COVID-19 News, Reports, and Reflections
News:
Register Now - COVID-19: AMA’s National Physician Townhall
2–3:30 p.m. Eastern time, Thursday, April 9
The American Medical Association invites you to a live conversation with AMA President Patrice A. Harris, MD, MA, and a panel of AMA health care experts on challenges and concerns facing physicians during this unprecedented COVID-19 crisis. Attendance is limited. Please register immediately and reserve your seat.
Register
for the webinar (full functionality, including question submission). If you do not have access to a web-enabled device to attend the webinar, you can
register here
for phone-in only access (listen only, no question submission).
U.S.
Drug
Enforcement
Administration
(DEA)
March 31, 2020
Guidance
issued
to
DEA-registered
physicians
providing
new flexibility
for
physicians
managing
patients
with
opioid
use
disorder.
The
new
policy
is
effective
from
March
31
for
the
duration
of
the
COVID-19
emergency. This
guidance
r
emoves
a
considerable
barrier
for
many
patients
during
the
national
emergency
and,
importantly,
allows
them
to
stay
at
home.
The
full
guidance
is
available
at:
https://www.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/dea-samhsa-buprenorphine-telemedicine.pdf
.
Retired Physicians returning to work
The AMA has curated a selection of resources to provide guidance to senior and retired physicians who may wish to return to work or are called upon to do so during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.
CMS to Apply MIPS Extreme and Uncontrollable Circumstances Policy In Response to COVID-19, Reopens Application
CMS is offering multiple flexibilities to provide relief to clinicians responding to the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. In addition to extending the 2019 Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) data submission deadline to April 30, 2020 at 8 PM ET, the MIPS automatic extreme and uncontrollable circumstances policy will apply to MIPS eligible clinicians who do not submit their MIPS data by the April 30 deadline. CMS is also reopening the
MIPS extreme and uncontrollable circumstances application
for individuals, groups, and virtual groups. For more information, please see the
Quality Payment Program COVID-19 Response Fact Sheet
.
Teladoc - Virtual Patient Care
In the wake of COVID-19, many offices are implementing telephone/virtual patient care to comply with national and local recommendations in social distancing. BARRETT, LINER & BUSS, LLC is providing you with the link below for any physicians who are interested in becoming a provider with
Teladoc.
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Reports:
DOL Issues Additional FFCRA Guidance
–The DOL issued further guidance on the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (the “FFCRA”). Notably, additional detail was provided with respect to specific substantiation and recordkeeping requirements related to leave requests, intermittent leave, and the small employer exception. A Spanish version of the required posted notices was also released. –
READ MORE
CMS has been hosting regular calls with a variety of clinicians, hospitals, other facilities, and states in an effort to keep stakeholders updated on our COVID-19 efforts. Access recordings of the calls along with transcripts by clicking the link above. CMS will continue to host calls and share information through their list serves and media. To keep up with the important work of the White House Coronavirus Task Force in response to COVID-19, visit
https:/www.coronavirus.gov
. For a complete and updated list of CMS actions, and other information specific to CMS, please visit the
Current Emergencies Website
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Reflections:
Charles Lockwood, MD
Tampa Bay Times, Opinion, March 31, 2020
Lexi Krupp
Article appeared on
MedScape
, Ap
ril 3, 2020
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As we continuously monitor reports and recommendations from the Florida Department of Health (DOH), U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), and the World Health Organization (WHO), please visit
www.hcma.net
for updated information.
You can also contact the DOH call center, available 24/7 at +1 (866) 779-6121 or email
COVID-19@flhealth.gov
.
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