In the early morning of July 1st, the General Assembly finished its first round of the 151st Session. There was a much larger breadth and scope of legislation considered this year than during the height of the pandemic in 2020. Those bills that did not pass this year, like the legalization of recreational marijuana and paid family medical leave, remain issues to be considered in 2022 when the General Assembly returns for regular session in January during the next leg of the 151st General Session. The General Assembly will be on recess until this fall when votes on redistricting will begin. All 21 members of the state Senate and all 41 state representatives will be up for re-election in 2022. A more detailed legislative roundup report is expected to be shared with MSD members in the near future. Read highlights.

The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service announced that Tyson Foods, Inc. is recalling nearly 8.5 million pounds of ready-to-eat chicken products due to possible contamination of Listeria. The products subject to recall bear establishment number "EST. P-7089" on the product bag or inside the USDA mark of inspection. Items were shipped nationwide to hospitals, nursing facilities, restaurants, and schools. The Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH) issued a health alert announcing that the State has confirmed one case of Listeria associated with a multi-state outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes infections linked to recalled Tyson Foods ready-to-eat chicken products. Read more.

The CDC is notifying health care professionals that Magellan Diagnostics, Inc. and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have issued a recall notice concerning the use of some LeadCare^R Blood Lead Tests (LeadCare II, LeadCare Plus, and LeadCare Ultra Blood). Lots were distributed between October 27, 2020, and June 15, 2021. Use of these devices may cause serious injuries because they might underestimate blood lead levels. The FDA has identified this as a Class I recall, the most serious type of recall. Read more.

While public health insurance programs like Medicare and Medicaid already prohibit balance billing, those with job-based health insurance coverage or coverage through individual health plans frequently and unknowingly accept care from an out-of-network provider. This new rule, Requirements Related To Surprise Billing: Part I, aims to stop that, implementing many of the provisions of the No Surprises Act signed into law addressing medical billing at the federal level by holding patients harmless from costs of out-of-network care in certain situations. Regulations jointly issued by four federal agencies outline the protections for insured patients against surprise billing in medical emergencies and unexpected charges from out-of-network providers at an in-network facility. Out-of-network clinicians and service providers would be barred from billing patients for the difference between their charges and what insurance paid. Read CMS' interim final rule fact sheet.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has proposed a rule that would accelerate the shift from paying for Medicare home health services based on volume by proposing a nationwide expansion of the home Health Value-Based Purchasing (HHVBP) Model. This rule also includes proposals and routine updates to the Medicare Home Health Prospective Payment System (HH PPS) and the home infusion therapy services payment rates for Calendar Year 2022. This rule proposes to make permanent changes to the home health Conditions of Participation that were implemented during the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency. Download the fact sheet.

The second round of funding through the Health Care Relief Fund is available to support health care providers through the recovery from the COVID-19 crisis. Eligible applicants must be a health care organization or provider serving clients or patients in Delaware and have been in operation as of February 1, 2020. Funding can be used for COVID-19 related investments (such as technology upgrades, purchase of PPE, environmental modifications in health care facilities). The Delaware Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) is authorized by the State of Delaware to distribute CARES Act Relief funds to health care entities for expenses incurred due to the COVID-19 pandemic. To qualify for the funding, all goods must be received and all work must be finished by October 31, 2021. Read more.

Bayhealth announced it has received a $10,000 grant from the Franklin P. and Arthur W. Perdue Foundation, the charitable giving arm of Perdue Farms, to support its breast cancer screening program. Bayhealth's breast cancer screening program offers clinical breast exams and mammograms to the community with a focus on those who are uninsured or underinsured or who do not have access to screenings. Read more.

ChristianaCare and Seasons Hospice & Palliative Care of Delaware, Inc. announced a joint venture partnership that will expand in-home hospice and palliative care services throughout Delaware. The name of the company will be ChristianaCare-Seasons Hospice & Palliative Care. Read more.

This week's spotlight is on Paulina E. Rudy, DO, a family medicine resident at Bayhealth. Read more.

If you would like to be featured in the Spotlight section, please contact Michelle Seymour, Membership Manager.

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.