California
Oncology
Weekly
"Where California Oncologists Go For Answers!"
A collaborative publication of the
Medical Oncology Association of Southern California, Inc.
and the
Association of Northern California Oncologists, Inc
.
October 23,
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This Weekly's Hot Topics
- California saw the worst flu season in a decade last year. Get your flu shot! (California News)
- CDC's Screen Out Cancer initiative increases cancer screening (National News)
- Physician Compare MLN Connects® National Provider call on 10/30/18 (CMS News)
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California News
- San Diego researchers make Time magazine's list of 50 most influential figures in health care. Steffanie Strathdee, an epidemiologist at UC San Diego, has been working with phage therapy, which uses viruses to battle bacteria. And Juan Carlos Belmonte is trying to address the shortage of organs for transplants. Time magazine said its list is meant to highlight innovation in a health care system that "has been plagued for decades by major problems." Two San Diego Researchers Land On Time's List Of 50 Most Influential Figures In Health Care
- Get your flu shot! Encourage your patients to do the same! California saw the worst flu season in a decade last year. Statewide, there were 164 flu-related deaths last year compared to 81 the year before. There's no indication that this season's will be as bad as last, but officials caution that the flu is unpredictable and people should take the necessary steps to protect their health. A person in Ventura County died in a flu-related death this month. The 2017-2018 flu season was Ventura County's worst in recent history. It brought 49 deaths and a surge that instead of the typical two weeks lasted for more than three months. An Irvine man is the first flu case of the year, the county's Health Care Agency announced Friday. Health officials have been issuing alerts urging the public to get vaccinated against the influenza virus.
Hundreds of San Diego State University undergraduates who received vaccinations against type B meningococcal disease at Viejas Arena on Oct. 5 and Oct. 8 must receive replacement inoculations. It was determined that the doses delivered were improperly handled.
- The California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment filed a request to disqualify Superior Court Judge Elihu Berl, a state judge who earlier this year ruled that coffee requires a cancer warning, is too biased to oversee a new lawsuit that challenges the state's proposal to exempt the beverage from the requirement. Separately, a California Court of Appeals last week stayed the third phase of a trial before Berle, scheduled to start Oct. 15, on what coffee retailers and brewers would have to pay for failing to warn consumers th
at coffee contains a chemical known to cause cancer.
- On November 15, experts from California and the nation will gather in Sacramento to discuss California's all-payer claims database (APCD). Speakers from Arkansas, Colorado, and Massachusetts will offer lessons learned about designing and implementing databases in their own states. Register now.
- MOASC President and CMA Delegate, Warren Fong, M.D., with over 500 California physicians, recently convened the CMA's 147th Annual House of Delegates meeting in Sacramento. The debated and outlined bold agenda addresses increase health care affordability, improve health care delivery, create efficiencies throughout the health care system, and improve health outcomes. Read More.
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- Noridian/JEMAC has the following updates on their website
- MLN Connects Provider eNews:
Announcements
: MIPS Quality Data Submitted via Claims: 2018 Performance Feedback; Quality Payment Program: 2018 CME Modules, Infographics, and Scoring Guide;
Events
: Physician Compare: Preview Period and Public Reporting Webcast-October 30
Publications
:
* Chronic Care Management (CPT 99490 and HCPCS G0511) Billing
* CYP2C19, CYP2D6, CYP2C9, and VKORC1 Genetic Testing LCD-R4
* Oncotype DX Breast Cancer for DCIS (Genomic Health) LCD-R3
* Breast Cancer Screening and Mammography
* Recovery Auditor (RAC) Program Webinar (November 2)
* Provider-Based Billing Webinar (November 6)
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- Genentech cordially invites MOASC and ANCO members to the LunchTimes Series presentation, Oncology Health Care Trends, Wednesday, October 31, 2018 at 12:00pm Pacific time. Dawn Holcombe, President DGH Consulting, will present perspectives from managed care organizations, specialty pharmacies, oncologists, practice managers and employers. To RSVP, go to: www.geniersvp.com/SGEN19453 or contact Jennifer Fraga at fraga.jennifer@gene.com or (415)740-5445.
No Industry Representatives Allowed.
- SAVE THE DATE! Saturday, February 23, 2019 for MOASC's Oncology Summit, Advancing Cancer Care in the Elderly, at the Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort & Spa. Mark your calendar and keep watch for further information on speakers and topics.
- MOASC Member, presents City of Hope CME: Current Trends in Urologic Oncology CME Conference. We hope you will support this program and invite a colleague to join you. Below, please find a breakdown of the conference information:
-Meeting name: Current Trends in Urologic Oncology CME Conference
-Meeting dates and location: February 8 to February 10, 2019 The Pines Lodge, Beaver Creek Resort, CO
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- Four seats on the ANCO Board of Directors are up for election in 2018. ANCO seeks nominations for candidates for these seats. This year's election will be conducted via mail ballot in December. Candidates with the top four vote totals will serve for three years (i.e., from 2019-2021, inclusive). Nominate an ANCO member (including yourself) to stand for election to the Board via e-mail/FAX to the ANCO office at execdir@anco-online.org/(415) 472-3961.
- ANCO is organizing a series of Hematologic Malignancies Updates in 2018. These updates are supported by AMGEN, Janssen Oncology, Jazz Pharmaceuticals, Novartis Oncology, and Seattle Genetics. The next Update takes place on November 17 in San Francisco; download the meeting announcement/registration form at
- ANCO members may take advantage of complimentary registration at the Best of World Conference on Lung Cancer organized by the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer and taking place in San Francisco on November 17. Register for an "Early Bird ANCO Member" ticket at https://bestofwclc2018.eventbrite.com.
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National News
- CDC's Screen Out Cancer initiative increases awareness of the work by the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program and Colorectal Cancer Control Program funded partners. This initiative highlights the value of partnerships with funded agencies to increase cancer screening through strengthening the use of evidence-based interventions. Screen Out Cancer helps public health agency leaders, health system administrators, and healthcare influencers screen more people and improve quality of the care provided. Launched in January 2018, the Screen Out Cancer initiative and brand serves as an overarching guide for other current and future cancer-specific projects funded by DCPC. During this month, the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors (NACDD) begins the next phase and will provide co-branding support and technical assistance to help partners implement evidence-based interventions to increase cancer screening.
- The ASCO Post reports that Doximity has released a study detailing a concerning trend that could potentially impact cancer care in the United States. The report "found that in half of the areas surveyed, over 20% of practicing oncologists are over the age of 65 years." Read the report at
https://www.doximity.com/oncologist_workforce_study
.
- ASCO is continuing their conversations with the FDA and others on the issue of drug shortages. ASCO would really like to hear from you regarding your experiences in your practices and with your patients. Generally it is ASCO's understanding that injectable pain meds and IV solutions remain some of the greatest causes of concern, and it would be helpful to know if you are having to institute "workarounds." In addition to these products, are you having trouble obtaining specific chemotherapy drugs and/or other supportive care drugs? Any feedback you can provide would be greatly appreciated. ASCO will not identify individual practices tothe FDA but will share general, aggregated data. Thanks in advance for taking the time.
Karen Hagerty MD, Associate Director, Quality and HIT Policy, ASCO via Terry Cox Terry.Cox@asco.org
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CMS News
- The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will host a MLN Connects® National Provider Call about Physician Compare on October 30, 2018 at 10:30am - 12:00pm Pacific time. Learn more about Physician Compare and the public reporting of 2017 Quality Payment Program performance information. The Physician Compare preview period allows clinicians and groups to review their performance information before it is publicly reported on the Physician Compare website.
This webinar will describe:
What to expect during the upcoming 30-day preview period and
How to navigate previewing your performance information.
There will be a question and answer session after the presentation, during which attendees will have a chance to ask the Physician Compare team questions about Physician Compare. Register Today.
- The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) last week announced the 2019 premiums, deductibles, and coinsurance amounts for Medicare Parts A and B.
CMS launched the eMedicare Initiative that aims to modernize the way beneficiaries get information about Medicare and create new ways to help them make the best decisions for themselves and their families. Medicare Open Enrollment began on October 15, 2018 and ends December 7, 2018. Among the tools released as part of the eMedicare Initiative is a stand-alone, mobile optimized out of pocket cost calculator that will provide information on both overall costs and prescription drug costs.
Medicare Part B Premiums/Deductibles
standard monthly premium for Medicare Part B enrollees will be $135.50 for 2019, a slight increase from $134 in 2018. CMS also announced that the annual deductible for Medicare Part B beneficiaries is $185 in 2019, an increase from $183 in 2018.
Medicare Part A Premiums/Deductibles
inpatient deductible will be $1,364 in 2019, an increase of $24 from $1,340 in 2018.
Medicare Advantage Premiums
Last month, were released by CMS. On average, Medicare Advantage premiums in 2019 are estimated to decrease by six percent to $28, from an average of $29.81 in 2018.
- The final performance period for the Value Modifier and Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS) programs was 2016 and the final payment adjustment year is 2018. The Quality and Resource Use Reports (QRURs) and PQRS Feedback Reports will no longer be available after the end of 2018. All QRURs and PQRS Feedback Reports provided under these programs will remain available for download until December 31, 2018. Authorized representatives of groups and solo practitioners can access their QRURs and PQRS Feedback Reports at
https://portal.cms.gov
.
- By statute, certain services and drugs (including certain chemotherapy drugs and administration services) are excluded from consolidated billing As part of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997, it was required that reimbursement for services provided to patients in a Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) would be included in a bundled payment from the Part A Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC) directly to the SNF. The Medicare consolidated billing rules require skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) to bill Medicare for most services provided to their residents. If service or drug is covered under consolidated billing, only the SNF may bill Medicare. Read more.
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Affiliate Association News
- ASCO's QOPI Certification Program (QCP) team will host a Standards Webinar on November 9 and an Application Webinar on November 14. These programs allow practices to evaluate performance and demonstrate excellence in quality care. Interested in learning more? Take a closer look at the Program's standards, documentation, and other requirements, and review the application process. Register for a webinar at
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/qcpwebinarsregistration?
.
- The ASCO Nominating Committee has selected fifteen distinguished ASCO members as candidates for open leadership positions with the Society. This year's ballots will also include proposed amendments to the ASCO Bylaws to create a new, affiliated association that will enable ASCO to increase the impact of its policy and advocacy efforts. Eligible ASCO members will be able to vote from November 1 to December 3, 2018. Learn more at
https://www.asco.org/about-asco/asco-overview/asco-election
.
- You are cordially invited to the Research To Practice (RTP) "Year in Review," moderated by Dr. Neil Love, Saturday, November 17, 2018 at Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows; 101 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica, CA 90401. Physicians, nurses and other healthcare providers are welcome. This activity is accredited for CME-ABIM MOC and CNE - ILNA/ONCC. To view the invitation, click
HERE
. To register or to learn more, please visit:
http://www.researchtopractice.com/Meetings/YIR2018/CA
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Register by November 1
for the 60th ASH Annual Meeting on Hematologic Malignancies in San Diego, December 1 - 4, 2018
. As Partners with ASH, MOASC & ANCO invite you to register for thishighly informative program in southern California.
Read more about the meeting and register by November 1 at
www.hematology.org/Annual-Meeting
.
- SAVE THE DATE for the 2019 Community Oncology Conference! The conference is on April 4-5, 2019 at the Wald Disney World Dolphin Hotel, Orlando, Florida.
- NCCN has published the following updates at
www.nccn.org
:
AIDS-related Kaposi sarcoma (V1.2019), cancer in people living with HIV (V1.2019), cervical cancer (V2.2019), dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (V1.2019), myelodysplastic syndromes (V2.2019), squamous cell skin cancer (V1.2019), uterine neoplasms (V1.2019), Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia.lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma (V2.2019)
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- Roche Holding unit Genentech's Rituxan, or rituximab, was granted FDA approval as a treatment for adult patients with two rare forms of vasculitis, microscopic polyangiitis and granulomatosis with polyangiitis, who have achieved disease control using induction therapy. Seeking Alpha
- Pfizer Oncology informs ANCO and MOASC that the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the oral therapy Talzenna for patients with advanced BCRA-positive breast cancer. The indication is for patients with deleterious or suspected deleterious gremlin BRCA-mutated, HER2-negative locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer. The FDA also approved the BRACAnalysis Cdx test to identify patients eligible for Talzenna.
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MOASC CALENDAR
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SAVE THE DATE
19th Multidisciplinary Management of Cancers: A Case-based Approach
(Napa, March 15-17)
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The
Medical Oncology Association of Southern California
(MOASC) is a leading oncology society that advances and protects the ability of cancer patients to obtain, and the ability of the oncology physicians to provide, optimal cancer care. The
Association of Northern California Oncologists
(ANCO) is an association of hematologists/oncologists dedicated to promoting high professional standards of cancer care by providing a forum for the exchange of ideas, data, and knowledge.
The material contained in the
California Oncology Weekly
is intended as general information for ANCO and MOASC members. Because diagnostic, treatment, contracting, coding, and billing decisions should be made on a case-by-case basis, any such information contained in the
California Oncology Weekly
may not apply in any given situation. Members are encouraged to contact their own consultants or advisors to obtain specific advice on matters relating to contracting, coding, and billing. The information contained in
California Oncology Weekly
should not be used as a substitute for such advice.
This publication provides a summary of regulations affecting oncology and its business practices. Reading this newsletter does not substitute for understanding regulations and verifying the validity of every claim. This information is time-sensitive and is subject to change. MOASC or ANCO accepts no liability for any statements or articles herein.
CPT codes are owned and trademarked by the American Medical Association. All Rights Reserved.
MOASC: P.O. Box 161, Upland, CA 91785 | P (909) 985-9061 | F (909) 804-5006| www.moasc.org
ANCO: P.O. Box 151109, San Rafael, CA 94915 | P (415) 472-3960 | F (415) 472-3961 | www.anco-online.org
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