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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

Physicians Urge MedPAC To Recommend Inflation-Based Medicare Payment Update To Replace Current Law

From the AMA Advocacy Update Newsletter, May 17, 2024

In a letter (PDF) to the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), the AMA expressed support for the direction of the Commission’s deliberations at the April 2024 meeting to replace the severely inadequate baseline physician payment updates in current law with an annual update that accounts for inflation in the costs of running a medical practice.

When adjusted for inflation in practice costs, Medicare physician pay declined (PDF) 29% from 2001 to 2024, or by 1.5% per year on average. According to the recently released 2024 Medicare Trustees Report, if physician payment does not change, access to Medicare-participating physicians will become a significant issue in the long term.

At the April 2024 meeting, MedPAC discussed two options to increase Medicare physician payment through annual, automatic updates. The first would update practice expense relative value units by the increase in the hospital market basket minus productivity. The second would increase Medicare physician payment by the Medicare Economic Index (MEI) minus one percentage point with a floor of half of MEI. 

The letter outlines AMA concerns with the first approach, which would create disparities in payment based on specialty, risking worsening access problems for specialties with lower practice expenses, including psychiatrists and internal medicine physicians. Moreover, updating practice expense alone is insufficient.  

Conversely, the AMA commended MedPAC for considering an alternative approach to update Medicare physician payment rates by MEI. However, the AMA firmly disagreed with MedPAC’s conclusion that because MEI minus one percentage point was historically adequate, it will sufficiently cover inflation in practice costs and ensure patients have access to care in the future. In addition, the AMA supported the continued need for Advanced Alternative Payment Model (APM) incentive payments to expand APM development and physician participation.   

MedPAC’s June 2024 report to Congress will include an informational chapter discussing these options but will not contain any recommendations. The Commission will continue discussing this issue next year. 

2022 Experience Report: MIPS bonuses increase, penalties hit small and rural practices

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the 2022 Quality Payment Program Experience Report (PDF) and summary (PDF) which provide an overview of physicians’ participation in the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) and APMs in the 2022 performance period, which impacts payment in 2024. Approximately 87% of MIPS-eligible clinicians either avoided a penalty or earned a bonus for the 2022 performance year. However, the penalties continue to disproportionately impact small and rural practices.  

Twenty-seven percent of small practices and 18% of rural practices were penalized. Almost 30% of solo practitioners received the maximum penalty of -9%. The specialties with the highest proportion of physicians receiving a penalty included anesthesiology and orthopedic surgery.  

CMS attributed lower final scores overall to removal of quality measure bonus points, a change in the complex patient bonus methodology resulting in fewer clinicians being eligible for this bonus, the cost performance category being calculated for the first time since the 2019 performance period, and changes to performance category weights. In addition, the Extreme and Uncontrollable Circumstances hardship exception due to the COVID-19 public health emergency was not automatically applied in 2022; physicians had to apply for the hardship exception. 

Read the full article here.

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