Weekly Roundup: In Case You Missed It |
|
COVID-19 Updates
Join us this Monday for an ACCMA Townhall: COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout from 6:30 to 8 pm. Randy Bergen, MD, Pediatric Infectious Disease Specialist at TMPG, will discuss the vaccines currently available and those in the pipeline. Kathleen Clanon, MD and Ori Tzvieli, MD will discuss the current plan of deployment as Medical Directors in their respective county health departments. This event is free to everyone and CME is available. Click here to register.
A new drive-through vaccination clinic has opened at the Oakland Coliseum. This site can administer up to 6,000 vaccines a day. For Alameda County, eligible groups include healthcare workers, long-term care and skilled nursing home residents, individuals 65 and older, as well as education, childcare, emergency services, and food and agriculture workers. This site is part of a hub-and-spoke system with mobile units in nearby neighborhoods. Please provide your suggestions for a mobile site through this link by March 5, 2021.
Alameda County, Stanford Health Care–ValleyCare, and Sutter Health have launched drive-through COVID-19 vaccinations at the Alameda County Fairgrounds. Appointments are available for Alameda County healthcare workers and residents aged 65 and older. Stanford patients may schedule appointments online or by calling (650) 498‑9000. Sutter patients may schedule appointments online or by calling (844) 987‑6115.
The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) announced its recently launched CalVax Provider system will now become myCAvax, a statewide centralized system for healthcare providers enrolled or interested in participating in the state COVID-19 vaccination program. The name change does not impact the information in the system, and enrollments approved through COVIDReadi will automatically transfer into myCAvax. Providers can access myCAvax with their current username and password at this time. Click here for an FAQ about the name change.
Contra Costa Health Services reports that case rates and positivity rates continue to go down. Outbreaks continue within facilities, and community outbreaks are being monitored, but there are fewer than before. They are still above what they were in the summer peak, but it is a big improvement over two weeks ago. There are now fewer than 25 cases per 100,000 per day. ICU capacity has increased to 24%. The state updated its vaccine priority tiers with more details on what constitutes different types of workers in Tier 1 Phase 1. The county is now focusing on age 65 and older and prioritizing within that group people older than 75, then 65–74, prioritizing those who live in low-HPI, high case-rate areas. The next group will be key essential workers.
Alameda County reports that it has administered more than 6,699,137 doses as of February 18. As of February 18, ICU capacity in the county is at 39% with 200 confirmed COVID patients hospitalized.
The #ThisIsOurShot campaign has launched a private Facebook group that has up-to-date information. The campaign also holds weekly Zoom calls to discuss digital engagement campaigns, hear from guest speakers, and have breakout sessions to plan for future campaigns. These calls are held on Tuesdays at 5:30 PM.
CDPH is holding weekly “office hours” to provide an update on COVID-19 vaccination planning and allow providers in the state to ask questions, on Fridays from 9-10 am. The February 26 session can be accessed through this link or by calling (415) 655-0001. The event number is: 145 305 3168. The password is: Immunize2021!
CMA's COVID-19 Vaccine Resource Center can be accessed here.
The ACCMA and the California Medical Association (CMA) are continuing to provide PPE directly to medical practices in Alameda and Contra Costa counties, by going to this link. A two-month supply of N95 masks, surgical masks, isolation gowns, face shields, goggles, coveralls, and hand sanitizers may be ordered. Vinyl gloves are out of stock until further notice. If approved, orders are shipped directly to medical offices. Only shipping and handling fees are charged for each individual case shipped. For groups with multiple offices, a separate order must be completed for each location. Please contact the ACCMA at accma@accma.org or (510) 654-5383 for more information.
|
|
Tell Congress to Support HR 315 Medicare Sequester COVID Moratorium Act
|
|
Call Your State Representative to Help Businesses Impacted by COVID-19
CMA is urging physicians to contact the governor and their legislators to urge immediate action to bring California’s tax treatment of PPP loans into conformity with federal tax laws, allowing for the deduction of normal business expenses for community businesses that received a forgiven PPP Loan.
|
|
California Allows PPP Deductions of Up to $150K
California is allowing companies that received a PPP loan to deduct up to $150,000 in expenses paid for by those PPP funds. Under the agreement, all businesses that took out loans of $150,000 or less will be able to maximize their deduction for state purposes. Those that took out higher loans will be subject to a deduction ceiling of $150,000. CMA has been out front on the issue to ensure that California tax code fully conforms with federal code.
|
|
Save the Date for CMA's Legislative Advocacy Conference, April 5–9
The ACCMA will be meeting virtually with state legislators on priority health care issues the week of April 5–9. Before these meetings, attendees will receive a virtual training on CMA’s current legislative priorities and policy issues affecting the practice of medicine. This is a unique event for ACCMA physician members, residents, and medical students to join their colleagues as they prepare to lobby their legislative leaders and serve as champions for the house of medicine. If you are interested in joining the ACCMA delegation, contact David Lopez, Associate Director of Policy and Strategic Initiatives, at (510) 654-5383, ext. 6320 or dlopez@accma.org.
|
|
Monday, February 22 | 6:30 - 8:00 PM
Members and Non-Members: FREE | CME Available
Join us for this online townhall with a local expert providing a clinically focused discussion on the vaccines in production, those submitted for government approval, and those under investigation, how they work, differences and similarities and clinical considerations to follow. Additionally, we will be joined by representatives from both Alameda and Contra Costa County to provide an update on the plan of deployment in our local communities.
Speakers: Randy Bergen, MD, MPH, Pediatric Infectious Disease Specialist, TPMG; Kathleen Clanon, MD, Medical Director, COVID-19 Shelter and Surge Planning Director, Alameda County; Ori Tzvieli, MD, Medical Director, Operations Section Chief, CCHS COVID-19 Response, Contra Costa County
|
|
Wednesday, February 24 | noon - 1:00 PM
FREE | CME Available | Presented by ACEs Aware
This webinar will discuss the secondary health effects associated with stress caused by COVID-19. Presenters will share how ACEs Aware training and resources to treat toxic stress can equip providers with the knowledge and tools they need to effectively incorporate ACE screening into patient care, and to better respond to and support their patients during this time.
Speakers: Devika Bhushan, MD, FAAP, Chief Health Officer, Office of the California Surgeon General; Eric Ball, MD, FAAP, CHOC Primary Care Network; and Martina J. Jelley, MD, MSPH, FACP, University of Oklahoma School of Community Medicine
|
|
Wednesday, February 24 | 12:15 - 1:15 PM
Members and Non-members: FREE | Presented by CMA
Just in case you missed it, we will cover the Medicare updates for this year and answer questions regarding the new evaluation and management (E/M) coding guidelines. Covered topics include:
- Telehealth and other communications technology
- New CMS E/M 2021 guidelines
- Noridian documentation changes
- Medicare Part B issues
Speakers: Cheryl Bradley, Associate Director, CMA Center for Economic Services and Arthur N. Lurvey, MD, FACP, FACE, Contractor Medical Director, Noridian Healthcare Solutions
|
|
Tuesday, February 25 | 6:00 - 7:00 PM
Members and Non-members: FREE | CME Available - free for members; $99 for non-members
This is a four-hour online training for qualified prescribers (including physicians, Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants) to receive half of the 8 hours of training required to obtain a MAT waiver for treatment of Opioid Use Disorder (OUD).
Speaker: Kenneth Saffier, MD, FASAM, is a family physician at Contra Costa Regional Medical Center's Family Medicine Residency program. He specializes in addiction medicine and chronic pain management, and is board certified in family and addiction medicine. He is president of the Medical Education and Research Foundation for the Treatment of Addiction (www.merfweb.org).
|
|
ACCMA's On-Demand Library
|
|
Please contact ACCMA at 510-654-5383 or accma@accma.org with any questions or concerns you have.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
