GRAYSLAKE, IL (myPressManager.com) June 15, 2012
“You treated us like royalty.” Those were the parting words of Regina, the last patient to leave the Mission of Mercy clinic at the Lake County Fairgrounds last Friday. The Expo Building at the Lake County Fairgrounds was transformed into a huge, two-day free clinic on Friday and Saturday with the goal of treating underserved patients with dental, medical and vision needs. More than 1,300 volunteer dentists, hygienists, assistants, dental students, physicians, vision professionals, nurses and lay volunteers treated 2,082 children and adults during the Illinois State Dental Society Foundation and CURE Network’s Mission of Mercy event. “Throughout the course of this giant, free clinic, our dental volunteers provided 1,113 exams and oral cancer screenings; 811 cleanings; 878 extractions; 1,242 restorative treatments, including fillings, root canals, and crowns; and more than 100 partials and denture repairs.” said Dr. Mark Humenik, a general dentist who chairs the Mission of Mercy.“More than 500 patients received vision exams, and eyeglasses were made on site for every patient who needed them,” stated Dr. Ken Nelson, Chair and Co-Founder of the CURE Network. “We performed medical exams, pap smears, breast exams, blood sugar screenings, and blood pressure screenings on over 300 patients.”“This weekend, we have witnessed many extraordinary circumstances in which people have lost their jobs; their dental, health, or vision insurance; or are dealing with really difficult circumstances. We’ve had the opportunity to touch the lives of many in desperate need,” said Dr. Alice Boghosian, who chairs the Illinois State Dental Society’s Public Relations Committee. “What you see at the Mission of Mercy is simply a larger example of the charitable care that dentists, physicians and vision professionals provide every day in their offices. This year’s event was especially significant due to the Illinois State Dental Society Foundation’s partnership with the CURE Network to provide dental, medical and vision care,” said Dr. Robert Bitter, President of the Illinois State Dental Society.Certainly, the Mission of Mercy has called attention the serious problem that many Illinois citizens have in accessing dental and medical care, but charity is not the foundation for a properly working healthcare system. Only the Illinois legislature can provide the solution through adequately funding the Medicaid program in Illinois. “If everyone gives a little, we can do great things,” Dr. Bitter adds. “The overwhelming sense of gratitude from our patients was so rewarding to our tireless volunteers. Many patients commented that they had never been treated with such kindness and dignity.” Learn more about the 2012 Mission of Mercy at http://www.isds.org/ISDSFoundation/ or http://www.curenetwork.org/.>
This morning, the Illinois State Dental Society Foundation and CURE Network officially kicked off the Mission of Mercy, or “MOM,” at the Lake County Fairgrounds in Grayslake on June 8-9. Nearly 1,500 volunteers from throughout Illinois will provide an estimated $1 million in free basic dental, medical and vision care to patients who would not otherwise have access to necessary treatment.Nearly 1,500 volunteers from throughout Illinois will provide free basic dental, medical and vision care to needy patients. They include 223 general dentists, 24 pediatric dentists, 24 oral surgeons, 13 endodontists, 10 orthodontists, 95 dental hygienists, 250-plus dental assistants, 104 dental students, 14 physicians, 60 RN/LPN/CNA’s, 19 vision professionals, and a large group of lay volunteers.Volunteer clinicians are prepared to see 1,000 patients per day, but hope to accommodate more. Dental volunteers will use 100 portable dental units to provide free basic dental care and oral surgery to patients who would not otherwise have access to necessary dental treatment. However, not all dental services are provided, and dental problems are prioritized with the most critical being treated. No false teeth will be made, but limited partials will be made in the lab.Basic medical screenings include high blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol, and women’s health, including breast exams and PAP smears. Vision professionals will conduct eye exams and screen for glaucoma and macular degeneration. Prescription eyeglasses will be made on site.Monetary and in-kind donations from more than 130 organizations, businesses, dental and medical supply companies, and individuals have been provided to offset the costs of equipment and facility rental, supplies, pharmaceuticals and food costs for this huge access to care event. A list of our generous donors is available on the ISDS Foundation website.The Mission of Mercy calls attention to the serious problems that Illinois citizens have in accessing dental and medical care. The event will relieve some suffering, but it won’t solve the problem. Only the Illinois Legislature can provide the solution through adequately funding the Medicaid program in Illinois, which was drastically cut in the 2013 state budget.“More than 2.6 million Illinoisans are enrolled in state-sponsored health insurance. Two-thirds of those enrolled in government-sponsored health care are children. While Illinois has experienced a steady increase in public aid enrollment, funding for the most critical procedures have not increased in more than 30 years,” noted ISDS President Dr. Robert Bitter of Skokie.He adds that, “Medicaid’s adult dental program was a casualty of the May 25th passage of Senate Bill 2840 that slashed $1.6 billion from the $11 billion Illinois Medicaid program. The adult program will now be an ‘emergency only’ program. “The Mission of Mercy media kit and other information are available by clicking on the home page “Mission of Mercy” graphic at 
The Illinois State Dental Society Foundation and CURE Network will co-host the second Mission of Mercy, or “MOM,” at the Lake County Fairgrounds in Grayslake on June 8-9. Nearly 1,500 volunteer dentists, hygienists, physicians, nurses, optometrists and others from throughout Illinois will provide an estimated $1 million in free basic dental, medical and vision care to patients who would not otherwise have access to necessary treatment. “We are prepared to see 1,000 patients per day, and hope to accommodate more if we can,” said Dr. Mark Humenik, State MOM Chair. “In order to treat as many patients in the best way possible, we are offering three areas of services: dental, medical and vision. The patient’s priority condition will be served first.”“Basic medical screenings include high blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol, and women’s health, including breast exams and PAP smears. Vision professionals will conduct eye exams and screen for glaucoma and macular degeneration. Prescription eyeglasses will be made on site by Midwest Labs of Chicago,” adds Dr. Ken Nelson, Co-Founder and Chair of CURE Network.Here are some important things that prospective patients should know:• Not all dental services will be available. Emphasis will be on basic dental care, such as fillings, extractions and cleanings.
The Texas Taxpayers and Research Association today released a report, “Equal and Uniform…sort of” analyzing the findings of the performance audits of Texas’ 253 central appraisal districts. The study was compiled from the results of individual reviews of local appraisal districts conducted by State Comptroller Susan Combs’ Property Tax Assistance Division under a requirement in House Bill 8, passed into law in 2009 by State Representative John Otto and Senator Tommy Williams.The Comptroller’s evaluation was an effort to determine if appraisal districts have the very basic tools needed to do their job— appraise property at its fair market value. Initially, the review found that roughly one in three districts lacked up-to-date maps and documentable procedures. In over a third of the districts the Comptroller was unable to reproduce the values assigned to the property. “The most troubling finding is that districts were found to be most lacking in appraisal standards and procedures—their core mission,” said TTARA’s senior researcher, John Kennedy. “The Texas Constitution guarantees that taxation will be equal and uniform. That right is threatened if taxpayer property is not uniformly appraised at market value. It is little comfort to know that your house is fairly valued only to find out that your neighbor’s is not. Your heftier tax bill subsidizes their benefit,” Kennedy said.The good news is that most appraisal districts have already corrected almost all of their identified deficiencies. Some, however, remain sorely behind. Eight districts not only failed to correct their deficiencies before the results became final, but also could not address them in the ensuing year. These districts have been reported to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation for further enforcement action. The Texas Taxpayers and Research Association (TTARA) is a non-profit, non-partisan membership-supported organization of businesses and individuals interested in state and local fiscal policies in Texas and the way those policies impact our economy. TTARA members operate in every part of Texas; they employ and provide incomes to thousands of Texans; they produce or provide every type of good or service Texans consume; and, they provide a huge portion of the revenue that supports public services at every level of government. TTARA has been recognized as the state’s leading organization specializing in tax and fiscal policy for more than 50 years.
The Illinois State Dental Society recognizes that Governor Quinn and the Illinois legislature are facing intense budget pressures as they attempt to find $2.7 billion in savings from the Medicaid program. However, eliminating the adult dental program from the Medicaid budget will not produce any significant savings. Adults that experience pain and infection from dental conditions will be forced to seek treatment in hospital emergency rooms, where staff is unable to provide definitive treatment and costs to the Medicaid program skyrocket. In a dental office, an emergency exam and surgical extraction of a tooth would cost the dental Medicaid program $73.60, and could address the condition before it escalates into multiple emergency room visits and possible hospitalization. Dental problems will not resolve themselves, and in some cases, patients will develop severe systemic infections that require hundreds of thousands of dollars in hospitalizations. Retaining the adult program is the only cost effective and efficient option for treating dental problems.Gov. Quinn has also proposed a reduction in Medicaid reimbursement rates for healthcare providers in an attempt to achieve even more savings. Additional rate cuts to the dentists who provide care to children covered by the Medicaid program would be devastating. For decades , Illinois has reimbursed dentists for restorative services, like fillings and crowns, at levels drastically below the costs of providing care. Illinois ranks 48th in the country for its Medicaid funding rates. Further cuts will drive even more dentists away from treating the children's Medicaid population.The State of Illinois learned an expensive lesson about cutting adult Medicaid dental services when former Gov. Edgar took that action in FY 1996. By the next fiscal year, the adult program was restored. Let’s not repeat a past history of failure. The Illinois State Dental Society encourages a thorough review of those currently eligible to obtain services under the Medicaid program to ensure that scarce state funds are truly being used for the most vulnerable populations. The dentists of the Illinois State Dental Society will continue to work with Governor Quinn and the Illinois legislature to develop an appropriate solution that will not harm patients or falsely claim short-term savings.About the Illinois State Dental Society
Policy Reference Press announces the launch of their medical Billing Coding Library subscription eBook service. Policy Reference Press has been making a name for itself in the Amazon Kindle Store by creating eBooks with powerful navigation from statutes and other public policy documents. The Billing Coding Library is no different, Policy Reference Press delivers again with their first workflow enabled medical coding series SuperICD9. These books can capture the essence of ICD-9-CM coding while giving users the comfort of the full text they are accustomed to. Medical coders speak to medicare and insurance companies through a complex mix of codes such as ICD-9-CM, HCPCS, DRG and CPT. Each of these requires a current code reference, many of them updated regularly each year. Soon ICD-10-CM and ICD-10-PCS will replace ICD-9-CM, causing double expenditures throughout the transition period. This adds up quickly, coding firms often pay more than $1000 to equip each employee each year. With another ICD-10-CM delay, companies are on the hook for another year of buying expensive ICD-10-CM and ICD-10-PCS references just for training purposes.Finally medical billing and coding firms can outfit their entire organization with the current and upcoming annual code reference updates without spending hundreds or even thousands of dollars per employee each year. In addition, with a Billing Coding Library subscription, employees can feel free to install Policy Reference Press publications on all of their computing and mobile devices.The supported devices list includes iPad/iPhone, Android phones and tablets, Kindle and Nook eReaders and of course PC and Apple desktop and laptop computers.Student subscriptions are priced economically at $29.99 and individual subscriptions are available for only $49.99. Medical practices and medical billing and coding firms gain the most benefits. A practice can license all of their doctors and employees to install whichever books from the Billing Coding Library they wish on whichever devices they prefer for less than the cost of a single set of hard copy coding references.Free evaluations of the Billing Coding Library and free evaluation downloads of the SuperICD9 series are available at the website.Website: 
Judy’s Book, the premier Social Search® site that helps consumers get the trusted scoop on local businesses, announced today that users are now able to pin images of their favorite places on Judy’s Book with the click of a button to their Pinterest account. Images uploaded can be categorized by type of places (favorite restaurants, kid friendly places, attractions, etc..) to pin boards, text to encourage engagement is automatically added in the description of the image, and include a unique back link to the businesses page on Judy’s Book.Pinterest provides virtual pinboards which users can 'pin' collections of images to connect people through shared tastes and interests. Pinterest makes it really easy to create pinboards for any category and upload images to it. These can be pictures they have taken themselves or images collected from around the web. Followers get to see images a person has posted and