There’s an interesting read in this week’s New England Journal of Medicine on the future of primary care. And what you take from it depends on whether you have a glass half-empty or half-full philosophy.

A nurse practitioner group is pushing for greater responsibility for NPs to meet national health care needs. The Washington Post reports that the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners has launched a campaign to "try to raise the profile of the country’s 155,000 nurse practitioners. The campaign looks to exploit what many say is a looming doctor shortage."

Want some free time with a real medical business expert -- Sean Weiss, CPC, CPC-P, CCP-P, Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer of DecisionHealth Professional Services?

The HHS Office of the Inspector General (OIG) released a report on E/M coding this week that shows levels 4 and 5 selection for established patient office visits is on the rise this past decade while levels 1 through 3 selection is on the decline. The portion of established patient E/M codes billed as levels 1 through 3 dropped by a combined 17% between 2001 and 2010 and selection of levels 4 and 5 account for a 17% higher portion during that same timeframe, according to the report – available here. 

With an eye toward finding a permanent fix to the flawed physician payment system, the Senate Finance Committee on May 10 held the first in a series of informal roundtable discussions.

The current “Doc Fix” law that prevented a 27% cut to physician fees is due to expire Dec. 31, a prospect that has caused concern both among physician organizations and members of Congress.

At this first meeting, the Senators hashed over the history of the sustainable growth rate (SGR), and invited four former Medicare officials to join the discussion.