California Oncology Weekly
"Where California Oncologists Go For Answers!"
A publication of the
Medical Oncology Association of Southern California, Inc.
July 28, 2020
Click anywhere on picture to view the past 30 years
|
|
|
This
Weekly
's Hot Topics
|
- Dept. of Public Health report on Covid-19 deaths California News
- $3.2 billion budget for the FDA National News
- COA and ASCO have published statements regarding the White House Executive Order to lower drug prices. National News
|
|
|
- The California Department of Public Health, has reported 435,000 COVID-19 infections and almost 8,200 deaths across the state, with figures that are trending upwards. Whereby, Data from Johns Hopkins University, has reported that New York State has seen a total of 410,000 infections, and still seeing more deaths by far than other states, with 32,000 killed by COVID-19. California has far fewer cases per 100,000 residents: 1,000 to New York's 2,124. Florida's infections have also inched ahead of New York, with 414,000 people in the state confirmed to have contracted the coronavirus and more than 5,000 dead.
-
State officials had projected that 2 million Californians would join the Medi-Cal rolls by July
because of the economic devastation wrought by COVID-19. Yet enrollment has barely budged, and why is unclear.
-
While Congress negotiates liability protection for reopening businesses as part of its latest pandemic bailout package, some employers are already requiring workers to sign waivers agreeing not to sue if they get COVID-19 on the job. Many employees, mostly lower-wage and minority workers in essential jobs, are calling lawyers to complain about the waivers. Only a few employers have forced employees to sign liability waivers, at least partly because these waivers likely would be held unenforceable by courts, lawyers who represent employers say. https://californiahealthline.org/news/employers-require-covid-liability-waivers-as-conflict-mounts-over-workplace-safety/
-
Upcoming Webinars from the CMA
JULY 30, 2020 | 12 PM - 1 PM
This webinar covers some of the major practical and legal issues that may arise when closing a medical practice. Content will be relevant for physicians who are retiring or otherwise leaving their practices and/or families or estates of deceased physicians. Issues addressed include the people and agencies to notify when a physician practice closes, medical records retention and considerations when selling a medical practice.
Register TODAY
AUGUST 13, 2020 | 12 PM - 1:30 PM
This webinar series will include 12 presentations over the next six months, and will cover all aspects of implementing telehealth in a medical practice - selecting a platform, reimbursement rules, and patient interactions. The webinar series will have an emphasis on the use of telehealth in Medi-Cal. The first webinar in the series will provide a general overview of telehealth, including changes that have been implemented by federal and state regulators in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Register TODAY
-
Blue Shield of California launched Wellvolution, an app-based wellness program,
a year ago, and engagement increased tenfold in the early stages of the coronavirus pandemic. The app matches subscribers with wellness coaches online and at any of 30,000 community sites based on the member's goals and preferences. Health Payer Intelligence
|
|
|
-
Upcoming Educational Events - July 2020: Providers are encouraged to attend the many educational events offered by Noridian. Read the complete update. The schedules of region-specific events, webinars and training are JEA, JEB, JAF, and JFB
-
Advance Beneficiary Notice of Noncoverage (ABN) After Hours Webinar - August 5, 2020.
This event includes: The New Advance Beneficiary Notice of Noncoverage (ABN) Form, ABN Basics, ABN Completion, ABN Tips, ABN Resources, and Noteworthy Information. Read the complete update.
|
|
|
- What can MOASC do to further support you? Your input is valuable. How can MOASC improve upon this publication and all communications to you? Please take a moment to respond to the following survey. It should take you less than 5 minutes to complete. Upon receipt of your completed survey, you will be automatically entered into a drawing to win a $50 Amazon gift card. TAKE THE SURVEY NOW! Thank you in advance for your time and feedback to participate in this survey. If you have any further comments, issues and concerns, please feel free to contact moasc@moasc.org.
SAVE-THE-DATE - Clinical Webinar
entitled, "Beyond Being Biosimilar: A Closer Look at Extrapolation of Biosimilarity" scheduled for Thursday, August 13, 2020 at 5:30pm-PDT. Presented by: Jim Koeller, RPH. Please RSVP to your Pfizer Representative.
Ilana Rosenblatt: (619) 838-3658 or ilana.rosenblatt@pfizer.com;
Ashlie Davis: (323) 992-7211 or ashlie.davis@pfizer.com;
Marc Peart: marc.peart@pfizer.com.
SAVE-THE-DATE - LunchTime Series Virtual
Program entitled, "The 2021 Evaluation and Management Changes" scheduled for Wednesday, August 26, 2020 at 12:30pm-PDT. Presented by: Allison Hirschorn, Senior Coding and Reimbursement Specialist, ASCO. As of January 1, 2021, there will be significant changes to the office and outpatient Evaluation and Management (E&M) services for both new and established patients. Practices, physicians, and staff must be aware of the modifications to ensure a successful transition next year and avoid any disruption in reimbursement.
|
|
|
-
Congratulations to Drs. Bridget Keenan, Nancy Nguyen, and Mohana Roy, recipients of ANCO's Travel Awards for 2020.
Dr. Keenan is a fellow at the University of California, San Francisco. Dr. Nguyen is a fellow at University of California, Davis, and Dr. Roy is a fellow at Stanford University.
-
The Association of Northern California Oncologists (ANCO) continues to monitor the novel coronavirus (COVID-19)
pandemic and is committed to providing the membership the best possible information with which to make clinical and personal well-being decisions.
https://anco.org/anco-covid-19-updates-resources/
We encourage member practices to let ANCO know of COVID-19 resources they are depending upon and found useful and how they are responding to COVID-19 and serving their patients and staff at director@anco.org (Use Subject: COVID-19: RESPONSE). Thanks!
-
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.
ANCO's ASCO20 Virtual Highlights
will take place on Saturday, August 22nd. The meeting will summarize the major research and treatment advancements presented at this year's ASCO20 Virtual Meeting. The program will focus on breast, gastrointestinal, genitourinary, head and neck, and lung cancers as well as a panel on cancer care during the time of COVID-19. The faculty will place these developments in context as to their immediate clinical utility.
Read More
-
Use ANCO's
job board to post or search for employment opportunities at ANCO member practices.
-
Follow ANCO on Twitter at @ANCO News.
|
National News
-
House lawmakers approved a minibus package allocating a $3.2 billion budget for the FDA.
The legislation includes provisions giving the FDA the authority to recall over-the-counter and prescription drugs and directing the agency "to develop a plan to identify, detain, and refuse the import of FDA-regulated products from a foreign establishment that did not allow physical access to FDA investigators."
-
On that same note, the Association of Health Insurance Plans pushed back against the administration's recent executive order directing HHS to eliminate safe harbor protections for drug rebates in Medicare Part D
, noting that a CMS analysis found a rule doing so would increase Medicare premiums. AHIP President and CEO Matt Eyles said big pharmaceutical companies must be held accountable for "out-of-control" drug prices, but the rebate rule goes in the opposite direction.
- The COVID-19 pandemic would subside without a vaccine if 90% of people were vigilant about washing their hands, wearing a mask and keeping a physical distance from other people, a new model described in Public Library of Science (PLOS) Medicine https://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmed.1003166 demonstrated. Even gradual compliance with preventive measures would reduce the number of cases, and study authors say governments should educate the public about the importance of behavior in preventing the virus' spread.
-
OSHA has recommended that employers encourage their workers to cover their faces alongside social distancing policies in workplaces,
even as they leave employers with the option to choose when circumstances prevent the use of face coverings. OSHA also covered issues related to positive coronavirus tests and other worker protection concerns in recent additions to its frequently asked questions.
-
Seniors with dementia, hearing loss or impaired vision have struggled to use technology, while some are simply unable to afford it or lack experience
with it. In response, health systems, advocacy groups and local governments are offering in-person assistance, providing easy-to-use tablet computers loaded with pertinent content and taking other steps.
Kaiser Health News
-
90.6% sensitivity and 87.2% specificity in determining cancer spread to lymph nodes of patients with cervical cancer was found by researchers in a hybrid deep learning model combining lymph node status from MRIs and tumor imaging data.
"With the apparent high sensitivity and specificity of our hybrid model, this model might be used preoperatively to help gynecologists make decisions," researchers wrote in JAMA Network Open. Health Imaging online
|
CMS News
- The US Health and Human Services last week officially renewed the public health emergency (PHE), a status that allows many of the waivers and expansions for telehealth that have occurred since the COVID-19 pandemic began in March 2020 to remain active. CMS Administrator Seema Verma says the agency is looking at how temporary telehealth changes affected health care access, Medicare spending, health care delivery and health outcomes during the pandemic to determine which modifications should be made permanent. The PHE was originally declared on January 27 and was previously renewed on Apr. 26. The PHE declaration is effective for 90 days afterward unless it is declared over by the Secretary before then, or renewed before it expires. The latest renewal, which occurred on July 23, 2020 now lasts up until Oct. 21, 2020. The most significant telehealth expansions tied to the public health emergency include: Removal of geographic and facility site limitations in Medicare; Additional providers allowed to bill Medicare for telehealth delivered services, including federally qualified health centers and rural health clinics; Allowance to utilize audio-only phone for some services and receive reimbursement through Medicare; Allowance to use live video to prescribe controlled substances without an in-person exam or falling under a list of narrow exceptions; Enforcement discretion on HIPAA violations for use of commonplace remote communication technologies.
|
Affiliate Association News
- Building on the 2018-2019 NCCS survey findings highlighting top patient concerns, the National Coalition of Cancer Survivors worked with Edge Research to conduct a nationwide survey to better understand the cancer survivor journey from a range of perspectives. NCCS will present a virtual web briefing on the 2020 State of Survivorship Survey Results on Tuesday August 4, 2020 at 10:00am Pacific. Register Today »
-
The Association of Community Cancer Centers (ACCC) is excited to announce the
ACCC 37th [Virtual] National Oncology Conference, September 14-18, a first-of-its-kind opportunity for multidisciplinary cancer care team members from across the country to come together and learn as a virtual community. Our digital format will allow you to easily attend, participate, and experience the exceptional how-to education that you expect from ACCC in the comfort of your home or office. From live Q&A, peer networking opportunities, and the 2020 ACCC Innovator Award presentations, you'll elevate your perspective and discover pioneering ideas that address the challenges of providing cancer care in our new reality. For questions with registration or ACCC membership, please email membership@accc-cancer.org.
- MOASC Members are encouraged to register now as an ASH VIP for the 62nd ASH Annual Meeting and Exposition, December 5-8 in San Diego. ASH is planning to make a final decision no later than September 30, about whether to go forward with an in-person meeting. There will be an option to attend virtually, whether there is an in-person component or not. Register now for the meetings at https://show.jspargo.com/asham20/ssologin.aspx. Sign in using your ASH username (moasc@moasc.org) and password. If someone else is registering for you, please provide them with your credentials to avoid delays. If you have forgotten your password, you may reset it using the "Forgot Password?" link on the sign-in page. If you have questions about your username, please contact us. View the up-to-date schedule and program. The deadline to send your Online Abstract Submission is August 4. Due to fraud concerns, when registering and making lodging reservations, make sure the website you are on is the one linked from this email or from the ASH website
- Get the latest oncology news from Targeted Oncology™ sent to your inbox! Through Targeted Oncology's eNewsletter, with your subscription you will gain access to:
- Exclusive event invitations to paid market research projects from Case-Based Peer Perspectives programs
- Tumor type specific news delivered straight to your inbox
- Thousands of first-hand perspectives from top thought leaders worldwide. Sign up or update your profile today: https://www.targetedonc.com/enewsletter
-
NCCN Guidelines and NCCN Compendium Update for Squamous CellSkin Cancer and Survivorship
have been published.
For the complete updated versions of the NCCN Guidelines
please visit NCCN.org.
|
Industry News
- Immunomedics
cordially invites MOASC Members to their multiple virtual programs to introduce TRODELVYTM (sacituzumab govitecan-hziy)
for adult patients with metastatic triple-negative breast cancer
who received at least two prior therapies for metastatic disease
. The Thursday, July 30, 2020 program will be
at 4:30pm-PDT, presented by: Virginia G Kaklamani, MD, DSc, MSCI, Professor of Medicine UT Health San Antonio, MD Anderson Cancer Center. To attend this date, please use the Program ID 10492 and register at:
The Friday, August 7, 2020
will be at 9:30am-PDT, presented by: Rebecca L Moroose, MD, Director of Cancer Research and Genetics, Orlando Health UF Health Cancer Center. To attend, this please use the Program ID 10498 and register at:
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Sanofi-Aventis U.S. LLC cordially invites MOASC Members to their upcoming virtual presentation on: The First FDA-Approved Therapy for Patients with Metastatic Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma (CSCC) or Locally Advanced CSCC Who Are Not Candidates for Curative Surgery or Curative Radiation. Presented by: Matthew Schwartz, MD, Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada, on August 4, 2020 at 12:30pm-PDT. To register go to
-
Takeda invites MOASC Members to participate in their National Webcast on brigatibib (Alunbrig), product overview. Meetings run through this Friday, July 31st. Please use access code "schedule" to register.
More information.
|
|
|
|
(Huntington Beach, July
23-25)
(August 22)
(Virtual, Various Dates)
(Davis, New Dates:
March 11-12, 2021)
|
|
|
|
|
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
|
|
| |
|
