MSNJ Member Update - COVID-19
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COVID-19 Updates & Resources
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Legislative Actions
Below is the COVID-19 bill package that was passed by the NJ Senate yesterday and was sent to the Governor’s Desk for his signature.
Health Care, Food and Housing
- NJ A3843 (20R) would direct the state’s Medicaid program and health benefit plans to cover coronavirus testing. Murphy took similar action last week, advising plans to cover coronavirus testing as well as emergency room, urgent care and office visits. Murphy's guidance applies to any health plan available through the state’s individual, small and large group marketplaces.
- NJ A3854 (20R) would allow licensed health care facilities to collect swabs during the period covered by Murphy’s public health state of emergency and grants Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli the ability to waive any staffing requirements for those facilities during that period.
- NJ A3855 (20R) would require the state’s departments and agencies to put information about accessing food on public notifications relating to public health emergencies.
- NJ A3856 (20R) would allow for a one-time, $10 million appropriation to set up a fund to support health care facilities and residential facilities, including nursing homes and long-term care facilities, to support cleaning and sanitation efforts intended to stem the spread of the virus.
- NJ A3857 (20R) would allocate $15 million from the state Department of Agriculture for New Jersey food banks, long one of Coughlin’s core issues. Most of the funding, $10.8 million, would go to the Community Food Bank of New Jersey, with $2.4 million going to the Food Bank of South Jersey and $1.8 million to Fulfill Monmouth & Ocean.
- NJ A3858 (20R) would unlock supplemental temporary assistance for those enrolled in WorkFirst NJ, the state’s welfare program. Under the bill, the state Department of Human Services commissioner would be able to issue additional payments during public health emergencies, should they consider it necessary.
- NJ A3860 (20R) would allow out-of-state health care providers to offer care using telemedicine or telehealth platforms for coronavirus infections or Covid-19. The provider would also be able to bill for those services, of course, so long as the fees are “reasonable and consistent with the ordinary fees typically charged for that service.”
Business and Employment
- NJ A3841 (20R) would extend income tax filing and corporate business tax filing deadlines by 90 days, matching the extension made available by the federal government.
- NJ A3845 (20R) would extend grants to small businesses impacted by the virus.
- NJ A3846 (20R) would create a $20 million fund to compensate workers for lost wages as a result of the pandemic.
- NJ A3848 (20R) would prohibit employers from firing workers who need to take time off because of the coronavirus.
- NJ A3861 (20R) would allow corporations to hold shareholders’ meetings remotely, rather than in person, during a state of emergency.
- NJ A3862 (20R) would allow licensing boards to expedite their processes for certain individuals during states of emergency.
- NJ A3864 (20R) would let notaries conduct business on a remote basis.
- NJ A3865 (20R) would allow grocery stores to limit returns of goods purchased during the current public health state of emergency.
Government
- NJ A3095 (20R) would county clerks an extra week to mail ballots for the 2020 primary election. Murphy is still weighing whether to delay the primary , which is likely to feature high voter turnout as it’s a presidential election year.
- NJ A3849 (20R) would provide some flexibility for custodians under the state’s open records law, extending the time frame by which they have to respond to requests during a state of emergency, public health emergency or state of local disaster emergency.
- NJ A3850 (20R) would allow public bodies to conduct business remotely, or using electronic means, during a period of emergency.
- NJ A3851 (20R) would extend the deadline by which local and county governments have to adopt their budgets during periods when New Jersey is in a state of emergency or public health emergency.
Schools
- NJ 3813 (20R) would grant schools the ability to use virtual instruction tools to meet the minimum 180-day threshold required by the state for funding.
- NJ 3840 (20R) would require schools to provide school meals and meal vouchers to students entitled to free and reduced lunches for as long as facilities are closed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
- NJ A3842 (20R) would create a new grant program, called “Bridging the Digital Divide in Schools”, to pay for laptops, tablets, Wi-Fi hotspots and other tech products for low-income families whose children are relying on virtual instruction.
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Request for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
If anyone has additional PPE and medical supplies like N95 respirators, gowns, etc., please
let us know
so we can distribute to hospitals that are in desperate need of them.
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CompuGroup Medical (CGM)
Telemedicine FREE for 6 Months
In an effort to mitigate the spread of the COVID-19 the Medical Society of New Jersey and CompuGroup Medical have teamed up to give you access to state-of-the-art Telemedicine technology.
CompuGroup Medical’s telehealth solution
offers you the ability to engage with patients via web, phone, or mobile app in minutes from anywhere.
Helps providers mitigate the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus
- CGM ELVI is HIPAA compliant
- CGM ELVI is web-based
- Highly specialized Telemedicine solution from one of the world’s leading medical software companies, designed specifically for medical encounters
- Secure video calls
- Share images, findings, and vital signs
- Multi-browser compatible
- Works with all Windows/Apple OS systems
- Also available via mobile app for smartphones (Apple and Android)
In order to take advantage of the special offer please call CGM’s Telemedicine hotline at 602-680-2255 or fill out the contact form by clicking
here
.
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Aetna’s Updated Guidelines for Telemedicine
View Aetna’s
updated policy
that addresses its guidelines regarding payment for telehealth, telemedicine, direct patient contact, care plan oversight, concierge medicine, and missed appointments.
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Start Reporting Confirmed Cases of COVID-19 with U07.1 on April 1
Beginning April 1, physicians can start to use U07.1 for the diagnosis code of COVID-19.
Read more
about this coding update.
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Childcare for Healthcare Workers
MSNJ is aware of childcare issues with the shutdown of daycares. We have been made aware of a daycare in Mercer/Middlesex County, Lakeview Child Care that is remaining open for childcare up to 13 years old. This may be an option for healthcare workers and first responders.
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Watch
AMA’s video providing insight on the COVID-19 pandemic in the US and the importance of all communities coming together to free up hospital capacity and minimize the burden of the virus.
Read more
.
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Read New Jersey Department of Health’s
FAQs
on Healthcare Personnel and COVID-19.
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Medicare Telemedicine Health Care Provider Fact Sheet
Check out CMS’
fact sheet
for Medicare coverage and payment of virtual services.
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New CMS Toolkits on Telehealth
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Cooper Patient Collection Site for COVID-19
Cooper University Health Care announced a convenient patient collection site for COVID-19 testing at its ambulatory care center (1210 Brace Road, Cherry Hill, NJ). The collection site will be open to Cooper patients, who have symptoms and meet other criteria, and who receive an order from a Cooper provider for testing.
Read more
.
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Department of Labor Resources
The New Jersey Department of Health has resources available on their
website
regarding employee benefits. Please view this
chart
on COVID-19 scenarios and benefits available to employees.
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MSNJ Telehealth Webinar Series:
Part 2: Navigating Telehealth Reimbursement
Wednesday, March 25, 2020 from 12:00pm to 1:00pm
While telehealth has become an acceptable means of delivering health care, how third party payers reimburse telehealth services vary depending on the payer. This webinar will explore the rules and regulations impacting telehealth reimbursement by the Medicare and Medicaid programs and highlight the reimbursement policies of national commercial health plans.
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NJ Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics Webinar: Ask the Experts: NJIN COVID-19 Q&A Session
Monday, March 23, 2020 at 1:00pm
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