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Medical Society of New Jersey e-Newsletter
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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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News
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Listen to AMA President Steven J. Stack, MD, speak from the heart on the current state of health care and insist that in medicine, moments matter. When more moments are stolen from physicians, it is the patient who suffers most-and this cannot stand. Read more about the AMA Interim Meeting.
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| MSNJ's Resolution on Hospital Admissions Adopted by AMA
The AMA has adopted a resolution proposed by MSNJ which would require hospitals to: determine if the patient has a treating physician with hospital privileges; inform the patient of his/her right to choose to be admitted by the treating physician; honor the patient's choice of physician; and permit the physician to treat to the full extent of his/her privileges. Read more.
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Start Working on Alternative Payment Models under Medicare Now
Harold Miller, an economist and national healthcare expert, spoke to members of MSNJ on November 18 about starting now to create alternative payment models (APMs) under the Medicare Access & CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA). The law that repealed the SGR will provide a 5% annual bonus payment to physicians who participate in alternative payments models and will exempt them from participating in the merit-based incentive payment system (MIPS). MACRA allows development of "physician focused" alternative payment models. Mr. Miller has worked with the AMA to develop a "Guide to Physician-Focused Alternative Payment Models." The guide describes different APMs for all specialties.
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Medicare Access and Chip Reauthorization Act
MSNJ signed on to a letter to CMS laying out principles CMS should follow in designing regulations to implement Medicare Access and Chip Reauthorization Act (MACRA). Read AMA's more detailed comments.
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Legislative Update
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Please join us in congratulating Mishael Azam, COO and Senior Manager of Legislative Affairs, for making the Senator Loretta Weinberg's 2015 Women's Power List for the third year. We are proud to have Mishael represent your interests in Trenton. See the full list.
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Out of Network and OMNIA
MSNJ continues to fight against legislation that would unfairly reduce physician payments and contract negotiation footing. MSNJ is part of a coalition of providers that favors disclosure and transparency from providers and payers, but opposes fee schedules and mandatory arbitration for OON physicians. See press coverage. MSNJ is also reviewing OMNIA, the new tiered product introduced by Horizon, and discussing our network adequacy concerns with policymakers. Today 17 Tier 2 hospitals filed suit against the state for approving Horizon's tiered network plan. More information. We have added information for patients and physicians to make informed decisions on our website.
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Marijuana Legalization
The Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing on the legalization of marijuana. The AMA submitted a letter opposing legalization and encourages proper addiction treatment.
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Drug Abuse
As a reminder, the PMP law goes into effect this month. See our guidance on the new law. MSNJ continues to provide input on the regulations proposed to implement the new law. Please contact Mishael Azam at mazam@msnj.org with any technical or other questions on the PMP.
In addition, the Governor has signed A.3580, which prohibits the sale of powdered alcohol in the State.
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Newborn Screenings
The Assembly Women and Children Committee passed A.2523, which revises the State's newborn screening program for congenital disorders by requiring the Commissioner of Health to establish a Newborn Screening Advisory Review Committee consisting of medical, hospital, and public health professionals, as well as scientific experts and consumer representatives. The Committee would be authorized to make recommendations on the disorders screened by the department, as well as screening technologies, treatment options, and educational and follow-up procedures, to be used in the State's newborn screening program. MSNJ does not have a position on this bill. Read more details of the bill.
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Lactation Consultants
The Assembly Women and Children Committee has passed A.3237, the "Lactation Consultants Licensing Act," which provides for the licensure of lactation consultants in the State. MSNJ did not take a position on the bill; physicians and nurses will still be able to provide lactation consultation pursuant to their licenses.
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Down Syndrome
The Assembly Women and Children Committee also passed A.3233, which requires the Department of Health to make available on its Internet website, to any person who renders prenatal care, postnatal care, or genetic counseling to parents who receive a prenatal or postnatal diagnosis of Down syndrome, the following: (1) up-to-date, evidence-based, written information about Down syndrome that has been reviewed by medical experts and national Down syndrome organizations, including, but not limited to, the Center for Disease Control and the March of Dimes. This information would include physical, developmental, educational, and psychosocial outcomes; (2) life expectancy, clinical course, and intellectual and functional development and treatment options; and (3) contact information regarding telephone and support services, including information hotlines specific to Down syndrome, resource centers, and other education and support programs.
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More News
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AMA Focuses on Employed Physicians
The AMA urges physicians seeking employment to strive for arrangements that include clinical autonomy, leadership opportunity, self-governance, and collaborative care including transparency of both clinical and business information. Read more.
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Write to Congress about the EHR Program
Read AMA's article on "How to spur Congress to act: 7 essential elements of storytelling." MSNJ encourages members to participate by following this advice. Visit breaktheredtape.org to send your story directly to Congress by email.
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OIG Will Audit Medicare Incentive Payments for EHRs
The Office of the Inspector General has stated in its Work Plan that it will audit the legitimacy of the Medicare Incentive Payments for Electronic Health Records. Read First Health Compliance's report on the Work Plan.
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Public Health
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Antibiotics Week 2015
The New Jersey Department of Health is promoting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's third annual "Get Smart About Antibiotics Week," occurring November 16 through November 20, 2015, to raise awareness about proper antibiotic use. Read the press release and provider document.
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Practice Management
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2016 Medicare Fee Rule Update
The 2016 Medicare Fee Rule has been adopted and becomes effective January 1. Read
the highlights.
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Improper Submission of Documentation
Novitas Solutions' Medical Review Department continues to experience improper submission of documentation in response to an ADR. Please take this opportunity to review the important information provided in How to Correctly Submit Documentation for Additional Documentation Requests (ADRs).
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Last Chance! 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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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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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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