Whether you are a medical student, resident, academic or physician in clinical practice, time is precious. That is part of the reason why U.S. Surgeon General Jerome M. Adams, MD—an AMA member—has provided a brief, 40-page report that puts a spotlight on the opioid epidemic and what the nation must do to end it.

Here are five things that physicians and other health professionals should know about Facing Addiction in America: The Surgeon General’s Spotlight on Opioids and why it is a must-read.

My latest at AMA Wire. The whole shebang.

Whether you are dealing with a commercial payer, Medicare, or Medicaid, there are certain types of improper claims that should be avoided if you want to reduce your risk of a medical coding audit. That bit of wisdom comes from an entity that ought to know: the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of the Inspector General (OIG).

The OIG has released a roadmap to help new physicians avoid medical billing fraud and abuse in the Medicare and Medicaid programs. But this advice also broadly applies to how you approach reimbursement from commercial payers, and can also serve as a helpful reminder for physicians with years of experience in practice.

My latest in AMA Wire. The whole shebang.