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Medical Society of New Jersey e-Newsletter
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Wednesday November 18, 2015
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WIHI Broadcast: Medicare Reimbursement and Meaningful Conversations about End-of-Life Care
Thursday, November 19, 2015 from 2:00pm to 3:00pm
More information.
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MSNJ Board Meeting
December 3, 2015 at 6:30pm
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Save the Date! MSNJ's 2016 Advocacy Conference and House of Delegates Meeting
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Save the Date! MSNJ's 250th Anniversary Celebration and Inaugural Gala honoring Dr. Joseph Costabile
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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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Legislative Update
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Hospital Property Taxation
The Atlantic Health System, parent of Morristown Medical Center, has settled its case with the municipality of Morristown over property taxes, agreeing to pay more than $15 million to Morristown. See coverage.
The judge's decision caused national concern, as he determined that no hospital is non-profit for the purpose of property tax exemptions and also commented on physician employment structures. MSNJ is meeting with legislators to provide input on statutory changes to the tax law. Read more.
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Horizon's OMNIA Product
The first lawsuit from a Tier 2 hospital has been filed by St. Peter's University Hospital. MSNJ is meeting with key policymakers to express our members concerns about OMNIA. Read more about the case.
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Out of Network Legislation
MSNJ continues to advocate for fair reforms, opposing the proposed legislation and instead seeking network adequacy reforms and fair contracting. We support the disclosure requirements for hospitals and improvement of patient education on out of pocket costs provided by physicians and carriers. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners has released model legislation that would require stronger network adequacy checks and the kind of disclosure proposed in the NJ legislation. Read about the model.
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Telemedicine
The Senate Health Committee held a hearing on telemedicine this week. MSNJ testified on the issue, urging that telemedicine only be expanded as a part of collaborative care. We oppose the allowance of phone-only telemedicine as a stand-alone industry and oppose the establishment of a patient relationship through telemedicine. New Jersey law requires an in person exam before medication is prescribed; we oppose the elimination of this requirement. We will continue to advocate for patient protections as legislation advances.
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Biologic Drugs
The Governor has signed legislation that would regulate the dispensing of biosimilars, which are the "generic" equivalents of biologic drugs. MSNJ was neutral on the legislation, which allows pharmacists to dispense biosimilars if the prescriber is advised about the substitution. Read more.
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COPD
The Governor has signed legislation to create the Task Force on Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in the Department of Health. The task force will be required to: determine what existing resources are currently being utilized Statewide for COPD; evaluate the effectiveness of COPD treatment and prevention strategies currently in place in the State; examine the current scientific base of knowledge concerning COPD through surveillance, epidemiology, and research; and investigate the need for improving the quality and accessibility of existing community-based services related to COPD.
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News
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MSNJ Files Comments on Non-Discrimination Rule Proposal
This week MSNJ filed comments with the US Department of Health & Human Services on proposed regulations to address discrimination in health programs and activities. We objected to the expansion of covered entities to include physicians who have received meaningful use payments. We asked for a presumption that an adult with Limited English Proficiency who accompanies a patient during exam be permitted to interpret for the patient. We also objected to the expansion of the obligation to provide language services to companions of patients. Read more.
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Fewer Out of Network Plans on Exchange
Health exchange plans covering Out of Network care are becoming harder to find. Read the article.
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Pharmacist Sentenced to Twenty Months in Prison
A Lakewood New Jersey pharmacist was sentenced to twenty months in prison for paying cash bribes to physicians for referring pain cream prescriptions, cheating health care benefit programs out of hundreds of thousands of dollars. Read more.
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Canceled: Revolving Reference Committee
MSNJ did not receive any resolutions from the County Medical Societies. There will be no Revolving Reference Committee Webinar on November 23.
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Practice Management
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ICD-10: One Month In
It has been over one month since the October 1 start date for ICD-10 and we would like to hear about your experience. While we encourage members to report claims payment and processing issues related to ICD-10, we also want to hear about transitions that went well. Please tell us about your practice's transition experience by emailing ashiber@msnj.org with "ICD-10 Transition" in the subject line. Resources are available at www.msnj.org/ICD-10.
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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 WHO BILL MEDICARE FFS are responsible for reporting under the PQRS program.
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PQRS Informal Review Period Extended
CMS has extended the 2014 Informal Review period to November 23, 2015 for Individual eligible professionals, Comprehensive Primary Care practice sites, PQRS group practices, and Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) that believe they have been incorrectly assessed for the 2016 PQRS negative payment adjustment. All informal review requests must be submitted electronically via the Quality Reporting Communication Support Page.
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Value Modifier Informal Review Deadline Extended
CMS has extended the informal review period for the 2016 Value Modifier to November 23, 2015. The informal review process allows groups with 10 or more eligible professionals, as identified by their taxpayer identification number, that are subject to the 2016 Value Modifier to request a correction of a perceived error in their Value Modifier calculations.
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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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