar, MD, director of pain management at Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine, appeared on the Today Show this spring as part of a week-long series on pain management. One segment, which dealt with complementary and alternative medicine, highlighted some patients at the La Jolla, CA clinic. The piece specifically highlighted the improvement a patient received from electroacupuncture of the knee for severe arthritis, which he had been told would require knee replacement.
The 18th Annual Symposium will be held in conjunction with ICMART XII Medical Acupuncture Congress (International Council of Medical Acupuncture and Related Techniques) on April 7-9, 2006 at Marriott Wardman Park Hotel, 2660 Woodley Park, NW in Washington, DC. The Academy has negotiated a discounted rate of $199/night (single/double) available through March 3, 2006 or until the block of rooms sells out. Be sure to mention AAMA when calling 202/328-2966 to reserve this special rate. The Review Course will be offered on April 4-5, 2006, followed by Pre-Symposium workshops on April 6, 2006 and the Board Certification Exam on April 9, 2006.
The fourth annual educational forum, Building Bridges of Integration for Traditional Chinese Medicine: True Healing – True Health, is scheduled for Oct. 6-9, 2005 at Sheraton Meadowlands Conference Center in East Rutherford, NJ. A special evening lecture has been planned with Bernie Siegel, MD, on "The Miracle Within." Essential topics such as acupuncture analgesia will be examined from the TCM perspective by a multi-disciplinary audience to expand options and improve outcomes in contemporary healthcare. For more details, visit www.tcmconference.org or call 888-TCM-6909.
AAMA Vice President Hiroshi Nakazawa, MD, recently attended the Toyo Hari Medical Association in North America Conference in Florida. Three famous masters were invited from Japan. Dr. Nakazawa served as an interpreter for visiting acupuncturists from USA, Australia, New Zealand and other European countries. He is assisting Dr Tapan Chaudhuri by identifying potential speakers from Toyo Hari Medical Association for the 2006 AAMA Symposium in Washington, DC to introduce this special refined method. Dr. Nakazawa also attended the Medical Staff Section, along with the House of Delegates meeting of the AMA, June16-18 in Chicago. He noted that the AMA logo was changed this year to look like "an acupuncture needle -- no more snakes."
The Institute of Classical Five-Element Acupuncture, Inc. will present the next Classical Five-Element Acupuncture Program beginning Sept. 9-12, 2005 by Neil R. Gumenick, MAc (UK), CT(A), LAc, Dipl, Ac. Teaching the profound body/mind/spirit medicine initiated by the world-renowned late Prof. J.R. Worsley, the program will meet once a month for nine Friday-Monday sessions in Santa Monica, CA. For more information, visit www.5elements.com or call 310/453-2235.
The latest edition of the NIH Newsletter, CAM at the NIH, is now available on the NCCAM Web site. It has been newly designed and expanded. In addition to this newsletter, members may also be interested in subscribing to the "NCCAM Update" eBulletin, which is sent monthly.
The AAMA will host the ICMART Medical Acupuncture Congress on April 7-9, 2006 at Marriott Wardman Park Hotel in Washington, DC. In addition to national and international speakers who typically present at the AAMA Symposium, a large participation of international colleagues are expected in the poster presentations and the free papers section. These venues will give attendees increased numbers and breadth of presentations to attend in the Medical Acupuncture Congress. Announcements were made at the ICMART Congress in Prague in May, attended by Dr. Bryan L. Frank, ICMART president (2004-2006) and AAMA ICMART co-delegate, and Dr. Marshall Sager, AAMA ICMART co-delegate, and others. Look for a report of the Prague Congress in this AAMA Newsletter.
Global Mission Partners: Bryan L. Frank, MD, FAAMA, will lead missions to Nepal (fall) and Mexico (Nov. 17-20). Academy members have joined these trips for many years now and served those with little or no access to healthcare. Come join to give medical care, acupuncture and yourself. Interested persons should contact Dr. Frank (405/623-7667, bfrankmd@aol.com) or visit www.globalmission.us.
Members participating in AAMA's referral program will be happy to hear that 75 calls came into national headquarters and 4,174 website hits to the referral page in March; 360 calls and 5,365 website referral page hits in April; 247 calls and 5,448 website referral hits in May, and 329 calls and 4,246 website referral hits in June from patients seeking medical acupuncturists in their area. The toll-free number that patients are calling is 800/521-2262.
The 2005 Symposium Syllabus for Medical Acupuncture: Mystique to Mainstream is available along with the Syllabi for the four Pre-Symposium workshops at the Academy Bookstore. Symposium tapes are available at http://www.softconference.com/storefront/250330.
Members who would like a National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) fact sheet on acupuncture can visit http://nccam.nih.gov/health/acupuncture/ or contact the NCCAM Clearinghouse at http://nccam.nih.gov/news/newsletter/2005_winter/index.htm#contact.
Members are reminded that the Academy's online calendar lists a variety of meetings, workshops and conferences (where CME and CEU credit can be earned). More details on each event can be obtained by visiting the website listed or contacting the sponsoring organization. Academy sponsored events are noted with the logo
The 4th International Seminar on Auriculomedicine will be held Dec. 5-10, 2005 in Lyon, France, with all faculty being direct students of Dr. Paul Nogier. For more information, contact isabelle.glem@wanadoo.fr or visit http://www.glem.org/ for program details.
The Academy's website recently received publicity in the 52-page parenting publication, ParentMap, of Seattle, WA. New Approaches to Health Care (Vol. 3, No. 5) reported on how alternative therapies are now mainstream for many families.
If you've read any good books on acupuncture or related products recently, please send that information to AAMA headquarters to be shared with the membership. You can also post a review of the publications in the Academy's online bookstore. Click on AAMA Store and then on Check Out Our Comprehensive Selection. Next click on the book cover (or More Info) and then on Post a Review.
The 13th International Congress of Oriental Medicine (ICOM) will be held Oct. 20-23, 2005 at the Daegu convention center, Daegu, the Republic of Korea, hosted by International Society of Oriental Medicine (ISOM) and the Association of Korean Oriental Medicine (AKOM). ISOM is a professional organization to promote Oriental medicine, including medical acupuncture, moxibustion and herbal medicine. Many Oriental medicine practitioners and scholars from many countries are currently members of ISOM. ICOM is one of the most important activities of ISOM and has been convened every two years. The congress was one of the leading academic forums promoting scientific research and exchanging knowledge of Oriental medicine. For further information, visit online at www.isom.or.kr and www.icomworld.org.
The Academy is pleased to offer the new edition of these books:
1) Acupuncture, Trigger Points and Musculoskeletal Pain, 3rd Edition yy Peter E. Baldry, MB, FRCP (approximately 400 pages, 155 illustrations, copyright 2005, $99, hardcover)
This new edition of this highly successful book describes how musculoskeletal pain can be simply and effectively treated by acupuncture. Building on a thorough review of the scientific evidence available, the provides a detailed and practical account of the many different forms of musculoskeletal pain and the specific ways in which acupuncture can be applied effectively to trigger points to alleviate this pain. Case studies are included to aid diagnosis and choice of treatment.
and
2) The Foundations of Chinese Medicine, 2nd Edition - A Comprehensive Text,
by Giovanni Maciocia, CAc (Nanjing) (approximately.1,236 pages, 586 illustrations,
copyright 2005, $129, hardcover)
This successful Chinese medicine textbook covers the theory of traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture, and discusses in detail the use of acupuncture points and the principles of treatment. The material is based on rigorous reference to ancient and modern Chinese texts, and explains the application of theory in a Western practice context. The new edition features new and updated material, including discussion of 50 additional acupuncture points and more patterns. A redesigned layout complements the accessible writing style and makes the material even easier to follow. Plus, an accompanying CD-ROM contains over 500 self-testing questions in a variety of formats.
Visit the Academy's online bookstore to order.
Please send news items and photos to bdortberg@aol.com.
Medical Acupuncture Research News
• According to an analysis published in the Annals of Internal Medicine http://www.annals.org/content/vol142/issue8 (Vol. 142, No. 8), a review of 22 studies showed that acupuncture relieved lower back pain when compared with no treatment or with "fake" acupuncture in which needles were inserted in the wrong places. While patients in these studies still need painkillers, they are comforted by the extra measure of acupuncture.
• The Singapore Zoo is using acupuncture to treat sick animals, similar to what Academy members like Narda G. Robinson, DO, FAAMA, are doing. According to the Associated Press, the latest patient over there is a 15-year-old Asian elephant whose right leg was crushed by a male elephant nine years ago. After the first treatment, she became more mobile and following subsequent needlings, she could bend her leg better and her muscles became more relaxed. Key points between joints or veins are jabbed twice a week. Other animals that have received acupuncture in Singapore include giraffes, cheetahs and Komodo dragons. More data can be found online at http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/02/28/health/main677019.shtml.
• At the annual scientific meeting of the American College of Rheumatology, the results were announced of a 26-week, randomized controlled trial funded by the National Institutes of Health. They showed that traditional Chinese acupuncture reduces knees pain and improves function for osteoarthritis patients. Lead investigator Marc C. Hochberg, MD, MPH, from the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore presented findings showing that patients treated with traditional acupuncture improved more than control groups given a "sham" acupuncture treatment or an educational alternative. More data can be found online at http://mailman.olympus.net/pipermail/aama-cases/2004-October/001514.html. Information on how acupuncture provides pain relief and improves function for people with osteoarthritis of the knee (and serves as an effective complement to standard care) can be found on NCCAM's site at http://nccam.nih.gov/news/newsletter/2005_winter/acupuncture.htm.
• The Academy's referral program and the benefits of using medical acupuncture to ease arthritis were plugged in Arthritis Today (http://www.arthritis.org/resources/arthritistoday/2000_archives/2000_05_06_acupuncture.asp ).
Please send data you find on research involving the effectiveness of medical acupuncture to bdortberg@aol.com.
Chapter News
New York
The NY Chapter is planning an educational and organizational meeting in the fall. Members interested in helping coordinate that event can contact Dr. Gilbert (516/487-2700, bruce.gilbert@verizon.net).
North Carolina
After elections in June, John Giusto, MD, is now president of the NC Chapter, with Carlos A. Vargas, MD, vice president and president-elect, and Joanne P. Pizzino, MD, MPH, secretary/treasurer.
Ohio
The Ohio Chapter was established this year. So far, they have hosted a successful seminar on musculoskeletal pain by Dr. Alejandro Elorriaga, and look forward to their upcoming CME program with Dr. Michael Greenwood, entitled "Dynamic Interactive Acu-Bodywork Workshop" Oct. 22-23, 2005. Dr. Greenwood is a frequent author of excellent journal articles in "Medical Acupuncture." He has also written several outstanding books. The workshop will be limited in size.
In addition, this Chapter hosts quarterly journal club meetings, which are an excellent way to update your knowledge, as well as to network with colleagues. Their last meeting with Dr. Claudia Harsh (OB/GYN) on infertility was both informative and well received. On Sept. 11, 2005, Dr Jim Leonard, an orthopedic surgeon, will present on "The Use of Acupuncture in Musculoskeletal Pain – An Overview of the Literature." Those interested can contact Dr. Sandi Amoils at Amoilsss@Healthall.com.
Pennsylvania
On the weekend of June 11-12, the Pennsylvania Chapter held an educational seminar on Introduction to Toyo Hari Japanese Meridian Therapy, given by Zoe Brenner, and on the new Acupuncture CPT codes and modifiers and how to optimize payments by correctly billing, using the new codes for 2005. This presentation was given by past national president Marshall Sager DO, FAAMA.
The event was enjoyed by many and will be the style of educational sessions for the next season.
All new physician acupuncturists are welcome to join, learn and take advantage of the opportunity to socialize with other physicians also interested in acupuncture.
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Anyone interested in joining the Pennsylvania Chapter should e-mail mbarry77@world-vue.com.
Does your state have a regional AAMA chapter? If not, please consider forming one. Chapters provide fellowship, professional camaraderie, education and curbside consults. Contact AAMA Executive Director Jim Dowden (cjdowden@pacbell.net, 323/937-5514, x11.
Chapter representatives, please send your updates for the AAMA Newsletter via e-mail to bdortberg@aol.com.
Classified Ads
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• Medical acupuncture practice with 30-year patient network for sale in Berkeley, CA. Creative arrangement. HMI/UCLA graduate only. E-mail cb@hmieducation.com.
• Integrative medicine center and spa seeking full- or part-time acupuncturist licensed in Maryland. Upscale wellness center with national media exposure located in Silver Spring, MD near Washington, DC. Diverse clientele and staff, and opportunities for practice buy-in. Send resume, cover letter and references to andrea@penningtoninstitute.com, fax to 301/588-7368 or visit www.penningtoninstitute.com.
• Menlo Park, CA, near Stanford University, sports chiropractor with 20 years experience seeks to share or rent space with a medical acupuncturist or orthomolecular medicine practitioner. Contact Dr. Heatley (650/322-7507, 650/322-8225 fax).
• Acupuncturist/Chinese/natural path doctor needed for New Day Spa &Wellness Center opening in 2006 in Boca Raton, FL. Contact Gayle Wentworth (561/414-1777, timespa@aol.com).