California
Oncology
Weekly
"Where California Oncologists Go For Answers!"
A collaborative publication of the
Medical Oncology Association of Southern California, Inc.
and the
Association of Northern California Oncologists, Inc
.
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- Mandatory update to state posting requirements in California. California News
- TOMORROW! MOASC's LunchTime Series clinical presentation. MOASC News
- TOMORROW! Register for ASCO 2019 for the best rates. Affiliate Association News
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- A mandatory update has occurred to state posting requirements in California.
The Family Care and Medical Leave and Pregnancy Disability Leave notice has been updated with a poster revision date of 04-01-2019.
In order for your business to stay in compliance with these recent changes, the updated posting(s) must be downloaded, printed, and then posted next to your current labor law poster. Download in English.
- Approximately two-thirds of California hospitals restrict physicians' ability to prescribe aid-in-dying medications, despite a law granting patients with terminal illnesses access to drugs that hasten death. This presents challenges for patients who want to obtain these medications, according to a survey published in JAMA Internal Medicine. California's End of Life Option Act (EOLOA) was implemented in June 2016; It allowed adults with terminal illnesses to obtain and self-administer aid-in-dying drugs, but did not require that clinicians or health systems participate. California Hospitals and Lawmakers Clash Over Aid-in-Dying Drugs
- Los Angeles County and California Gov. Gavin Newsom's administration said they would bargain together to buy prescription drugs in Newsom's proposed statewide purchasing system. Newsome said the governors of Rhode Island, Colorado and Illinois are interested in the idea.
L.A. County to join Calif.'s drug-purchasing coalition.
- Free CEUs from the California Smokers' Helpline. Do you want free CEUs, and learn how to help your patients quit smoking? Take the CSH courses and earn up 7.5 units for free. Visit our website to learn more.
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- Noridian/JEMAC has the following updates on their website
Announcements:
Physician Compare: Supplemental Preview Period Open until April 27; Open Payments: Review and Dispute Data by May 15;
Publications:
Medicare Overpayments-Revised; PECOS for Physicians and NPPs-Revised;
* IVR Upgrade is Coming
* ACT Questions and Answers-March 14, 2019
* MolDX: Breast Cancer Index Genetic Assay LCD Retirement-Effective April 15, 2019
* MSP Education on Demand Tutorials Available
* Pub. 100-04, Chapter 29-Appeals of Claims Decisions-Revisions CR11042
* National Coverage Determination (NCD90.2): Next Generation Sequencing (NGS)-Revised MM10878
* MolDX: MDS FISH Final LCD-Effective June 3, 2019
* New Waived Tests CR11231
Forthcoming Noridian JEMAC meetings/webinars/workshops include:
* Modifier 59, NCCI and MUEs Webinar (April 24)
* Medicare Part A/B Revalidation Webinar (April 24)
* MIPS APMS Scoring Standard Webinar (April 24)
* What's New in the Second Quarter 2019 Webinar (April 25)
* Preventive and Screening Services after Hours Webinar (April 25)
* Reopenings Webinar (April 30)
* Computed Tomography of the Abdomen and Pelvis Webinar (April 30)
* What's New in the Second Quarter 2019 Webinar (May 1)
* Using the Medicare Beneficiary Identifier (MBI) Webinar (May 21)
* Submitting Your Enrollment Online-Part 1 Webinar (I&A; May 29)
* Using the Medicare Beneficiary Identifier (MBI) Webinar (June 13)
* Submitting Your Enrollment Online-Part 2 Webinar (PECOS; June 26)
Visit
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- TOMORROW! MOASC's LunchTime Series presents "Glioblastoma and the Current Biomarkers Being Investigated as Treatment Strategies"
webinar on Wednesday, April 24
,
2019 at 12:00pm PT. Sponsored by AbbVie. To register contact the MOASC office at
moasc@moasc.org, or by calling 909-985-9061 x1.
- SAVE-THE-DATE for MOASC's Spotlight On Oncology, August 17, 2019 in Huntington Beach. Through a restricted grant from MOASC, selected oncology fellows and faculty from the University of California, Irvine (UCI), present the premier topics from their attendance at the 2019 Annual ASCO meeting. The presentations promote collegial discourse among colleagues along with networking in an informal setting. Contact the MOASC Office for more information at
moasc@moasc.org.
- MOASC Member, City of Hope CME
presents:
Multidisciplinary Approaches to Cancer Symposium
on
October 10-13, 2019 @ Waldorf Astoria, Las Vegas, Nevada. This intensive program will provide participants with an enhanced ability to interpret and apply best treatment options into their individual cancer practices. For more information click HERE. To register go to: https://cme.cityofhope.org/eventinfo_10946.html
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ANCO is organizing a series of Hematologic Malignancies Updates in 2019 on May 18 in Menlo Park,
September 14 in Sacramento, and November 16 in San Francisco. These Updates are supported by AstraZeneca, Celgene, Janssen Oncology, Pharmacyclics, and Takeda Oncology. Watch for the first meeting announcement in late March; register online at
http://www.anco-online.org/2Q2019HemeMaligUpdates.pdf
- thesecondopinion has been serving the California cancer community for 50 years by providing free, comprehensive second opinions to cancer patients and their families. They will celebrate the anniversary with an informational and educational luncheon on Thursday, May 9, that will feature a presentation by Charles Graeber, author of The Breakthrough: Immunotherapy and the Race to Cure Cancer. For more information, visit www.thesecondopinion.org or call (415) 775-9956.
- The new ANCO website (www.anco.org) is now live! ANCO physician members, their practice staff, and representatives from ANCO's corporate members must register to access password protected content.
- ANCO is now on Twitter; follow @ANCO News.
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National News
- The House letter will be held open for signatures until May 3rd! Oncologists in the following states: AL, AZ, CA, CO, CT, FL, IL, IN, KY, MA, MI, NC, NE, NJ, NM, NY, OH OR, PA, TN TX, UT, VA, WA, WI, WY, are asked to reach out to their Members of Congressand ask them to join their bipartisan colleagues and sign the letter to Administrator Verma regarding CMS' proposed decision memo for coverage of (CAR) T-Cell Therapies. With the upcoming Congressional recess starting, time is of the essence. Cart T-Cell Therapy Letter
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out directly to George Malouly at GMalouly@celgene.com
- House lawmakers plan to introduce bipartisan prior authorization legislation this summer, according to congressional staffer. An AHIP spokesperson said the organization is planning a demonstration project for later this year to automate prior authorization and noted prior authorization is required for only about 15% of health care services.
MedPage Today (free registration)
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CMS News
- U.S. physicians have from April 1 until May 15 to review and dispute Open Payments data before it is made public on June 30. Review of the data is voluntary, but strongly encouraged to help improve the accuracy of the reported data. Learn more about Open Payments Review and Dispute here.
- The new 2019 MIPS Group Participation Guide is now available on the QPP Resource Library. Group registration for CMS Web Interface, and CAHPS for MIPS Survey Reporting in 2019 registration, is required for groups and virtual groups that intend to use the CMS Web Interface and/or administer the CAHPS for MIPS Survey for 2019.
CMS has posted a new Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) resource to the QPP Resource Library to answer questions and provide additional information on 2019 group participation in MIPS.
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There are some J-codes being issued by CMS for dates of service starting JULY 1. Roberta Buell, onPoint Oncology LLC, has provided some insight into CMS' mid-year coding update. Click on the link to get the list. It is called, "Revised Other New Codes Published 4-5-2019, Effective 7-1-2019." Do not use them now. They are effective on or after July 1. Some of the biosimilars listed have not yet been launched and may not be available for a while. Check with the manufacturer for availability. Bobbi is not aware of how commercial payers will handle this. She will monitor it closely and keep us updated. Any questions, E-mail me... (Bobbi).
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Affiliate Association News
- Meet tomorrow's deadline! Register for ASCO 2019 by April 24 for the Best Rates! The 2019 ASCO Annual Meeting is the world's largest multidisciplinary oncology conference. By attending, you will witness the leading minds in our field explore the latest, cutting-edge research and set the course for the future of cancer treatment. Join us to collaborate with and learn from world-renowned faculty discussing state-of-the-art treatment modalities, new therapies, and ongoing controversies in the field. Abstract titles were released on April 7 at
https://iplanner.asco.org/am2019/#/
.
- The Academy of Oncology Nurse & Patient Navigators (AONN+) application period for the Certification Exams being held at the AONN+ Midyear Conference in San Diego ends April 26. The test date will be May 16. The AONN+ Midyear Conference takes place in San Diego from May 17-19. Learn more at https://aonnonline.org/certification
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Triage Can
cer will present valuable information to help navigate patients and caregivers through the continuum of cancer care.
Triage Cancer has developed a comprehensive, certificate program for oncology health care professionals and advocates on health and disability insurance and finances, to improve patient and caregiver access to valuable information about these legal and practical cancer survivorship issues. The program is April 30th 8:45 - 4:45 at California Endowment, Los Angeles. Click here to register.
- The deadline for submitting a research proposal is April 30. ASCO seeks applications for research grants for projects that use data from CancerLinQ Discovery, an offering of ASCO's CancerLinQ initiative, as a source. CancerLinQ Discovery provides curated sets of de-identified data from cancer patients to academic researchers, government agencies, and others in the oncology community to generate practical knowledge that will improve care. With grants of $32,500 each, ASCO will provide early and mid-career clinical oncology and health service investigators with real-world evidence that can inform their research. Research topics may include--but are not limited to--adoption of treatment guidelines across the U.S.; development of quality measures with the highest impact for clinical care; measuring the impact of educational programs on clinical practices; supportive evidence for informing ASCO policy priorities; or novel research on other topics. For more information, visit www.conquer.org/cancerlinq-discovery-research-support-grant.
- Hematologists working to enhance hematology capacity in low- and middle-income countries are encouraged to submit electronic posters for the
ASH Global Capacity-Building Showcase, which will be featured at the 61st ASH Annual Meeting this December.
Top-scoring presenting authors from low- and middle-income countries will receive travel stipends and free attendance at the meeting. All entries for the Global Capacity-Building Showcase must be submitted in the form of electronic posters via ASH's online submission system. The site opens May 1, and the poster submission deadline is Thursday, June 20, 2019, 11:59 p.m. Pacific time.
Learn more.
- Submit your research on improving the quality of cancer care by May 14.
The ASCO Quality Care Symposium, September 6-7 in San Diego, encompasses the latest strategies and methods for quantification of patient experience, provider efficiency, clinical outcomes, and quality and safety in the cancer care field. The Symposium will include a variety of sessions that will cover the latest science in precision and personalized medicine. Oral abstract presentations will feature the highest-quality science submitted to the Symposium and Poster Walks will allow for networking while exploring the presentation of the newest science. This meeting will bring leaders in quality improvement science together to participate in stimulating conversation with opportunities for networking among physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and others.
ASCO Quality Care Symposium.
- Inland Empire Oncology Nursing Society is proud to announce the upcoming 5th Annual Education Fair for all medical professionals on May 18&19 at the Downtown Marriott in Riverside, CA. from 8:00am to 3:00pm. The Nursing Education agenda is geared toward oncology professionals - however the information is valuable in all aspects of nursing and care giving. Registration for ONS members is $55.00. Registration for NON-ONS members is $65.00. Your paid registration includes, breakfast, lunch, giveaways, parking and 5 CEU's.
- ASCO's Oncology Practice Conference takes place in San Diego on September 5. Focused on the business of cancer care, this conference will address the needs of practice administration and operations, with timely and practice strategies for the challenges faced by all those involved in the business of cancer care. Learn more and register at https://meetings.asco.org/opc/register.
- Join ASH on September 6-7, 2019, at the Fairmont Chicago, Millennium Park for the 2019 ASH Meeting on Hematologic Malignancies to gain knowledge that can help you make an immediate impact in your practice. The meeting will feature top experts in the field, comprehensive clinical content, the latest clinical research, and opportunities to interact with colleagues in an intimate, small group setting with no competing sessions. The program content will be structured as "How I Treat" presentations, which will highlight each speaker's evidence-based treatment approaches, present cutting-edge scientific data that can be translated into new strategies for diagnosis and treatment, and address what to do in cases where there is no data. For more details, or to register, please visit the ASH Website.
- The QOPI Reporting Registry, a QCDR brought to you by ASCO and ASTRO, supports continuous quality improvement that meets federal quality programs and directly submits your data to the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS). For more information and to sign up, visit the QOPI Reporting Registry page on http://practice.asco.org.
- NCCN has published the following updates at www.nccn.org: acute lymphoblastic leukemia (V1.2019), adolescent and young adult (AYA) oncology (V2.2019), breast cancer (V1.2019), cutaneous melanoma (V2.2019), esophageal and esophagogastric junction cancers (V1.2019), gastric cancer (V1.2019), Hodgkin lymphoma (V1.2019), kidney cancer (V3.2019), malignant pleural mesothelioma (V1.2019), prostate cancer (V2.2019), thymomas and thyme carcinomas (V2.2019), thyroid carcinoma (V1.2019).
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- Merck informs ANCO and MOASC that the United States Food and Drug Administration has approved Keytruda plus axitinib for the first-line treatment of patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC).
- Seattle Genetics will host an educational program entitled Frontline Advancements: Clinical Data Overview of Echelon-1 and Echelon-2 on May 1 at 6:30PM at A16, 5356 College Avenue, Oakland. RSVP via e-mail to rbelder@seagen.com.
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MOASC CALENDAR
LunchTime Series
April 24, 2019
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(NCCN, San Francisco, September 27)
(NCCN, San Francisco, September 27-28)
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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
Association of Northern California Oncologists
(ANCO) is an association of hematologists/oncologists dedicated to promoting high professional standards of cancer care by providing a forum for the exchange of ideas, data, and knowledge.
The material contained in the
California Oncology Weekly
is intended as general information for ANCO and 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 or ANCO accepts no liability for any statements or articles herein.
CPT codes are owned and trademarked by the American Medical Association. All Rights Reserved.
MOASC: P.O. Box 161, Upland, CA 91785 | P (909) 985-9061 | F (909) 804-5006| www.moasc.org
ANCO: P.O. Box 151109, San Rafael, CA 94915 | P (415) 472-3960 | F (415) 472-3961 | www.anco-online.org
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