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Celebrating Over 80 Years Of Service!

The American Academy of Otolaryngic Allergy (AAOA) represents over 2,700 Board-certified otolaryngologists and health care providers. Otolaryngology, frequently referred to as Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT), uniquely combines medical and surgical expertise to care for patients with a variety of conditions affecting the ears, nose, and throat, as well as commonly related conditions. AAOA members devote part of their practice to the diagnosis and treatment of allergic disease. The AAOA actively supports its membership through education, research, and advocacy in the care of allergic patients.

"Advance the comprehensive management of allergy and inflammatory disease in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery through training, education, and advocacy."

AAOA Member Benefits

  • Up to 60% discount for CME programs and free Annual Meeting. All AAOA’s CME programs meet ABOTOHNS Continuing Certification.
  • AAOA US ENT Affinity program, where AAOA members can gain savings on antigen, allergy supplies, and any of the other 5 service lines US ENT offers. For more email info@usentpartners.com.
  • Tools and resources to comply with US General Chapter 797 and practice management tools.
  • Advocacy support.
  • And much more! Learn More

PRACTICE MANAGEMENT CORNER

As part of our on-going member support, we are introducing a new website feature to help with common practice management challenges. We welcome your input with questions or challenges you would like to address. Read More

ADVOCACY UPDATES

Penicillin Allergy Verification and Evaluation (PAVE) Act

Penicillin Allergy Verification and Evaluation (PAVE) Act to be introduced by Rep. Bucshon. AAOA is one…

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CMS Released the Annual Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule

On July 10, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the Medicare Physician…

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Latest on Federal Issues

This blog will feature weekly updates from our Socioeconomic Committee and Health Policy team to…

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Upcoming Dates

08/02/24: Scientific Abstract Submission Deadline
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12/01/24: Research Grant Cycle
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04/01/25: Fellow Exam Application Deadline
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06/01/25: Research Grant Cycle
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EDUCATION

AAOA Annual Meeting

Register for FREE* to attend the 2024 AAOA Annual Meeting in-person, in Las Vegas, or virtually!

*The 2024 AAOA Annual Meeting is FREE to all AAOA members in good standing

RESIDENTS

For information about Resident membership, opportunities, DosedDaily, research grants, and other resources. Learn More

IFAR

Available Now

aaoaf-ifar

IFAR Impact Factor: 2.454

IFAR Featured Content: COVID-19 - Free Access
Endonasal instrumentation and aerosolization risk in the era of COVID‐19: simulation, literature review, and proposed mitigation strategies . Read More

Changes in Managing Practices

Working together with AAOA staff, volunteer leadership and members will enable us to have a positive impact on our members’ practices.

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Live and Online CME

2024 AAOA Annual Meeting - Hybrid
November 8-10, 2024
Four Seasons Hotel Las Vegas
Learn More and Register 

Coming Soon! New Explorers Course — Hybrid
90-days Access Feb 27 – May 27, 2025 
March 27-29, 2025 - Live
The Hythe, Vail, CO
Book Your Room

2025 AAOA Basic Course in Allergy & Immunology - Hybrid
90-days Access June 10 – Sep 15, 2025
July 10-12, 2025 - Live
The Chateaux Deer Valley, Park City, UT
Book Your Room

USP 797 Online Module
Learn More and Register

AAOA Educational Stacks
Available Now!

News and Updates

CEO Update, September 2024

“Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the Fall”. F. Scott Fitzgerald…

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ABOHNS Practice Analysis Job Task Analysis Survey

On September 24 the ABOHNS initiated a Practice Analysis (Job Task Analysis) Survey. All ABOHNS…

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College Allergy Symptoms Treatment Back to Shcool

PRACTICE RESOURCES

AAOA Practice Resource Tool Kit

The American Academy of Otolaryngic Allergy (AAOA) Practice Resource Tool Kit is intended as a guide to help AAOA members integrate allergy into their otolaryngology practice and to continually improve on this integration as new information, regulations, and resources become available.

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PARTNER RESOURCE CENTER

AAOA has launched a Partner Resource Center to bring you partner resources that can assist your practice and patient care.

Visit the New Center>

PATIENT CORNER

CMS Releases Quality Payment Program Proposed Rule

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released a proposed rule outlining the requirements for Year 2 of the Quality Payment Program (QPP), including those requirements providers will have to meet to succeed in either the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) or asclinicians in advanced Alternative Payment Models (APMs).

The design and implementation of the QPP represents amajor step in to transform care delivery and improve the quality of care delivered to patients. However, CMS has heard from providers about the additional burden the requirements of this program places on their practices. In an effort to grant further flexibility for clinicians, CMS established in itsproposed rule new avenues to incentivize and simplify MIPS participation. While the agency would like majority of providers to participate in advanced APMs, they recognize that at the program’s outset most providers will remain in MIPS.

The first new option that was proposed is the implementation of virtual groups. Solo practitioners and small groups of up to 10 clinicians can opt to form a “virtual group” for reporting purposes. As proposed, virtual groups would report data together for all four performance categories and receive a single group composite MIPS performance score.

CMS also proposed to raise the low volume threshold toexclude clinicians and groups who bill $90,000 or less in Part B allowed charges or provide care to 200 or fewer beneficiaries. If finalized, this will help eliminate the reporting burden on clinicians in small practices or those who have few Medicare beneficiaries. For those small practices that remain in MIPS, CMS did propose to add 5 bonus points to their MIPS composite score to improve their chances of avoiding a penalty.

Besides the small practice bonus, CMS also proposed to add a complex patient bonus. The agency will add a provider’s hierarchical condition category (HCC) score between 1 and 3 to the composite score. This is an attempt to better account for the complexity of a provider’s patient population. However, this is some concern that the HCC score, which was designed for risk adjustment in the Medicare Advantage (MA) program, may not be the best proxy for patient complexity.

CMS also added additional flexibilities and opportunities to earn a bonus points in the Advancing Care Information (formerly the Meaningful Use program) category. The agency is no longer requiring that all clinicians use the 2015 Certified Electronic Health Record Technology (CEHRT). Also, there are new flexibilities and opportunities to earn bonuses for public health registry reporting.

While the proposed rule has offered clinicians extra flexibility in participation and additional opportunities to improve aclinician’s scoring across MIPS, there were some concerningproposals. For the cost performance category, CMSproposed to change the weight of the cost performance category from 10 percent to zero percent for the 2018 MIPS reporting year. The agency will use the additional year before scoring the category to conduct more outreach to interested providers and to develop more episode-based measures. However, if finalized, this would mean that the category would increase in weight from zero percent in 2018 to 30 percent in 2019. Such a large increase in the span of one year would put clinician’s at a real disadvantage if cost measures applicable to their practice have not been developed or if CMS has not finalized accurate risk adjustment and attribution methodologies. Many stakeholders are concerned CMS will still have completed the work necessary to accurately assess cost in an additional year. The final rule on the QPP will be released later this fall. More information about the program and how to participate can be found online at:https://qpp.cms.gov/

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