Is CareFirst Keeping Score on You?
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As the primary voice of Distr
ict physicians, MSDC is addressing physician concerns about
the increased use of payer internal scoring for physicians in the DC area
. For example,
CareFirst providers should already be aware of the
Practice Profile Score Methodology
that was developed to measure "quality, member experience, cost efficiency and relationship health." At the request of MSDC members, we are actively gathering physician feedback and speaking with CareFirst to ensure patient care and patient-physician relations are not disrupted. If you have concerns, questions or comments on payer scoring and would like MSDC to speak on your behalf, please contact Robert Hay, Jr. (
hay@msdc.org
)
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Prediction: Health Policy Will Be Made in the States (and District) in
2020
"With a questionable outlook for 2020 passage of legislation on prescription drug pricing and surprise medical bills",
Drew Altman of the Kaiser Family Foundation
says "the real action to watch in health policy is likely to be in the states."
He suggests that state (and District) level healthcare advocacy "
could signal the future of federal reform."
Despite the attention on national politics these days, this suggests that local engagement in healthcare advocacy will be more important than ever in the coming year. T
his is an opportunity for you to have a say on the policies that impact your practice. To learn more about how you can amplify the physician voice, contact
Robert Hay Jr.
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MSDC eNewsline
Editor
Pia R. Duryea
202-355-9414 (direct)
202-466-1800 (main)
MSDC Media
Follow us on social media!
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MSDC's 2019 Year-in-Review Higlights Policy Wins for Physicians, Greater Physician Community and Presence in DC
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MSDC issued its
2019 Annual Report
which highlighted the following policy wins for physicians and the expansion of physician member groups. The report also highlighted time- and money-saving member benefits.
Read more
.
2019 Policy Wins for Physicians
- Removed the 3-hour HIV/AIDS CME requirement for DC physician re-licensure-and fought others
- Won funding to continue healthcare delivery in Wards 7 and 8
- Waived prior auth in public plans for certain medication assisted treatements for patients with opioid use disorder
- MSDC call to action on vaccines resulted in increased advocacy and press on the need for vaccines
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MSDC Provides Guidance on Healthcare Systems Transformation Commission Final Recommendations
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The
Bowser administration’s healthcare transformation commission, on which MSDC Immediate Past President Raymond K. Tu, MD, MS, FACR serves, has made its recommendation to the city. T
he twelve final priority recommendations include
expanding resources to providers who practice in Wards 7 and 8. This reflects a Medical Society advocacy priority to ensure quality care to patients in all eight wards, especially East of the River. See the
full report
including solutions to a handful of critical healthcare issues. MSDC will continue to keep members informed of the progress of the Mayor's commission.
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DC Board of Medicine Newsletter Features Important Health Notices and MSDC Initiative
The DC Board of Medicine issued a December 2019
newsletter,
which provided an update on various pressing issues for DC physicians. These included:
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Board of Directors
Susanne Bathgate, MD
Chair of the Board, At-large
J. Desiree Pineda, MD, FACP
President, AMA Alternate Delegate
E.W. Emanuel, MD
President-elect
Raymond Tu, MD, MS, FACR
Immediate Past President, Treasurer, AMA Alternate Delegate
Kirstiaan Nevin, MD
Secretary, At-large
Peter E. Lavine, MD
AMA Delegate
Neal Barnard, MD
AMA Alternate Delegate
Julian Craig, MD
At-large
Laurie Duncan, MBBS, MS
At-large
Anthony Ibe, MD
At-large
Barry L. Lewis, MD, MBA
At-large
Yavar Moghimi, MD
At-large
Theresa Stone, MD
At-large
Dock Winston, MD
At-large
Robert Hay Jr., CAE
Executive Vice President
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MIPS-Eligible Providers: Submit MIPS Data for 2019!
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has opened the data submission period for Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) eligible clinicians who participated in the 2019 performance period of the Quality Payment Program. Data can be submitted and updated until 8:00 p.m. EDT on March 31, 2020. For information on how to submit data see the
CMS notice
. You may also check your initial 2020 MIPS eligibility.
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CMS: Most MIPS-Eligible Clinicians to Get a Medicare Pay Bump
Nearly all eligible clinicians participating in Medicare's Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) will receive positive or no payment adjustments in 2020, based on their 2018 performance, according to a
blog post
by Seema Verma, administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
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Myth or Fact? Ancillary Staff Can't Document Parts of E/M Services
Medicare does
not
require doctors to redocument information in a patient’s record that has already been documented by staff or by patients themselves.
Read more from the AMA
.
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Thank You To Our Corporate Supporters
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CDC: At Least 1,300 Have Died from Flu in the U.S. So Far This Season
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At least 1,300 people have died from the flu so far this season, according to a preliminary estimate according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (
CDC)
. T
here have been at least 2.6 million flu illnesses and 23,000 flu-related hospitalizations.
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E-cigarette or Vaping Product Use-Associated Lung Injury (EVALI)
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The Latest Numbers from the CDC
2,602
: # of cases of hospitalized EVALI*
57
:
# of confirmed deaths from vaping-related lung injury
The CDC figures above are as of December 10, 2019.
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END THE EPIDEMIC
Resources
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Is There a Generational Divide in Wellbeing?
Medscape's new
2020 Physician Lifestyle & Happiness Report
take a closer look at how physician lifestyles and happiness differs by generation—from specialty chosen, hours worked, happiness in marriage, lifestyle habits, and more. The survey found that some struggles, such as work-life balance, are universal. Other aspects did show a distinction between generations, including social media usage, specialty preference and happiness outside of work.
Read more
.
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Study Suggests that US Providers, Insurers Spent More than $800 Billion on Administration in 2017
Reuters
reports that a
study
published in the
Annals of Internal Medicine
indicates that health care providers and insurers “spent more than $800 billion in 2017 on administration, or nearly $2,500 per person – more than four times the per-capita administrative costs in Canada’s single-payer system.”
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ABIM Invites Physician Feedback on Longitudinal Assessment Option
The American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) recently
announced
that it anticipates launching a longitudinal assessment option in 2022 in as many specialties as possible. The pathway is intended to:
• answer a question at any place or time, and receive immediate feedback as to whether it was correct or not;
• see the rationale behind the answer, along with links to educational material;
• proceed at their preferred pace answering questions during each administration window; and,
• access all the resources they use in practice, such as journals or websites.
The internal medicine community is invited to provide suggestions on this new pathway through ABIM's
Community Insights Network
and share feedback through surveys, interviews, user tests, and ABIM’s online community
ABIM Engage
.
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Get Rid of Unwanted Faxes!!
Unwanted faxes are not just an annoyance to doctors but they are an invasion of privacy. They tie up phone lines, fax machines, us paper and toner, and waste time of doctors and staff who try to figure out where they are from and what should be done with them.
Read more
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Contact
Tel: (202) 234-2727
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Burnout Prevention Can Begin in Medical School, Residency Training
The learning environment presents numerous challenges to medical student and resident well-being. An AMA webinar uncovers practical organizational solutions.
Read more from the AMA
.
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AMA: 3 Items for your Loan-repayment Checklist During Residency
If you’re a resident physician or soon to graduate medical school, debt is part of your present and future. Carefully navigating these three keys will help you manage it.
Read more from the AMA
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Medical Real Estate Listings
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Brought to you by MSDC Corporate Partner GZ Medical Realty. Contact
Pete Papantoniou
for your real estate needs.
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Medical Office Space Available
5225 Wisconsin Ave NW
Washington, DC 20015
Brand new, pre-built office suites ranging from 1,000 – 6,000 square feet are available for immediate occupancy. Located directly across from the Friendship Heights Metro Station, District Heights offers extended building hours throughout the week and on weekends and is perfect for medical office tenants with separate garages for professionals and guests.
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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.
alicefuisz@aol.com
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2440 M Street
2
440 M Street NW
Washington, DC 20037
2440 M Street is a Class A 110,000 SF medical office building with a three-level parking garage in northwest Washington, DC. The building has abundant patient and physician parking.
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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
.
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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
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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
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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
.
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ATLANTIC HEALTH PARTNERS EXPANDS ITS PROGRAM TO OFFER ADDITIONAL VACCINE SAVINGS!
Atlantic Health Partners has always been a strong resource for our members’ immunization efforts by offering the most favorable vaccine prices, terms, and purchasing support. We are pleased to share with you that Atlantic has expanded its program with the addition of GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) vaccines. This include options for practices interested in the GSK portfolio or for those practices just interested in using Bexsero (Meningitis B vaccine).
Atlantic now offers our members the full array of vaccine options to best meet your individual practice needs including:
•
Most favorable pricing for Sanofi, Merck, GSK, and Dynavax vaccines
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A comprehensive flu program that includes Sanofi, GSK, and Seqirus products
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Meningoccocal B vaccine options that include both Trumenba or Bexsero
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No minimum quantity requirements to always receive most favorable pricing and terms
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Excellent and timely customer service including reimbursement support and advocacy
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Medical Society of the District of Columbia
1250 23rd Street NW, Ste 270
Washington, DC 20037
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