California Oncology Weekly
"An Oncologists’ Source for Timely Information"
A publication of the
Medical Oncology Association of Southern California, Inc.
November 17, 2020
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Nominations being accepted for MOASC Excellence Award MOASC News
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CMS could issue final rule to eliminate drug rebates to pharmacy benefit managers Medicare News/CMS News
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AMA CPT Editorial Panel approved unique coronavirus vaccines CPT codes National News
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TODAY, AbbVie National Broadcast: Exploring Outcomes with Fixed-Duration Treatment in CLL Industry News
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MOASC has received clarification from Anthem Blue Cross regarding their PPO Policy that goes into effect December 1, 2020.
If you are in receipt of the letter indicating you must acquire specialty drugs through the Designated SRx Network, you have two options:
1. You either enroll in their specialty pharmacy network to continue to inventory/distribute drugs as normal; or
2. You accept white bagging from CVS.
To join the Designated SRx Network, please contact April Barber, Regional Vice President, Anthem at April.Barber@Anthem.com
If you did NOT receive this letter, your practice may continue to administer and bill drugs per your standard processes.
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Make your 2021 resolution now, to serve on the MOASC Board of Directors. The Board and Officers INVITE & ENCOURAGE YOU to get involved in the advancement of your profession. Join us in building a stronger association. Please submit your application and CV by 4:00pm, Tuesday, December 1, 2020.
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Don’t miss valuable programs as the following, renew your MOASC membership TODAY! Thank you.
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MOASC PROGRAMS - SAVE THE DATES All Times are Pacific
Wednesday, December 2, 5:30pm, physicians are encouraged to attend the encore webinar, “Medicare for Oncologists during the COVID Crisis and Changes in 2021,” with Arthur Lurvey, M.D., Noridian Jurisdiction E Part B Medicare Medical Director, presenting.
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Wednesday, December 9, 12:00pm, MOASC Members are encouraged to attend the webinar, “Upcoming Changes to Medi-Cal and Managed Medi-Cal for 2021,” with Zu Afzal, PharmD, BCOP, Board Certified Oncology Pharmacist-Walgreens, presenting.
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MOASC Past Programs Synopses
MOASC Virtual Clinical Conference
“Up Close and Personalizing Gastric Cancer Care.” In collaboration with PeerView, David H. Ilson, MD, PhD, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, presented last Thursday evening. Below, please find, a link to the Zoom replay and post-test/evaluation link for CME Credit.
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MOASC Annual Educational Series
Track one - Oncology Administration. Presenters provided best practices, tips and insights on engaging and educating patients on social media, successful marketing strategies for your practice; discovering your leverage: value-based contracting; and Telehealth.
Thank you to our Meeting Sponsors: Coherus Biosciences, Daiichi Sankyo, Inc., Oncopeptides.
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Track two - Oncology Billing. Presenters provided overview of Medicare Updates, Coding changes, Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule; 2021 E&M Changes; and How to improve your managed care contacting effectiveness.
Thank you to our Meeting Sponsors: Coherus Biosciences, Daiichi Sankyo, Inc., Oncopeptides.
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A Northern California County judge decided California Gov. Gavin Newsom overstepped his authority when he changed state law during the COVID-19 pandemic in violation of California's constitution. The governor’s order required election officials to establish hundreds of locations statewide where voters could cast their ballots. The judge's final ruling, through a permanent injunction, prevents the governor from unilaterally making these decisions, moving forward.
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Noridian News
Denied claims can be reopened or appealed in the Noridian Medicare Portal (NMP).
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Noridian Provides Quarterly Medicare Updates with CMS for Part A/B. These events include: CMS and Noridian Updates, January 2021 Quarterly Provider Updates, Change Requests (CR), Payment and Recurring Updates, Special Editions (SE), Resources and Educational Information
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Noridian will present 2021 Evaluation and Management Change Preparation Webinars.
These events include: 2021 Change Summary, Office and Outpatient Services, Medical Decision Making, Time Component, and Resources
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Providers are encouraged to attend the many educational events offered by Noridian. The schedules of region-specific events, webinars and training are JEA, JEB, JAF and JFB.
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Medicare changes that will keep you updated in this next quarter
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View the complete listing of locally hosted coverage articles. |
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CMS News
CMS could soon issue a final rule to eliminate drug rebates to pharmacy benefit managers, which pass them on to health plans. The rule reportedly was sent for review to the Office of Management and Budget last week.
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Access to COVID-19 monoclonal antibodies to beneficiaries without cost sharing is a policy CMS has announced. Promoted as a historic, first-of-its kind policy that drastically expands, this timely approach means that beneficiaries can receive these potentially life-saving therapies in a range of setting, such as a physician’s office, nursing home, an infusion center, as long as safety precautions can be met. This aggressive action and innovative approach will undoubtedly save lives, as per CMS Administrator, Seema Verma.
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In early September, CMS released Care Compare on Medicare.gov, which streamlines CMS’ eight original health care compare tools. Since then, you’ve had the opportunity to use and familiarize yourself with Care Compare while having the option to use the original compare tools, too. You’ve also been able to share feedback from a survey directly on Care Compare. The eight original compare tools, like Nursing Home Compare, Hospital Compare, Physician Compare, will be retired on December 1st, ending this transition period. If you haven’t been using Care Compare, please start to become more familiar.
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Working closely with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the AMA CPT Editorial Panel, last week, approved a unique CPT code for each of two coronavirus vaccines as well as administration codes unique to each such vaccine. The new CPT codes clinically distinguish each coronavirus vaccine for better tracking, reporting and analysis that supports data-driven planning and allocation. These CPT codes are available prior to the public availability of the vaccines to facilitate updating of health care electronic systems across the U.S., and available for use, effective upon each new coronavirus vaccine receiving Emergency Use Authorization or approval from the Food and Drug Administration.
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Noted below are two links to the new United Healthcare copay accumulator policies.
The Accumulator Adjustment Medical Benefit Program will start January 1, 2021.
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Affiliate Association News |
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ASH News
There’s so much to learn at the 62nd ASH Annual Meeting and Exposition. Be sure to check out the cutting-edge scientific and clinical virtual sessions. This year, we will be offering several sessions on the implications of COVID-19 on hematology, including topics addressing scientific advancement in this area as well as inconsistencies in the published literature on the subject.
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Grammy Award winner Keith Urban, will perform on the 62nd ASH Annual Meeting and Exposition virtual platform. ASH has just announced a new “concert-only registration” option for those members of the extended hematology community who would like to attend the Industry Salute to Hematology but are not planning to attend the full ASH virtual meeting. Register on November 30 and enter promo code: CONCERT
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NCCN News
NCCN has published update to their Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology, the NCCN Drugs & Biologics Compendium and the NCCN Imaging Appropriate Use Criteria for testicular Cancer Version 1.1201.
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AbbVie is excited to announce their upcoming National Broadcast: Exploring Outcomes with Fixed-Duration Treatment in CLL, TODAY, Tuesday, November 17 across multiple time zones. These educational events support oncologists and care teams. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn directly from experts in CLL. During this interactive presentation the speakers will: Recognize VENCLEXTA as a BCL-2 inhibitor for 1L and R/R CLL; Explore the efficacy and safety outcomes of VENCLEXTA’s chemo-free, fixed duration CLL regimens.
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AstraZeneca cordially invites MOASAC Members on November 19 to their webcast in support of the PAOLA-1 launch. They will hold expert discussions on LYNPARZA® (olaparib) and LYNPARZA + bevacizumab as Maintenance Monotherapy or Combination Therapy in advanced Ovarian Cancer: Results from Key clinical Trials.
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Incyte cordially invites MOASC Members to attend their MONJUVI Speaker Program, November 19 at 6:30pm PT. Presented by Marin Xavier, M.D., Scripps MD Anderson Cancer Center, San Diego, CA. Location: Water Grill South Coast Plaza, 3300 Bristol Street, Costa Mesa, CA 92626.
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Walgreens cordially invites MOASC Members to their webcasts on Medi-Cal’s Transition to Fee For Service on December 9, 2020 at 12:00pm PT. Upcoming changes to Medi-Cal and Managed Medi-Cal for 2021. Highlights of changes to the program effective January 1, 2020, plus Q&A. Presented by Zu Afzal, PharmD, BCOP, Walgreens.
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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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