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California reopens TODAY! You might not need a mask in public places…but. California News
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TOMORROW! Join in CMS’ physician payment policies Town Hall. Medicare News/CMS News
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Thursday! Webinar on Oxbryta, Hemoglobin S (Hbs) Polymerization Inhibitor1. Industry News
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Friday! Submit letters to the Senate Business, Profession and Economic Development Committee. California News
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Access to rebates for physician administered drugs. Affiliate Association News/COA News
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MOASC continues their Membership drive. Your Membership in MOASC is an investment in your patients. MOASC has advanced oncology in California, and influenced national dialogue for the past 31 years. MOASC provides you access to California oncology colleagues, clinical education and support for delivery of oncology patient care, no matter the setting or the stage of your career.
Contact the MOASC Office at moasc@moasc.org, or 909-985-9061 ext. 1, for more information on how MOASC benefits you.
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MOASC Programs - Save the Dates - All Times are Pacific
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Clinical Peer to Peer Discussion on Lung Cancer, Wednesday, July 28, 5:30pm-7:00pm.
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The MOASC virtual Spotlight On Clinical Oncology Saturday, August 14, 8am – 12pm.
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MOASC with Dr. Neil Love and Research To Practice presents a CME/MOC and NCPD/ONCC accredited enduring activity, Real World Oncology Rounds: “Current Concepts and Recent Advances in Oncology: A Daylong Clinical Summit.” Proceedings from a Webinar Hosted in Partnership with the Medical Oncology Association of Southern California. This unique multipart program is now available to watch or listen to, with all the accompanying slides and transcripts.
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California reopens TODAY! You might not need a mask in public places — but where and when depends. California’s masking guidelines fall in alignment with those from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC says that fully vaccinated people can resume most activities without physical distancing or face coverings. The agency said that both indoor and outdoor events provide a minimal risk to fully vaccinated people, and that they have a reduced capability to transmit COVID-19 to others. However, the CDC does recommend that fully vaccinated people continue to wear face coverings when meeting with unvaccinated people, particularly those at high risk for COVID-19. Masks are still required on public transportation, transportation hubs like airports, indoors in K-12 schools and youth settings, healthcare settings, correctional facilities, detention centers and shelters. The CDC has not yet released specific, updated guidance for mask-wearing in youth settings, including K-12 schools.
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Please submit your letters opposing AB1278, to The Honorable Richard Roth, Chair, Senate Business, Professions & Economic Development Committee, State Capitol, Room 3191, Sacramento, CA 95814. In summary, AB 1278 explicitly states that “[a] physician who receives a payment or transfer of value from a drug or device company shall disclose the source of the payment or transfer or value in writing to each patient or patient representative prior to the intended use or prescription of a device or drug manufactured or distributed by the company. The disclosure shall cover any payment or transfer of value received on or after January 1, 2014. The written disclosure shall include a signature from the patient or patient representative and the date of signature.” The opposition letters from the CMA and the Liver Coalition of San Diego follow.
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Please submit letters to the Committee by Friday, June 18th by 4:30pm PDT! The California Medical Association has produced a sample letter of support for AB 359 (Cooper): Reciprocity for Out-of-State Medical Doctors (MD) & CME Modifications. The CMA is asking for support from you on this ask, and hope you will join us in this request to submit a support letter to the committee. If you or your organization wish to support this priority with a written request to the Senate Business, Profession and Economic Development Committee, please fill-in your information on the attached sample letter. Direct transmission of the letter to the Committee is greatly appreciated. This will allow Committee members and staff to evaluate all letters in advance of the hearing, once set. Please contact Alexis Rodriguez, Executive Legislative Assistant, California Medical Association, Office: (916) 551-2864, Cell: (916) 215-1723, arodriguez@cmadocs.org if you have any questions.
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American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) California invites you to please join them on June 23rd, as they honor top California policy makers who have championed critical, evidence-based policies that advance ACS CAN’s mission to eliminate cancer. Hear from a distinguished panel discussing disparities in colorectal cancer screening.
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On June 17, the CMA is hosting a webinar to help physicians understand their requirements under the new law, AB 2789. In 2018, the California Legislature passed AB2789 that created a state-level mandate requiring all prescriptions be transmitted electronically by January 1, 2022. The law applies to all physicians and almost all prescriptions, with very few exceptions.
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As a follow-up to Noridian’s Provider Outreach and Education (POE) Advisory Group (POEAG) meeting held on June 8, please review, complete and send your responses to nhsportalteam@noridian.com by June 25, 2021. An update will be provided during the September POEAG meeting.
Question: What do you like best about the Noridian Medicare Portal (NMP)?
POEAG Member Response:
Question: What are specific issues, concerns, or problems you’ve faced when using NMP?
POEAG Member Response:
Question: How significant is the problem or concern you have with NMP?
POEAG Member Response:
Question: If you could add any feature to our product, what would it be? Why?
POEAG Member Response:
Thank you.
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June 16, the Provider Enrollment and Identity and Access: Connections Part 2 includes: Provider Enrollment and Identity and Access: Connections Part 2, Connections, Access Roles, Managing connections.
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June 17, the Appeals Basics Part A and Part B Providers webinar includes: Overview, Levels of Appeals, When to Submit an Appeal, Resources and questions.
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CMS hasn’t changed the data and methodology for practice expense payments under the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule for over a decade. The RAND Corporation is researching approaches to collect new data, along with potential changes to the current allocation system for CMS. RAND needs your feedback on 3 topics. How to: Collect data going forward;
Collect and report data by specialty, and Refine the current rate-setting system. Join the Town Hall, Wednesday, June 16 from 10-1 pm PDT. Target audience: Stakeholders who are interested in CMS’ physician payment policies.
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CMS’ Medicare Learning Network (MLN) Matters (MM) updated and published a Change Request (CR) to CAR T-cell Therapy to be implemented July 23, 2021. Effective for claims with dates of service on or after August 7, 2019, CMS covers autologous treatment for cancer with T-cells expressing at least 1 CAR when administered at healthcare facilities enrolled in the FDA Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies (REMS), and meets specified CMS/FDA criteria.
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Below is a link to Key Takeaways: FY 2022 Medicare Hospital, Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) Proposed Rule for Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T-Cell Therapy and Hospital Market-Based Data Reporting. Comments must refer to CMS-1752-P. The deadline for submitting comments is June 28, 2021, 2:00pm PDT.
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CMS announced an additional payment amount for administering in-home COVID-19 vaccinations to Medicare beneficiaries who have difficulty leaving their homes or are otherwise hard-to-reach. This continues efforts to meet people where they are and make it as easy as possible for all Americans to get vaccinated. There are approximately 1.6 million adults 65 or older who may have trouble accessing COVID-19 vaccinations because they have difficulty leaving home.
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A bi-partisan group of Senators submitted another bill aimed at permanently extending Medicare coverage for certain telehealth services beyond the pandemic. The Protecting Rural Telehealth Access Act (S. 1988), reportedly aims to improve access to and coverage of connected health services in rural parts of the country. It would continue several emergency measures enacted during the COVID-19 public health emergency.
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The American Medical Association has introduced the AMA Telehealth Immersion Program, developed to help create a stable long-term strategy for telehealth for providers who had to scramble to connect to patients remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic. The program offers webinars and peer-to-peer learning sessions, with additional content in the works from over 20 specialty groups and state societies.
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Affiliate Association News |
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ANCO Connections is a series of monthly roundtable presentations on the day-to-day issues of importance to the cancer community by local and national thought leaders. The next ANCO Connections is on June 17th at 12pm., Burnout & COVID Connectivity. Expert insights for cancer clinicians.
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Connecting with MOASC: Re-opening of California, and what it means for Oncologists. Thursday, July 15, 2021 12:00pm-1:00pm, Speakers - Dr. Truong, ANCO President and Dr. Lashkari, MOASC President.
ANCO is in the beginning stages of planning for their Professional Education Conference for the Fall of 2021. Please take a few moments and help with their planning by completing this very short, 4-question survey. Thank you!
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Join ASH on June 24, at 2:30 pm PDT, in a new webinar covering Inferior Vena Cava (IVC) filters as a treatment for venous thromboembolism (VTE). The purpose of this webinar is to: Educate hematologists, hospitalists, and surgeons on the appropriate indications for IVC filters and complications associated with their usage; Identify the appropriate indications for placement of IVC filters; Describe the complications associated with placement of IVC filters, and discuss the benefits of an institutional system-based tracking system for IVC filter use and retrieval.
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A new survey of sexual harassment among US oncologists has found that 70% reported incidents from peers and/or supervisors in the previous 12 months. Ishwaria Subbiah, MD, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, presented her study, as the lead author, at ASCO 2021.
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ASCO members are encouraged to participate in the AMA’s Specialty Society Relative Value Scale (RVS) Update Committee (RUC) survey. This important survey will help ASCO, in collaboration with the RUC, recommend relative value units and direct practice expense values to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for various services affecting physician care.
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COA News
COA has engaged its legal counsel to evaluate the relationship proposed by VativoRx regarding access to rebates for physician administered drugs. Counsel has identified certain issues in the prospective relationship. Please keep in mind that this analysis was prepared on behalf of COA, not an individual practice. Therefore, the opinion letter will not be treated as privileged with respect to your practice. This can only happen if you engage Frier Levitt directly if interested on this matter. If you/your practice would like to receive a copy of counsel’s opinion, please send request.
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Thursday, June 17, 5:30pmPDT, Global Blood Therapeutics invites you to their Live Speaker Series presentation "A Treatment Option for Sickle Cell Disease." Hematologist, Zahra Pakbaz, M.D., UC Irvine Medical Center & Chao Family Cancer Center, will present. Please RSVP TODAY to insure your participation!
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AstraZeneca has published Updated Data for IMFINZI® (durvalumab). The post-hoc analysis of 5-year overall and progression-free survival data has been released for the PACIFIC trial, a large, Phase III, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter study of 713 patients with unresectable Stage III NSCLC. The primary overall survival analysis was reported at 2 years (25.2 months median follow-up).
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Incyte announced that the FDA extended the review period for the supplemental New Drug Application (sNDA) for ruxolitinib (Jakafi®) for the treatment of adult and pediatric patients 12 years and older with steroid-refractory chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD).
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Janssen has published an update on RYBREVANT™ (amivantamab-vmjw), as it is now included in the Janssen CarePath Savings Program. Eligible patients pay just $5 for each infusion and receive savings on their out-of-pocket medication costs, including deductible, co-pay, and co-insurance for their Janssen medication, up to a $26,000 maximum program benefit per calendar year. There is no income requirements.
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The Medical Oncology Association of Southern California (MOASC) is a leading oncology society that advances and protects the ability of cancer patients to obtain, and the ability of the oncology physicians to provide, optimal cancer care. The material contained in the California Oncology Weekly is intended as general information for MOASC members. Because diagnostic, treatment, contracting, coding, and billing decisions should be made on a case-by-case basis, any such information contained in the California Oncology Weekly may not apply in any given situation. Members are encouraged to contact their own consultants or advisors to obtain specific advice on matters relating to contracting, coding, and billing. The information contained in California Oncology Weekly should not be used as a substitute for such advice. This publication provides a summary of regulations affecting oncology and its business practices. Reading this newsletter does not substitute for understanding regulations and verifying the validity of every claim. This information is time-sensitive and is subject to change. MOASC accepts no liability for any statements or articles herein. CPT codes are owned and trademarked by the American Medical Association. All Rights Reserved.
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