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IN THIS ISSUE



MARK YOUR CALENDAR

Wednesday, February 21
Physician Member Collegiality Dinner: Rockville

Wednesday, February 21
Webinar: CMS Briefing on New Medicare Card
 
Tuesday, February 27
Practice Management Update: Top Practice Marketing Secrets
 
Wednesday, February 28
Physician Member Collegiality Dinner: Bethesda
 
Wednesday, March 7
Lobbying Day in Annapolis
 
Wednesday, March 14
Physician Member Collegiality Dinner: Silver Spring
 
Wednesday, March 21
Physician Member Collegiality Dinner: Gaithersburg
 
Wednesday, April 11
Physician Member Collegiality Dinner: Bethesda
CONNECT WITH US
The MCMS mission is to be  the foremost physician organization to advocate for and serve physicians, their medical practices, and their patients in Montgomery County, Maryland.
MCMS & MedChi Physicians Make House Call on Capitol Hill with AMAadvocacy
Montgomery County Medical Society and MedChi made a house call to the Maryland Congressional delegation on Capitol Hill in conjunction with the AMA's National Advocacy Conference last Tuesday, February 13, 2018. 

Physician members spoke with the legislators about protecting access to coverage, Medicare physician payment reform, telemedicine, payor issues, drug pricing transparency, the opioid crisis and much more.

Want to get involved?
Physician Collegiality Dinner: See You at Stanford Grill on Wednesday Night?dinner
In place of our usual Winter General Membership Meeting, MCMS invites you to attend one of our five PHYSICIAN COLLEGIALITY DINNERS. It's a chance to congregate, commiserate, collaborate, and celebrate with each other!  We are going back to the basics of physician collegiality where sharing cases and supporting each other was the norm. When mutual respect and understanding was key to your success and professional satisfaction.

Dates & Locations:
  • Wed., 2.21.18, 6PM Stanford Grill, 2000 Tower Oaks Boulevard, Rockville
  • Wed., 2.28.18, 6PM Oakville Grille & Wine Bar, 10257 Old Georgetown Rd, Bethesda
  • Wed., 3.14.18, 6PM Mrs. K's Tollhouse, 9201 Colesville Rd, Silver Spring
  • Wed., 3.21.18, 6PM Copper Canyon Grill, 100 Boardwalk Place, Gaithersburg
  • Wed., 4.11.18, 6PM Mon Ami Gabi, 7239 Woodmont Ave, Bethesda
You may only attend ONE dinner. There is no cost to attend for active physician members. Emeritus members and prospective members may attend for $50, and are asked to  submit this form to RSVP.
Preparing for the New Medicare Cardsmedicare
The new Medicare card is a result of MACRA's requirement that CMS issue Medicare cards that do not display Social Security Numbers to address the risk of beneficiary identity theft.   New Medicare cards will be issued beginning in April 2018 and physician offices must be prepared to accept the new Medicare identification number at that time. 
 
As the new Medicare cards will significantly impact physician practices' workflows, we strongly encourage physicians and their office staff to attend the CMS webinar briefing, hosted by the AMA, on the  new Medicare card  on February 21st from 3-4PM EST. It will include time for Q & A.  Use this link to register.

Can't attend?
Knowledge is Power: Help Patients Recognize Signs of Preterm Labor labor
Provide your patients with a refrigerator magnet that lists seven signs of preterm labor. The magnets, which are available in English, Spanish and French, instruct patients to contact their healthcare provider immediately if they experience any of these signs (listed below). To obtain magnets, call 240-777-3967 or email sheilah.o' connor@montgomerycountymd.gov.
  • Contractions that occur every 10 minutes or less
  • Leaking of fluid, a change in vaginal discharge or bleeding from your vagina
  • Menstrual cramps in your back, legs or stomach
  • The baby "balling up"
  • A low, dull backache that doesn't go away when you rest
  • A feeling of pressure like the baby is pushing down, or heaviness in your back, legs or stomach
  • Stomach cramps that feel like you are having diarrhea or gas
*This alert appears courtesy of the Montgomery County Department of Health & Human Services.
Updated Medical Records Copying Fee as of January 2018records
In Maryland, how much practices may charge for medical records copying fees is tied to the Consumer Price Index. Please note: Federal HIPAA regulations do not allow a charge for a preparation fee for records provided directly to the patient. As of January 2018. . .

The fee for copying records in electronic format is 75% of the per-page fee (see below) and may not exceed $81.63, as well as the actual cost of postage and handling. Health care providers may charge a preparation fee of $22.88, if the records are sent to a provider or a person other than the patient or the patient's personal representative. 

The fee for copying paper records is not to exceed .83 cents for each page of the medical record and the actual cost of postage and handling. Health care providers may charge a preparation fee of $22.88, if the records are sent to another provider or a person other than the patient or the patient's personal representative. 

The following rules continue to apply:
  • No fee may be charged to transfer the records of a Medicaid recipient to another provider.
  • A practitioner may not withhold medical records because of unpaid fees for medical services.
  • The records may not be withheld under an emergency request from a state or local governmental unit concerning a child protective services or adult protective services case pending payment.
  • A physician should not withhold records that have been subpoenaed pending payment of copying and preparation charges but may bill any non-governmental entities subpoenaing records.
In the opinion of MedChi's Committee on Ethics and Judicial Affairs, records should not be withheld from another health practitioner pending payment of the copying fees if to do so would hinder an ill patient from receiving needed medical attention.

Physicians may NOT demand payment of the allowed charges before turning the records over to a patient or other authorized person. The Board of Physicians is empowered to discipline a physician who fails to comply with the requirements of the Medical Records Act and HIPAA.
New Podcast Series Helps Physicians Navigate Tough Patient Encounterspod
For many physicians, having difficult conversations with patients is a part of daily practice. The American Medical Association has launched a new podcast series, AMA Doc Talk, which features physicians' eye-opening encounters with patients and their real-world solutions and insights. Inspired by research and feedback from physicians, topics range from talking with patients who don't heed your medical advice to helping patients manage the challenges of chronic disease. 

The interview-style series is hosted by Dr. Rajesh S. Mangrulkar, associate dean for medical student education, University of Michigan. To listen to episodes of AMA Doc Talk, visit  Apple Podcasts or Stitcher, or learn more here.
Quality Payment Program MIPS Deadline: March 31, 2018qpp
This is a reminder that the performance data your practice collected during 2017 must be submitted to CMS by March 31, 2018. The first payment adjustments, based on this data will go into effect on January 1, 2019. The payment adjustments can be positive or negative. 

If you need help navigating MIPS, the AMA has provided an online resource, Understanding Medicare's Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS), that you may find helpful. Members are encouraged to contact Colleen George at MedChi, the Maryland State Medical Society, with questions about the deadline. She can be reached at cgeorge@medchi.org or 410.539.0872 ext. 3360.
Montgomery County Medical Society    |   info@montgomerymedicine.org  |    301.921.4300