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
.
September 25,
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This Weekly's Hot Topics
- NHS will not support modem functionality after October 1st, 2018. (Noridian News)
- Return your completed survey no later than September 30! (MOASC & ANCO News)
- October 15 is final day to request targeted review of your MIPS performance score. (CMS News)
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California News
- On October 2, 2018, the California Department of Justice (CDoJ) will begin enforcing mandatory use of the Controlled Substance Utilization and Review System (CURES 2.0) Database.
In general, mandatory use will require prescribers to consult with CURES the first time that a patient is prescribed a controlled substance (Schedule II, Schedule III, or Schedule IV). For more information on mandatory use, see
this publication
from the California Medical Board. In addition, view the California Medical Association (CMA)/CDoJ webinar on CURES at
www.cmadocs.org/newsroom/news/view/ArticleId/27813/CURES-webinar-with-DOJ-now-available-for-on-demand-viewing
.
For your perusal are the important documents for you to become familiar and are prepared to enact in your practice.
- Drug companies are rallying behind California legislation that they say would fix a state consumer privacy law that threatens to jeopardize the integrity of clinical trial results and drive scientists out of California. The bill, called SB-1121, would prevent patients from accessing and deleting some of their data from clinical trials. The idea is to make sure that clinical trial participants can't use the consumer privacy law to prohibit their data from being used by researchers, or to find out if, say, they're receiving an active treatment or a placebo.
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- NHS will no longer support modem functionality after October 1st, 2018. Any provider or vendor who utilizes modems for connectivity and data exchange with Noridian will need to find alternative methods for their connectivity. Many submitters who still utilize modems may not be aware of the alternative connectivity options available to them. Network Service Vendors (NSVs) offer many affordable, user-friendly connectivity options which allow submitters to utilize a secure SFTP internet connection for file transfers. A listing of Network Service Vendors conducting business with NHS can be found by going to
www.edissweb.com, selecting your state, and clicking the link at the end of the EDISS to End Support of Modem Technology article under the "What's New" section.
- Noridian/JEMAC has the following updates on their website
- MLN Connects Provider eNews:
Announcements
: New Medicare Card Mailing Update-Wave 6 Begins, Wave 4 Ends; CMS Proposes to Lift Unnecessary Regulations and Ease Burden on Providers; MIPS Targeted Review Request: Deadline Extended to October 15; Quality Payment Program: MIPS Resources; Billing for Stem Cell Transplants-Reminder
Events
: Final Modifications to the Quality of Patient Care Star Rating Algorithm Call-October 3
Claims, Pricers & Codes
:
IMRT Planning Services Editing MLN Matters Article-New; Procedure Coding: Using the ICD-10-PCS Web-Based Training-New; ICD-10 and Other Coding Revisions to NCDs MLN Matters Article-Revised; HCPCS Drug/Biological Code Changes: October 2018 Update MLN Matters Article-Revised
* HCPCS Drug/Biological Code Changes-October 2018 Update-Revised CR10834
* ICD-10 and Other Coding Revisions to NCDs-Revised CR10859
* Bladder/Urothelial Tumor Markers LCD-R1
* Flow Cytometry LCD-R11
* MRI and CT Scans of the Head and Neck LCD-R1
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- This SUNDAY! Return your completed survey no later than September 30! MOASC and ANCO are jointly conducting a 2018 Staff Salary Survey. The survey was USPS mailed, e-mailed/Faxed to all MOASC 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. 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. In addition, ASCO is accepting applications for Career Development Awards (CDAs) that provide research funding to clinical investigators who have received their initial faculty appointment as they work to establish an independent clinical cancer research program. Applications for CDAs are also due by September 25 at www.conquer.org/career-development-award.
- 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 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 November 15 in San Francisco; watch for a meeting announcement/registration form in October.
- 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
- A bipartisan group of senators is unveiling a draft measure to crack down on surprise medical bills, which they say have plagued patients with massive unexpected charges for care. The measure would prevent a health care provider that is outside of a patient's insurance network from charging additional costs for emergency services to patients beyond the amount usually allowed under their insurance plan. The Hill: Bipartisan Senators Unveil Proposal To Crack Down On Surprise Medical Bills.
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CMS News
- You have until October 15, 2018, at 5 p.m. Pacific Time to request a
targeted review
of your MIPS performance score.
CMS recently released 2017 Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) performance scores and payment adjustment information for the 2019 payment year. Physicians have been able to request targeted reviews if they believe an error was made in the calculation of their performance score. Based on these requests, CMS reviewed the concerns, identified a few errors in the scoring logic and implemented system-wide solutions.
The 2019 MIPS payment adjustments have been corrected for clinicians impacted by the identified issues. Additionally, in order to ensure the budget neutrality that is required by law under the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA), some clinicians not directly impacted by the corrections will see slight changes in their payment adjustment as a result of the reapplication of budget neutrality. Revisions were made to the performance feedback on the
Quality Payment Program
(QPP) website on September 13, 2018.
Physicians are encouraged to sign-in to the
QPP website
as soon as possible to review their performance feedback. If you believe an error still exists with your 2019 MIPS payment adjustment, you can request a
targeted review
until October 15, 2018, at 5 p.m. Pacific Time.
Physicians, physician groups and accountable care organizations (and their authorized representatives) can access their performance feedback by logging into
qpp.cms.gov
with the same EIDM credentials used to submit and view their data during the submission period.
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Affiliate Association News
- ASCO has issued a set of recommendations for overcoming financial barriers to patient participation in clinical trials. ASCO's policy statement entitled Addressing Financial Barriers to Patient Participation in Clinical Trials stresses the importance of increasing participation in clinical research, especially for patients from particular ethnic/racial, geographic, age, socioeconomic, and other underserved subgroups. Read ASCO's policy statement at www.ascopubs.org/doi/abs/10.1200/JCO.18.01132.
- You are cordially invited to the Research To Practice (RTP) "Year in Review" Moderated by Dr. Neil Love. It has been scheduled for 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
.
- NCCN has published the following updates at
www.nccn.org
:
breast cancer screening (V2.2018), colon cancer (V3.2018), hairy cell leukemia (V2.2019), hepatobiliary cancers (hepatocellular carcinoma and gallbladder cancer; V3.2018), kidney cancer (V2.2019), management of immunotherapy-related toxicities (V2.2018), occult primary (cancer of unknown primary [CUP]; V1.2019), rectal cancer (V3.2018), systemic mastocytosis (V2.2019), thymomas and thyme carcinomas (V2.2018), vulvar cancer (V1.2019).
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- Genentech BioOncology
informs MOASC and ANCO about their three expert-led educational presentations hosted in Sacramento this weekend:
- RSVP here for An Overview of Rituxan Hycela (rituximab/hyaluronidase human) for Subcutaneous Injection with John Pawloski, M.D. at Morton's The Steakhouse, 621 Capitol Mall Friday 9/28 at 5:00 PM
- RSVP here to learn about Tecentriq (atezolizumab) for Previously Treated Metastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer with Dr. Misagh Karimi, M.D. at the Kimpton Sawyer Hotel (Alder 2 Room), 500 J Street Saturday 9/29 at 12:20 PM
- RSVP here to hear about Alecensa (alectinib) for First-Line Treatment of ALK-Positive mNSCLC with Sai-Hong I. Ou, M.D. at the Kimpton Sawyer Hotel (Echo & Rig Restaurant), 500 J Street Saturday 9/29 at 2:45 PM
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MOASC CALENDAR
LunchTime Series
September 26, 2018
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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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