Welcome!

KMS is pleased to share with you our new home on the web; we're happy you've stopped by to visit and hope you will find the site informative. It is our goal to provide a relevant, user-friendly and current website which will enhance our members' experience.

Whether you're looking for current news as it relates to Kansas medicine, wish to apply for membership or need background on a practice issue, KMSonline.org can be your best resource. Please use the links above to learn more about our organization; current KMS members can access the Members Only area for expanded content and additional information.

KMS Annual Meeting 2008: registration is open!

This year's Annual Meeting will be held in Overland Park at the DoubleTree Hotel. We're looking forward to seeing you there and hope that you'll make plans to attend. You can review our schedule of events and find a registration from here; if you have any questions or would like more information about the meeting, contact Denise Lantz at the KMS office.

KMS provides additional information on pathology direct billing issue

KMS continues to receive requests for updated information on a legislation, passed in 2007, that prohibits physicians from direct billing patients for anatomical pathology services performed through a separate lab. Please refer to the attached document which answers some of the more frequently asked questions we receive; it provides background on the effects of the new legislation as well as some detail on the bill's scope and bredth. If you have any additional questions or concerns about SB 285, please contact Dan Morin, KMS Director of Government Affairs.

BCBS transitioning out of Medicare; WPS takes over March 1

As many of you are aware, Blue Cross-Blue Shield of Kansas lost its contract to serve as the Medicare carrier for our state. An out-of-state company, Wisconsin Physician Services, will take over that administration as of March 1. KMS has helped convene a workgroup which will help members interface with WPS during the upcoming transition. The group has also developed a list of frequently asked questions for your reference. If you have any concerns or questions which are not addressed in this document, feel free to contact Ruth Cornwall, KMS Director of Health Care Finance.

Tamper-resistant prescription pad regulation effective April 1, 2008

On April 1, 2008, enforcement of a regulation requiring all prescriptions for Medicaid patients be written on tamper-resistant pads began.

• Fact sheet: tamper-resistant prescription pads

If you have additional questions about the bill or would like more information, please feel free to contact Dan Morin, KMS Director of Government Affairs.

KMS shares policy statement on health care reform

In May 2004, KMS formally adopted the report of our Task Force on Health Care Reform. These principles are intended to be broad guidelines designed to assist KMS leaders as they work with others to achieve appropriate health system reform.

• Nation's leading physician associations together announce principles for health care reform