|
August 14, 2020
|
Changes for Delaware Pharmacy Benefit Managers
|
|
DE Department of Insurance Tightens Regulations
|
 The Delaware Department of Insurance (DOI) has finalized new regulations for Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) to proactively combat excessive pharmaceutical costs. The new regulations, which are in effect now, will increase the level of oversight and transparency, allowing the DOI to investigate companies, require corrective actions, and to suspend, deny, or revoke a PBM's registration if they are acting in violation of the Code. Read more. |
CMS Releases New Payment Model
|
|
Community Health Access and Rural Transformation (CHART) Model
|
 The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Innovation Center has released a new model that will change funding opportunities and increase access and improve health care quality. The Community Health Access and Rural Transformation (CHART) Model intends to:
- Increase financial stability for rural providers through the use of new ways of reimbursing providers that provide up-front investments and predictable, capitated payments that pay for quality and patient outcomes;
- Remove regulatory burden by providing waivers that increase operational and regulatory flexibility for rural providers; and
- Enhance beneficiaries' access to health care services by ensuring rural providers remain financially sustainable for years to come and can offer additional services such as those that address social determinants of health including food and housing.
Read more. |
DPH Announces Latest COVID-19 Statistics
|
|
16,340 Total Confirmed Cases - 593 Total Deaths in Delaware
|
 According to the Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH), Delaware has a total of 593 fatalities due to COVID-19. Individuals who have died ranged in age from 21 to 104 years old.
There have been a total of 1,234 positive COVID-19 cases cumulatively involving long-term care residents, and 362 residents of Delaware long-term care facilities have died from complications related to COVID-19. No new deaths for long-term care residents have been reported in the last week.
The latest Delaware COVID-19 statistics include:
- 16,340 total laboratory-confirmed cases
- New Castle County cases: 7,450
- Kent County cases: 2,463
- Sussex County cases: 6,167
- Unknown: 260
- Age range: 0 to 104
- Hospitalized: 38; Critically ill: 10
|
LabCorp Offers Free COVID-19 Antibody Tests
|
|
Testing to Help Increase COVID-19 Blood Plasma Donations
|
 LabCorp will perform COVID-19 antibody testing at no charge to patients, insurance companies, or the government for the next three months. The testing will be performed when patients receive other necessary blood tests as part of a medically necessary exam or treatment. The program allows providers to add the SARS-CoV-2 antibody test to the same order at no charge. The no-charge high-affinity antibody testing program will use only the Roche Elecsys® Anti-SARS-CoV-2 and does not apply to other COVID-19 antibody tests, such as the IgG test. Read more. |
Dealmed - PPE Supplier You Can Trust
|
|
MSD Affinity Partner Ready to Help Delaware Physicians
|
 MSD understands the urgent need for medical supplies, including personal protective equipment (PPE). MSD's newest Affinity Partner, Dealmed, is the largest, independent medical/surgical distributor in the Northeast region and is offering MSD members special discounted rates. Located in New Jersey, Dealmed has a wide array of services, affordable supplies (including PPE equipment and injectable medications), and custom items that can quickly be delivered to your office. To set up an account or for a free consultation, please contact Sonja Baggett, Medical Consultant, at (302) 766-2124 or [email protected]. |
MSD Joins Partners in Honoring Sens. Carper and Coons
|
|
Champion for Healthy Seniors Award
|
  MSD recently joined the Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease (PFCD) in awarding Senator Tom Carper and Senator Chris Coons with the 2020 Champion for Healthy Seniors Award for their service on behalf of seniors in Delaware by insuring in-home treatment during COVID-19. The presentation was via Zoom. MSD representative Mary Fenimore, Manager of Community Relations and Communications, was present to thank the senators for their steadfast work in fighting for increased access to telemedicine for physicians and patients across the First State. Read more. |
Tilton Award Dinner Tickets Available
|
|
Garrett H.C. Colmorgen, MD Honoree
|
 The 2020 Tilton Award Dinner for medical achievement in Delaware will be held Friday, October 16th from 6:00 - 9:00 p.m. in the Tilton Mansion, home to the University and Whist Club in Wilmington. This year's
awardee is long-time MSD member and maternal-fetal medicine specialist Garrett H.C. Colmorgen, MD. Dr. Colmorgen is being honored for his years of dedicated service to the profession of medicine and tireless dedication in reducing the mortality rate for infants and mothers and his outstanding commitment above and beyond to his patients - even the ones not born yet. Join your friends and colleagues in honoring Dr. Colmorgen at this memorable annual event. Individual or table tickets are available now. To purchase tickets. For more information contact Stacey Inglis at [email protected]. |
Practice Management Session
|
 Mark your calendar for the next Practice Management Education lunchtime webinar on Thursday, August 20th from 12:00 - 1:00 pm for a presentation on Healthcare Cost Savings. This session will be presented by Brian McLaughlin, Market Leader, PA, My Benefit Advisor. This is a free event for MSD members and their staff. For more information and to register. |
|
Diamond State Financial Group
|
 MSD Premier Educational Partner Diamond State Financial Group (DSFG) provides customized solutions to assist you in reaching your financial goals. DSFG offers a comprehensive line of products and services, and can assist with such needs as college funding, and retirement or estate planning, as well as enrollment in MSD's group 401(k) plan. DSFG is committed to helping you accomplish your long-term financial objectives. As an MSD Premier Educational Partner, DSFG is supporting high quality professional medical education for Delaware physicians and other health care professionals to advance the health and well-being of Delaware's citizens. For more information. |
 MSD is sad to learn of the passing of member and neurosurgeon Camillo A. Gopez, MD on July 28, 2020. Dr. Gopez served as a colonel in the U.S. Army and graduated from the University of Santo Tomas in Manila, Philippines, later training in neurosurgery at Episcopal Hospital in Philadelphia. He maintained a private practice in Wilmington. He is survived by his wife, Marisol and his four children. Read obituary. |
 MSD lost another of its members this month. Harold L. Laggner, MD passed away on August 1, 2020. Dr. Laggner was a geriatric specialist, treating patients at the Delaware Hospital for the Chronically Ill in Smyrna where he was Director of Medicine for more than 30 years. Dr. Laggner graduated from University of Scranton and joined the U.S. Army. Before being shipped off to war he graduated from the Thomas Jefferson Medical School where he earned the medical degree on June 22, 1945. The next day he was married to his wife Betty, and within a week he was sent to active duty. Read obituary. |
 It is with sadness that we share MSD member and Beebe thorasic surgeon Mudiwa P. Munyikwa, MD, died on July 26, 2020. An avid reader with a passion for astronomy, Dr. Munyikwa was "always ready to operate at any hour for anyone who needed him." Dr. Munyikwa was a graduate of Cambridge University and University of Zimbabwe and is survived by two daughters and his wife Preachess Vellah, MD. Read obituary. |
MSD Welcomes Our Newest Members
|
Timothy J. Bender, DO - ChristianaCare, Internal Medicine Resident
Bryan Y. Choi, MD - Bayhealth, Emergency Medicine Physician
Kevin J. Hess, DO - ChristianaCare, Internal Medicine Resident
Danial A. Khan, DO - ChristianaCare, Internal Medicine Resident
Talha M. Khan, MD - ChristianaCare, Sports Medicine Fellow
Ezekiel S. Kurcab, DO - ChristianaCare, Internal Medicine Resident
Derek S. Lauter, MD - Anesthesia Services, PA, Anesthesiology
Zarela L. Molle-Rios, MD - Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children, Pediatric Gastroenterology
Moussa Omidvar, DO - ChristianaCare, General Surgery Resident
Jose Saez, DO - We Care Nephrology, Milford, Nephrology
Ushma Vadher, MD - ChristianaCare, Internal Medicine Resident
Katharine L. Weymouth, MD - Katharine L. Weymouth, LLC, Wilmington, Psychiatry
|
| MSD's Membership Department is pleased to announce the newest members of the Medical Society of Delaware. Welcome to the third oldest medical society in the country. |
Daniel J. Burke, Jr, MD
Shawn W. Kennemuth, DO
Bryanne E. Robson, MD
Emily E. Sauck, DO
Blake H. Shoemaker, DO
|
| MSD members are afforded a seven day review period from the date of this publication to comment regarding an applicant applying for membership. Please contact Mary LaJudice at (302) 224-5183 or [email protected] with any questions or concerns. |
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.
5,258,056
Total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the United States as of August 14, 2020.
Johns Hopkins University
|
167,298
Total number of confirmed COVID-19 deaths in the United States as of August 14, 2020.
Johns Hopkins University
|
71,000
Number of overdose deaths in 2019 in the United States. 36,500 deaths were from fentanyl and other synthetic opioids.
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
