California Oncology Weekly

"Where California Oncologists Go For Answers!"

A collaborative publication of the

Medical Oncology Association of Southern California, Inc.

 and the 

Association of Northern California Oncologists, Inc.

 
April 28, 2015 

California News

 

- Yesterday, the California Assembly Committee on Governmental Organization approved a bill AB 768 that would ban smokeless tobacco at the state's major- and minor-league baseball venues. Before its advancement, the bill was amended to exempt traditional cigarettes and electronic cigarettes.

 

- The California Medical Association's (CMA) Practice Resources for April is now available online at includes articles entitled United Healthcare automatically opts physicians into Core product, and Practice check-up: How scheduling strategies can reduce disruptions and long patient wait lines.

 

- UnitedHealthcare has announced an online prior authorization program for injectable outpatient chemotherapy services. Read about the new program at www.anco-online.org/UHCStateSocietyLetter.pdf.

 

 

 

Noridian News

 

- Noridian/JEMAC has posted the following updates to its website http://med.noridianmedicare.com/web/jeb :

* MLN Connects Provider eNews:
Announcements--Newly Approved Drugs and Biologicals: Quarterly Provider Update for April 2015; CMS Accepting Suggestions for Potential PQRS Measures; Proposed Rule Outlines EHR Requirements for Providers for 2015-2017
Claims, Prices, and Codes--Modifications to HCPCS Code Set

Publications--Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule Fact Sheet-Revised; Medicare Appeals Process Fact Sheet-Reminder

* ICD-10 Conversion/Coding Infrastructure Revisions/ICD-9 Updates to NCDs-2nd Maintenance CR-Revised CR9087

* CCI Edits, Version 21.2, Effective July 1, 2015 CR9108

* Ask the Contractor Teleconference-ICD-10-April 30, 2015

* FDA Approval of First Biosimilar Product-SE1509

* Noridian News Bulletins Issued Quarterly

* Transition to ICD-10

* Self-administered Drug Exclusion List-R8

 

- Forthcoming Noridian/JEMAC workshops include:

* Live Online Q&A Session (May 11)

* New Provider Education Workshop (May 14)

 

-There will be a Common Working File (CWF) "Dark" day on Saturday, May 2, 2015. This means the CWF online Health Insurance Master Record (HIMR) inquiry may not return results on this day. Read the complete update.


 

 

  DHCS Medi-Cal
   

-An Urban Institute survey published last week finds that the rate of uninsured U.S. residents fell by 50% in California, Washington, D.C., and the other 28 states that expanded their Medicaid programs under the Affordable Care Act. Meanwhile, the uninsured rate in states that did not expand their Medicaid programs dropped by about 30%.

 

 

 

 MOASC News

   
- TOMORROW ! April 29 at 12:00pm is MOASC LunchTime Series presentation of MOASC/ANCO Patient Survey Solution, presented by Thomas P. Jeffrey, President, SullivanLuallinGroup. As quality of care and patient satisfaction is one of the primary components used by payers to assess physicians' quality, you cannot afford to miss this presentation. Besides which, your patients' visit experience effects loyalty and willingness to

refer friends and family, and these can have major effect on the success of your practice. MOASC and ANCO are pleased to announce that they have partnered with SullivanLuallinGroup to offer their members a discounted patient survey solution. For more information and to register for this webcast, e-mail the MOASC office at [email protected] , instructions will be emailed to registrants in advance of the webcast.

 

- On April 16th, 2015, President Obama signed the Doc Fix Bill into law. This means that there will be no more delays to ICD-10 and you need to start preparing your practice today.  Did you know it could take at minimum of 60-90 days to fully test, train, and transition your software and staff to ICD-10? It's time to focus on preparing your organization and staff towards high quality clinical documentation, and be ready for ICD-10 implementation by October 1, 2015. Oncologists and staff MUST attend the following programs:

  • May 9 is MOASC's Physician Oncology Summit at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills. Physicians are invited to attend this important meeting with oncology coding expert, Bobbi Buell, who will educate physicians on their component of the new ICD-10 coding system to be launched October 1, 2015.
  • May 8 is MOASC's Biller's Program at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills. Coding expert Bobbi Buell will educate attendees on the entire oncology component of the new ICD-10 coding system to be launched October 1, 2015.

 

- BILLING TIP for billing administration of "white-bagged" drugs. Last Fall, at MOASC's Biller's Meeting some confusing information was shared regarding the administration of white-bagged drugs. Below, please find a link to CMS' directive(60.1(B3-2050.1). A. paragraph 2) allowing for the reimbursement of administration of white-bagged drugs. The problem is that Noridian's system is not capable of paying for administration of a drug if there is no drug-dollar amount. Please contact the MOASC Office [email protected] 

if you have any questions, concerns or need of clarification, regarding this process.   MEdBenMAnCh15Sec60.doc  

 

 

 

  

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ANCO News 

 

- ANCO has launched its 2015 Staff Salary Survey via a USPS mailing the week of April 20. Visit www.anco-online.org/salsrvy.html to download, complete, and return the survey instrument today!

  

- Join ANCO on April 29 at 12:00PM for a webcast entitled ANCO/MOASC Patient Survey Solution, presented by Thomas P. Jeffrey, President, SullivanLuallinGroup. For more information and to register for this webcast, e-mail the ANCO office at [email protected] (Subject: Webcast). Login/callin instructions will be e-mailed to registrants in advance of the webcast.

 

- Join ANCO for its 2Q2015 Professional Education Meeting at The Claremont Resort, Oakland, on May 20. Faculty include Bobbi Buell, Rise Cleland, Thomas Barr, and Elaine Towle on topics including ICD-10, revenue leaks, oncology practice trends, and oncology payment reform. Download the meeting announcement/registration form at www.anco-online.org/2Q2015ProfEducMeeting.pdf.

 

- ANCO has posted links to Bobbi Buell's ICD-10 webinar series on its home page at www.anco-online.org.

 

- The Stanford Cancer Center, an ANCO Institutional Member, is one of twelve practices across the United States to be selected by ASCO to participate in its Quality Training Program (QTP), a six-month comprehensive course that guides a practice through quality improvement activities using proven innovative learning techniques.

 

- The UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center, an ANCO Institutional Member, and Foundation Medicine, an ANCO Corporate Member, have entered into a collaboration to bring comprehensive genomic profiling into the standard of care at UC Davis allowing physicians to prescribe the most effective, targeted cancer treatments to patients based on the genomic information specific to each individual's cancer.

 

- Visit www.anco-online.org to view a Genentech BioOncology produced new video to help practices avoid common mistakes found on denied claims for infused drugs. Avoiding these top documentation mistakes will help you prepare complete documentation and submit clean an accurate claims. For more information on how to avoid documentation errors for infused drugs, visit www.genentech-forum.com/trends-in-reimbursements; to view the video directly, visit www.Top5ClaimsMistakesVideo.com.

 

- The ANCO Officers have decided to bring the following opportunity from SayAh to the attention of ANCO members:

Did you know how important online reviews are to your bottom line? For the average practice, 25% of referrals will not chose you after searching your online ratings and reviews. Over the course of a year, this adds up to a huge loss of new patients and revenue. To take control of your online reviews, SayAh, brings you a new low-cost tool that will:

* improve your online ratings and patient reviews.

* attract new patients.

* increase revenue.

Through June 30, SayAh is offering a 90-day money back guarantee on their service. To learn more, go to http://sayah.com/anco-members-take-control-of-your-online-reviews/. SayAh is patient satisfaction and doctor reputation software that gives you back control over your online ratings and reviews.

 

 

 

MOASC Contracting Network (MCN)
 

Important Message

 

-When providers use a decision support tool such as Pathware, compliance increases and generally cost goes down. This is why Aetna partnered with MCN, without compliance we don't have a program. Providers must increase utilization of the Pathware tool or the program is in jeopardy of being shut down.

Aetna is not a high penetration Payor, so if MCN is unable to be successful with Aetna this will certainly affect negotiations with other payors. Providers are participating in other programs similar to this, like AIM with WellPoint. Therefore, they really should be able to participate in this one as well. The pathways were created by local oncologists, not a blind third party.

In order for the MCN/Aetna program to succeed, providers must increase utilization of the Pathware tool or the program will be shut down. MCN/Cardinal Health has been conducting continuous training in order to expedite adoption and utilization of the Pathware tool and contribute to the program as a whole.

 

To further assist providers and their staff, Cardinal Health will conducting live Pathware Training on Saturday, May 9th at the MOASC Oncology Summit in Beverly Hills at the Beverly Hills Hilton from 8:30am - 11:00am. If you are interested in attending, please register via email[email protected] 




National News
 

- Obama Proposes That Medicare Be Given the Right to Negotiate the Cost of Drugs. Efforts to create precision medicines that use genetic information to aid treatment can cost well over $50,000 and as high as $311,000, raising issues for users and the Medicare system. read article 

 

-Who benefits from 340B is not always the patient. MOASC leadership will be meeting with Congressman Tony Cardenas' Congressional Aide, Nigel Sanchez, at the Congressman's District Office in Panorama City, CA on Tuesday May 26 at 2:00pm Pacific Time. The International Foundation for Autoimmune Arthritis (IFAA) issued a news release today, sharing patient advocate groups' letters sent to Rep. Kevin McCarthy and Rep. Tony Cardenas, calling for Congressional oversight of the 340B Federal Drug Discount Program. MOASC recently signed on to a similar letter to Rep. Mimi Walters. The press release has already gained significant traction and members are encouraged to increase visibility by sharing the press release and Congressional letters via social media channels. http://bit.ly/1JvqEsQ.

 

- ASCO submitted comments to the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on their draft guidance on Individual Patient Expanded Access applications. ASCO commended the FDA's effort to streamline the physician application for expanded access to drugs under development for individual patients and expressed the Society's general support for the proposed revisions to the Expanded Access request process and application form. Read ASCO's comments at www.asco.org/sites/www.asco.org/files/comments_on_exp_access_form_3926_4.13.15.pdf.

 

- Learn more about HR2 that repealed the SGR and outlines future Medicare payment reform at www.cmanet.org/files/assets/news/2015/04/sgr-hr2-bill-summary.pdf and www.hematology.org/Advocacy/Policy-News/2015/4011.aspx.

 

 

 

CMS News
 

-Over the weekend, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) submitted their annual report to Congress on the first year of Open Payments. Each year, CMS is required to submit a report to Congress summarizing the payments made by applicable manufacturers and group purchasing organizations to physicians and teaching hospitals, as well as any penalties CMS assessed based on noncompliance with the program. The document is an interesting "inside-look" into CMS's activity, and offers the industry an idea of where the agency is headed with Open Payments, including program implementation improvements, and, perhaps more importantly, where CMS is focusing their enforcement efforts. The report, available here, first provides a high level overview of the Open Payments reporting requirements, as well as highlights from the first year of the program.

 

- Learn more about CMS's Oncology Care Model at ACCC's Oncology Care Model Resource Center www.accc-cancer.org/advocacy/OCM-ResourceCenter.asp.

 

 

 

Affiliate Association News

  

- ACCC is hosting a Financial Advocacy Network meeting on June 23 in Burlingame entitled Bridging the Gap between Patient Needs and Financial Resources. Read more about the meeting and register at www.accc-cancer.org/financialadvocacy.


- ANCO and MOASC urge all members to participate in ASCO/ACCC's 2015 National Oncology Census at
www.asco.org/census. This year's census has only five basic questions and will take only a moment of your time to complete.


- ASCO and the National Cancer Institute (NCI) have launched a project to apply team-based oncology clinical care delivery and are calling for writing teams to submit the best clinical oncology patient-centered practices. Lean more about this project and submit your application at
www.asco.org/teams.

 

- New Open-Access Journal of Global Oncology from ASCO: Call for Papers.

This new, online-only, open-access journal fulfills a growing need for high-quality literature on the array of challenges that health care professionals in resource-constrained settings face in caring for patients with cancer and in conducting research. For more information on submitting, please visit GlobalOncologyJournal.org 

 

- The Oncology Nurse Advisor's Navigation Summit is an interactive, CE conference that addresses the practice needs of the oncology navigator-those who are new to navigation and

looking to expand their knowledge, as well as experienced navigators who want to further develop their programs. The agenda covers such topics as best practice navigation models, survivorship tools, and disease-specific, clinically focused sessions. The Summit takes place June 26-28, 2015 in Denver and annually attracts approximately 250 oncology navigation professionals from across the country. MOASC Members and their staff will receive Special Pricing on registration for the Summit. Attached is the conference program for your review. Find more information at http://www.oncologynurseadvisor.com/navsummit. 

 

- Hospital based oncology practices are invited to participate in the 3rd Annual National Hospital Oncology Benchmark Study (NHOBS). Previous studies have provided critical oncology-specific benchmark information to help run centers more efficiently. Go to www.NHOBS.com and register to be part of this dynamic, exceptionally informative study. Participation in the 2015 NHOBS is open to all hospital-based infusion and radiation oncology centers across the U.S. This includes: community hospitals, health systems, academic centers, and any organization that bills on a UB.

 

-The Alliance for Patient Advocacy, a non-profit national network of physicians who advocate for patient access to approved therapies and appropriate clinical care, has recently assumed leadership for PrescriptionProcess.com to inform patients about prescription medication access issues that may affect the means by which they obtain and pay for medications. Read more about the project here: http://www.prescriptionprocess.com.

 

 

 

Industry News 

  

- Coinciding with the ONS 40th Annual Congress, 3M Critical and Chronic Care Solutions announced the launch of its new 3M™ Tegaderm™ CHG Chlorhexidine Gluconate I.V. Port Dressing, designed for patients with implanted port devices under their skin and connected to a catheter for the purpose of central venous infusions.read article 

 

- Astellas is entering the booming field of immune-oncology, pairing up the U.K.'s Potenza Therapeutics. Astellas dives into immuno-oncology with a sweeping biotech deal.


- Bayer HealthCare will begin construction on a new product-testing facility in Berkeley. The $100 million facility is expected to be completed in 2017. Drug Giant Pledges $100 Million Investment at East Bay Facility.


  

In This Issue
  1.  

 

 MOASC CALENDAR

 

 

LunchTime  Series Teleconference  

April 29th

May 20th

June 24th

July 29th

August 26th

September 30th

October 28th

November 18th

 

 

 

 

 

ANCO CALENDAR

 

ANCO/MOASC Patient Survey Solution
(April 29, Webcast) 

  

2Q2015 Professional Education Meeting (May 20, Oakland)

 

ANCO Event at ASCO's Best of ASCO (August 6, San Francisco)
  

ASCO's Best of ASCO (August 7-8; San Francisco)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
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 Association of Northern California Oncologists (ANCO) is an association of hematologists/oncologists dedicated to promoting high professional standards of cancer care by providing a forum for the exchange of ideas, data, and knowledge. The material contained in the California Oncology Weekly is intended as general information for ANCO and 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 or ANCO accepts no liability for any statements or articles herein.CPT codes are owned and trademarked by the American Medical Association.  All Rights Reserved.

 

  

MOASC: P.O. Box 161, Upland, CA 91785 | P (909) 985-9061 | F (909) 804-5006| www.moasc.org

ANCO: P.O. Box 151109, San Rafael, CA 94915 |  P (415) 472-3960 | F (415) 472-3961 | www.anco-online.org