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academy
alert
cigna
settlement
Update
Deadline
to
file
for
compensation
draws
near
The
deadline
to
file
for
compensation
in
the
CIGNA
settlement
is
Feb.
18,
2005.
Providers
who
filed
claims
with
CIGNA
HealthCare
between
Aug.
4,
1990
and
Sept.
5,
2003
and
who
have
not
opted
out
of
the
class
action
settlement
with
the
HMO
are
eligible
to
file.
An
official
notice
announcing
when
and
how
providers
can
file
for
compensation
was
mailed
out
last
July,
but
if
you
can’t
find
yours,
don’t
fret.
The
notice
along
with
any
of
the
forms
you’ll
need
are
available
online
at
www.hmosettlements.com.
Physicians
filing
claims
will
have
to
choose
between
two
available
compensation
funds.
The
first
is
the
Category
A
Settlement
Fund,
which
is
capped
at
$30
million.
At
the
end
of
the
claims
period,
the
fund
will
be
divided
among
the
claimants
according
to
a
formula.
The
other
option
is
the
Claim
Distribution
Fund,
which
is
uncapped.
Providers
wishing
to
receive
compensation
from
this
fund
will
have
to
file
separately
for
each
contested
claim
in
cases
of
coding
and
bundling
edits,
and
medical
necessity
denials.
There
are
no
limits
on
the
number
of
requests
for
compensation
providers
can
file
under
the
Claim
Distribution
Fund,
but
providers
cannot
file
under
both
funds.
For
more
information,
visit
www.hmosettlements.com,
www.CIGNAPhysicianSettlement.com,
and
www.hmocrisis.com.
c.
Frank
Webber
Lectureship
Sign
up
today
Join
us
for
this
year's
C.
Frank
Webber
Lectureship
on
February
25,
2005.
The
conference
is
held
each
year
in
conjunction
with
one
of
TAFP’s
annual
business
meetings,
Interim
Session,
making
the
C.
Frank
Webber
Lectureship
a
perfect
opportunity
for
you
to
join
your
colleagues
in
meeting
and
discussing
issues
important
to
you
and
your
practice
with
Academy
leaders.
click
here
for
more
information
Legislative
Overview
Where
does
family
medicine
stand
as
the
legislative
session
begins
It’s
back
to
school
for
the
Texas
Legislature.
Lawmakers
have
until
October
to
come
up
with
a
new
method
for
financing
elementary
and
secondary
education,
and
proposals
for
new
taxes
on
business
are
being
collected
at
the
front
of
the
classroom.
And
that’s
just
one
challenge
in
store
for
family
medicine
this
session.
read
all
about
it
in
this
quarter’s
Texas
Family
Physician.
TAFP
Calls
for
Representatives
to
NCSC
Are
you
interested
in
representing
Texas
at
the
National
Conference
of
Special
Constituencies?
Each
year,
the
AAFP
holds
the
NCSC
in
Kansas
City,
Missouri
and
representatives
from
across
the
nation
gather
to
discuss
various
issues
and
suggest
policies
and
programs
to
the
AAFP.
This
year's
conference
will
be
May
5
-
7.
Click
here
to
go
to
the
AAFP
site
for
more
information
and
to
register.
Register
by
February
28
and
save
$50.
If
you
are
interested
in
being
considered
for
one
of
the
slots,
please
notify
Jonathan
Nelson
at
the
TAFP
office
by
February
23,
2005.
Be
sure
to
let
him
know
which
constituency
you
would
like
to
represent.
The
TAFP
Section
on
Special
Constituencies
will
select
representatives
at
the
Interim
Session
meeting.
Below
are
the
five
special
constituency
slots:
- New
Physicians
- Women
- Minorities
- International
Medical
Graduates
- Gay,
Lesbian,
Bisexual
and
Transgendered
The
patient's
voice
in
Washington
Our
patients
want
a
better
understanding
of
how
health
care
issues
and
legislation
affect
them.
Our
Academy
believes
patients
should
also
have
a
voice
in
the
formation
of
the
policies
that
determine
how
their
health
care
is
paid
for
and
delivered.
To
help
our
patients
better
understand
complicated
health
care
issues
and
speak
up
for
better
health
care,
AAFP
has
updated
“The
Patient’s
Voice
in
Washington”
resource.
click
here
to
read
more
success
with
medicaid
Texas
Medicaid
&
Healthcare
Partnership
holds
workshops
across
the
state
The
Texas
Medicaid
and
Healthcare
Partnership
is
presenting
Medicaid
claims
filing
workshops
in
locations
across
the
state.
The
workshops
are
targeted
to
those
with
less
than
two
years
of
experience
in
the
Medicaid
program.
For
more
information,
visit
their
Web
site
at:
www.tmhp.com
Sign
Up
for
Physician
of
the
Day
The
79th
Texas
State
Legislative
Session
has
begun.
TAFP
members
are
continuing
the
tradition
of
donating
their
valuable
time
to
provide
the
capitol
with
an
on-call
physician.
The
academy
still
needs
volunteers
to
participate
in
this
program.
The
Physician
of
the
Day
will
be
introduced
in
both
the
Senate
and
the
House
of
Representatives
each
day
and
his
or
her
name
will
become
a
permanent
part
of
the
official
legislative
record.
Volunteers
are
scheduled
on
a
first
come,
first
served
basis
and
dates
may
change
due
to
the
legislative
schedule.
click
here
to
sign
up
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