2022 Texas Workers' Compensation Conference

 

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Registration Opens Texas Workers' Compensation Conference

registration opens april 4

Join us June 27-29 in Austin as we explore emerging trends in comp, and the people and connections that make the system work.

See this year's agenda on the conference webpage.

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CMS OPEN PAYMENTS

REPORTING ENTITIES: DATA SUBMISSION IS OPEN!

Program Year 2021 data submission is open now through March 31, 2022. For details about registration, recertification and data submission, visit the Resources for Reporting Entities page.

More information

TMB Survey Due April 29th, 2022

Take TMB's survey!

TMB is requesting your participation in a very brief customer service survey. Every two years, all state agencies including the Texas Medical Board, are required to conduct a survey about various agency operations. We want to obtain your feedback to help us understand your impression of the TMB’s usage of video conferencing platforms and TMB in general.

 

The survey consists of 10 multiple choice questions, will take just a few minutes to complete, and is completely anonymous. The survey is available on Survey Monkey via this link: TMB Customer Service Survey.

We respectfully request your participation in the survey by Friday, April 29th, 2022. Your feedback is very important to us and the results of the survey will be published on the agency website as part of the 2022 Strategic Planning process.

Criminals Extorting Healthcare Professionals

FBI Liaison Information Report about Criminals Extorting Medical Professionals by Impersonating Medical Licensing Boards and the FBI. Click link below.

Criminals Extorting Healthcare Professionals

Interstate Medical Licensure Compact Begins March 1st in Texas

Physician applicants outside of Texas, and Texas physicians wishing to practice in another member state, can begin submitting applications to the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact Commission (IMLCC) on Tuesday, March 1. 

The Interstate Medical Licensure Compact is a voluntary, expedited pathway to licensure for qualifying physicians who wish to practice in Compact member states. 

For details on qualifying for Compact licensure, and Frequently Asked Questions, please visit: https://www.tmb.state.tx.us/page/interstate-medical-licensure-compact  

Are you Hiring?

Did you know that TPS has it's very own Career Center?

If you're looking to fill a position, you need to look into this great resource that expands to various medical fields all across the US!

In addition to this resource, we want to help you get the word out. Let us know what positions you're looking for by filling out the form through the link below. 

Open Positions for Members

Comments Requested- CDC Moves To Relax Opioid Prescription Guidance

Below is a recap of the release announced on Forbes. Find the Proposed 2022 CDC Clinical Practice Guideline for Prescribing Opioids here. TPS will submit a formal response on behalf of TPS Members.

Send in your comments directly to TPS

The Centers for Disease Control proposed pulling back some of the strict guidelines for prescribing opioids in a draft of recommendations released Thursday, a move that would loosen some of the restrictions put in place in 2016 to help mitigate the opioid epidemic, in an attempt to allow chronic pain patients to receive more flexible treatment.

KEY FACTS

Proposed changes to the CDC’s guidance include giving doctors more leeway by slashing dose ceilings for patients and no longer suggesting they limit opioid treatment for acute pain to three days. Doctors would be advised to only prescribe opioids for painful, traumatic injuries, like major burns and those sustained in car accidents, and start patients off on low doses of immediate-release pills, according to the New York Times.

To ease less intense conditions—like episodic migraines and knee, neck and lower back pain—the new recommendations suggest employing treatments like exercise, acupuncture, heat therapy and over-the-counter drugs like ibuprofen. 

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Annual Workers’ Compensation Non-Subscriber Reporting

 Annual Workers’ Compensation Non-Subscriber Reporting 

Texas employers that do not provide workers’ compensation coverage must file DWC Form-005, Employer Notice of No Coverage or Termination of Coverage

This form:

  • lets DWC know that an employer has opted out of the workers’ compensation system or ended coverage; and
  • must be sent in each year between February 1 and April 30. 

Employers that do not file this form on time may face penalties under state law. 

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We've gone social!

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Be sure to use #TexasPain!

 

TDI DWC Lunchtime Webinars

 

 Upcoming Health Care Provider Lunchtime Webinars

DWC has free, lunchtime health care provider webinars. These webinars are for health care providers and medical office staff who provide health care to Texas workers’ compensation injured employees.

Upcoming live webinars begin at noon Central time:

Reminder to Health Care Practitioners About Financial Interest Disclosures

Reminder to Health Care Practitioners About Financial Interest Disclosures

DWC reminds health care practitioners that they must file a financial interest disclosure with DWC when referring an injured employee to another health care practitioner, health care provider, or health care facility that they have a financial interest in.

More details are on the TDI website.

ABPM Board Opening

Do you want to advance your status and exposure? You can with the American Board of Pain Management as a director! You have experiences, opinions, scientific facts that can drive the industry forward. Consider joining by contacting Dr. Finn below. 

Ken Finn, MD
Springs Rehabilitation, PC
719-634-7246
[email protected]

HHSC announces new Drug Utilization Review Board appointments

HHSC announces new Drug Utilization Review Board appointments

The Texas Health and Human Services Commission established the Drug Utilization Review Board to develop criteria and standards impacting Texas Medicaid, including:

  • Developing and submitting recommendations for the Texas Medicaid preferred drug list;
  • Suggesting clinical prior authorizations on outpatient prescription drugs;
  • Recommending educational interventions for Medicaid providers; and
  • Reviewing drug utilization across the Medicaid program.

The following individuals have been selected for Board appointment:

  • Dr. Natalie Vanek, physician representative
  • Dr. Carlos O. Viesca, physician representative

Please visit the Board webpage for more information on the Board.  Board meeting agendas are posted approximately seven days prior to the meetings on the Events webpage.  Meetings are also webcast and archived on the Meetings webpage for approximately two years from the date of the meeting.  

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Nominate an Physician for this Important Appointment

The Texas Department of Insurance, Division of Workers’ Compensation (DWC) is seeking qualified individuals interested in providing professional services to DWC and to serve on the Medical Quality Review Panel (MQRP). The MQRP was established under the Texas Labor Code §413.0512 to assist me, as the medical advisor, in the performance of my duties under Texas Labor Code §413.0511.   

Please nominate Texas licensed health care practitioners who have demonstrated experience in workers’ compensation or utilization review for possible appointment to the MQRP. Although DWC will accept nominations of all types of health care practitioners, our current focus is on orthopedics, pain management, occupational medicine, and internal medicine.  

You may be professionally qualified and interested in assisting DWC in the evaluation of the appropriate medical management for injured employees in Texas. Please contact Mary Landrum at [email protected] with your interest or to nominate another professional, no later than end of business day, January 28, 2022. Please contact Mary Landrum at 512-804-4814 should you have any questions. 

#TakeBackDay October 23, 2021

The DEA’s Take Back Day events provide an opportunity for Americans to prevent drug addiction and overdose deaths. Encourage the gathering of unused, unwanted, or expired prescription drugs to dispose of safely during the upcoming event.

When: Saturday,  October 23, 2021 – 10 AM to 2 PM

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TPS Scientific Conference Hotel Cut Off is TODAY

 Do Not Miss Your Chance!

 

 

Notable Pain Medicine-Specific CME Presentations will focus on the most current research and findings in pain medicine. Earn up to 17 AMA PRA Category 1tm and 2.75 hours of ethics/ professional responsibility in one weekend from distinguished state and national speakers.

 LEARN MORE ABOUT THE EVENT

Get the latest information for your practice!

REGISTER NOW

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Emergency Rule Related to Issuance of Prescriptions Renewed for 75 Days

 

 

Emergency Rule Related to Issuance of Prescriptions Renewed for 75 Days 

 The emergency rule related to the issuance of certain prescriptions during the COVID-19 disaster has been renewed for 75 days.  

 The emergency rule (§174.5) continues to allow physicians to utilize telemedicine for issuing previous prescription(s) for scheduled medications to established chronic pain patients if the prescribing physician has, within the past 90 days, seen a patient in-person or via a telemedicine visit using two-way audio and video communication.  

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NOTICE — Important Changes to PMP Enhancement Funding

NOTICE — Important Changes to
PMP Enhancement Funding

Important changes are coming to the Texas Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP) that will affect integration and NarxCare for certain users.

The funding provided by Senate Bill 500 (86th Texas Legislature) that allowed the Texas State Board of Pharmacy to pay for statewide integration and NarxCare has not been renewed during this most recent legislative session (87th Texas Legislature).

Access to main PMP functionalities will not change. The mandate to check the Texas PMP before prescribing opioids, benzodiazepines, barbiturates, or carisoprodol also remains in effect.

The Texas PMP vendor, Appriss Health, recently sent out a message summarizing these changes to PMP users. 

Read the message from Appriss on our website to learn more and for contact information if you have additional questions. Visit txpmp.org and pharmacy.texas.gov/PMP to learn more about the PMP and to log into your PMP user account.


Submission deadline extended to September 1st Mark White Academic Excellence Award

Submission deadline extended to September 1st for the new 
Mark White Academic Excellence Award in Pain Medicine. 
Find out how you can submit your winning publication. 
Read about all the awards given at the Conference. 

Virtual Session Opioid and Diversion Awareness: The Current State of the Opioid Epidemic

Virtual Session Opioid and Diversion Awareness: The Current State of the Opioid Epidemic is closed but watch for new sessions in September

This virtual Event in July has sold out. However,  the same conference will be offered again on September 7 & 16, 2021. The sign up for the September event will be sent out in the coming weeks before September. Please check the DEA Diversion website for any additional conferences.

Any questions regarding this conference may be directed to DEA Liaison Section at [email protected].