Weekly Roundup: In Case You Missed It
COVID-19 By the Numbers (as of June 12):

  • Alameda County: 4,119 confirmed cases, 108 deaths. 88 patients are currently hospitalized (including City of Berkeley data.)
  • Contra Costa County: 1,829 confirmed cases, 44 deaths. 21 patients are currently hospitalized.
  • California: 141,983 confirmed cases, 4,943 deaths. 4,480 patients are currently hospitalized with positive or suspected COVID-19 (as of June 11).
  • US: 2,016,027 cases; 113,914 deaths.
On the Front Burner

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) have released recommendations to ensure that non-emergency healthcare resumes safely and that patients are receiving necessary in-person treatments.

The ACCMA will be holding a Virtual Telehealth Vendor Fair tomorrow (Saturday, June 13), from 9:30 AM - 12:00 PM. Telehealth/Telemedicine vendors from across California and the Nation will showcase their products and services so participants can evaluate what solutions will work best in their practice. To view the full Vendor Fair Packet, please click here . To access the Zoom meeting, please click here .

On Tuesday, June 9, the California Medical Association (CMA) released a letter addressing unfair attacks on California's county and city health officers . Over the past few months, public health officials have become political targets amid the COVID-19 pandemic and have been subject to unfair and uninformed attacks.

Alameda County, the City of San Leandro, and the Eden Health District announced on Monday, June 8 that they will be offering free COVID-19 testing at the Marina Community Center in San Leandro starting June 9.

The ACCMA has developed PPE Guidance for Independent Practices , bringing together resources and information regarding PPE requests and PPE use . If you have any questions or any additional information to add to the document, please contact the ACCMA by calling 510-654-5383 or emailing [email protected] .
Policy Developments

In an emergency press release from June 4, the Alameda County Health Officer announced that "social bubbles" (groups of 12 individuals or less from different households) are now permitted, along with childcare and extracurricular activities for children, and various other limited person-to-person contact businesses. The order maintained that face coverings must still be worn at all times, including when active outdoors.

On June 5, Alameda County's Public Health Officer released an updated Shelter in Place Order , which continues to limit movement and gatherings, but does allow certain additional businesses, recreational, social, and cultural activities to resume (see order for specific details.)

Another health order from June 5 revised the Face Covering Order to more generally require wearing face coverings when outside . This health order highlights the "30-ft-Rule"; if you are in a high movement area with people outside your household, you should have a mask available and be prepared to put on your mask when someone from outside your household is within 30 feet of you.

Last Friday, June 5, Contra Costa County released an order , effective at 5:00 PM that same evening, allowing outdoor dining, outdoor swimming pools, limited religious services, use of outdoor picnic and barbecue spaces, and overnight camping to resume for people of the same household. Contra Costa County Health Services did release a guide to safer social interactions to accompany the relaxation of shelter in place rules.

Contra Costa County also updated its list of businesses that are able to operate. Contra Costa County also released a poster of current and future activities that are beginning to relax as the county progresses to Stage 2.
Funding, Funding, Funding

The California Health Care Foundation (CHCF), in partnership with the Center for Care Innovations, will be accepting applications for grants of up to $100,000 to help safety-net practices implement virtual care . The deadline to apply is Friday, June 19 at 5:00 PM.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), announced approximately $15 billion in COVID-19-related relief payments for physicians and hospitals that participate in state Medicaid programs and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP).

On Wednesday, June 10, 2020, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) opened a new “Medicaid Targeted Distribution” portal through which Medicaid-dependent physicians can apply to receive a portion of the $15 billion “targeted distribution” for Medicaid providers . Physicians must apply for the funding before July 3, 2020. The funding does not need to be repaid.  
What We're Reading - Resources and Guidance
WEBINARS & EVENTS
Virtual Telehealth Vendor Fair
FREE | Tomorrow, Saturday, June 13 | 9:30 AM - 12:00 PM

Let us bring the Telehealth vendors to you!

Telehealth vendors from across California and the Nation will showcase their products and services so members can evaluate what solutions will work best in their practice . Participants will have the opportunity to join Q&A sessions with individual vendors following the main session.

To access tomorrow's meeting, please click here . To view the full Vendor Fair packet, please click here .  

For questions about the Vendor Fair, contact Mr. David Lopez, Associate Director of Advocacy and Policy at [email protected], or by calling 510-654-5383.
ACCMA's On-Demand Library

FREE | Available On-Demand | CME Available
This one-hour, on-demand webinar led by Linda Hawes Clever, MD, MACP, offers practical, creative, and effective remedies to deal with the crush on personal and professional lives during the COVID-19 pandemic. It contains strategies, resources, and suggestions for handling physician wellness, as well as addressing questions and answers, as we listen and see the ingenuity, guts, and devotion with which we are addressing the harrowing challenges we all face as a profession, community, and nation. Discover how to reduce personal stress and learn healthy ways to contend with the impact of COVID-19. 

FREE | Available On-Demand
Telehealth services are expanding rapidly during the COVID-19 crisis. In partnership with Bay Area medical associations, the ACCMA teamed up with experts to develop a comprehensive webinar series to help physicians swiftly ramp up their telemedicine capabilities, from technology to practice implementation to coding. Experts discuss choosing a telemedicine platform; compliance; privacy and security considerations; billing and payment; policies, procedures, and workflow; informing your patients; and malpractice. Physicians who have experience practicing telemedicine share their practical reflections.

FREE | Available On-Demand
Medical offices and practices are essential businesses and were not required to close, but many physicians have faced difficulties with staffing, incorporating Telemedicine into their practices, ensuring waiting rooms are safe, etc. Sessions include "Getting Back Up and Running Safely," "HR and Employment Issues," and "Telemedicine and Reimbursement."
QUESTIONS/CONCERNS?
Please contact ACCMA at 510-654-5383 or   [email protected]   with any questions or concerns you have.
 
This information will also be posted online at www.accma.org/COVID-19 and will be updated frequently. Please check the ACCMA website regularly for updates.