Weekly Roundup: In Case You Missed It
COVID-19 By the Numbers (as of 7/24/20):

  • Alameda County: 10,214 confirmed cases, 178 deaths (including City of Berkeley data)
  • Contra Costa County: 6,627 confirmed cases, 103 deaths
  • California: 435,334 confirmed cases, 8,186 deaths (as of 7/23/20)
  • US: 4,024,492 cases; 143,868 deaths
Free Small Group Therapy Sessions
The ACCMA is sponsoring small group psychotherapy sessions for physicians to learn how best to care for yourself while you care for others . As a participant, you will join a group of 3-8 physicians to meet with a vetted mental health clinician who has experience working with physicians. Groups will meet for up to six sessions, at no cost to participants . Sessions are completely confidential and private, and can focus on all aspects of your mental health, not just practice-related stress. Learn mindfulness practices to handle stress in your daily life, build your self-care and resiliency acumen, build a peer support network with the help of a vetted mental health clinician, and more.    

If you are interested in signing up for the free small group psychotherapy sessions, please visit accma.org/Sponsored-Psychotherapy and contact the clinicians directly. Sessions are completely free and open to all physicians and residents in the East Bay, as well as Napa and Solano counties, including both members and non-members.  

County News

The ACCMA has partnered with the California Medical Association and the State of California to provide physician practices with FREE medical-grade personal protective equipment (PPE) kits , including N95 and surgical masks, gowns, gloves, and face shields. Practices who signed up to receive PPE kits should have received an email regarding pickup date, time, location, and confirmation of the order. If you did not receive a confirmation email, please contact the CMA Member Services directly for help: (800) 786-4262 or [email protected].

Alameda County’s Public Health Officer released an updated County Order , which includes slight adaptations to the original May 18, 2020 Shelter in Place Order. Certain businesses and activities have been permitted to resume; however, state restrictions, such as maintaining a distance of at least 6 feet at all times and wearing a mask or face covering when applicable, must be followed. 

Contra Costa County has released a “ Contra Costa County Openings at a Glance ” table, showing which businesses and activities have been allowed to re-open and which must remain closed. In all businesses and activities allowed to re-open, social distancing & face coverings are required.
COVID-19 Testing and Guidelines

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) has released new guidance for isolation and quarantine , particularly for the purposes of COVID-19 contact tracing.

The CDPH also released an All Facilities Letter (AFL) with recommendations for the transportation of COVID-19 positive patients from skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) to dialysis clinics for treatment.

The American Medical Association (AMA) and other health groups have requested additional funding for COVID-19 contact tracing and testing after reports indicated that the White House is seeking to block such relief. The AMA joined in a letter to pressure Congress into releasing more funds to help states increase contact tracing.

The California Emergency Medical Services (EMSA) is seeking additional medical personnel to staff alternate care sites in Southern California as COVID-19 cases surge.
In Other News

Anthem is implementing a new policy requiring specialty pharmacy medications administered in the office or outpatient hospital setting be obtained exclusively through CVS Specialty pharmacy. The new policy applies to Anthem’s commercial HMO and Medi-Cal managed care products effective with July 1, 2020, dates of service where Anthem is financially at risk for the specialty medications. The California Medical Association (CMA) and many specialty medical associations expressed concerns to Anthem regarding the implementation date given the COVID-19 pandemic, but Anthem has chosen not to delay the implementation of the new policy.

The Health Net Federal Services (HNFS) released updated guidance for physicians billing for telemedicine services provided to TRICARE enrollees.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) extended the application deadline for the “targeted distribution” funds for Medicaid-dependent providers . Physicians wishing to apply should do so by August 3, 2020.
What We're Reading - COVID-19 Resources and Guidance
WEBINARS & EVENTS
FREE | Tuesday, July 28 | 12:15 - 1:15 PM
Presented by the California Medical Association

CMA Physician Services has partnered with Aledade, to help  independent primary care physicians  and  health centers  successfully pursue value-based care. Adelade does this by working with independent primary care physicians and health centers to build and lead Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) that allow them to remain independent and thrive financially by keeping people healthy. Through value-based care, practices can diversify their revenue streams while improving patient outcomes. By way of example in the 2019 Medicare Shared Savings performance year, physicians practices that partnered with Aledade are projected to receive an average of $380,237 in shared savings bonuses. In this interactive webinar, CMA Physician Services and Aledade will give and overview of value-based care and Aledade's partner services. Participants will also hear from a physician who has partnered with Aledade and transitioned into value-based care.  Register online .
FREE | Wednesday, July 29 | 12:00 - 1:00 PM
Presented by the California Medical Assoc iation

Panelists will discuss the components of screening adult patients for Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and toxic stress and developing comprehensive treatment plans. With distinct clinical viewpoints and a case-based format, this webinar will cover:

  • The value of screening adults for ACEs and toxic stress and responding with evidence-based interventions and trauma-informed care.

  • An overview of the ACEs Aware online training for providers, ACE Screening Clinical Workflow, and the ACEs and Toxic Stress Risk Assessment Algorithm.

  • On-the-ground examples of how adult medicine providers are screening for and responding to ACEs and toxic stress.
ACCMA's On-Demand Library

FREE | Available On-Demand
On June 13, the ACCMA hosted its first Virtual Telehealth Vendor Fair. Telehealth vendors from across California and the Nation showcased their products and services so members can evaluate what solutions will work best in their practice. Vendors include Decoded Health, Doctorgram, TigerConnect, Updox, and VSee.

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 | CME Available
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."
CMA On-Demand Library
FREE | Available On-Demand
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.