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Medical Society of New Jersey e-Newsletter
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MSNJ Magazine Subscription Service
Subscription Services, Inc., does their very best to get you the lowest rates. As a member, you are eligible for the very lowest prices on magazine subscriptions as well as personalized hands-on customer service. Click "Shop for Magazines" to place new subscriptions, renewals, as well as gift order subscriptions. You can also inquire about titles you may be interested in. If you ever have a question regarding your order or your account, please call 1-800-603-5602, or use the contact page to communicate with a customer service representative. And if you ever find a lower authorized price, they will match it!
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| Employment Contract Review Program
Entering into an employment agreement can change your professional life for years to come. Don't sign until you have consulted with counsel. Check out our Employment Contract Review Program today! View the flyer.
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| SAVE THE DATE:
MSNJ's Women In Medicine Conference
Friday, June 5 from 7:30am-1pm
Crowne Plaza Princeton
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Ready Set Code! ICD-10 Webinar Workshops
The compliance date for implementation of ICD-10 is October 1, 2015. Will you be ready? MSNJ and the New Jersey Hospital Association will host a series of specialty specific webinar workshops on ICD-10. These hands-on coding workshops will help you master ICD-10-CM and the documentation requirements associated with coding for your specialty-specific practice. Participants will gain an understanding of the code format and structure of ICD-10 and the ability to successfully assign diagnosis codes using ICD-10. Choose one workshop that best describes your practice. Each 2-hour Specialty Workshop will be repeated on two different dates/times for your convenience. All workshops are approved for 2 AAPC CEUs. More information and registration.
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New! Free on-line course on End of Life Care
Meets NJ BME education requirement for two Category 1 Credits in End of Life Care needed for 2015 license renewal.
Members access here.
We also have an alternative online option with a modest fee:
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.
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| CME: The Misuse & Abuse of Prescription Medications: Part 2 The Role of Prescribing and New Jersey's Response. Read the materials and complete the evaluation.
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PCPI Webinar: "Improvement is Everyone's Business"
This free webinar will introduce the future direction and value of the Physician Consortium for Performance Improvement� (PCPI�) under the New Governance and Membership model approved by PCPI members in December 2014.
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Novitas Solutions will host their 2015 Medicare Symposium in our area on the following dates:
- June 9, 2015 - State College, PA
- July 29, 2015 - Fort Lee, NJ
- August 5, 2015 - Philadelphia, PA
More information.
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Financial Services:
Citizens Bank - Bronze Level Partner
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Legal Services:
Carroll McNulty & Kull LLC - Gold Level Partner
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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!
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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MSNJ would like to thank everyone who attended the 2nd Annual Physicians' Advocacy Conference. It was a huge success! Almost 200 people came to hear Rob Andrews and all the other speakers!
From left to right: Congressman Robert Andrews and MSNJ CEO Larry Downs
A big thank you to all of our speakers, vendors, sponsors and partners for making this event possible!
Watch for more coverage of the advocacy conference and annual meeting next week.
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Congratulations to the MSNJ members who received awards at the Edward J. Ill Excellence in Medicine Awards� on Wednesday:
- Joseph P. Costabile, MD - Peter W. Rodino, Jr., Citizen's Award�
- Margaret C. Fisher, MD - Edward J. Ill Physician's Award�
- Richard P. Mackessy, MD - Outstanding Medical Educator Award
MSNJ CEO Larry Downs and Dr. Joseph Costable
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MSNJ CEO Larry Downs has been appointed as Secretary on The Physicians Foundation's Executive Committee. Read more.
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News
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Sutter v Oxford Class Action Settlement Claims Process
Physicians who participated in Oxford Health plans are receiving notices in the mail on the claims process to receive a distribution from the settlement fund. The proposed settlement resolves a lawsuit filed in 2002 alleging that Oxford's business practices systematically denied and reduced reimbursement to participating physicians through its claims processing procedures. Over a decade of litigation, including a victory in the United States Supreme Court on the issue of arbitration, has finally resulted in a proposed settlement that will pay eligible physicians $1.38 million. Claims must be filed by June 30, 2015. Read more.
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CMS Clarifies CME Exclusion from Reporting to Open Payments
This week CMS issued frequently asked questions on when Continuing Medical Education (CME) would be reportable in the Open Payments System. MSNJ, MSNJ's Committee on Medical Education, the AMA, and others have consistently advocated for this clarification from reporting. The new guidance, unlike previous attempts by CMS to clarify when the CME exclusion applies, unambiguously states that reporting is not triggered unless the manufacturer requires, instructs, directs, or otherwise causes the third party to provide the payment or transfer of value, in whole or in part, to a covered recipient. Note that the exclusion only applies to independent CME. For additional guidance, review the AMA's policy regarding Financial Relationship with Industry in Continuing Medical Education.
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Medicare Payment Reform Law
AMA's Legislative Counsel has prepared a section-by-section summary of the recently enacted "Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015" (MACRA) and a timeline of when major provisions of the legislation will take effect. Among other things, the legislation repealed the SGR and provided payment stability in the form of .5 payment increases over the next four years. Physicians are urged to become familiar with other key terms. MSNJ will work with the AMA to provide more information and to comment on rulemaking to implement this historic legislation.
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Legislative Update
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APNs
The Governor has signed S.1152/A.1319, which allows APNs to diagnose death and complete certifications under limited circumstances. MSNJ, along with specialty societies, had opposed this bill for a few years. Due to our opposition, the bill was amended to narrow the circumstances under which an APN could make the diagnosis: if she is the patient's primary caregiver and if the physician is unavailable. This basically narrows the circumstances to in-home hospice. The bill will take effect in 120 days.
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Physician Training
A bill requiring increased focus on cardiac health for student athletes was signed into law in 2013. That law requires physicians performing student athlete physicals to increase their education on cardiac health by completing an online training module. More information. This module is now available online. Read more.
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Public Health
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Read NJTV's article on Finding High Lead Levels in Residents' Blood after Hurricane Sandy.
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Read the NJ Department of Health article on Outbreak of Recent HIV and HCV Infections among Persons Who Inject Drugs.
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GAO Report to Congress on Drug Shortages
In a recent report to Congress the GAO indicates that the DEA and FDA need to coordinate more efficiently to prevent shortages of prescription drugs containing controlled substances. The report notes that despite law requiring the DEA and FDA to coordinate efforts to address shortages, the agencies have not yet developed the necessary collaborative relationship. During these shortages patients receive less effective care and physicians are burdened with extra efforts to prescribe around the medications that are not available.
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Practice Management
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Horizon Primary Care Providers Expect Calls Regarding Directory Update
Beginning April 29th, Atlas Systems will reach out to Horizon participating primary care providers on Horizon's behalf. The purpose of this outreach is to ensure accuracy of physician information on file. MSNJ urges all participating providers to keep their data up to date. Read more on Horizon's website.
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Modifier 59 & Modifier 77
Having trouble deciding when to use modifier 59 or 77? Check out Novitas Solutions' new tools to help you use these modifiers appropriately.
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Open Payments
CMS has prepared an article on the Open Payments program. Read the article.
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Volunteer for CMS ICD-10 End-to End Testing
CMS will begin ICD-10 end-to-end testing with a small group of volunteers, beginning July 20 through July 24, 2015. If you are interested in volunteering for this testing opportunity, complete the Volunteer Testing Form by May 22. Read CMS's new FAQ on ICD-10 End-to-End Testing, MLN Matters SE1435. Watch the MLN Connects video on Coding for ICD-10-CM: More of the Basics for a better understanding of ICD-10.
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Home Health
CMS is implementing three changes to the face-to-face encounter requirements for episodes beginning on or after January 1, 2015:
- Eliminating the narrative requirement. The certifying physician is still required to attest that a face-to-face patient encounter occurred and document the date of the encounter as part of the certification of eligibility. For medical review purposes, Medicare requires documentation in the certifying physician's medical records and/or the acute/post-acute care facility's medical records (if the patient was directly admitted to home health) to be used as the basis for certification of patient eligibility.
- Explaining that if a HHA claim is denied, the corresponding physician claim for certifying/re-certifying patient eligibility for Medicare-covered home health services is considered non-covered as well because there is no longer a corresponding claim for Medicare-covered home health services.
- Clarifying that a face-to-face encounter is required for certifications, rather than initial episodes; and that a certification is generally considered to be any time a new start of care assessment is completed to initiate care.
Read more.
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| Read CMS' article on Clarification of Ordering and Certifying Documentation Maintenance Requirements.
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Novitasphere
Correct claims faster with Novitas Solutions' portal, Novitasphere! Use the Claim Correction feature to: change the number of services or units; change the primary diagnosis; add, change or delete certain modifiers; change the procedure code; change the date of service; change the place of service; and change the billed amount. View the reference guide for customers using Novitasphere, which details the steps to complete a claim correction, and what types of corrections can and cannot be made through the portal.
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| Update of ONC's Guide to Privacy and Security of Electronic Health Information
Read the ONC's updated Guide to Privacy and Security of Electronic Health Information which now provides practical examples of business associate relationships and steps for employing a security management process.
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Read AMA's article on "What your patients need to know about the Medicare Rx data release."
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ICD-10
Read FierceHealthIT's article discussing why "ICD-10 worries remain high for small practices." Get your practice ready for ICD-10 by participating in MSNJ and the New Jersey Hospital Association's Ready Set Code! ICD-10 Webinar Workshops. Learn more. Check out MSNJ's website for additional ICD-10 resources and our new tools powered by SuperCoder.com for ICD-10 help!
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| Read AMA's article on "What your practice should do to prepare financially for ICD-10."
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ICD-10: Only 145 Days Away!
October 1, 2015 is the deadline to transition to the ICD-10 code set. MSNJ encourages all physicians to begin preparing for implementation by working with software vendors and testing their systems. View resources on MSNJ's website. Register for upcoming ICD-10 Webinar Workshops.
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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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2015 � 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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