Medical Oncology Association of
Southern California
P.O. Box 161
Upland, CA 91785
Phone: (909) 985-9061
Fax: (909) 985-8581
email: moasc@moasc.org
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MOASC would like to recognize and thank the following sponsors for their continued support of MOASC:
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Posted May 28, 2005 |
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MOASC General Membership Meeting Slide Presentations - NEW - ADDED MAY 31, 2005
The MOASC General Membership meeting was a great success. We wish to extend our appreciation to all who attended. We would also like to express our thanks to our speakers for their insightful and informative presentations and discussions.
The handouts at the General Membership meeting for Dr. Rogan's presentation were for another topic. As per our announcement, we are providing the the corrected slide presentation for your reference here:
• Medicare Update - (Powerpoint presentation .ppt)
• Website References - (Microsoft Word .doc)
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Medical Oncology Association of Southern California
invite oncologists, oncology nurses, oncology practice administrators, and their guests to:
Oncology Reimbursement: Past, Present, and Future
with
Dean Gesme, MD, FACP, FACPE
Past Chair, ASCO Clinical Practice Committee; Past Chair, National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship;
Managing Partner, Iowa Cancer Care
The Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 (or MMA) imposes significant changes on medical oncology practice. These changes are likely to be emulated in the private sector as time goes on. In response to MMA and other healthcare marketplace factors, medical oncology practices must change in order to survive. Dr. Gesme will describe some of the reasons why medical oncology practices must change and how these transformational changes can be implemented so as to enhance survival.
This talk is scheduled for:
Friday, June 17th, 2005
6:00PM Reception • 7:00PM Dinner • 7:30PM Talk
San Francisco Marriott • 55 Fourth Street • San Francisco • (415) 896-1600
Please call the meeting location for directions. Please R.S.V.P. no later than June 10th.
Please note that this event is being held during ASCO’s Best of ASCO San Francisco meeting. Registration for Best of ASCO does not include registration for Dr. Gesme’s talk.
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Administrator/Manager Meeting on June 16, 2005
The MOASC office will be presenting an Administrator/Manager Meeting on June 16, 2005, at the San Gabriel Valley Medical Center in San Gabriel, California. The speakers for this event will be a representative from EDS (Medi-Cal) and a Healthcare Attorney. The representative from EDS will be speaking on oncology specific reimbursement problems.
PLEASE E-MAIL ANY problems you maybe having with Medi-cal to pat@moasc.org as soon as possible.
Best of ASCO, San Francisco, CA - June 17-18, 2005
Please read the program announcement for the Best of ASCO San Francisco meeting scheduled for June 17-18. An overview, final program, registration, housing information and forms are included in the program announcement. Early registrations for this meeting are due by Friday, May 20th.
SCACO - SCACO's 112th Oncology Seminar
Lymphoma/Leukemia 2005 - Innovations in Treatment / CME Dinner Symposium - June 2005
http://www.scaco.org/index.php?view=homes
Strategic Planning and Building of Successful Oncology Programs and Services
ACI's 4th Annual Meeting will be held at The Westin, Times Square New York, New York, August 4-5, 2005.
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Draft Guidance for Factors CMS Considers in Making a Determination of Coverage with Evidence Development
CMS is requesting input from stakeholders including patient groups, providers, researchers, industry and private payors linking data collection to Medicare coverage. This policy approach is referred to as coverage with evidence development (CED). ACCC has prepared a template that can be used by provider and patient advocacy groups in preparing comments to CMS on this important change in national Medicare coverage policy. Comments are due by June 6, 2005. ACCC has prepared a patient advocacy and provider comment letter template designed to help you write your comments to CMS. The template is divided into seven comment areas.
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Proposed Medi-Cal Budget - No Significant Health Care Cuts
The Schwarzenegger administration has released its revised 2005-2006 budget proposal. The spending proposal does not cut Medi-Cal physician reimbursement or contain any direct cuts to Medi-Cal eligibility or benefits. Read the details of the budget proposal as it relates to health care here.
Physician Operated Labs
For those who have been paying a federal fee for CLIA certification of their Physician Operated Labs (POLs) in their offices, it would be appropriate to oppose the current interpretation of an existing law, permitting the State to also collect fees and gain state oversight into the operation of these "POL's". Please see the attached letter for an explanation of how this came about. The letter is designed for physicians to cut-and-paste onto their letterhead, personalize in whatever way makes everyone comfortable, and send to Governor Schwarzenegger. Physicians who could be affected by this action should also call or e-mail directly to CMA asking that they aggressively stay on top of this issue.
Read more detailed information provided by the CMS here.
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National Provider Indentifier (NPI) News
Starting May 23, 2005, all health care providers can apply for their National Provider Identifier (NPI). The NPI will replace health care provider identifiers in use today in standard health care transactions. The health plans with whom you do business will instruct you as to when you may begin using the NPI in standard transactions. All HIPAA covered entities except small health plans must begin using the NPI on May 23, 2007; small health plans have until May 23, 2008. For additional information, and to complete an application, visit https://nppes.cms.hhs.gov on the web.
Also, an instructional web tool, called the NPI Viewlet, is now available for viewing at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/medlearn/npi/npiviewlet.asp and under “HIPAA Latest News” at www.cms.hhs.gov/hipaa/hipaa2 on the CMS website. This tool provides an overview of the NPI, a walkthrough of the application, as well as live links to the NPPES website where the learner can apply for an NPI. This tool is designed for all health care providers. In the near future, you will also be able to access the viewlet at https://nppes.cms.hhs.gov on the web.
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Sequential Intravenous
HCPCS code G0354
On
April 1, 2005 CCI inadvertently bundled the additional, sequential intravenous push (HCPCS code G0354) into HCPCS codes G0345, G0347, G0357, G0359, and G0361. Consequently, when billed with one of these services, the G0354 will be denied.
This will be corrected in the July release of the national CCI edits.
Until these edits are corrected, providers are advised to append modifier 59 to the G0354 code for these coding combinations. These CCI edits will no longer be active for claims submitted on or after July 5, 2005 (regardless of date of service), and the G0354 code will no longer be bundled. Do NOT append the -59 modifier to the G0354 on claims submitted after
July 4, 2005.
Providers may also choose to postpone submitting claims for these services until July 5.
Baird US Equity Report on Oncology
To better understand the nature and sustainability of the oncology/biotechnology market, Baird/US Equity fielded a survey in March to approximately 200 oncologists to assess changing physician attitudes and use patterns after almost a full quarter under 2005's ASP-based fee structure. A summary and full copy of their report follows.
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Community Oncology - FREE Subscription Offer
Community Oncology would like to send you a FREE one-year subscription to Community Oncology, essential reading for today's practice-based oncology professionals. A peer-reviewed Elsevier publication, Community Oncology that is read by more than 30,000 practice administrators, oncologists, hematologists, oncology nurses, and pharmacists.
Community Oncology is an excellent forum for information on practice management, quality care, and community-based research. As part of their ongoing research on automated record-keeping, they are seeking information about the Electronic Medical Record (EMR) system you are using. To receive your FREE, one-year subscription to Community Oncology, simply click on the link below and fill out our EMR survey by June 6th. All answers are strictly confidential. In a future issue we'll publish the data.
Go to:
www.CommunityOncology.net/EMR
Electronic Medical Records Systems
MOASC is looking for Electronic Medical Records Systems to review for many of the practices in the association who are still in need of this system. We are also looking for a system that interfaces with the billing system.
If you have an EMR program in your office, please email Ann Womack, MOASC Administrative Vice President, at awomack103@aol.com and let her know which kind you use and your feelings about the system. We greatly appreciate your help.
CMA Pain Symposia
California Medical Association (CMA) has booked four additional pain symposia through December 2006:
September 9-10, 2005 -- San Francisco Airport Marriot
January 6-7, 2006 -- Disneyland Hotel (Anaheim)
September 8-9, 2006 -- San Francisco Airport Marriott
December 1-2, 2006 -- Disneyland Hotel (Anaheim)
As you may recall, AB487 requires the 12 hours of such CME for all MDs through the 2006 licensing cycle. CMA is finalizing a new brochure but in the interim, the registration portal is open at www.cmanet.org: click on the Conferences, Meetings and Seminars icon (button).
Education Network to Advance Cancer Clinical Trials (ENACCT) is pleased to announce the launch of its Pilot Education Program (PEP)
The Education Network to Advance Cancer Clinical Trials (ENACCT) is pleased to announce the launch of its Pilot Education Program (PEP)—a new funding opportunity for cancer clinical trials education efforts. With funding from the Lance Armstrong Foundation, ENACCT will award a total of
$1,350,000 to 3 community based Partnerships to develop unique approaches.
The preliminary application, as well as promotional material about the grant program can be found at http://www.enacct.org/appguide. The application deadline is July 11, 2005.
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