California Oncology Weekly
"An Oncologists’ Source for Timely Information"
A publication of the
Medical Oncology Association of Southern California, Inc.
February 2, 2021
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Letter from MOASC President MOASC News
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Covid-19 vaccination eligibility notice California News
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PHE will likely continue through the end of 2021 National News
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Submit ASCO abstracts by February 17, 2021 Affiliate Association News/ANCO News
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Dear MOASC Community,
I am so honored to serve as the new president of MOASC. I am writing to share with you my hopes and vision for this great organization which has been so instrumental in my growth as an oncologist, physician-leader, and person.
First, I need to first thank the MOASC executive committee for selecting me for this role. Both my predecessors, Drs. Warren Fong and Bob Moss, have set the bar very high as they have done an exemplary job of growing MOASC and their confidence in asking me to navigate MOASC through this challenging time is greatly appreciated. Second, I want to thank MOASC's executive directors, formerly Mariana Lamb, and presently, Nichole East, for help running MOASC's day to day operations and providing constant support, knowledge, and guidance since I became a MOASC board member in 2010. Finally, I want to thank my fellow MOASC board members who have nurtured me since I first got involved with MOASC back in 2010.
The field of oncology is entering unprecedented times as we deal with the explosion of new therapies, difficulties related to paying for high cost drugs, and questions related to how to effectively deliver care within the confines of the COVID-19 pandemic. My hope is that MOASC can help bring our physician members and industry partners together to help conquer these challenges and provide our patients with the best care possible. To do that, we need strong leadership and I hope to serve as a voice for all of you along with our incredible group of board members.
My reason to become a doctor and ultimately, an oncologist, is due to my mother and father teaching me the importance of listening and being creative in solving problems. As both my parents were teachers, I was forced to listen a lot as a kid whether I liked to or not. Over time, I realized that medicine was an ideal pursuit as it allowed me the opportunity to help guide people through some of the worst times in their lives but it also afforded me the chance to learn about different cultures, languages, and perspectives. I know that all of us have become better listeners and have learned more about this world through our dedication to our patients. This should remain a guiding light.
Our ability to be better listeners and more creative will be placed on full display as an organization as we work through these challenging times. My hope to bring our MOASC members and industry partners closer is by focusing on three key areas: bridging research between community and academic centers; strengthening our educational outreach; and broadening our advocacy on the state and national level. I will not be alone in this fight as I have all of you. I look forward to getting to know all of you better and working closely together.
Sincerely,
Ashkan Lashkari, M.D.
Diplomate of the American Board of Hematology
Diplomate of the American Board of Medical Oncology
Diplomate of the American Board of Internal Medicine
Wellness Oncology & Hematology
-7320 Woodlake Avenue, Suite 330
West Hills, CA 91307 office 818-346-1773
-5620 Wilbur Avenue, Suite 219
Tarzana, CA 91356 office 818.705.3900 fax 818-346-3010
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MOASC Job Board
Medical Oncologist in the San Gabriel valley is looking for part-time employment. Attached please find their CV for your review. Thank you in advance for your consideration of this experienced candidate.
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MOASC Programs - Save the Dates - All Times are Pacific
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Targeted Oncology has a DTC program February 4 for MOASC members. This program is open to, and intended for, oncologists treating DTC. The Case-Based Peer Perspectives Roundtable virtual meeting will feature a thought leader in the field who will discuss pathology report findings, patient diagnostic workup, the most likely diagnosis and potential treatment options for a few case studies. The audience is encouraged to ask questions and discuss as the cases are presented. Attendees are paid $300 of compensation for their attendance, participation & completion of the post-event HRA survey. Meeting specifics are outlined below, for reference.
A Roundtable Discussion on DTC
Speaker: Dr. Misagh Karimi (City of Hope)
Date: Thursday, February 4, 2021
Time: 7:00-8:30 PM PacificTime
Location: Virtual
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MOASC presents Spotlight On Hematology, February 20. Selected fellows and faculty, from the University of California, Irvine, will present the premier topics from their attendance at the 2020 Annual ASH Meeting. Through virtual conferencing, the presentations will promote collegial discourse among colleagues and networking among attendees.
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Have you checked out the event tab on our Facebook & Twitter page? Keep up to date with #MOASC events by “liking” us on our Facebook page. We post easy-to-share events about the latest news in #oncology.
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The state has developed a new website (myturn.ca.gov) that will enable residents to determine their eligibility to be vaccinated and to sign up to be notified when they do become eligible, so they can then schedule an appointment. The new site also provides a mechanism to easily track vaccination data and enables providers to automatically share data on vaccines received and administered with the state.
The site is currently being tested in Los Angeles and San Diego counties and is expected to be available for San Bernardino County residents in early February. San Bernardino County residents aged 65 and up also have a local, additional option to register themselves on the County’s COVID-19 vaccine page (https://sbcovid19.com/vaccine/65plus/#load) to receive email or text notifications for updates on vaccination opportunities.
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Noridian News
Provider Enrollment Medicare Additional Updates - 2021 Webinar - February 3, 2021.
This event includes: Provider Enrollment, 2021 Updates, Notification Letters, Request for Additional Information, and Electronic Fund Information.
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Evaluation and Management - 99202-99215 and Related Services Webinar - February 25, 2021. This event includes: 2021 Change Summary, Office and Outpatient Services, Time Component, Medical Decision Making, and Resources.
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Acting Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Norris Cochran, recently indicated that the PHE will likely continue through the end of 2021. This means that all waivers currently tied to the PHE, including the flexibilities granted to telehealth services, could possibly extend through the end of 2021. HHS will give 60 days’ notice before the PHE ends.
President Biden ordered the reopening of the Affordable Care Act’s federal insurance marketplaces for three months to give millions of Americans who need coverage during the coronavirus pandemic an extended chance to buy health plans.
The Affordable Care Act (ACA), enacted in the United States in 2014, reduced the number of Americans who were uninsured or underinsured. Researchers at the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research (CHPR) and the University of Chile conducted a study, published yesterday in Health Affairs, on the effects of the ACA on health care use and outcomes, specifically looking at older adults near age 65 and cancer detection rates among this population. Using cancer registry data from 2010 to 2016, researchers found that the ACA reduced the cancer detection spike occurring at age 65 by 45%. More than two-thirds of the detected cancers were at the early or middle stages, or at more highly treatable stages, according to the study’s authors.
UnitedHealth Care Provider News has been published. See below for UHC updates to medical and reimbursement policies.
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Affiliate Association News |
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ANCO News
The Association of Northern California Oncologists (ANCO) Board of Directors met for their first meeting of 2021. At this meeting, they elected Thach-Giao Truong, MD as President of the Board for a 2 year term, and is ANCO’s first female president. Dr. Truong received her Medical Degree from the Medical University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Charleston, SC in 2006, she completed Residency at Columbia University, New York, NY in 2009. In 2012 she completed her Fellowship at UC San Francisco, CA. Dr. Truong specializes in Melanoma and practices at Kaiser, Vallejo. Please join us in welcoming Dr. Truong.
ANCO would like to thank Dr. Daniel P. Mirda for his 7 years of service as President of ANCO. ANCO is grateful for his commitment, foresight, and leadership over the past 7 years. Dr. Mirda will continue to be an active member of ANCO and a board member.
In addition to electing Dr. Truong, the board has also elected Dr. David R. Gandara as Treasurer, and Dr. Stephanie Ossowski as Secretary. We look forward to working with our new officers.
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UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center Grand Round Series Best of Year Part 1, will kick off on February 10th from 5:30pm-7:00pm. Presentations will include Radiotherapy for Management of Metastatic Disease, Current and Future Strategies for Treatment of Glioblastoma, and Robotic Surgery in Bladder Cancer.
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ASCO News
As the U.S. continues to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic, ASCO strongly encourages practices to participate in the ASCO Survey on COVID-19 in Oncology Registry (ASCO Registry) to help examine the evidence on the effect of COVID-19 on patients with cancer. The ASCO Registry collects baseline and longitudinal data on patients with cancer and COVID-19 and plans to deliver periodic reports with key findings that can influence future care. Thanks to support from Conquer Cancer, the ASCO Foundation, ASCO provides payments (both for start-up and for each patient entered) to help cover expenses involved in participating.
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Submit your abstracts by February 17, 2021! The ASCO Annual Meeting is scheduled for June 4-8, 2021.
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COA News
See Community Oncology from a New Perspective at the 2021 Community Oncology Conference! The Free-Virtual conference is April 8 & 9, 2021. With the power of the internet, data and knowledge are readily available. What’s harder to find are the outside perspectives like the ones you’ll find at the Community Oncology Conference. The COA Conference is so much more than just best-in-class educational programs. As a practice administrator, you are always in search of other administrators with whom to work through new care and resource models. Not only does the Conference offer unmatched opportunities to hear from key players in our field, but more importantly, the content is focused on the needs of independent, community oncology practices. Learn about social determinants of health and how other practices are incorporating this data into their workflow. Economic and racial differences greatly affect how we provide care and patient outcomes, get a deeper understanding of how we can address our community’s needs.
There’s something for every member of community oncology on the agenda, which is why you can bring a large contingent from your practice.
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Pfizer Oncology’s Breast Cancer Webinar Series, runs through February 4.
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Merck announced first-time data from the Phase 3 KEYNOTE-598 study evaluating KEYTRUDA, Merck’s anti-PD-1 therapy, in combination with ipilimumab (Yervoy®) compared with KEYTRUDA monotherapy as first-line treatment for patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) without EGFR or ALK genomic tumor aberrations and whose tumors express PD-L1 (tumor proportion score [TPS] ≥50%).
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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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