HHS Announces $25.5 Billion in COVID-19 Provider Funding |
Targeted Towards Equity for Smaller Sized Practices Serving the Vulnerable |
The Biden administration is making available $25.5 billion in new COVID-19 funding for health care providers to help offset revenue loss and higher expenses due to the pandemic. Provider Relief Funding Phase 4 payments will be based on lost revenues and expenditures between July 1, 2020, and March 31, 2021. To support providers with the most need, smaller-sized practices that tend to operate on thin margins and often serve vulnerable or isolated communities will be reimbursed for lost revenues and COVID-19 expenses at a higher rate compared to larger providers. Phase 4 will also include bonus payments for those serving Medicaid, CHIP and/or Medicare patients. More details can be found HERE. Important to note:
- HHS also announced a final 60-day grace period to help providers come into compliance with their Provider Relief Fund (PRF) Reporting requirements if they fail to meet the deadline on September 30, 2021, for the first PRF Reporting Time Period. While the deadlines to use funds and the Reporting Time Period will not change, HHS will not initiate collection activities or similar enforcement actions for non-compliant providers during this grace period.
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In the announcement, there is a link to a HRSA document that provides more information about eligibility requirements, the documents and information providers will need to complete their application, and the application process for PRF Phase 4 and American Rescue Plan (ARP) rural payments. Visit: https://www.hrsa.gov/provider-relief/future-payments.
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Hurricane Ida Disaster Loans Available |
For Physical and Economic Damages |
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced the availability of disaster loans for businesses, nonprofit organizations, and homeowners in New Castle County; Cecil County, Maryland; and Delaware County, Pennsylvania for physical and economic damages due to Hurricane Ida. To apply online using the Electronic Loan Application via the SBA's website visit https://DisasterLoanAssistance.sba.gov/ela/s/. To be considered for all forms of disaster assistance, register online at DisasterAssistance.gov.
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CostAware Website to Provide Cost and Utilization Data |
Will Include Quality Measures Published by CMS |
The Delaware Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) invites you to a webinar to learn about a new DHSS public-facing, consumer-friendly website, CostAware.org, which is scheduled to launch later this fall. CostAware will provide average cost and utilization information for specific medical procedures and common episodes of care. In addition to cost and utilization data, the website will also include quality measures published by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) as part of its Hospital Compare and Medicare Shared Savings Program initiatives. These analyses leverage data in the Delaware Health Care Claims Database (HCCD), managed by the Delaware Health Information Network (DHIN), and will be used by DHSS to inform and support a variety of policy initiatives. LEARN more.
Learn more about the CostAware project, including a demonstration of the website and an overview of the data, measures, and methods by attending an upcoming webinar. If you have any questions, please contact the Delaware Health Care Commission, DHHC@delaware.org.
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Delaware's Universal Broadband Investment |
Delaware Aims To Be First State To Reach Every Home/Business |
Governor John Carney, Lieutenant Governor Bethany Hall-Long, U.S. Senator Tom Carper, U.S. Representative Lisa Blunt Rochester, members of the Delaware General Assembly, and the Delaware Department of Technology and Information announced a $110 million investment to cover every "last mile" of Delaware with high-speed, wireline broadband internet service. The broadband infrastructure project, funded by the American Rescue Plan Act that was signed into law on March 11 by President Biden, will target investments to areas currently unserved or underserved, lacking a wireline connection, and will prioritize projects that achieve access to every Delaware home and business.
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Vaccination Requirements For Health Care Settings |
Facilities Should Make Efforts Now To Ensure Compliance |
The Biden-Harris Administration announced a 6-pronged national COVID-19 strategy that includes the requirement of COVID-19 vaccination of staff within all Medicare and Medicaid-certified facilities to protect both them and patients from the virus and its more contagious Delta variant. The President also announced a mandate ordering all businesses with more than 100 employees to require their workers to be immunized or face weekly testing. In addition, President Biden signed an executive order compelling all federal employees to get vaccinated without an option for regular testing. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), announced also that emergency regulations requiring vaccinations for nursing home workers will be expanded to include hospitals, dialysis facilities, ambulatory surgical settings, and home health agencies as a condition for participating in the Medicare and Medicaid programs. CMS is developing an Interim Final Rule with Comment Period that will be issued in October. CMS expects certified Medicare and Medicaid facilities to act in the best interest of patients and staff by complying with new COVID-19 vaccination requirements.
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Consideration of COVID-19 Booster Doses |
Assessment of Observational Studies and Data From Clinical Trials |
In a review published in The Lancet, experts, including some at the Food and Drug Administration and the World Health Organization, indicate any advantage of booster doses would not outweigh protecting those who remain unvaccinated worldwide. The authors indicated additional doses may be useful in some with weak immune systems and argue that the general population does not yet need them.
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DelVAX Portal Provides Access To Vaccination Information |
Public Portal Data Form Available For Access Problems |
DelVAX is a confidential online computer system used statewide to track immunizations. The DelVAX portal can be a convenient place for those who need to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination but have lost or misplaced their vaccination card. The Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH) does not replace a missing or misplaced vaccination card. According to DPH, any Delawareans who experience challenges accessing their immunization records through the DelVAX portal should complete a public portal data form. Delawareans can contact the program at (800) 282-8672 or delvax@delaware.gov for assistance.
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Falls Prevention Awareness Week in Delaware |
Falls Are the Leading Cause of Death in Adults Over 65 |
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports one in four adults over the age of 65 experiences a fall each year. To raise awareness about fall-related injuries, especially among seniors, Governor John Carney and Lt. Governor Bethany Hall-Long proclaimed September 20-24, 2021, as Falls Prevention Awareness Week in Delaware. As a health care professional, be sure to discuss the risk of falls with your patients.
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Availability of Cannabis Products Containing Delta-8 THC |
Recent Increases in Delta-8 THC-Involved Adverse Events |
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recently issued a health advisory to alert for the increased availability of cannabis products containing delta-8 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and the potential for adverse events due to insufficient labeling of products containing THC and Cannabidiol (CBD). Products labeled as hemp or CBD may contain delta-8 THC, which may not be associated with psychoactive ingredients. Health care professionals should be vigilant in observing patients presenting with THC-like intoxication symptoms who do not report an exposure to marijuana or history of use. Symptomatic patients should be questioned about their use of CBD or delta-8 THC products. There is no specific antidote for THC intoxication. Treatment is largely symptomatic and supportive care. Consult with your hospital's medical toxicologist or local poison control center for toxicology consultations on treatment.
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Statistics Show More States With High Obesity Rates |
Nearly Doubled Over the Last Two Years |
Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Adult Obesity Prevalence Maps show that the number of states with high obesity rates nearly doubled over two years. A total of 16 states had obesity rates of 35% or more in 2020, with Delaware being one of the four new additions to the list of states with the higher obesity rate. Twenty years ago, no state had an adult obesity rate above 25%. The CDC 2020 maps show that obesity impacts some groups more than others, with notable differences by race and ethnicity.
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Resident Physician Health Study |
Expanded Cohort Now Includes All Resident Physicians |
The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is sponsoring a nationwide survey of first-year resident physician work hours, health, safety, and well-being. Short monthly surveys are emailed to participants on the 28th of each month through May 2022. Participants receive $25 after completing five surveys and each monthly survey completed equals a chance of winning randomly drawn cash and prizes totaling more than $15,000. The site https://sleepscreen.partners.org/ provides more information about the study and a link to the study consent form should you wish to participate.
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Animals Test Positive For Rabies |
Stray Cat and Deer Most Recently Identified In Separate Occurrences |
The Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH) is advising residents who live or spend time in the vicinity between West Ninth Street and West Third Street near Battery Park in New Castle of a positive case of rabies in a stray cat that came into contact with four individuals and a dog recently. The cat was tested for rabies, which returned positive results.
Last week, DPH advised Rehoboth Beach residents who live or spend time in the vicinity of Kings Creek Circle and Road 273 of a positive case of rabies in a white-tailed deer in the area. The deer was tested for rabies, which yielded positive results.
Anyone who thinks they may have been bitten, scratched, or come in contact with a white-tailed deer in the Rehoboth Beach area or a stray cat in the New Castle area should immediately contact their health care provider or call the DPH Rabies Program at (302) 744-4995. Anyone who thinks their pet may have come into contact with these animals should call their private veterinarian for examination, treatment, and report the exposure to the Delaware Department of Agriculture.
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Highlight On Events And Educational Offerings |
Beebe Healthcare COVID-19 Public Town Hall |
Beebe Healthcare is inviting the public to a COVID-19 Town Hall on Wednesday, September 22 from 5:00-6:00 p.m. Updates about the latest in cases, hospitalizations, and information about the COVID-19 vaccine will be shared. Watch live on Beebe Healthcare's Facebook page or from a computer or smartphone use this link: https://primetime.bluejeans.com/a2m/live-event/hcrzxzjp, event ID: hcrzxzjp
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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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MSD Annual Meeting - SAVE THE DATES! |
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The Medical Society of Delaware will hold its Annual Meeting of the Council, Annual Meeting of the MSD Holding Company Board, and educational sessions virtually on November 9, 10, and 11 this year. Watch for more information and registration details coming soon. |
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Out of an abundance of caution, effective Tuesday, September 14th Beebe Healthcare is pausing elective surgical procedures requiring an overnight stay in the hospital due to an increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations. Greater than 95% of hospitalized COVID-19 patients are either unvaccinated or partially vaccinated. Beebe will continually monitor this fluid surge and will resume elective surgeries requiring a hospital stay as the situation requires.
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TidalHealth Nanticoke in Seaford announced it would also pause non-emergency surgeries that required an overnight stay starting on September 13. |
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Constance "Connie" A. Cox Wong, MD, Joined MSD in 2020 |
It is with sadness we share that MSD member Constance Cox Wong, MD passed away on August 22, 2021. She pursued a career in nursing and eventually achieved her medical doctor credentials in 1994. While a practicing ophthalmologist for 27 years, she was instrumental in developing a free eye clinic for seniors in Wilmington and also served as a mentor to interns from Temple University. Dr. Cox Wong was dedicated to her faith. She, along with her spouse Gerald, made regular visits to residents of local nursing homes and often distributed sandwiches to the homeless. A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at Noon on Monday, September 20th at The Church of the Holy Cross, 631 S. State Street in Dover. The family suggests donations in her memory to the Eye Screening Clinic of ChristianaCare Hospital at St. Patricks's Center, 107 E. 14th St., Wilmington, DE 19801. Read the obituary.
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Albert Gelb, MD, Joined MSD in 1955 |
We also recognize the loss of MSD member Albert Gelb, MD who passed away on September 7th at the age of 96. Dr. Gelb was a general surgeon retiring from practice in 1993. He was an avid sailor and spent much of his retirement on the Chesapeake Bay. A life-long member of MSD since 1955, in recent years Dr. Gelb served as President of the MSD Physicians Emeritus Section. He was a senior surgeon at several Delaware hospitals. He was the co-founding director of the Critical Care Unit at the Wilmington General Hospital in 1960 and of the Surgical Critical Care Unit at the Delaware Hospital in 1972. He was also the founding director of the Surgical Intensive Care Unit at Christiana Hospital, one of the first units of its kind in the country. He was elected Chairman of the Department of Surgery at ChristianaCare where he also was in charge of surgical residents in his capacity as Clinical Associate Professor of Surgery at Thomas Jefferson Medical University. He was a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and the Society of Critical Care Medicine and maintained membership throughout his career in the Academy of Medicine, the American Medical Association, and the Medical Society of Delaware. Read the obituary.
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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 James M. Ellison, MD, MPH, Swank Foundation Endowed Chair in Memory Care and Geriatrics, and Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior at Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University. Read more.
If you would like to be featured in the Spotlight section, please contact Michelle Seymour, Membership Manager.
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Reid A. Ravin, MD - Vascular Surgery, ChristianaCare
Christopher G. Verdone, DO - Breast Surgery, Helen F. Graham Cancer Center
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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! If you know someone interested in joining MSD, please contact Michelle Seymour at (302) 224-4905 or Michelle.Seymour@medsocdel.org with any questions or concerns.
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Andrea C. DeSimone, DO - Psychiatry, Bayhealth
Eunae Ko, DO - Resident, Internal Medicine, Bayhealth
Mary E. Pappaconstantinou - PCOM Medical Student, Bayhealth
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MSD 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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2/3
Number of workers in the U.S. that President Biden's COVID-19 vaccination mandate will affect.
Reuters
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1 in 500
Number of Americans who have died from the coronavirus since the first reported infection.
Johns Hopkins University
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10%
Growth of Delaware's population over the past decade.
2020 U.S. Census
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November 9 - SAVE THE DATE! MSD Annual Meeting of the Council, 6:00 p.m., virtual event.
November 10 - SAVE THE DATE! MSD Holding Company Board of Directors, 6:00 p.m., virtual.
November 11 - SAVE THE DATE! MSD Annual Education Session, 6:00-8:00 p.m., virtual event.
December 13 - 2021 Communicable Disease Summit "How 2020 Changed the World," 8:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m., virtual and in-person (must show proof of vaccination) 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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