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Medical Society of New Jersey e-Newsletter
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SoFi
SoFi refinances student loan debt from both federal and private sources into one loan with one monthly payment at lower rates. Physician borrowers save on average $20,800 on their student loans. Adjustable rates start at 2.17% APR, fixed rates at 3.5% APR. Access the discount.
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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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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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Webinar: Collection Tips in 10 Minutes
I.C. System has created a series of short webinars to provide tips to help your office. Access the webinars.
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CMS National Provider Call: 2016 PFS Proposed Rule: Medicare Quality Reporting Programs
Thursday, July 16; 1:30-3pm
This presentation will cover proposed updates to the Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS), Value-Based Payment Modifier (Value Modifier), Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Program, and Comprehensive Primary Care (CPC) Initiative. Register.
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Free PCSS-MAT Office-Based Treatment of Opioid Dependence Webinar Series
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Novitas Solutions will host their 2015 Medicare Symposium in our area on the following dates:
- July 29, 2015 - Fort Lee, NJ
- August 5, 2015 - Philadelphia, PA
- November 10, 2015 - East Windsor, NJ
More information.
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2015 CMS National Training Program (NTP) Workshop
August 5-6, 2015 at Sheraton Inner Harbor Hotel, Baltimore, MD
Register online.
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The Surgery Center Coalition will host their third Annual "Day of Compliance for ASCs" on Thursday, September 24, 2015 from 8:15am to 4:15pm at The Palace at Somerset Park. Click here for more information and registration.
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Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy's "Roy A. Bowers 65th Annual Pharmaceutical Conference"
September 30, 2015
The Radisson, 21 Kingsbridge Road, Piscataway, NJ
More information and registration.
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Professional Liability Insurance:
Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. - Platinum Level Partner
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Practice Management, Medical Billing, EMR:
STI Computer Services, Inc. - Bronze 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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Policy & Strategy Panel to Hear Hospital Admission Concerns
Register now to attend MSNJ's July 23 Policy & Strategy Panel meeting during which a panel of physicians and lawyers will discuss current hospital admission issues. The panel will explore concerns surrounding hospitalist admission policies, revisit existing MSNJ policy, consider pending AMA policy, and make recommendations to the Board of Trustees.
Thursday, July 23, 2015 at 5:30pm
MSNJ Conference Center, 2 Princess Road, Lawrenceville, NJ
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MSNJ NEEDS YOUR HELP IN FIGHTING OUT OF NETWORK LEGISLATION
The pending bill (S.20/A.4444) is the insurance industry's response to transparency and cost problems, not ours. What proponents are saying:
"Hospitals and physicians motivated by 'personal and corporate greed' had 'lied and misrepresented' what the bill actually would do." ... "They've already formed an opinion that this is the worst thing since the ebola virus."- Senator Joseph Vitale "Increasingly, doctors and hospitals are refusing to participate in insurance networks..."
- NJHURT.org (funded by NJAHP)
If you or your patients have experienced coverage or payment denials or if you have experienced contract terminations or onerous contract terms by insurance carriers, we need to hear from you. Please send your stories to Mishael Azam, Senior Manager of Legislative Affairs, at mazam@msnj.org. (let us know if you would like your story shared anonymously). Thank you in advance for supporting true coverage for patient care, and fair contracts and payments.
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News
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| CMS & AMA Announce ICD-10 Transition Period
Physicians must use ICD-10 codes beginning on October 1; Medicare will not have the ability to accept ICD-9 codes for dates of service after September 30. However, the AMA and CMS announced on July 6 that there will be a transition period for inadvertent coding errors or system glitches.
During the one year transition, CMS is taking actions to avoid the trigger of audits, denial of claims, and imposition of penalties under quality reporting programs. So long as the ICD-10 diagnosis code is valid and from the correct family of codes a claim will not be denied for the correct level of specificity. Read more.
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First Medicare Physician Fee Rule Proposal Post SGR Repeal
On July 8 CMS issued its proposed rule on physician payment rates and payment policies as well as quality measures for services rendered to Medicare patients beginning on January 1, 2016. Comments are due on September 8. The rule will begin to implement the new Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) that is required by the Medicare Access & CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) which repealed the flawed sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula. It will change a number of quality reporting initiatives, the electronic health record incentive program, and the Physician Compare web site. The proposal includes reimbursement for advanced planning. Read the CMS fact sheet. Read about payments and penalties after the repeal of the SGR. MSNJ will further analyze the proposal and provide comments.
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| FDA Rules Finalized on Reporting Drug Shortages
MSNJ successfully spearheaded an effort to pass federal legislation that requires pharmaceutical manufacturing companies to report on anticipated drug shortages. On July 8 the FDA finalized its rule implementing the legislation. Read a summary of the reporting requirements. The rule requires 6 months notice of permanent discontinuance or interruption in manufacturing or no later than five days notice after an unplanned interruption of manufacturing.
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Resolutions Due August 12
The next meeting of the Revolving Reference Committee is Monday, August 24 at 7:00 pm via webinar. All resolutions need to be vetted by your County Medical Society prior to submission to MSNJ. Resolutions are due from the County Medical Societies by August 12. Click here for instructions on writing a resolution.
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OIG Report and Enforcement Action: University of Kentucky HealthCare
The OIG found that out of 232 inpatient and outpatient claims, the University of Kentucky HealthCare complied with Medicare billing requirements for 154 claims. This means that they did not fully comply with 78 claims, resulting in overpayments of $209,000. Read the report.
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Public Health:
First Measles Death Confirmed in U.S. Since 2003
U.S. Health Officials recently confirmed the country's first measles death in 12 years. The victim was likely exposed to the measles virus in a health facility in Washington State. Read more.
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Legislative Update
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EMS Services
The Governor has signed S.2980/A.4526, which, as reported last week, changes EMS delivery in the state. Read more.
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Practice Management
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Medicare Payment Increase Effective July 1, 2015
Attention Physicians and Practice Managers: As part of the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015, the Medicare physician fee schedule is set to increase by 0.5% effective July 1. Download the new fee schedule from the Novitas website. Please be aware that if you bill Medicare an amount less than the Medicare fee schedule, you will be paid the lesser amount.
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Novitas Releases Articles to Help You to "Increase Your Bottom Line"
Novitas Solutions has started to roll out a series of "Increasing Your Bottom Line" articles geared specifically to help Medicare Part B providers submit Medicare Part B claims accurately the first time. The fourth article, "Increasing Your Bottom Line: Using Modifier 77 Correctly to report Repeat Procedures by the Different Providers" is now available.
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| Read FierceEMR's article on "Meaningful Use Rules Should Focus More How Vendors Protect Patient Data."
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New EHR FAQ: CQMs with Zero Numerator and/or Denominator
CMS has released a new FAQ related to an existing policy for reporting CQMs with a zero numerator and/or denominator. View the FAQ.
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Submit 2015 PQRS data to avoid the 2017 penalty!
MSNJ is continuing its PQRS Reporting Benefit in 2015:
Have you started thinking about PQRS reporting to CMS for 2015? Start planning now to avoid the 2% penalty in 2017!
Through a partnership with PQRSwizard® we have made it easy for your practice to participate. PQRSwizard, like Turbo-Tax™ for PQRS reporting, will help guide you step-by-step to simplify the CMS PQRS reporting process.
Measures Groups, individual measures, and GPRO Lite options are now open for 2015 registration.
Visit www.msnj.org/benefits to access the preferred MSNJ price of $225 per provider (Regular Fee is $299).
The deadline for 2015 reporting through PQRSwizard, using the MSNJ discount, is February 26, 2016.
Note that ALL PROVIDERS THAT BILL MEDICARE FFS are responsible for reporting under the PQRS program.
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Only 82 Days Away!: ICD-10 Deadline October 1, 2015
The following are CMS's 5 steps on preparing for ICD-10:
1) Make a Plan
2) Train Your Staff
3) Update Your Processes
4) Talk with Your Vendors and Health Plans
5) Test Your Systems and Processes
Read more about each step in CMS's Quick Start Guide. Read AMA's beginner and expert's guide to ICD-10 prep: Steps for July.
View resources on MSNJ's website. Register for upcoming ICD-10 Webinar Workshops.
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Practice Managers: Please take our Medical Practice Managers Section Events Survey
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A message from Novitas Solutions
Your opinion is important to us. Please help us by participating in the 2015 MAC Satisfaction Indicator (MSI) survey, beginning June 15, 2015. On that date, we invite you to complete a quick ten (10) minute survey to share your experience with the services we provide. Responses to the survey are kept confidential. Additional information about this great opportunity is available on our website.
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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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