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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- Anthem Blue Cross' Physician Practice Profile Change Form webinar July 30. California News
- Urge Congress to incorporate pharmacy DIR fee reform in drug pricing legislation.National News
- Put Patients over Paperwork. Send your ideas! National News
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- CAPP is hosting a reception with Assembly Member Tasha Boerner Horvath on Wednesday, July 31st from 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. at North Coast Health Center (Office of Michael Yokoyama, DDS, PDC, 477 N. El Camino Real, Building C, Suite C-306, Encinitas, CA 92024). There is no cost to attend. RSVP to Kristina Gelabert at 916.448.7992 x 3 or kgelabert@micra.org
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Quality Payment Program:
2018 MIPS Performance Feedback and Final Score; Quality Payment Program Participation: Preliminary Data for 2018; Physician Compare: 2017 Quality Payment Program Performance Information; Qualified Medicare Beneficiary Billing Requirements
Publications:
Changes to the Laboratory National Coverage Determination (NCD) Edit Software for October 2019; Quarterly Update to the National Correct Coding Initiative (NCCI) Procedure-to-Procedure (PTP) Edits, Version 25.3 Effective October 1, 2019; Update to Coverage of Intravenous Immune Globulin for Treatment of Primary Immune Deficiency Diseases in the Home
* Changes to the Laboratory National Coverage Determination (NCD) Edit Software for October 2019 CR11344
* Chemotherapy Administration R20
* Quarterly Update to the National Correct Coding Initiative (NCCI) Procedure-to-Procedure (PTP) Edits, Version 25.3 Effective October 1, 2019 CR11357
* Update to Coverage of Intravenous Immune Globulin for Treatment of Primary Immune Deficiency Diseases in the Home CR11295
Forthcoming Noridian JEMAC meetings/webinars/workshops
* Understanding National and Local Coverage Determinations Webinar (July 23)
* Using the Medicare Beneficiary Identifier (MBI) Webinar (July 23)
* Understanding the Basics of Medicare Secondary Payer (A/B) Webcast (July 24)
* Medicare Part A/B Revalidation Webinar (July 24)
* Computed Tomography of the Abdomen and Pelvis Webinar (July 31)
* What's New in the Third Quarter 2019-After Hours Webinar (August 1)
* Revocation, Caps and Appeals Webinar (August 7)
* Using the Medicare Beneficiary Identifier (MBI) Webinar (August 8)
* Submitting Your Enrollment Online-Part 1 (I&A) Webinar (August 21)
* MSP Employer Based Plans Webinar (August 21)
* Drugs and Biologics-Outpatient Billing Webinar (September 10)
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- Mark your calendar for MOASC's LunchTime Series presentation of, "Everything You Need To Know About USP Chapters <797> & <800>," Wednesday, July 31 at 12:00pm. MOASC has been in receipt of calls from members regarding USP Chapters <797> & <800>. Despite the national challenges, every medical practice that acquires, stores, mixes, or administers sterile and/or hazardous drugs, should review and consider their preparedness for inspection and being held to many of the pharmacy standards in USP Chapters <797> & <800>. Dawn Holcombe, MBA FACMPE ACHE, President, DGH Consulting and Willis Triplett, PharmD, have made available to MOASC an initial checklist that will guide you through your next steps. Please contact the MOASC Office
moasc@moasc.org
for handouts and call-in information.
- SAVE-THE-DATE for MOASC's Spotlight On Oncology, August 17, 2019 in Huntington Beach. MOASC awarded restricted grants to selected oncology fellows and faculty from the University of California, Irvine (UCI), to present the premier topics as a result of their attendance at the 2019 Annual ASCO Meeting. The presentations not only promote collegial discourse among colleagues along with networking in an informal setting but valuable clinical information. Contact the MOASC Office for more information at
moasc@moasc.org
.
- Renew your MOASC Membership TODAY to continue your investment in your state association! MOASC continues to advance oncology in California with your support and membership in MOASC. In 2018, MOASC successfully worked to create the California Cancer Caucus in Sacramento. YOU, the California oncologist, are the reason for MOASC's existence. MOASC advocates diligently insuring your ability to serve the California oncology community.
You can renew your membership in two ways:
Print the application
HERE
. With your check made payable to: Medical Oncology Association of Southern California, Inc., mail the completed application to: P.O. Box 161, Upland, CA 91785.
OR
We are looking forward to an exciting year ahead with benefits you will not want to miss.
If you have any questions, please contact the MOASC Office at 909-985-9061 ext.1 or at
moasc@moasc.org
.
- MOASC Member, City of Hope CME presents: Multidisciplinary Approaches to Cancer Symposium on October 10-13, 2019 at the Waldorf Astoria, Las Vegas. 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
.
- Mark your calendars for the "MOASC Educational Series Program" Thursday, November 14, 2019 at the Waterfront Hotel, Huntington Beach.
- Mark your calendars NOW for the 7th Annual MOASC Oncology Summit, March 14, 2020 at the Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach. From 2014 through 2019 the MOASC Oncology Summit has highlighted cutting-edge topics presented by world renowned physicians. From topics like: Decoding Molecular Medicine's "nibs" and "mabs" to Personalizing Cancer Care in the Era of Multiple Therapies and Diagnostic Tools to Harnessing the Power of Immunotherapy, and this year's Advancing Cancer Care in the Elderly; unlike any other, MOASC has brought to southern California physicians the most contemporary topics for presentation and discussion among colleagues. You will not want to miss our 2020 program!
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- SAVE THE DATE for the ANCO Annual Professional Education Meeting 2019 in Berkeley on Saturday, October 17. Watch for a meeting announcement in late July.
- SAVE THE DATE for the ANCO-UCSF Precision Oncology Symposium in San Francisco on Saturday, November 2. Watch for a meeting announcement in mid July.
- Follow
ANCO on Twitter
at
@ANCO News
.
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National News
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A national coalition advocating for DIR Fee Reform recently addressed a letter to the chair of the US Committee on Finance, Senator Chuck Grassley and committee member Ron Wyden urging them to incorporate pharmacy DIR fee reform in drug pricing legislation.
You can read the letter sent from the coalition
here.
The national coalition is urging Congress and the Trump Administration to correct the failed opportunity to include DIR reform in the CMS final rule immediately. Please take the time to contact: Mick Mulvaney, Acting Chief of Staff to President Trump and Director of Office of Management and Budget (OMB): 202-456-1414, and Joe Grogan, Assistant to the President, Director of the Domestic Policy Council: 202-456-5594 by telephone and express your opinion in a professional and respectful manner. Feel free to use the letters to Speaker Pelosi and Congresswoman Eshoo as talking points.
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Send YOUR ideas to reduce unnecessary administrative burdens for regulatory, sub-regulatory, policy, practice and procedural changes for clinicians, providers, patients and their families.
Comments are due by August 12th. COA has been asked to participate in an RFI project as part of the
"Reducing Administrative Burden to put Patients over Paperwork"
that was initiated by the Administration through an Executive Order in 2017. Please provide specific areas of concern that might be included in the COA comments including any specific solutions that you may like to offer. There are many issues that make practice difficult. COA hopes to get a few concrete examples that can serve as the basis for COA's comments given the breadth of issues. If you can offer some help on issues that make life difficult for you as you provide cancer care day to day, and how you would like to see it changed, COA's comments may be more useful. A physician has already offered that
the redundancy of documentation for things like smoking cessation and opioid prescribing where documentation has to be done in multiple places including notes and EHR rather than once,
is a representative example. Thank you, in advance, for any thoughts you have that should be included in this somewhat global request for ideas that could improve cancer care by reducing the administrative burdens of giving that care. Knowing that you are busy, COA appreciates your time and expertise. Send to:
Mark E. Thompson, M.D., Medical Director for Public Policy, Community Oncology Alliance mthompson@COAcancer.org.
- Canadian officials have told US authorities that the country opposes any US plans to import prescription drugs that may affect drug supply or raise costs for Canadian citizens. Canada has offered to share the ways that it keeps health care costs low.
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CMS News
- CMS has published updated open payments data reported in 2018 and physicians have until December 31 to review and dispute the 2018 data reported in their name. Learn more and review your data at
https://openpaymentsdata.cms.gov
.
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Affiliate Association News
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Get ready for the August Congressional recess! COA continues to make organizing a policymaker visit easy with the new and improved
Sit in My Chair
toolkit
. It offers everything your practice needs to curate a moving and memorable experience, from checking policymakers into your waiting room, walking them through diagnosis, having them sit in a chemotherapy chair for treatment, and more. It is important to put a human face on tough issues. That is what helps policymakers appreciate the important role of community oncology in patients' lives and our cancer care system. Is your practice ready to create a unique experience that will captivate members of Congress this summer? August is quickly approaching and calendars are filling up fast, which is why NOW is the time to plan a
Sit in My Chair
event.
- Applications are now being accepted for the 2020-2021 cycle of ASCO's Health Policy Leadership Development Program, a one-year program that gives ASCO members the opportunity to develop expertise in health policy, advocacy, and grassroots activity while learning valuable leadership skills. Learn more at https://www.asco.org/advocacy-policy/asco-in-action/apply-now-ascos-health-policy-leadership-development-program.
- Present your research at the world's premier hematology event, the 61st ASH Annual Meeting and Exposition in Orlando, Florida. The best new scientific research in all areas of hematology will be presented. Researchers are encouraged to submit an abstract by August 1, 11:59 p.m. Pacific time.
- Start planning now for the meeting you can't miss! The preliminary program for the 61st ASH Annual Meeting and Exposition, December 7-10, 2019, in Orlando, is now available online. Take a look to start planning your meeting now and ensure you have access to the most up-to-date information on this year's exciting sessions, speakers, and events.
- The ASCO Oncology Practice Conference, September 5, in San Diego will focus on the business of cancer care addressing 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.
- 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. 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.
- 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. Top experts in the field, will present 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.
- Learn the Tools to Improve and Sustain Your Practice at the ASCO Oncology Practice Conference.
Focused on the business of cancer care, the ASCO Oncology Practice Conference, taking place on September 5 in San Diego, CA, will address the needs of practice administration and operations. Bring your team to this important conference to learn and network with practice leaders, administrators, program directors, and others involved in the management of oncology practices. Register by July 31 to save!
- Register for ASCO's Advocacy Summit, September 25 & 26, 2019 in Washington, D.C. this two-day conference will feature guest speakers and network opportunities that will empower you to advocate for policies that support cancer research, your practice and highest quality patient care in meetings with your lawmakers.
- Join the Inland Empire Oncology Nursing Society fundraiser event for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Light The Night, on October 26, 2019 at the Auto Club Speedway of California in Fontana, money raised through Light The Night allows The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) to fund treatments for patients who are suffering from all forms of blood cancers. In 2018, LLS helped advance 19 of 21 approved blood cancer therapies. Beating cancer is in our blood. Donate NOW!
- ASCO's Quality Oncology Practice Initiative (QOPI) is an oncologist-led, practice-based quality assessment program for outpatient oncology clinics. Round 2 registration is now open and data submission will run from July 1 to December 3, 2019. Register for QOP at https://myqopi.asco.org/registration/login.aspx.
- Conquer Cancer®, the ASCO Foundation, has awarded more than $126 million through nearly 2,100 grants and awards to medical students, trainees, young scientists, and oncologists at all stages of their careers. Many of ASCO's funding opportunities are currently accepting applications. While eligibility criteria differ for each award, all grants require that applicants be a member of ASCO to apply. Join ASCO and submit your grant application today!
Highlighted funding opportunities include: Young Investigators Award; Global Oncology Young Investigators Award; Career Development Award; Gateway Discovery Grant in Immunotherapy Research. For detailed information regarding eligibility criteria for each funding opportunity and its application process, please select the name of the grant above, or view all available funding opportunities through Conquer Cancer®.
- Improve your practice's business operations and clinical care delivery with help from ASCO Practice Consulting Services & Support. Their team of national recognized experts in oncology practice management, value-based care, and clinical care delivery offer personalized services based on the needs of your practice. Learn more at https://practice.asco.org/practice-support/oncology-consulting-services.
- ASCO's Journal of Oncology Practice (JOP) is accepting manuscript submissions for a thematic issue on physician burnout and moral distress in oncology practice. This special series will address compelling issues that impact clinicians today, we well as highlight successful and promising strategies to address these issues in oncology practice. The submission deadline is September 1; learn more at https://ascopubs.org/jop/call-for-papers-burnout?.
- The Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) has published the SITC Cancer Immunotherapy Guidelines for the treatment of squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (HNSCC) in the Journal for Immunotherapy of Cancer (JITC). Learn more at
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- Foundation Medicine informs ANCO and MOASC that the United States Food and Drug Administration has approved FoundationOne Cdx for use as a companion diagnostic for AstraZeneca's Lynparza for first line maintenance therapy in BRCA-mutated advanced ovarian cancer.
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MOASC CALENDAR
July 31, 2019
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(NCCN, San Francisco, September 27)
(NCCN, San Francisco, September 27-28)
ANCO Annual Professional Education Meeting 2019 (Berkeley, October 17)
ANCO-UCSF Precision Oncology Symposium (San Francisco, November 2),
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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.org
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