eNewsline
May 17, 2019
Vol. 26, No. 10
What’s a Few Million Among Friends? District Budget Aims to Set Health Policy in Wards 7 and 8.
As the budget season winds down, the debate on health care in the District continues to heat up. Prior to the first vote of the District 2020 budget and Budget Support Act, United Medical Center became the center of attention in the ongoing debate around east-of-the-river healthcare.

In its budget report, the Committee on Health drastically reduced the city subsidy for UMC to $15m for 2020 and beyond, and placed a 2023 close date on the hospital.  Read more in MSDC's DC advocacy briefing.
It's official! MSDC's efforts to combat opioid abuse and insurer hassles are now DC policy: Prior Authorization Removed for Medication-Assisted-Treatment Drug Products in Medicaid Plans.
Welcome New Members!
The following physicians recently joined MSDC:

Robert R. Bridges, MD
Martin Ojong-Ntui, MD
PLEASE READ!!!
Physicians Must Register with the DC PDMP
Legislation has passed the DC Council that requires Prescribers and Pharmacists licensed in the District of Columbia to register with the District of Columbia Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (DC PDMP). If you are not already registered with the DC PDMP, do not hesitate. Register immediately. Learn how in this DC Health notice.

If you are already registered with DC PDMP, no further action is required.
NATIONAL HEALTHCARE ADVOCACY & NEWS
MSDC Task Force Meets With Congress to Address Family Violence
MSDC's Task Force on Family Violence met with Congress to discuss health issues associated with family violence. The meetings were held as part of the National Health Collaborative on Violence and Abuse Congressional Hill conference, titled Saving Lives: Addressing the Intersections between Opiod Use, Suicide, Trauma and Abuse.
AMA: Employed Physicians Now Exceed Those Who Own Their Practices
According to an AMA survey, chances are now slightly more likely that you are a physician employed by someone and not a physician who owns his or her practice. Read more from the AMA .
MACRA, 2 Years Later: 9 Ways to Make It Better
Two years in, the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act remains a work in progress, but there are several specific steps Congress can take that will help physicians succeed and patients thrive. In testimony last week before the Senate Finance Committee, AMA president Barbara McAneny, M.D., laid out a plan for how to improve the program . Read more from the AMA .
6 Ways Insurers Drive the Surprise-billing Phenomenon
There is bipartisan support in Congress for action on so-called surprise billing, where patients unexpectedly receive a bill for care they thought their insurance covered.   Read more from the AMA .
MSDC eNewsline
Editor
Pia R. Duryea
202-355-9414 (direct)
202-466-1800 (main)
For previous editions, visit eNews Archives

MSDC Media
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2018-2019 Board of Directors
Susanne Bathgate, MD
Chair of the Board, At-large

Raymond Tu, MD, MS
President, AMA Alternate Delegate

J. Desiree Pineda, MD
President-elect, AMA Alternate Delegate

Barry L. Lewis, MD, MBA
Immediate Past President

Joseph E. Gutierrez, MD
Treasurer, AMA Delegation Chair

Peter E. Lavine, MD
AMA Delegate

Julian Craig, MD
At-large

Laurie Duncan, MBBS, MS
At-large

E.W. Emanuel, MD
At-large

Alice Fuisz, MD
At-large, Secretary

Kirstiaan Nevin, MD
At-large

Daniel Perlin, MD
At-large

Marc Rankin, MD
At-large

Carla C. Sandy, MD
At-large

Robert Hay Jr., CAE
Executive Vice President
MSDC President and Member Are Recognized By the DC Council
On May 7, 2019, the DC Council issued Ceremonial Resolutions in honor of MSDC President Raymond Tu, MD, MS, FACR, and MSDC member Colette Magnant, MD. MSDC congratulates them both for this distinction and their service to the District for which they were recognized.
Sibley Memorial Hospital Recognized During Hospital Week
For the sixth consecutive year, readers of the   Washington City Paper voted Sibley Memorial Hospital the best hospital in D.C. Congratulations to the physicians at Sibley!

With this being National Hospital Week, MSDC extends its gratitude and appreciation to all of the physicians at all of the hospitals in the District of Columbia. Your commitment to your patients and quality are the foundation of hospital care.
Practice Management
MIPS Improvement Webinar: May 23, 1 PM Eastern
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) is hosting a webinar on Thursday, May 23 at 1:00 – 2:00 PM Eastern to provide an overview of the Improvement Activities performance category of the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) in 2019.
During the webinar, CMS subject matter experts will provide a brief overview of MIPS and discuss the following Improvement Activities Performance Category topics:
  • Basics
  • Reporting Requirements
  • Data Submission
  • Scoring
  • Flexibilities for Small and Rural Practices
  • Resources
New Feature to Manage Medicare Appeals Online
Novitas, the Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC) for Jurisdiction L, offers many ways to conduct your Novitas Appeals-related business. Providers can utilize Appeals-related functionality offered in Novitasphere, including
  • Appeal Status (new as of May 2) - Obtain information regarding the status and outcome details of Appeals within Novitasphere
  • Claim Correction
  • Items Billed in Error   
  • Appeal Requests, Development Letters, and Redetermination Notices

Vsit the JL Novitasphere Center today. For questions, contact the Novitasphere Help Desk at 1-855-880-8424.
Discuss Advance Care Planning With Patients. Medicare Will Reimburse You.
Yesterday was National Healthcare Decisions Day. However, every day is a good opportunity to discuss the importance of advance care planning with your patients. A 2017 University of Pennsylvania study noted that only 37% of Americans had advance directives for end-of-life care. As a reminder, Medicare reimburses physicians for time spent counseling patients on advance care planning decisions.
DC Healthcare Practice Alerts
The DC Department of Health Care Finance issued the following alert regarding mental health coverage for Medicaid recipients:

Thank You To Our Corporate Supporters
MSDC 1817 Society
MSDC Community
Dinner With Doctors (Youth Outreach Event): June 6, 2019
The MSDC Bright Young Doctors group is coordinating an outreach event to mentor and encourage inner city youth on Thursday, June 6, 2019, from 6:00 to 8:00 PM. The "Dinner with Doctors" night will be a one-time event at which doctors can meet and eat with science-oriented students from Coolidge High School to discuss the profession of medicine. Participants may also assist in judging student science projects if they wish. There is no cost to attend. Please contact Pia Duryea for details and to sign up.
MSDC Brings Together Decades of Practice Management Expertise
 Last week, MSDC held its inaugural Practice Management Roundtable, which brought together more than 80 years of practice management expertise. Given the positive response to this event, MSDC is planning to hold more. Contact Pia Duryea if you are a practice manager, or have a practice manager, who would like to participate.

MSDC thanks DC Internists for co-hosting the event.
High Turnout for Joint Early Career Physician Social
MSDC's Bright Young Doctors held a joint event with early career physicians from the American College of Physicians on Saturday, May 4. MSDC plans to hold additional social events for early career physicians in the year ahead. If you would like to participate in the planning or partnership, please contact Pia Duryea.

MSDC thanks SunTrust Bank for sponsoring the event and DC Chapter of American College of Physicians for co-hosting the event.
MSDC Board Meeting
MSDC will hold its next board meeting on June 24, 2019 at 6:30 PM at MSDC headquarters. Members in good standing may request an invitation from Robert Hay Jr.  
MSDC's Annual Meeting Date Set for October 25, 2019 - Save the Date!
MSDC will be holding its 2019 annual meeting on Friday, October 25, 2019, from 6:00 to 9:30 PM. The meeting will take place at the AAMC Learning Center, located at 655 K Street NW. The event will feature ample time to catch up with physician colleagues from across metropolitan Washington DC as well as inspiring MSDC award winners.

MSDC appreciates generous support of Diamond Sponsor, Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. For information on how to participate, contact Pia Duryea .
Public Health
C DC Clinician Call: Most Measles Cases in 25 Years: Is This the End of Measles Elimination in the US?
As of May 10, 2019, 839 measles cases have been confirmed in 23 states, including Maryland.  The CDC is calling upon clinicians to assure patients about the efficacy and safety of the measles vaccine. The CDC urges physicians to consider measles in patients with a fever, rash, and cough, coryza and conjunctivitis—the three “C”s. 

To address this outbreak, the CDC will host a Clinician Outreach and Communication Activity Call on Tuesday, May 21, from 2:00 to 3:00 PM. During this call, clinicians will learn what makes 2019 a historic year for measles and what they can do to help identify cases and stop measles transmission. Here's how to participate:
Webinar : Click https://zoom.us/j/118484474 a few minutes prior to start
iPhone one-tap : +16468769923,,118484474# 
Telephone: Dial: US: +1 646 876 9923 
Use webinar ID: 118 484 474
Hepatitis A Infections Have Increased Nearly 300% in Recent Years  
CNN  reports researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that hepatitis A “has made a resurgence among adults in the United States who are at risk for the infection.” The  findings  were published in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
May is Mental Health Month
Each year millions of Americans face the reality of living with a mental illness. This month, the country is raising awareness of mental health. CMS encourage s physicians to talk to patients about mental health and r ecommend appropriate preventive services, including the Initial Preventive Physical Examination, Annual Wellness Visit, and Depression Screening .   The National Alliance on Mental Illness has resources to show support to reduce stigma and encourage people to see the help they deserve.

To help with mental health needs, MSDC Partner DC Rx Card offers patients prescription drug savings . V isit  www.DCRxCard.com .
Corporate Partners
END THE EPIDEMIC: OPIOID-RELATED RESOURCES & NEWS
Free, On-demand CME on Pain Management and Opioids
The Massachusetts Medical Society, through NEJM Group’s Knowledge+, has recently launched a free CME course on Pain Management and Opioids . It is being made available free of charge to MSDC members. It is reported to be very comprehensive, useful, and meets most state CME requirements.
AMA "End the Epidemic" Website
See the AMA's End the Epidemic website , with resources and recommendations from the AMA Opioid Task Force
Events
Meet the Experts: Saving Animals from Testing, Research, and Medical Training
Friday, May 17, 2019
6:30 – 8 PM
Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (5100 Wisconsin Ave, NW, 4th floor, Washington, DC 20016) 
This talk will focus on PCRM’s work to promote ethical education and research, and will feature Kristie Sullivan, M.P.H., Vice President of Research Policy and Ryan Merkley, Director of Research Advocacy. We’d love to see you at this event. Please reply to eogrey@pcrm.org to reserve your space. There is no charge to attend.
June 13-14, 2019
Georgetown University Medical Center (900 Reservoir Rd NW Washington, DC)
PharmedOut’s conference, “ Opioids: Conflicts & Controversie s ” will be held on June 13-14, 2019 at Georgetown University Medical Center in Washington D.C. 
The conference will bring together nationally and internationally recognized experts in medicine, nursing, law, pharmacology, and sociology in a unique interdisciplinary conference aimed at fostering collaboration across professions to help address opioid overprescribing. “Opioids: Conflicts and Controversies” will provide 14.25 continuing education credits, accredited by MedStar Health, to physicians, pharmacists, nurses, and physician assistants . We hope to provide free or discounted registration to students and residents. 
ProAssurance Loss Prevention Seminars
July 25, 2019 (MD)
September 19, 2019 (DC)
Registration opens at 5:30 PM, Seminar runs 6:00 - 8:00 PM
DC: American College of Cardiology (2400 N Street, NW, Washington, DC)
MD: Bethesda Marriott (5151 Pooks Hill Road, Bethesda, MD)
This year, ProAssurance, MSDC's 1817 Society Member and partner for medical professional liability insurance, will offer a sports-themed loss prevention seminars titled, Out-of-Bounds: Previous Claims Under Further Review Participation in this seminar will better enable participants to:
·    Explain the relationship between physician-patient boundaries and professional liability risks
·     Identify a previous encounter where expectations were not met
·     Recognize the need to apply an internal or external boundary in a patient scenario

Whether you are competing for a championship sports title or practicing medicine, there are consequences for crossing the line. In this course, physicians and other healthcare professionals will hear the professional liability considerations associated with personally and professionally stepping out of bounds. The information and examples will help you stay in the game. Register online at proassurance.com/OutofBounds
June 6-8, 2019
Grand Hyatt Washington (1001 H Street NW, Washington, DC)
MedStar Georgetown University Hospital is pleased to announce Abdominal Wall Reconstruction (AWR) Conference taking place on June 6 to 8, 2019. This comprehensive conference will offer evidence-based discussion on all aspects of AWR through lectures and case presentations to address the growing rate of hernia repairs and updates in technology and procedures. We will also cover the high overall complication rate as well as the association of ventral hernia repair as the cause of the second highest postoperative readmission rate. The agenda is constructed to provide an in-depth understanding of the complexity of AWR. 

To register please visit AWRConference.com
Medical Musical Group Concert
August 11, 2019
4:00 PM, with preconcert entertainment at 3:00 PM.
Schlesinger Concert Hall (4915 East Campus Drive, Alexandria, VA)
The Medical Musical Group consists of physician performers who will play a tribute to America’s veterans and military personnel and families. This year's benefit for veterans outreach on PTSD, Depression, Suicide, and Drug Abuse. Veterans, Military and their family, students are admitted free. Price for General Public is $20 through July 31. $30 thereafter. Box Tickets: $50. Read more .
Medical Real Estate Listings
Brought to you by MSDC Corporate Partner GZ Medical Realty. Contact Pete Papantoniou for your real estate needs.  
Office Sublet Available
600 square foot sublet available on 19th Street NW between Farragut North and Dupont Circle Metro. Brand new build out with separate suite number, entrance, waiting area. One office and one exam room with large window. One smaller office without windows. Sublet space is connected to an established private internal medicine practice. Price negotiable . Contact Dr. Alice Fuisz if interested. alicefuiszacp@gmail.com .

University Medical Building
2141 K Street NW
Washington, DC 20037
University Medical Building is conveniently located in the heart of DC with easy access to Metro stations. Please contact Peter Papantoniou at 301-961-1941 or see the online listing for more information
Part Time/Full Time Office Space Available
3 Washington Circle
Washington, DC 20037
Part time/full time office space available immediately at 3 Washington Circle. This includes a large consultation room, fully equipped examination room, lab drawing facility onsite, EKG machine, space for receptionist, space for medical records, shared use of copier, telephone system, wireless internet and waiting room. Ideal for general internist, medical subspecialist or surgeon. If interested, please call Mark Sklar, MD. 202-887-4769 or email mmsklar@gmail.com .
Boutique Townhouse Medical Office for Rent Across From GWU Hospital/ Medical School
900 New Hampshire Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20037
Boutique townhouse medical office for rent across from G.W.U. Hospital & School of Medicine. Very close to Foggy Bottom Metro. Three rooms, one on entry level with powered table/chair & overhead surgical light. Consultation room, reception/waiting room, & possibility of 2 additional rooms. Two-car driveway. Call/text Sheldon K. Gottlieb, MD, 301-509-3319, or email skgottliebmd@comcast.net .
Woodburn Medical Park
3229 Woodburn Road
Merrifield, VA 22003

Woodburn Medical Park is located within walking distance of INOVA hospital directly off Capital Beltway. Common area has recently been upgraded. Contact Peter Papantoniou at 301-961-1941 or see the online listing for more information .
Full Time/ Part Time Office Space Available
Well-designed and attractively decorated office of three general internists has additional consulting room/exam room suite available. Looking for another general internist to share space and overhead in fully staffed and equipped internal medicine office. Shared call coverage is possible. Contact Alan Stone, MD, 202-466-8118 or aws.md@verizon.net
Medical Resources and Announcements
UnitedHealthcare Preferred Lab Network Goes Into Effect July 1
On July 1, 2019, UnitedHealthcare is launching its Preferred Lab Network , consisting of currently contracted independent, free-standing laboratory care providers that have met higher standards for access, cost, data, quality and service. The selected labs are: AmeriPath Inc.; BioReference Laboratories, Inc.; GeneDX; Invitae Corporation; LabCorp; Mayo Clinic Laboratories; Quest Diagnostics Inc. Furthermore, out-of-network laboratory approval will be required August 1, 2019. Read the bulletin for requirements.
Get Over $66,000 Towards Loan Repayment
DC’s Health Professional Loan Repayment Program (HPLRP) provides loan repayment (up to $66,809.92) to eligible providers practicing in underserved areas of the District for at least two years. Eligible participants include licensed and certified physicians, dentists, dental hygienists, advanced practice nurses, registered nurses, clinical psychologists, clinical social workers, and licensed professional counselors practicing at HPLRP-certified Service Obligation Sites (SOS). A certified SOS must be either a nonprofit or a public entity that provides primary care, mental health and/or dental services to District residents regardless of their ability to pay and is located in a federally-designated Health Professional Shortage or Medically Underserved Area within the District that corresponds to the services the entity provides.  Applicants must be already employed or have a signed employment contract with a certified SOS at the time of application. Read more about the HPLRP or get a list of approved site on DC Health's website .
Medical Society of the District of Columbia
1250 23rd Street NW, Ste 270
Washington, DC 20037
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