Table of Contents -- December 2004



Texas Medicine Logo

Vol. 100 No. 12

COVER STORY

The Lekisch Collection
The late Kurt Lekisch, MD, devoted much of the latter portion of his life to collecting stamps. By the time the Austin physician died in 1994, his collection had grown to 188 volumes of medically related stamps, envelopes, postcards, photographs, autographs, coins, and news clippings. Now housed in the TMA Knowledge Center, the collection represents his passion and the many hours he spent researching, corresponding with people all over the world, collecting stamps and other items, and then painstakingly mounting them in binders. 

LAW

Worth the Effort
Don't pass up the opportunity to recoup some of the money you were denied because CIGNA HealthCare didn't pay claims properly. You owe it to yourself to get the list of mispaid claims CIGNA produced after it settled a federal lawsuit.

MEDICAL ECONOMICS

Battling the Backlog
A new administrator for the Medicaid program took over in January and got off to a rocky start. Physicians across the state are complaining about delays in getting paid. Officials promise the backlog of unpaid claims will be cleared this month.

By Ken Ortolon

LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS

If It Is Broken, Fix It
No one likes the way the workers' compensation system works in Texas, thus the Sunset Advisory Commission wants to abolish the Texas Workers' Compensation Commission and transfer its functions to the state insurance department..

By Ken Ortolon

PUBLIC HEALTH

Spread Thin
The shortage of influenza vaccine has physicians and public health officials scrambling. The good news is that remaining flu vaccine manufacturers have stepped up production, and officials appear to have secured more doses from Canada and Europe.

By Ken Ortolon

SCIENCE

A Review of the IOM Report on Mold
A panel of Texas physicians has reviewed the recent Institute of Medicine report, "Damp Indoor Spaces and Health." The panel agrees with some of the findings, but questions others. 

MANAGING YOUR PRACTICE

Rules for Advertising
Be sure to follow Texas State Board of Medical Examiners rules for promoting your specialization when you advertise your practice in any media. If you don't, you could find yourself in trouble.         

Hiring the Best Biller
Don't just "fill a chair" when you hire someone for your billing department. Take the time to hire the best candidate.

Getting Paid Fast
Do you want Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas to pay secondary-to-commercial-carrier claims faster? Then submit them electronically.

Ethics of Treating Family
It's not illegal to treat a friend or a member of your family. But there are some ethical considerations to keep in mind.

TMA ROUNDS

2005 TMA Winter Conference Feb. 5 at Austin's Hyatt
Prompt Pay Law: Use It or Lose It
TMA Arranges Discount to Help Recover CIGNA Claims
How to Have a Healthy Family
TMA Rewards Innovative CME Programs
Biennial Registration of Physician Licenses Begins in January  

JOURNAL

Spectrum of Ocular Trauma at an Urban County Hospital (abstract)

By Tina A. Scheufele, MD, and Preston H. Blomquist, MD 

 

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