The Mission of the Hillsborough County Medical Association, Inc. is to advocate all things necessary to develop and maintain the highest professional and ethical standards for medical practices and healthcare in the best interest of the physicians and patients of Hillsborough County.

To our valued patients:
The Hillsborough County Medical Association can provide a physician’s educational background, including specialty training and other pertinent information, which will assist you in finding the best physician for you and your family. This referral service is free and offered to you by calling (813) 253-0471.

To our valued physicians:
Since 1895, the Hillsborough County Medical Association has served as the local voice for organized medicine and is dedicated to preserving your profession. We are advocates for the members of our Association and will continue to keep you informed regarding legislative issues, public health concerns, legal requirements, and other information that would affect you and your ability to practice medicine in this ever changing healthcare environment.

The HCMA is here to protect the future of medicine and your ability to practice it.

Provided by the Florida Medical Association News You Can Use

RAC’S ARE COMING ARE YOU PREPARED?

This article will give you information on the RAC process including some changes from the pilot program. But the best advice is to get prepared now, do not wait until First Coast Service Options is deducting money on your remittance advice notice for RAC identified overpayments. Read More

Red Flags

On December 7th, the U.S. House of Representatives passed S. 3987, the Red Flag Program Clarification Act of 2010. This legislation, which passed the Senate on November 30, was originally introduced by Senators John Thune (R-SD) and Mark Begich (D-AK) to limit the type of “creditor” that must comply with the Red Flags Rule.

The Red Flags Rule requires creditors to develop identity theft prevention and detection programs, and was originally scheduled to take effect on November 1, 2008. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), physicians who do not accept payment from their patients at the time of service are creditors and so must comply with the Rule by developing and implementing written identity theft prevention and detection programs in their practices. As a result of continued discussions with FTC’s Chairman Jon Leibowitz and an aggressive congressional advocacy campaign, AMA efforts prompted the agency to delay the November 1, 2008 compliance deadline on several occasions, up through the end of 2010.

S. 3987 defines creditors as those who regularly and in the ordinary course of business: (1) obtain or use consumer reports, directly or indirectly, in connection with a credit transaction; (2) furnish information to certain consumer reporting agencies in connection with a credit transaction; or (3) advance funds to or on behalf of a person, based on the person's obligation to repay the funds or on repayment from specific property pledged by them or on their behalf. The legislation explicitly excludes those who advance funds on behalf of a person for expenses incidental to a service that is provided. Under this definition, the bill’s sponsors have stated that physicians, dentists, and other professionals would not generally meet the definition of a “creditor,” and so they are exempt them from the rule’s requirements. However, the bill does leave open the possibility that the FTC may revisit the issue in the future through the rulemaking process.

The legislation will now be sent to the White House where President Obama is expected to sign it into law before the January 1, 2011, compliance deadline.