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
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This Weekly's Hot Topic's
- Physicians will need to consult California's prescription drug monitoring database, CURES.(California News)
- CMS has proposed changes to the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule and Quality Payment Program. (CMS news)
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California News
- The California Medical Association is proud to launch the new generation of its website--http://www.cmanet.org--a powerful engagement tool to provide CMA members with innovative resources for an ever-changing health care landscape.
- The California Medical Association's Practice Resources (July 2018) is now available online at www.cmanet.org/cpr and features articles entitled: State budget includes 10 new CPT codes eligible for supplemental tobacco tax payments; DHCS requires enrollment of all Medi-Cal managed care providers; The Coding Corner: NCCI Policy Manual updates.
- The California Medical Association's online health law library--CMA On-Call--has been updated with 2018 content. Recently updated documents of particular interest include MACRA Overview (#7210); Billing Limitations and Private Pay Agreements with Medi-Cal Patients (#7204); and, Drug Formularies, Prescription Drug Benefit Plans and Pharmacy Benefit Managers (#3404). Access CMA On-Call at www.cmanet.org/cma-on-call.
- Please join CAPP/MICRA for an evening reception in honor of Assembly Member Marc Berman on Wednesday
, August 1st from 4:30 pm - 6:00 pm. The reception will be held at Los Altos Sub-acute and Rehabilitation Center (809 Fremont Ave, Los Altos, CA 94024).
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- Noridian/JEMAC has the following updates on their website
- MLN Connects Provider eNews:
Announcements: Hospice Election Statements Lack Required Information or Have Other Vulnerabilities-Reminder; CMS Takes Action to Modernize Medicare Home Health; MIPS 2019 Payment Adjustment Fact Sheet; Quality Payment Program: Obtaining Your EIDM Credentials; CMS Proposes Historic Changes to Modernize Medicare and Restore the Doctor-Patient Relationship
Claims, Pricers & Codes: New Part B Edit for Duplication of Diagnosis Codes on Hard Copy Claims; Proper Use of the KX Modifier for Part B Immunosuppressive Drug Claims-Reminder
Events: Public Reporting on Physician Compare Webinar-July 24 or 26
Publications: SNF Consolidated Billing Web-based Training Course-Revised
* IVR Includes Medicare Updates and Patient Program Status Messages
* HCPCS Drug/Biological Code Changes-July 2018 Update-Third Revision CR10624
* Nerve Blockade for Treatment of Chronic Pain and Neuropathy LCD-R13
* MBI-Get It, Use It-Second Revision SE18006
- Upcoming Noridian/JEMAC webinars include:
* Modifier 59, NCCI and MUEs Webinar (July 25)
* Beneficiary Forms: When and Why Providers Issue Them Webinar (July 26)
* Modifier 59, NCCI and MUEs Webinar (August 9)
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SAVE THE DATE! Saturday, August 11, 2018, 1:00pm - 7:00pm for MOASC's Spotlight on Oncology, at the Waterfront Beach Resort Huntington Beach.
Southern California Oncologists, who attended ASCO in June, will present topics that include updates on:
Breast cancer; Genitourinary GU cancer; Melanoma; Targeted Agents in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer; GI Non-Colorectal Malignancies; GI Colorectal Malignancies; Precision Medicine in Oncology. For more information and to register, e-mail moasc@moasc.org or call 800-310-3553 x1.
- MOASC and ANCO are jointly conducting a 2018 staff salary survey. The survey will be USPS mailed, e-mailed/FAXed to all MOASC members in mid-May and is available online at
www.anco-online.org/salary.html
. A $50 Visa gift card for respondents is included in this year's survey. Return your completed survey no later than September 30; results will be analyzed and reported in 4Q2018.
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- The Conquer Cancer Foundation is now accepting applications for the 2019 Young Investigator Award (YIA), including the YIA dedicated to a northern California Fellow. Learn more about the YIA at https://www.conquer.org/young-investigator-award and submit your application no later than September 25.
- ANCO and MOASC are jointly conducting a 2018 staff salary survey. The survey will be USPS mailed, e-mailed/FAXed to all ANCO members in mid-May and is available online at www.anco-online.org/salsrvy.html. A $50 Visa gift card for respondents is included in this year's survey. Return your completed survey no later than September 30; results will be analyzed and reported in 4Q2018.
- ANCO members may register at a discounted rate for the
19th Annual International Lung Cancer Congress
(Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach, July 26-29) at
http://gotoper.com/go/ILC18ANCO
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SAVE THE DATE: ANCO'S
ASCO Highlights 2018
will take place on August 25 at The Claremont Resort in Oakland. Download the announcement and registration form at www.anco-online.org/ASCOHL2018.pdf.
- 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. Download the presentations www.anco-online.org/education.html. The next
Update
takes place on September 15 in Palo Alto; watch for an announcement and registration form in August.
- SAVE THE DATE: ANCO'S 2018 Professional Education Meeting will take place on September 19 at The Claremont Resort in Oakland. The agenda will focus on the oncology care model. Watch for a meeting announcement in early August.
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CMS News
- According to Bobbi Buell, the proposed rule for the 2019 Medicare regulations for hospital outpatient departments has not been released. Therefore, she will not be able to present her webinar on Friday, July 20. Those of you who have signed up have been moved to a new webinar on August 3--you do not have to do anything. Alternatively, if that does not work for you, you can sign up for this one:
If you have not signed for either webinar, you can sign up for the July 27 date by using the link above or:
- CMS has ended a proposed "outcomes-based" agreement to pay for tisagenlecleucel, a CAR-T cell therapy for the treatment of acute lymphocytic leukemia and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. The plan had drawn scrutiny from CMS and members of Congress who contend that the model was too favorable to the manufacturer. Through CMS pulled out of the plan, the agency is not giving up on its quest to lower drug prices through new models of payment.
- CMS has announced that participants in the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) for 2017 can review their MIPS final score and performance feedback onto Quality Payment Program website (http://qpp.cms.gov). The payment adjustment received in 2019 is based on this final score. A positive, negative, or neutral payment adjustment will be applied to the Medicare paid amount for covered professional services furnished under the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule in 2019. MIPS eligible clinicians or groups, including those who are subject to the APM scoring standard, may request for MCS to review their performance feedback and final score through a process called target review. If you believe an error has been made in your MIPS payment adjustment calculation, you can request a targeted review until September 30.
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On July 24 and 26, CMS will host two 60-minute
Physician Compare
webinars about public reporting on Physician Compare and information in the pipeline for potential inclusion on Physician Compare in late 2018
, including Year 1 Quality Payment Program performance information. Specifically, the webinars will cover: Overview of public reporting on Physician Compare; Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) and Alternative Payment Models (APMs) on Physician Compare; Upcoming 30-day Preview Period.
Two different times are offered. Both webinars will present the same information. During each webinar, you will have an opportunity to ask questions. Registration information coming soon.
To learn more about public reporting on Physician Compare, visit CMS' Initiative page where you can find resources and documents, including information about the 2016 performance information currently available on Physician Compare.
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Affiliate Association News
- There is still time to participate in the ASCO 2018 Practice Census, an annual survey of the entire U.S. oncology practice community that aims to capture key information on what is happening in oncology practice today. Complete the Census at http://apps.asco.org/oncology-practice-central/survey/#/.
- In an effort to provide timely and in-depth examination of critical issues in cancer care, ASCO is pleased to announce the
State of Cancer Care in America
(SOCCA) series in the Journal of Oncology Practice. The SOCCA series will feature ASCO special articles, original research, editorials, and commentaries from ASCO leaders and invited stakeholders that explore the current challenges, opportunities, and trends in the delivery of high-quality cancer care. Learn more at http://ascopubs.org/doi/full/10.1200/JOP.18.00150.
- Assist the ASCO Clinical Practice Guidelines Committee in determining what topics in oncology are most relevant and suitable for future guideline creation. Take a brief five-minute survey by July 19 to submit ideas for consideration at www.surveymonkey.com/r/ascoguidelinesurvey.
- ASCO is requesting you to
submit an abstract
no later than July 24 by 8:59 PM (PDT) for the Palliative and Supportive Care in Oncology Symposium, on November 16-17, 2018 in San Diego.
Innovative and cutting-edge research is growing across the field of palliative and supportive care, underpinned by continuing advances in symptom science. This symposium is the ideal venue to present your research to colleagues interested in the integration of palliative and supportive care across various cancer care settings.
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All hematology researchers are encouraged to submit an abstract by
August 1 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific time, for the best new scientific research in all areas of hematology. More than 1,000 abstracts will be presented orally, at the 60th ASH Annual Meeting and Exposition in San Diego, with thousands more accepted for poster presentations. All accepted abstracts will be published in Blood. Don't miss this great chance to showcase your research in front of the brightest minds and influencers in the field of hematology! Visit the
ASH website for a full list of abstract review categories, policies, and eligibility requirements.
- NCCN has published the following updates at www.nccn.org: acute lymphoblastic leukemia (V1.2018), bladder cancer (V5.2018), genetic/familial high-risk: colorectal (V1.2018), Hodgkin lymphoma (V3.2018), melanoma (V3.2018), pancreatic adenocarcinoma (V1.2018), rectal cancer (V2.2018), thyroid carcinoma (V1.2018).
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- Array BioPharma informs ANCO and MOASC that Braftovi capsules + Mektovi tables are now included in the NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines as a category 1 first-line treatment option for BRAF (V600E) or BRAF (V600K)-mutant metastatic or unresectable melanoma.
- Astellas Oncology and Pfizer Oncology inform ANCO and MOASC that the United States Food and Drug Administration has approved Xtandi for the treatment of patients non-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). For more information click HERE.
- Bristol-Myers Squibb Oncology informs ANCO and MOASC that the
United States Food and Drug Administration has approved Yervoy for use in combination with nivolumanb for the treatment of patients 12 years of age and older with micro satellite instability-high (MSI-H) or mismatch repair deficient (dMMR) metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) that has progressed following treatment with fluoropyrimidine, oxaliplatin, and irinotecan.
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MOASC CALENDAR
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SAVE THE DATE
ANCO Hematologic Malignancies Updates (Palo Alto,
September 15)
SAVE THE DATE
ANCO 2018 Professional Education Meeting (Oakland,
September 19)
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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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