Weekly Roundup: In Case You Missed It |
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Contact Congress to Stop Medicare Payment Cuts
Physicians can lobby their members of Congress to support a bill ( HR 8702, Rep. Ami Bera, MD [D-CA] and Rep. Larry Bucshon, MD [R-IN]) that would freeze Medicare payments at 2020 rates for two years for services scheduled to be cut in 2021, while allowing the planned E/M payment increases to take place as scheduled. The bill would also avert steep payment cuts for hospital, nursing home, and critical care visits. CMS estimated the range of impacts on specialties to be between -9% to +13%. depending on the mix of services provided. All specialties will benefit from higher average payments under HR 8702. The final 2021 Medicare Physician Payment Schedule was released this past Tuesday. |
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Physicians Affected by California Fires
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently announced that clinicians participating in the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) who have been adversely impacted by recent natural disasters, including the California wildfires, will be covered under the "Extreme and Uncontrollable Circumstances" policy. This policy grants MIPS-eligible clinicians exceptions without having to submit an exception request. These clinicians will receive a neutral payment adjustment for the 2022 MIPS payment year. Physicians with questions can contact the Medicare Quality Payment Program at (866) 288-8292 or QPP@cms.hhs.gov.
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Free Virtual Grand Rounds with State Leaders and Biden's Coronavirus Task Force
Physicians are invited to join free virtual grand rounds next Tuesday at noon with state leaders and members of President-Elect Joe Biden's coronavirus task force. CME is available. This program will be hosted by the California Health and Human Services Agency (CHHS) and the California Medical Association (CMA) and moderated by Kimberly Newell Green, MD, immediate past president of the San Francisco Marin Medical Society and associate clinical professor at UCSF. Click here to register. |
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Free Financial Wellness Webinar
Interested in setting yourself up for financial success in the New Year? Join Gayatri Brar and and Natalie Schnuck of First Republic Bank on Thursday, January 21st for a special presentation and Q&A to learn more. Whether you are focused on saving for retirement, purchasing a home, or paying down debt, First Republic can help you achieve your financial goals. Click here to register.
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COVID-19 Updates
Health officers for Alameda County, Contra Costa County, and the City of Berkeley announced that they are implementing regional stay-at-home orders now, before intensive care unit capacity in the area's hospital networks falls under 15%, as Governor Gavin Newsom outlined in his statewide plan on Thursday. Contra Costa County and the City of Berkeley's restrictions go into effect on Sunday, December 6; Alameda County's restrictions go into effect on Monday, December 7. As a consequence, all sectors other than retail and essential operations (including all health care operations broadly defined) will be closed. The new restrictions will remain in place until January 4, 2021. As of December 3, the Bay Area region's actual remaining ICU capacity was 25.3%.
A panel of independent experts advising the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention voted to recommend that the nation's 21 million health care workers, along with 3 million residents of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities, be the first Americans to receive coronavirus vaccinations. The recommendations are sent to the CDC Director for review and approval, and states can choose whether to follow the recommendations.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revised its recommended period of quarantine from 14 to 10 days if the person who was potentially exposed has no symptoms and has not received a COVID-19 test, or 7 days with a negative test result and no symptoms. However, the agency strongly urged following specific local public health agency guidelines about how long exposed people should quarantine.
The ACCMA and the California Medical Association (CMA) are continuing to provide PPE directly to medical practices in Alameda and Contra Costa counties. A two-month supply of N95 masks, surgical masks, isolation gowns, face shields, vinyl gloves, goggles, coveralls, and hand sanitizers may be ordered (click here for specs). PPE order forms are reviewed and if approved, will be shipped directly to medical offices. Only shipping and handling fees are charged for each individual case shipped. For groups with multiple offices, a separate form must be completed for each location. Please contact the ACCMA at accma@accma.org or (510) 654-5383 for more information.
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Tuesday, December 8 | noon - 1:30 PM
FREE | CME Available | Presented by CMA
A Conversation with State Leaders and Members of President-Elect Joe Biden’s Coronavirus Task Force
The nation is already experiencing an unprecedented and widespread surge of COVID-19, which may get further compounded by holiday travel, social gatherings and the risk of co-infection with winter respiratory viruses. The California Health and Human Services Agency (CHHS) and CMA are hosting a conversation with physicians that hold central roles in our national COVID-19 response:
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Robert Rodriguez, M.D., Professor of Clinical Emergency Medicine, Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital
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Eric Goosby, M.D., Professor of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco (UCSF)
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Seema Jain, M.D., Chief, Disease Investigations Section for the Infectious Diseases Branch, California Department of Public Health (CDPH)
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Erica Pan, M.D., MPH, California State Epidemiologist and Deputy Director, California Department of Public Health, Center of Infectious Diseases
Moderated by Kimberly Newell Green, M.D., Immediate Past President, San Francisco Marin Medical Society; Associate Clinical Professor, University of California, San Francisco
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FREE | Presented by CMA and Rockpointe
Webinar is scheduled for:
- Wednesday, December 9, 2020, 4:00pm - 5:00pm PST
- Tuesday, December 15, 2020, 10:00am - 11:00am PST
This program will provide clinicians with the most up-to-date information on telemedicine in asthma care to promote easier transitions to this new and necessary form of care for their patients. Education on best practices for incorporating telemedicine in the asthma and allergist clinic, including different strategies for virtual healthcare visits and remote patient monitoring, how to manage treatment in the telemedicine setting, and how to navigate the complex and continuously evolving legal and regulatory landscape pertaining to telehealthcare.
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Thursday, December 10 | 12:15 - 1:15 PM
FREE | Presented by CMA
With the sudden move to telehealth, many physicians have found themselves in the position of redesigning their office workflow. Processes that were established for in-office visits are being reimagined for the virtual world. Please join us to hear best practices for maximizing your time while continuing to provide care via telehealth.
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On-Demand Webinar Available Friday, December 11
Members: FREE | Non-members: $49
CME Available | Presented with MIEC
Physicians who are facing medical malpractice litigation—a common occurrence in the medical profession—experience a unique type of stress which, if not addressed effectively, can compromise their ability to care for patients both during and after a lawsuit.
You will learn how the litigation process works, how to best cope with the stress of litigation, what lessons physicians should learn from the experience, and how to incorporate constructive changes into your practice. Presenters include an experienced liability defense attorney, a physician discussing his experience of being a defendant, and the manager of patient safety and risk management at MIEC.
Click here to register for the on-demand webinar. |
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On-Demand Webinar Available Thursday, January 7
Members: FREE | Non-members: $49
Don’t miss your opportunity to make the most of the ever-changing healthcare reimbursement landscape! First you must understand the challenges you may be facing. Learn the important changes in Medicare for 2021 and how they may affect your practice reimbursement for the coming year(s). Changes are sometimes subtle, but they can have a lasting effect on your practice.
Presenter Mary Jean Sage will discuss:
- Overall Payment Update
- Medicare Telehealth Services
- E & M Services: 2021 & beyond
- Coding and documentation
- Payment
- Advanced Diagnostic Imaging: Latest update
- MIPS 2021 – What you need to report
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Thursday, January 21 | 6:00 - 7:00 PM
Members and Non-members: FREE
Interested in setting yourself up for financial success in the New Year? Join Gayatri Brar and and Natalie Schnuck of First Republic for a special presentation and Q&A to learn more. Whether you are focused on saving for retirement, purchasing a home, or paying down debt, First Republic can help you achieve your financial goals.
Gayatri Brar is a Managing Director and Banker at First Republic Bank. With over 12 years of experience in private banking and finance, Gayatri's passion is to take care of her clients and their needs. She does so by providing creative financial solutions to her clients and empowering them to accomplish their goals. Her expertise includes providing customer service tailored to each individual's unique situations with an emphasis on various types of lending (personal (real estate, student loan refinance, partner buy-in loans) and business lending).
Natalie Schnuck is a Managing Director and Wealth Manager at First Republic Investment Management. In her role as Wealth Manager, Ms. Schnuck is responsible for helping clients target their financial needs and goals and gives special focus to strategic asset allocation and risk assessment analysis.
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ACCMA's On-Demand Library
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Please contact ACCMA at 510-654-5383 or accma@accma.org with any questions or concerns you have.
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