Biden Administration Announces Plan For Booster Shots |
Separate Announcement From The 3rd Dose For Immunocompromised |
Evidence is showing that vaccine effectiveness against mild and moderate infection and the Delta variant is waning, though effectiveness against COVID-related hospitalizations remains high. Higher levels of antibody titers are likely required to protect against the Delta variant. A booster dose produced a 10-fold increase in antibody titers.
As such, the White House, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and U.S. Surgeon General yesterday announced their plan to make booster shots available beginning September 20th for those who received either the Pfizer BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines. The final timing regarding initiating booster doses is dependent upon approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). Those 18 and older would be eligible for a booster dose eight months after completing their vaccine series. Health care professionals and residents of long-term care facilities will likely be eligible first. At this time the recommendation does not include those under 18 or those who have received the Janssen Johnson & Johnson (J&J) vaccine due to insufficient data.
The Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH) indicates there is enough vaccine to meet demand. At this time, no large-scale events are planned. Individuals will be encouraged to seek a booster dose when they are eligible from either their primary care professional, a pharmacy, a DPH vaccination site, or a community vaccination site as they do now. The public can direct questions to the DPH Vaccine Call Center at 1-833-643-1715 or Vaccine@delaware.gov.
The CDC is releasing three Morbidity & Mortality Weekly Reports (MMWR) to share the science behind this decision, as well as talking points (note the information was embargoed until 1 p.m. on Wednesday, August 18).
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Vaccinations To Be Required For All Nursing Home Staff |
Non-Compliance Could Result In Loss Of Medicare And Medicaid Funds |
In an effort to get more Americans vaccinated amid the Delta variant surge, the federal government announced it is developing an emergency regulation requiring staff vaccinations at all nursing homes or face the loss of Medicare and Medicaid funds. This is the first time the White House has used the threat of holding back federal funding to boost vaccination rates. The new regulations would apply to more than 15,000 nursing home facilities, which employ roughly 1.3 million workers. As of August 8 about 62% of nursing home staff are currently vaccinated at the national level. The emergence of the Delta variant in the U.S. has driven a rise in cases among nursing home residents from a low of 319 on June 27 to 2,696 on August 8 with many of the recent outbreaks occurring in facilities located in areas with the lowest staff vaccination rates.
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CMS Codes & Payment For Immunocompromised COVID Vaccines |
Claims To Be Processed After Claims System Updates Completed |
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) amended the emergency use authorizations (EUAs) for both the Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine and the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine to allow for an additional dose in certain immunocompromised people. Effective August 12, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will pay to administer additional doses of COVID-19 vaccines consistent with the FDA EUAs, using CPT code 0003A for the Pfizer vaccine and CPT code 0013A for the Moderna vaccine. CMS will pay the same amount to administer this additional dose as they did for other doses of the COVID-19 vaccine (approximately $40 each). CMS will hold then process all claims with these codes after they complete claims system updates (no later than August 27).
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Mask Rule For Passengers Extended Into January |
Current Order Set to Expire September 13 |
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is extending until January 18, 2022, a requirement that passengers and employees on planes and public transportation wear face masks. The Federal Aviation Administration indicated that 74% of its 3,889 reported incidents this year involving unruly passengers involved those refusing to wear a mask. |
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Creation of "Improper Marketing of Health Plans Working Group" |
Tackles Nation's Most Serious Consumer-Center Health Scams |
Delaware Insurance Commissioner Trinidad Navarro, Chair of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners' (NAIC) Antifraud Task Force, announced the creation of the Improper Marketing of Health Plans Working Group, a new approach to address concerning increases in consumers being marketed away from ACA-compliant plans to other products that do not offer comprehensive coverage for things like preexisting conditions or hospital visits. Many improperly marketed health plans claim to be compliant or advertise under look-a-like naming that deliberately creates confusion, such as "Bidencare," or "Healthcare.com."
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Certain MIPS Participant Scores Miscalculated |
CMS Recalculating And Extending Appeal Deadline |
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has indicated that Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) performance feedback and final scores for some clinicians for performance year 2020 and the associated MIPS payment adjustment information for payment year 2022 were inadvertently miscalculated due to a technical issue. CMS is recalculating all scores to ensure their accuracy and plans to update both the 2020 scores and related 2022 payment adjustment information in the next few weeks. CMS has also extended the deadline to submit an appeal, or targeted review request.
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The Employee Retention Credit Can Help Reduce Taxes |
Originally passed as part of the CARES Act to encourage employers to retain employees through a shutdown and/or business downturn due to COVID-19, the Employee Retention Credit (ERC) was a way to reward employers for keeping employees off the unemployment rolls. The passage of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 lifted the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) restriction so that a business or practice can claim the ERC even if it participated in a PPP loan. If your practice has 10-50 full-time employees, the Delaware Small Business Development Center (SBDC) is providing specialized filing support to cover 100% of tax credit preparation costs. Complete a short pre-screening questionnaire to check your eligibility for free tax services. Cover & Rossiter, CPA partners, discuss in this previously recorded webinar the details of the program to help understand federal eligibility guidelines and how the tax credit can work for you.
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Potential Scam Involving Calls About Physicians' Medical License |
Caller Identifies Themselves From DE Division of Professional Regulation |
A member's office has notified MSD of a potential scam involving a caller claiming to be from the Delaware Division of Professional Regulation (DPR) and asking to speak urgently only with the physician regarding their medical license. The caller ID reflected DPR's phone number (302/744-4500). DPR is looking into this. Please be aware and do not provide any sensitive information over the phone, especially if you did not initiate the call. |
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Earth's Hottest Month Ever Recorded: July 2021 |
NOAA Declares Hottest Month In 142 Years Of Records |
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) declared July 2021 as the hottest month in modern history. Combined land and ocean-surface temperature was 1.67 degrees Fahrenheit above the 20th-century average. And, the heat hasn't let up in August. The agency predicts that 2021 will likely rank among the top ten warmest years on record.
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DHSS, DPH Receive Shining Light Awards |
Delaware Breast Cancer Coalition Annual Awards Program |
The Shining Light Awards began in 2014 as a way for the Delaware Breast Cancer Coalition (DBCC) to honor individuals and organizations who have made a difference in the local battle against breast cancer. On August 4, this year's awards were presented to the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) and the Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH). MSD was represented at the event. (Pictured are Karyl Rattay, MD, Director of the Division of Public Health, who accepted the award on behalf of DPH; Michelle Seymour, Manager of Community Relations and Membership; and Matthew Burday, DO, MSD President.)
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Events And Educational Offerings |
White House Virtual Event On COVID-19 Vaccination Efforts |
The White House COVID-19 Response Team extends an invitation to a White House Virtual Conversation on Health Systems, Providers, and the COVID-19 Vaccinations Effort. The event will be held Monday, August 23, from noon to 1:00 p.m. ET. The event will focus on the significant progress that has been made in activating providers in the vaccinations effort, as well as a number of best practices health systems and providers have committed to in order to further increase vaccine confidence and uptake.
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MSD Hot Topic CME: Performance Of Late Career Physicians |
MSD will present a virtual Hot Topic CME session on Thursday, September 23, 2021, from 6:00-7:00 p.m. "Performance of Late Career Physicians" will discuss physician aging and competency, as well as review the history, rationale, and implementation of age-based physician assessment programs. Presenters will be James M. Ellison, MD, MPH and Richard M. Plotzker, MD. There is no fee for MSD members to participate. This activity has been approved for a maximum of 1 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Registration is required.
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Third Annual "Health Challenge Delaware" |
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Progressive Health of Delaware is offering a free online event to help people lead healthier lives. You and your patients are invited to join for four zoom meetings beginning on Tuesdays in October in which you, your peers, and your mentor will work together on a healthy journey. Information and registration.
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Beebe Healthcare was recently recognized by the National Safe Sleep Hospital Certification Program as a Gold Safe Sleep Champion for its commitment to best practices and education on infant safe sleep. It is the healthcare system's second 5-year designation.
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MSD is spotlighting members throughout the state, highlighting medical students, residents, and your practicing colleagues, whether they are new to membership or have been a member over the years.
This week's spotlight is on Mumta Essarani, Medical Student at Bayhealth in Dover (PCOM Class of 2023) Read more.
If you would like to be featured in the Spotlight section, please contact Michelle Seymour, Membership Manager.
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Joseph R. Ablaza, MD - Hospitalist, Apogee Physicians, Bayhealth
Marwan Ma'ayeh, MD - OB/GYN, DE Center for Maternal & Fetal Medicine
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MSD's Members are afforded a seven-day review period from the date of this publication to comment regarding applicants for membership. Please contact Michelle Seymour at (302) 224-4905 or Michelle.Seymour@medsocdel.org with any questions or concerns.
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The Latin phrase Rerum Cognoscere translates to learn, examine, or become aware of facts or things. In this section, we highlight measurable items of interest in health care from MSD, Delaware, the US, and the world. |
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>2.5 Million
Number of Americans who have enrolled in health coverage on the Health Insurance Marketplace.
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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35%
Percentage of Americans selecting a health insurance plan for $10 or less per month on HealthCare.gov.
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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1.8 Million
Number of Americans signed up for coverage on HealthCare.gov since February 15.
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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September 11 - Society of Critical Care Medicine, Fundamental Critical Care Support, hybrid event (this is the date of the in-person portion taking place at Bayhealth Kent Campus, Dover.
December 13 - 2021 Communicable Disease Summit "How 2020 Changed the World," 8:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m., virtual and in-person at John H. Ammon Medical Education Center, ChristianaCare Newark Campus (limited to 70 in-person attendees).
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Was the information in this newsletter useful? If so, forward to a friend to let them know the value of your Medical Society of Delaware membership. |
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Copyright © 2021. All Rights Reserved. |
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