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 #GivingTuesday, May 5, please consider making a gift to your favorite charity.
- The World Health Organization has extended its declaration that the COVID-19 pandemic continues to warrant a public health emergency of international concern.
- AS INSPIRATION TO QUIT, increasing evidence suggests people who smoke are more likely to become severely ill and die from COVID-19 than nonsmokers.
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Last Thursday, the proponents of the "Fairness to Injured Patients Act" (FIPA) (a misnomer) have announced they will try to remove MICRA's protections through a ballot initiative on the November 2022 ballot, rather than this year.
It has always been MOASC's mission to ensure your dedication to accessible and affordable healthcare is protected. This is evidenced by the work you are all doing on the frontlines of this pandemic. While the initiative may be delayed, the commitment to support you is not, and you each have our continued thanks and gratitude during this time. In 2014, the strength of the Coalition to Protect MICRA (CAPP), in which MOASC participated, was a driving force behind the overwhelming defeat of Proposition 46. MOASC with the direction and force of CAPP, stands ready in the days and months ahead to defeat this misguided measure in 2022. If you have any questions, please contact the MOASC Office moasc@moasc.org or Lisa Maas, Executive Director, Californians Allied for Patient Protection lmaas@micra.org.
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Over the past six months, California state authorities fined more than a dozen drug makers a total of $17.5 million for failing to report price hikes as required by law
, and more than half of the penalties were levied since the beginning of the year, according to data obtained by STAT. To date, the state has only collected $4.8 million, as some fines were settled for lower amounts and other companies have yet to either make a payment or reach a settlement, according to a spokesperson for the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development, which administers the law.
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The California Cancer PAC met on April 27, 2020.
The minutes are Here
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Recent Announcements Published to "Latest Updates" of Medicare Jurisdiction E Part B.
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Effective May 04, 2020, MolDX: Decipher Biopsy Prostate Cancer Classifier Assay for Men with Intermediate Risk Disease Final 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
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Upcoming Education:
Please see Noridian's schedule of events webpage for upcoming trainings on Telehealth and COVID-19.
JEA
,
JEB
,
JAF
, and
JFB
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Top Denial Code Inquiries and Solutions Webinar - May 13, 2020. This event includes: Duplicate Claim Denials, Medical Unlikely Edit Denials, Medicare Secondary Payor Denials, Overlapping Claim Denials, MBI Denials, Resources
Read the complete update
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- It is MOASC's mission to remove barriers to access of appropriate treatment for oncology patients. The MOASC Office would like your feedback regarding:
1) Payer mandated biosimilar use in your practice; and
2) ERISA plan administration in your practice.
Please take a few minutes to answer the following survey by Friday, May 15, 2020.
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- The Association of Northern California Oncologists (ANCO) is conducting a survey for Hematologists and Oncologists to learn how COVID-19 is impacting their practice. Please take a moment to complete our brief survey:
https://forms.gle/5jPTGrGtVeSEujVf9
- 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.
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!
- Applications period has been extended 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 or 2021. Awards will be announced 30 days after the deadline; funds will be disbursed during the year in which the national meeting to be attended takes place. Learn more at
https://anco.org/membership/fellow-benefits/
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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.
- Follow ANCO on Twitter at @ANCO News.
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National News
- Business Insider
compiled data from the COVID Tracking Project,
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and the US Census Bureau to show how COVID-19 deaths over time compared with other common causes of death in the US: heart disease, cancer, bad flu seasons and car crashes. Sobering...
Read More »
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Published and presented at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Virtual Annual Meeting, last week
, is a
study that compared cancer and non-cancer patients in China with covid-19. While the study was small, the findings showed that cancer patients, especially those with blood or lung malignancies, or tumors that have spread throughout the body, have a higher risk of death or other severe complications from COVID-19 compared with those without cancer. A separate study of 218 patients who had COVID-19 and cancer found that 28% overall died of the infection, including 55% who had lung cancer, 37% who had hematologic malignancies and 25% who had solid malignancies, researchers reported in Cancer Discovery. The findings also showed that older age, need for ICU support, comorbidities, and elevated lactate, D-dimer and lactic dehydrogenase levels were correlated with increased mortality risk.
Physician's Briefing/HealthDay News
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The Drug Enforcement Administration has made an exception to the Controlled Substances Act in response to the COVID-19 pandemic
that allows health care providers to prescribe controlled substances using video-based telecommunications without a prior in-person visit. Palliative care providers say the exception does not go far enough and are pushing for permission to prescribe controlled substances by telephone without a visual link
. Health Affairs
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The amount of COVID-19 related visits to outpatient facilities and emergency departments decreased nationally in the week ending April 25
, but still remained elevated in the Northeast and Northwest, according to the CDC's weekly COVIDView report.
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Many health insurance providers are seeing reduced claims as non-emergency services are put on hold, and some are using the savings to help struggling medical practices and hospitals.
Blue Shield of California has allotted $200 million to serve as loan guarantor for practices, clinics and hospitals, and for paying anticipated claims in advance. CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield is offering $110 million in interest-free financial support to independent providers and hospitals.
The Wall Street Journal (tiered subscription model)
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Home-based health care was a growing trend in the US before the novel coronavirus hit, and the pandemic is speeding its use.
Teladoc reports virtual visits with physicians doubled in the first quarter, and startup Tomorrow Health, which provides online ordering of home health medical equipment and supplies, moved its planned August launch to this week after inbound interactions increased 400%. MedCity News
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Global and regional crises further confirm the true value of virtual care, especially for the most vulnerable populations - the elderly and those with chronic diseases.
For Medicare and Medicaid members in particular, virtual care can help overcome challenges by delivering affordable care regardless of location. Health plans that provide virtual care lower costs and increase access to high-quality care for more members. Learn more.
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CMS News
- On Thursday, April 30, CMS issued another round of sweeping regulatory waivers and rule changes that further expand access to services through telehealth for Medicare beneficiaries in response to the COVID-19 public health emergency.
Read CMS announcement here
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CMS hosts varied recurring stakeholder engagement sessions to share information related to the agency's response to COVID-19.
These sessions are open to members of the healthcare community and are intended to provide updates, share best practices among peers, and offer attendees an opportunity to ask questions of CMS and other subject matter experts.
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CMS COVID-19 Office Hours Calls (Tuesdays and Thursdays at 2:00 - 3:00 PM Pacific)
Office Hour Calls
provide an opportunity for hospitals, health systems, and providers to ask questions of agency officials regarding CMS's temporary actions that empower local hospitals and healthcare systems to:
Increase Hospital Capacity - CMS Hospitals Without Walls;
Rapidly Expand the Healthcare Workforce;
Put Patients Over Paperwork; and
Further Promote Telehealth in Medicare
Thursday, May 7th, Toll Free Attendee Dial In: 833-614-0820; Access Passcode: 1181167
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Affiliate Association News
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The National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS) asks you to please consider making a gift
to their advocacy initiatives on behalf of cancer survivors on this #GivingTuesday and beyond. Through your support NCCS is able to allay fears, provide tools, share credible information, and support the well being of survivors and their families during times of crisis. GIVE TODAY
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Industry News
- Merck announces that ONTRUZANT® (trastuzumab-dttb) for injection, for intravenous use 21 mg/mL, a biosimilar* to Herceptin® (trastuzumab), is available through specialty distributors and wholesalers. Please contact your specialty distributor or wholesaler to confirm product availability. Before prescribing ONTRUZANT, please read the accompanying
Prescribing Information
, including the Boxed Warning about cardiomyopathy, infusion reactions (pulmonary toxicity), and embryo-fetal toxicity.
- Merck announces the FDA approval of a new dosing regimen of 400 mg every six weeks for pembrolizumab (KEYTRUDA) across all currently approved adult indications, in addition to the current 200 mg every three weeks dosing regimen.
More information
- GlaxoSmithKline announces the FDA approval of niraparib (ZEJULA) for the maintenance treatment of adult patients with advanced epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer who are in a complete or partial response to first-line platinum-based chemotherapy.
More information
- Janssen Biotech, Inc. announces the FDA approval of daratumumab and hyaluronidase-fihj (DARZALEX FASPRO) for adult patients with newly diagnosed or relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma. This new product allows for subcutaneous dosing of daratumumab.
More information
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Seattle Genetics announces the FDA approval of tucatinib
(TUKYSA,) in combination with trastuzumab and capecitabine, for adult patients with advanced unresectable or metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer, including patients with brain metastases, who have received one or more prior anti-HER2-based regimens in the metastatic setting.
Read more
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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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