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Medical Society of New Jersey e-Newsletter
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Repeal the SGR Formula in 2014: Take Action NOW!
At the beginning of the year, Congress came close to passing bipartisan legislation that would have fixed the SGR crisis. Ultimately, they passed another patch. Encourage lawmakers to continue working in a bipartisan manner and remind them to repeal the SGR formula and design a new Medicare physician payment system. Send an e-mail to your lawmakers or call the AMA's grassroots hotline at (800) 833-6354.
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Member Benefits
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| Jos. A Bank is offering exclusive coupons for Corporate Card Members for September 14 only! View the coupons!
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| Prescription Blanks
MSNJ and New Jersey Dental Association (NJDA) proudly announce a joint effort to offer discounts to all of our members on prescription blanks. Visit our website for participating vendors and pricing.
Click here for a complete list of approved vendors.
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Join MSNJ and the Atlantic, Burlington, Cape May, & Salem County Medical Societies for a Meet and Greet with Legislative Leaders on Thursday, September 18, 2014 from 6:00pm to 9:00pm at Sofia of Margate. View the agenda. RSVP by Tuesday, September 9.
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MSNJ has made arrangements with an on-line resource (Education in Palliative and End-of-life Care) to satisfy the 2 credit end-of-life training requirement via long distance learning - and at a 15% discount to members. MSNJ members, please click here to obtain the promo code.
The following modules are thought to meet the requirements. Each module is designated for 1 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ (cost to MSNJ members about $25.50 per credit)
- Gaps and Elements of Care
- Legal Issues
- Whole Patient Assessment
- Physician Assisted Suicide
- Last Hours of Living
- Withholding/Withdrawing Treatment
- Medical Futility
Choose two that meet your needs! See related News story.
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Athenahealth will host a webinar on "The Tools and Strategies to Tackle Meaningful Use Stage 2 Requirements" on Wednesday, September 10th at 12:15pm.
If you've already successfully tackled the Meaningful Use Stage 1 requirements, congratulations! That means it's time to tackle Meaningful Use Stage 2 requirements, and all the unique challenges that come with them. Whether you're about to jump in or you're already struggling with the new core measures and higher reporting thresholds, acquiring the knowledge to form a strategy and get the tools you need as early as possible is the first step to success. Register today to learn more.
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The Statewide Parent Advocacy Network, Inc. (SPAN) will host a New Jersey Statewide Network for Cultural Competence conference - Improving the Quality of Care and Services for Diverse Communities: New Directions for New Jersey and the Nation.
September 12, 2014 from 8:30am to 4:30pm at the Crowne Plaza in Monroe Township
This conference showcases innovative and effective policies and practices in cultural and linguistic competency. View the conference website for more information.
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Join the Surgery Center Coalition on September 16 for "A Day of Compliance", for ASCs.
View the agenda.
Register.
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"The Face of Addiction: Across the Ages,"
4th Annual Medical Symposium
September 27, 2014
7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Chase Center on the Riverfront
Wilmington, Delaware
Further details and Registration
Although progress has been made in reducing rates of substance abuse in the United States, it continues to take a major toll on the health of individuals, families, and communities. This symposium will explore the manifestation of addiction across the life stages.
This educational activity is approved for AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™
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SAVE THE DATE!
MSNJ and the Partnership for a Drug Free New Jersey are co-hosting a free "Do No Harm Symposium" on prescription drug abuse.
October 1, 2014 - 12:00pm-3:00pm
Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital
This activity has been approved for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™.
More information.
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Northeastern Basic Course for Principles of Infection Prevention and Control
October 6-10, 2014 at the New Jersey Hospital Association, Princeton, NJ
This five day course is designed to prepare the new practitioner or an individual responsible for infection prevention to perform the duties and responsibilities required by their position in an ambulatory, alternative, acute, or long-term care facility. The early bird registration deadline is September 6. Register.
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| New Jersey Psychiatric Association and the New Jersey Society of Addiction Medicine are hosting an Addiction Medicine conference on Saturday, October 11, 2014 at NJHA Conference and event Center in Princeton, NJ. For more information and registration, visit NJPA's website.
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MSNJ, HRET and HFMA will host a seminar "Show Me the Money: Capturing the Benefits and Avoiding the Risks of Healthcare Reform" on October 30, 2014 at New Jersey Hospital Association. View the brochure and register online.
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The Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy's "Roy A. Bowers 64th Annual Pharmaceutical Conference" is being held on October 30, 2014 at The Imperia in Somerset, NJ. More information.
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Novitas Solutions will host a free 2014 Medicare symposium on October 20, 2014 in Atlantic City, NJ and November 6 in Langhorne, PA. Topics include E&M Services, Two-Midnight Rule, claim form overviews, and Medicare basics.
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| Horizon BCBSNJ Physician Orientation Webinars
Horizon's outreach to physician practices has shifted from half day seminars to webinars because it believes that more physicians and practice managers will be able to participate. These webinars provide information on new Horizon BCBSNJ products, access standards, online Provider Reference Materials, recredentialing process, ICD-10 update and tips on how to get the most from NaviNet®. Click here for webinar dates.
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| The New Jersey Obstetrical & Gynecological Society will host their Semi-Annual Meeting on Friday, November 7, 2014 from 7:45am to 3:30pm at Forsgate Country Club. View the brochure.
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| Seabrook House is offering a complimentary CME event with Monmouth-Ocean Medical Society on "Identifying and Addressing Addiction in my Private Practice" on Wednesday, November 19, 2014 from 6:00pm to 9:00pm at TR Hotel in Toms River, NJ. Click here for more information and registration.
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Pri-Med has developed online CME activities to meet your educational needs as a practicing clinician. Featured online activities include:
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View PCSS-O and PCSS-MAT online resources:
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Renew your dues ONLINE by October 15, 2014 and receive a 5% discount on your state dues!
When prompted enter discount code msnj5%, then click "update price."
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MSNJ's 8th Annual Golf Outing: October 15, 2014
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Proceeds from the event will benefit the MSNJ Foundation, the Institute of Medicine & Public Health of New Jersey (IOMPHNJ).
Golfers and Sponsors, click here for more information and registration.
For more information: contact Erin at erodgers@msnj.org.
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News
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CDS License Renewal and Prescription Monitoring Program Registration
Physicians should be on the lookout for CDS license renewal notices, which will also include a more streamlined registration for the New Jersey Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP). A PMP user account will automatically be created for physicians, who renew their CDS license and are not already registered for the PMP. It is important to submit a valid email address with your CDS renewal in order to create a valid PMP username. There is a second step to the process. Applicants will receive an email from Optimum Technology, about 5 days after the CDS license renewal is submitted, and will be asked to use a temporary password to complete the PMP registration process. Once a new password is created, you will have full access to the PMP. Physicians who are already registered for the PMP do not need to take any action.
MSNJ supports this registration effort and encourages its members to use the system voluntarily. We expect legislation in the fall that may require physicians to review the PMP database before prescribing any CDS. MSNJ opposes efforts to require physicians to use the system before writing each and every CDS prescription.
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MSNJ Weighs in on Medicare's 2015 Physician Fee Rule Proposal
On September 2 MSNJ filed comments on the 2015 Medicare Physician Fee Rule proposal, a 700-page document. This is an annual regulatory rite during which CMS decides how the pool of Medicare funds will be distributed among physicians and other professionals resulting in the Medicare fee schedule. This is a zero sum game, so whatever is taken from one specialty is given to another. CMS also proposed other changes in payment rules and programs. We weighed in on New Jersey specific issues and issues of general importance to all physicians. This year we commented on CMS's failure to align the quality reporting programs and the consequent potential total fee penalty of 11% in 2017, problems with the "Open Payments" Program, and the need for professional liability insurance premium amounts to be updated annually instead of a five-year schedule.
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D.C. Court of Appeals to Hear Subsidy Case for Federal Exchange Plans
We reported in August about conflicting federal appellate court cases on the issue of whether subsidies may be given to consumers who purchase their own insurance on a federal exchange. New Jersey and 35 other states have federal exchanges. The issue is of great importance because the subsidies make the insurance more affordable. A three-judge panel of the D.C. Court of Appeals decided earlier in the summer that the Affordable Care Act did not permit subsidies to consumers who purchased insurance from the federal exchanges. This week it was announced that all of the judges of this court will now consider the issue en banc. A hearing is scheduled for December 17.
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EHR Meaningful Use Rule Finalized
CMS and the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) have finalized the modifications to the meaningful use rule which allows hospitals and eligible professionals a longer timeline and more flexibility in meeting the meaningful use requirements for the EHR Incentive Program. The rule will now push back Stage 3 of meaningful use one more year to January 1, 2017. Providers will also now have an extra year to use the 2011 Edition software. View the final rule. Read more.
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NJ Department of Health Guidance to Providers on Ebola
[T]he NJDOH requests that all health care providers consider Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in the differential diagnosis of febrile illness in persons with recent travel (within 21 days) to the affected countries in West Africa, currently including Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria. All persons with compatible symptoms and travel history should be isolated until clinical evaluation and/or diagnostic testing is completed. At this time, there have been NO reports of EVD in the U.S.
Reporting Reminder for Health Care Providers:
Confirmed or suspect cases of any viral hemorrhagic fever, including EVD, should be reported immediately to the local health department where the patient resides. [Memo dated August 13 to Local Health Departments, Health Care Providers, and Hospitals from Shereen Semple, MS, Epdiemiologist, NJ DOH]
Read the NJ DOH Memo, CDC Update, CDC Key Messages, Clinical Guidelines for Initial Evaluation of Suspect Cases of Ebola, and a guidance document on unaccompanied children from the Southern U.S. border. Other important Ebola information can be found on the NJ DOH website.
New guidelines and resources posted on the NJDOH Ebola website: Updated guidelines / resources posted on the NJDOH Ebola website: |
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Practice Management
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Less than One Week Left! Open Payments System Dispute Deadline: September 10
The Open Payments system will be shut down during a series of scheduled maintenance upgrades. Due to these shut downs, the deadline to file a dispute, before the information goes public, has been extended to September 10. Please plan accordingly:
Saturday, August 30, 2014
1:00am to 11:00am
and
Friday, September 5, 2014
Time not specified.
MSNJ along with more than 100 medical societies signed on to a letter to CMS asking for a six month delay in the public release of the Open Payments data. While we continue to advocate for the delay, members are urged to review their data in the Open Payments System. As of now, September 30 will still be the first public release date, despite the temporary shutdown of the website, and will include payments made from August 1, 2013 to December 31, 2013. Visit CMS' Open Payments website for more information. Having trouble registering? Check out MSNJ's archived webinars with speaker Jennifer Searfoss, Esq of Searfoss Consulting Group, LLC. Listen as Jen walks you through the process step-by-step.
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Prescription Blank Deadline Extended
MSNJ asked the Division of Consumer Affairs (DCA) for leniency for practices unable to obtain the new prescription blanks by the August 18 deadline, due to vendor back-orders. In response to our request and that of several other groups, the DCA decided to extend the deadline to September 19, 2014 and allow physicians to use the old and/or new prescription blanks from August 19 through September 19. Only the new prescription blanks may be used effective September 20. Physicians, who have not placed orders for the new blanks, are urged to contact an approved vendor and order immediately. Once you begin using your new prescription blanks, it is important that you destroy your old ones in accordance with DCA guidelines. Please be sure to notify the NJ Drug Control Unit that you have destroyed your old prescription blanks by completing a certification of destruction. There is no formal deadline for the submission of the Certification of Destruction form, however, it should be done within a timely manner after the blanks are destroyed. Read the DCA's FAQ on prescription blanks.
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Electronic Payments: Know Your Rights
The AMA has designed a webinar "Stop Paying to Get Paid: Effective Electronic Payments" to provide physicians with information regarding electronic payments, an overview of the implications of accepting virtual credit card payments, and an introduction on how to implement the new HIPAA standard EFT transaction in their practice. This free webinar will take place on Tuesday, September 16, 2014 at 12:00pm. Register.
On June 20, MSNJ filed comments that generally supported a regulatory proposal by the Department of Banking & Insurance that would regulate how insurers use gift cards and virtual credit cards (alternate payment methods) to pay for medical services. The proposal requires insurers to gain permission from physicians to use these alternate payment methods. In addition, MSNJ asked the Department to:
- require that the permission be granted in writing
- give physicians the right to revoke the permission at any time
- state that physicians have a right, under HIPAA, to seek payment via automated clearing house electronic funds transfer (ACH EFT)
Members may learn more by reviewing the AMA's toolkit.
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Update: Correct Coding Initiative Edits
The latest package of Correct Coding Initiative (CCI) edits, Version 21.0 will soon be available to Medicare Administrative Contractors via the CMS Data Center (CDC). These edits are effective January 1, 2015. A test file will be available to them around November 2, 2014, and a final file will be available on or about November 17, 2014. Read more.
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Get Ready for ICD-10: CMS Resources:
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View September's Coding Tip of the Month for information on the use of I codes for diseases of the circulatory system in ICD-10.
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Corporate Partners
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STI Computer Services, Inc. - Bronze Level Partner
Contact: Joseph Cerra, Sales Manager
Address: Valley Forge Corporate Center, 2700 Van Buren Avenue, Eagleville, PA 19403
Phone: 800.487.9135
Fax: 610.650.9272
E-mail: evcorp@salesassoc.com
Website
The ChartMaker® computerized patient-records software is a complete, pen-based, template-driven system for personal computers using Microsoft Windows Operating systems. Computerized patient records comply with the new E&M coding guidelines. Also ChartMaker Practice Manager® - billing/scheduling software. A 10% discount on software is available to members.
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Carroll McNulty & Kull LLC - Gold Level Partner
Contact: Michael Moroney, Esq.; Catherine J. Flynn, Esq.
Address: 120 Mountain View Boulevard, Post Office Box 650, Basking Ridge, NJ 07920
Phone: 908.848.6300
Fax: 908.848.6310
E-mail: mmoroney@cmk.com; cflynn@cmk.com
Website
 Health care is one of the most complex, fastest growing and heavily regulated industries, requiring specialized legal counseling and representation. At CMK, our health care attorneys dedicate their time to understanding our clients' business issues, while staying informed of the rapidly changing compliance and regulatory landscape. We provide state and federal regulatory advice, compliance counseling and health care litigation services to both institutional and individual clients. Our clients include academic and community hospitals, for-profit and not-for-profit health care systems, private practice physicians and physician organizations, nursing staffs, ambulatory care providers, nursing homes, home health care providers, professional medical societies and trade associations, medical staff organizations and allied health care providers. CMK's health care attorneys have specialized health law litigation experience with specific concentrations enabling them to provide client focused legal services in professional liability defense, credentialing & licensure matters and fraud investigations. We develop and implement regulatory compliance programs required to keep our clients in line with federal and state mandates. CMK's health law attorneys are members of the American Health Lawyers Association (AHLA), a professional organization dedicated to serving the health care industry and its practitioners; they routinely present on various hot topics within the health care industry to clients, physician groups and medical societies.
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Member Resource Guide
Check out the current MSNJ Member Resource Guide! Inside, you will find a complete listing of partners by service/product category, along with contact information. Also, be sure to check out the individual Corporate Partner pages on our website as some offer additional discounts to members!
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It is important to note that MSNJ does not endorse any vendor, service, or product. However, we encourage members to please consider our Corporate Partners first as the financial support received from these organizations is vital to our association. It is our hope that their investment in MSNJ will help keep your membership dues and programming affordable.
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Medical Society of New Jersey
2 Princess Road, Lawrenceville, NJ 08648
(o) 609-896-1766 e-mail:
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About the Medical Society of New Jersey:
Founded in 1766, the Medical Society of New Jersey (MSNJ) is the oldest professional society in the United States. MSNJ promotes the betterment of the public health and the science and the art of medicine, to enlighten public opinion in regard to the problems of medicine, and to safeguard the rights of the practitioners of medicine. The organization and its members are dedicated to a healthy New Jersey, working to ensure the sanctity of the physician-patient relationship. In representing all medical disciplines, MSNJ advocates for the rights of patients and physicians alike, for the delivery of the highest quality medical care. For more information visit our website or send us an e-mail.
"Your Partner in Practice... Your Voice in Trenton"
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2014 © Medical Society of New Jersey. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the written permission of the Medical Society of New Jersey.
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