California Oncology Weekly
"Where California Oncologists Go For Answers!"
A publication of the
Medical Oncology Association of Southern California, Inc.
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This
Weekly
's Hot Topics
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- Gov. Newsom orders patient cost-sharing for COVID-19 test waived. California News
- CDC issued revised guidance to contain the spread of the coronavirus. National News
- Medicare telehealth coverage expanded CMS News
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IT specialists are working with the California Health and Human Services Agency on a website to answer the public's questions about COVID-19 and "make sense of all the complex information that's been presented to the public and turn it into an easier-to-consume [format]," says Angie Quirarte, California assistant secretary for digital engagement. California, Colorado and New Jersey are among the states that have established digital services often modeled on the US Digital Service, which recruited tech talent into the federal government during the launch of HealthCare.gov.
The Washington Post (tiered subscription model)
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Because of the evolving COVID-19 situation, the Western Colorectal Cancer Consortium Coalition Conference is postponing the WC4 conference to March 11-12, 2021
. Originally
scheduled for March 26-27, 2020, the conference has been rescheduled following the guidance of the California Department of Public Health on conferences and large gatherings. Yolo County, where Davis, California is located, has community-acquired COVID-19 cases.
- The Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC) is seeking a dynamic, creative, collaborative and consumer-oriented contracted Clinical Consultant to serve as the DMHC Chief Medical Officer (CMO). Interested candidates should submit a Statement of Qualification, resume or curriculum vitae, and three letters of reference to stakeholder@dmhc.ca.govby April 3, 2020. For more information, please review the CMO Job Announcement.
Please do not reply to this e-mail directly. If you have questions about this e-mail, please submit your questions to stakeholder@dmhc.ca.gov.
Thank you for your continued interest in the DMHC.
About DMHC:
The DMHC protects the health care rights of more than 26 million Californians and ensures a stable health care delivery system. The DMHC has helped more than 2 million Californians resolve health plan problems through the Help Center. Information and assistance is available at www.HealthHelp.ca.govor by calling 1-888-466-2219.
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Recent Announcements Published to "Latest Updates" of Medicare Jurisdiction E Part B.
MolDX: Decipher Biopsy Prostate Cancer Classifier Assay for Men with Intermediate Risk Disease Final LCD - Effective May 04, 2020
This Local Coverage Determination (LCD) has completed the Open Public Meeting and Contractor Advisory Committee (CAC) comment period and is now finalized under contractor numbers: 01112 (NCA), 01182 (SCA), 01212 (AS, GU, HI, NMI), and 01312 (NV). Responses to comments received may be found as a link at the bottom of the final LCD. Read the complete update
Quarterly Medicare Updates - A/B Webinar - April 7, 2020
This event includes: CMS Updates, Noridian Updates, April 2020 Quarterly Provider Updates, Payment and Recurring Updates, Special Editions (SE), Resources, Educational Information Read the complete update
Quarterly Medicare Updates - A/B - After Hours Webinar - April 14, 2020
This event includes: CMS Updates, Noridian Updates, April 2020 Quarterly Provider Updates, Payment and Recurring Updates, Special Editions (SE), Resources, Educational Information Read the complete update
CLFS and Laboratory Services Subject to Reasonable Charge Payment - Quarterly Update CR11681.
CR 11681 informs MACs about the changes in the April 2020 quarterly update to the Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule (CLFS). Read the complete update
Reminder: There is Still Time to Evaluate Our Services
There is still time to share your opinions about the services we provide. Please complete the MAC Satisfaction Indicator (MSI) survey. Read the complete update
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MOASC is committed to providing a safe and secure learning environment for our members, sponsors and colleagues.
We had been closely monitoring all available information regarding the rapidly developing situation with the Coronavirus (COVID-19) in the United States. After careful consideration, we knew it was necessary to postpone the Board Dinner with Industry and the MOASC Oncology Summit Annual Educational Symposium which was scheduled this past weekend (March 13-14, 2020). We are exploring technology options to host the meeting virtually and will share more details as they become available.
We apologize for the inconvenience and thank you for your support and understanding.
Ashkan Lashkari, M.D.,
MOASC Program Director.
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Do you know how to process patients that may present in your office with Coronavirus symptoms? MOASC has been in communication with the Department of Health who has provided the following CDC flow chart. Please share with your staff.
CDC Flowchart
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Applications now being accepted for ANCO's Travel Awards to Fellows and Young Clinicians
to support attendance at the ASCO Annual Meeting, ASH Annual Meeting, or other national oncology meeting in 2020. The deadline for submission is March 31. Awards will be announced by April 30. Learn more at
https://anco.org/membership/fellow-benefits/
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20th Multidisciplinary Management of Cancers:
A Case-based Approach
taking place in Napa on June 19-21. For the more information on the impact of COVID-19 on this meeting go to
www.multicancers.org/covid19.html
.
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REGISTER
for Hematologic Malignancies Updates
,
the first of three is taking place on Saturday, May 16 at the Sheraton Palo Alto Hotel.
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ANCO physician members, their practice staff, and representatives from ANCO's corporate members must register to access password-protected content (e.g., The ANCO Directory, ANCO meeting materials) on the ANCO website
www.anco.org
.
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Use ANCO's
job board
to post or search for employment opportunities at ANCO member practices.
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Follow ANCO on Twitter at @ANCO News.
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National News
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On Sunday, The CDC issued revised guidance urging individuals and organizations to postpone or cancel events with 50 or more people for the next eight weeks across the US
in an attempt to contain the spread of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. Meanwhile, states began imposing restrictions on businesses and activities, and in California, people older than 65 or with chronic conditions were advised to remain at home.
The Washington Post (tiered subscription model)
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The American Medical Association has created a
COVID-19 Resource Center, a curation of comprehensive resources from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Journal of the American Medical Association, and the World Health Organization, that will quickly help physicians prepare their practices, address patient concerns, and answer the most pressing questions. Please bookmark the page because it will be updated regularly.
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The Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER) has posted a Draft Scoping Document for:
bladder cancer. The draft scoping document for treatments of bladder cancer outlines the planned review of the comparative clinical effectiveness and value of nadofaragene firadenovec (Instiladrin®, FKD Therapies Oy and Ferring Pharmaceuticals).
All interested stakeholders are encouraged to submit comments and suggested refinements to the scope to ensure all perspectives are adequately considered. Comments can be submitted by email to
publiccomments@icer-review.org and must be received by 2 PM PT on April 2, 2020. All comments submitted must meet ICER's formatting specifications.
In addition to comments on the scope, ICER also welcomes submissions from stakeholders on examples of low-value care practices within these clinical areas. These submissions will inform sections in each report on strategies to reduce waste and preserve resources for high-value, potentially higher-cost treatments. More information is available in each scoping document.
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CMS News
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Today, the Trump Administration announced expanded Medicare telehealth coverage that will enable beneficiaries to receive a wider range of healthcare services from their doctors without having to travel to a healthcare facility.
Beginning on March 6, 2020, Medicare-administered by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)-will temporarily pay clinicians to provide telehealth services for beneficiaries residing across the entire country. To read the Fact Sheet on this announcement visit: https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/medicare-telemedicine-health-care-provider-fact-sheet
This guidance, and earlier CMS actions in response to the COVID-19 virus, are part of the ongoing White House Task Force efforts. To keep up with the important work the Task Force is doing in response to COVID-19 click here www.coronavirus.gov. For information specific to CMS, please visit the Current Emergencies Website.
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March 31, at 5PM PT will conclude the period for attesting for 2019 MIPS
.
The closer it gets to the deadline, the more traffic these sites will have and the higher chance you'll have to run into technical difficulties-please take care of this as soon as you can. AdvancedMD, Inc. consolidated all the key facts into 2-page guide. It's a self-help guide with all the steps needed to attest. Get the Checklist for MIPS Attestation 2019 for free.
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CMS Revised SE1418 this month to include -X modifiers in the "Proper Use of Modifier 59".
CMS allows the Modifiers 59 or -X{ESPU} on Column One or Column Two codes (See the related transmittal at
CR11168). The modifiers are defined as follows:XE - "Separate encounter, A service that is distinct because it occurred during a separate encounter" This modifier should only be used to describe separate encounters on the same date of service.
XS
- "Separate Structure, A service that is distinct because it was performed on a separate organ/structure"
XP
- "Separate Practitioner, A service that is distinct because it was performed by a different practitioner"
XU
- "Unusual Non-Overlapping Service, the use of a service that is distinct because it does not overlap usual components of the main service"
Click Here
to download your copy of the revised MLN SE1418.
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Affiliate Association News
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- The Community Oncology Alliance (COA) Coronavirus(COVID-19) Practice Resources and Protocols page houses information from government entities, private practices, and other health authorities for ease of use. Resources are available on clinical procedure, billing guidance, public information campaigns, and more. Access the COVID-19 Resource page at: https://communityoncology.org/coronavirus-covid-19-practice-resources-and-protocols/.
The COVID-19 Resource page will be updated daily as COA receives new information and resources to help practices handle this national emergency. If you have any resources or news to share, please send them to us by responding to this email.
- Take action and stay informed about the new coronavirus, also known as COVID-19. Simple measures can protect you and your community. It's also important to identify the symptoms of COVID-19 and know when to seek help. To learn more, read the full article.
- ASCO PracticeNET will host an hour-long call focusing on the upcoming changes to E&M coding. Thursday, March 19, at 1:00 PM Pacific, Click here to Register.
- You should STILL register for the 2020 COA VIRTUAL Conference: Focusing On The Future - Together, on April 23-24. Though the face-to-face conference in Orlando is cancelled, COA will proceed with a virtual Conference. COA Conferences help community oncology physicians, pharmacy leaders and business representatives connect the dots across specialties, with a special focus on what is relevant for independent community oncology practices. When practices come together to discuss the important initiatives on a national stage, it drives progress in a way that is truly beneficial to patients. Learn more and register at
www.COAConference.org.
- ASH is accepting nominations through May 31 for the 2 020 ASH Advocacy Leadership Institute taking place September 22-23, in Washington, DC. This two-day workshop provides an opportunity for ASH members (who are U.S. citizens) with an interest in health policy and advocacy and a desire to become involved in ASH advocacy activities, to gain a better understanding of the Society and learn about legislation and health policy affecting hematology research and practice. Self-nominations are welcome, and individuals may nominate more than one colleague. For more information and to submit a nomination, visit the ASH website.
- Save the Date! National Cancer Survivors Day® is Sunday, June 7, 2020. Get a jumpstart on planning your NCSD 2020 event by registering it (free of charge) with the National Cancer Survivors Day Foundation at ncsd.org/register. Visit their website at www.ncsd.org.
- Cedars-Sinai 3rd Annual Gastrointestinal Tumor Conference is on Saturday, September 12, 2020. Concise and comprehensive updates on the most recent research and advances in immunotherapy for gastrointestinal cancers, will be presented. A stellar faculty has been assembled to share developments in precision medicine, research, and immunotherapeutic approaches to the treatment of cancers of the pancreas, liver, and gastric/esophagus. For more information and to register go to: cedars.cloud-cme.com/gicancercme
- NCCN has published updated guidelines at
https://www.nccn.org/professionals/physician_gls/default.aspx-
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Industry News
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Sanofi-Aventis announces the FDA
approved drug, SARCLISA (isatuximab-irfc) in combination with pomalidomide and dexamethasone for adult patients with multiple myeloma who have received at least two prior therapies including lenalidomide and a proteasome inhibitor.
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Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. announces t
he FDA accelerated approval to the combination of OPDIVO and YERVOY
(nivolumab and ipilimumab) for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who have been previously treated with sorafenib.
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The Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies are closely monitoring the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak to ensure the protection of our employees throughout the world and to enable our delivery of lifesaving products and services.
To enable our delivery of lifesaving products and services during dynamic situations like these, we want to underscore the need for open lines of communication about potential challenges you may foresee as the result of the current COVID-19 situation. We encourage you to regularly connect with your respective Johnson & Johnson affiliate procurement representative and stay informed via the Supplier Portal. Thank you for your continued engagement and collaboration. With your help, we will remain on the front lines of this health crisis, bringing the full breadth of our resources and expertise to combat it.
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MOASC CALENDAR
(Davis, New Dates:
March 11-12, 2021)
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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.
MOASC: P.O. Box 161, Upland, CA 91785 | P (909) 985-9061 | F (909) 804-5006| www.moasc.org
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