SoonerCare Payments

To cover the initial State Mandate of a 10% reduction in the total agency budget, OHCA instituted a 3.25% reduction in all SoonerCare provider payments effective April 1, 2010.

A second reduction of 3.50% in all provider payments was under discussion earlier this year. These reductions did not materialize.

In addition to these reductions, payment for newborn circumcisions was under discussion for elimination earlier this year too. As of August 12, 2010, SoonerCare continues to pay for newborn circumcisions. There are no plans by OHCA to stop paying for this service.

According to OHCA representatives, all budget cuts have been implemented and no further (provider) rate reductions are on the table for discussion at this time.

IMPORTANT NOTICE
According to the Centers for Disease Control ("CDC")

"The CDC does NOT require any registration on the internet to receive a vaccine, and any e-mail suggesting it does is a fake that is looking for personal information that can be exploited illegally". The agency "warned against following unsolicited links or responding to unsolicited e-mails and cautioned against visiting websites that are unknown."

Red Book Member Choice

One of the most valuable benefits of American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) membership - the new 28th edition of Red Book: 2009 Report of the Committee on Infectious Diseases - will now be provided to you in your choice of format (print, online, or mobile/PDA).

To make your format choice, log onto the AAP Member Center, click on the link in the right column, and then follow the online instructions. You may also make your format choice by sending an e-mail to membership@aap.org. We encourage you to make your choice soon.

Also, because many of you have told us that you use the print Red Book and either Red Book Online or Red Book Mobile, we are pleased to announce special Member Choice offers with deep discounts on other Red Book formats. These special offers are only available when you make your member benefit choice, so take advantage of these on-time-only discounts today!

We greatly value your membership in the AAP and hope the new Red Book Member Choice program will meet your changing needs and preferences.

Special Achievement Awards

OKAAP President, J. Hendricks, MD, presents Debbie Lowen, MD (left), and Sophia Grant, MD (right), both Oklahoma Chapter members, special achievement awards from national AAP, for co-authoring the AAP's newly released, "Visual Diagnosis of Child Abuse - 3rd edition" on CD-ROM.

Also honored with Special Achievement Awards at the 2009 Philadelphia District Meeting were:

Robert Block, MD, Oklahoma Chapter, for being named Chair of the Sub Board of Child Abuse Pediatrics for the American Board of Pediatrics, after developing and presenting the petition for the subspecialty certification to the Board. Mary Anne McCaffree, MD, Oklahoma Chapter, for serving as a long time child and AAP Advocate, and for being named to the AMA Board of Trustees. Oklahoma Chapter - 2008 Award of Chapter Excellence for an outstanding annual program effectively furthering the objectives of the Association.