House has Delayed Medicare Sequester Cuts Through 2021. |
|
The U.S. House has delayed Medicare 2% sequester cuts through 2021. Sequestration cuts were originally supposed to be implemented this month, however, Congress has acknowledged how detrimental this may be to providers and patients and this has ultimately prompted the extension. Continue reading below to find out more. President Biden is expected to sign the bill, which has already cleared the Senate.
Key Takeaways:
- To pay for the estimated $18 billion in delayed cuts, the bill increases the fiscal year 2030 sequester cuts.
- The bill also tweaks the rural health clinic provisions in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021.
- Specifically, requirement that the payment rate for RHCs be capped at $100 per visit beginning April 1, 2021.
- The rate will increase gradually based on the Medicare Economic Index, but the AHA said it will remain well below typical provider-based RHC rates.
- Medicare also faces a separate 4% cut — about $36 billion — owing to the Pay-as-You-Go provisions that kicked in to offset the cost of the American Rescue Plan Act.
- The House had already passed a bill eliminating PAYGO for the stimulus bill, but the Senate did not act on it.
|
|
FEMA Launches Helpline for COVID-19-related Funeral Expenses. |
|
Wyoming residents who lost a loved one to COVID-19 may apply for federal reimbursement of funeral expenses to help ease some of the financial stress and burden caused by the pandemic.
A dedicated toll-free phone number to call is 844-684-6333. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) representatives are available to assist callers from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday.
|
|
Call for Nominations -
WMS Physician of the Year
|
|
WMS is asking our membership to recognize those physicians in WY that go above and beyond in their professional lives and within their community. Please consider nominating a deserving doctor for the 2021 Physician of the Year award. It is a special honor that the Wyoming Medical Society is proud to facilitate within in our state.
Nominations are due no later than May 21st for consideration.
|
|
Power of Rural Conference |
|
The Power of Rural virtual conference will be held over 4 days from 11:45 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day, May 17-18 and 24-25, 2021. The conference will host an engaging array of speakers and topics focused on innovations in the Wyoming healthcare landscape.
The Power of Rural Conference is sponsored by:
Equality State Research Network
Wyoming Primary Care Association
Office of Rural Health, Wyoming Department of Health
|
|
WMS Online Learning Calendar |
|
The Wyoming Medical Society Offers a Free Online Learning Calendar for Members.
If you are searching for free CME or online learning content, please remember to check the WMS website first! We are constantly updating our online learning calendar to have the latest information on upcoming conferences, webinars, and on demand medical education for our members' convenience.
You will also find links for opioid-related CME to fulfill WY state requirements listed in W.S. 33-26-202 (b) (xiv):
The board shall require licensees who are registered with the board of pharmacy to dispense a controlled substance in this state to complete one (1) hour of continuing education related to the responsible prescribing of controlled substances or the treatment of substance abuse disorders every two (2) years.
|
|
Wyoming Alert and Response Network |
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are recommending providers temporarily cease administering the Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) COVID-19 vaccine. The Wyoming Department of Health (WDH) is asking Wyoming providers to follow this recommendation and stop administering the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine immediately. |
|
WyoPOLST Forms Now Available in Spanish |
UW Family Medicine Resident James Eggert, MD spearheaded the project This Spanish WyoPOLST form is intended for educational purposes only, to aid Spanish readers to have the full understanding of what they are agreeing to with their medical provider. There is no need to print the Spanish education WyoPOLST form on gold paper, ordinary plain paper will suffice. It will continue to be the case that the only officially recognized WyoPOLST form will be in English and printed on gold paper, as per legislation. Medical providers will need to print off the education form as an accompaniment to the English WyoPOLST, and review it with your patients alongside the English version.
For more information about the POLST program, please contact the POLST program manager at 307-777-7988 or toll-free: 800-442-2766.
|
|
Carol Wright-Becker, MD
WCEP President
Specialist with the FDA
|
|
Aligning Managed Care & Patient Care |
Monday, May 3, 2021 at Noon
Wyoming-based physician group, Summit Medical Group of Wyoming and medical billing company Innovative Healthcare have successfully negotiated emergency department managed care contracts in Wyoming and across the country. In this webinar, they discuss how they do it, why it is important, and how it ultimately benefits patients, providers, and hospitals alike.
|
|
Eugene Gicheru, MD, FACEP
|
|
Darrel Morrison, RN, FNP-BC, CEN
|
|
|
COVID-19 Immunization Data |
|
Click image to view full sized PDF. |
|
Here you will find:
- Vaccine program provider enrollment
- Required training for COVID-19 vaccine coordinators
- COVID-19 vaccine resources and information
- COVID-19 vaccination program templates and forms
- CDC's V-Safe After Vaccination Health Checker
- Wyoming Immunization Registry (WyIR) Resources
|
|
Northwest Regional Telehealth Resource Center |
|
Thank you 2021 Friends of WMS! |
|
|
|
|
|
|
