Medical Society of New Jersey e-Newsletter
 
February 25, 2016

   
In This Issue
 
Public Health
Zika Virus Guidance 
CDC encourages using the following guidance to prevent sexual transmission of Zika virus. Read CDC's Key Messages.
Member Benefits

Corporate Shopping Event: One Day Only - Thursday, March 10, 2016
Save 30% on all full priced Brooks Brothers purchases online and in Retail stores when using your Corporate Membership card.  
CME/Events /Training

Check out the MSNJ Calendar for upcoming meetings!

Free Opioid CME in Camden County
Wednesday, March 2 at 6:00pm
More information. 

CMS Provider Enrollment Revalidation Call
March 1, 2016 from 2:00pm to 3:15pm
More information. 

Physician Entrepreneurship: Transform the Future of Health Care
March 1, 2016 at 7:00pm
Impact Hub NYC, 394 Broadway, New York, NY
More information. 

New Jersey Health Care Stakeholders Summit
Thursday, April 21, 2016
New Jersey Hospital Association Conference Center
More information. 

Save the Date! MSNJ's 2016 Advocacy Conference and House of Delegates Meeting 
May 13-14, 2016
More information. 

Save the Date! MSNJ's 250th Anniversary Celebration and Inaugural Gala honoring Dr. Joseph Costabile 
July 23, 2016
More information. 
Corporate Partners

Legal Services:
Carroll McNulty & Kull LLC - Gold Level Partner
 

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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Attention OMNIA Tier 2 Physicians:
If you have been assigned to Tier 2 by Horizon, please take this survey to help us assess the impact.

Board of Trustees Meeting
March 10, 2016
Time Change to 7:00 PM
Legislative Update
AMA's National Advocacy Conference
This week MSNJ physicians and staff visited with members of the NJ delegation other congressional leaders on issues important to physicians and patients. MSNJ urged
  • Meaningful use reforms to allow flexibility for physicians to meet standards.
  • Monitoring the implementation of MACRA to insure flexibility and practice centered approaches.
  • Strategies to combat opioid misuse and diversion.
  • Advocating for high standards for telemedicine to protect the physician - patient relationship and allow for fair payment for physician services provided through telemedicine.
  • ERISA reforms to protect consumers exposed to underpayments by self insured plans.
  • Reform Recovery Audit Contractors practices to bring fairness to audits under CMS.
MSNJ met with Congresswoman Bonnie Watson-Coleman (D-12); Senator Robert Menedez (D-NJ); Congressman Tom McArthur (R-3); Congressman Frank Pallone (D-6); Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ); Congressman Albio Sires (D-8); Congressman Donald Norcross (D-1) and Congressman Donald Payne, Jr. (D-10). MSNJ also attended meetings with Congressman Kevin Brady (R- Texas) Chair of the House Ways & Means Committee and key staffers on the Senate Finance Committee.Please see the fact sheets we shared on Meaningful Use, Opioids and Telemedicine

On Tuesday MSNJ attended the AMA's National Advocacy Conference this week where CMS Acting Administrator Andy Slavitt laid out the agency's 2016 agenda on working with the physician community. See the comments.
 
MSNJ Urges Congress to Pass Bill Supporting State PDMPs  
MSNJ joined organized medicine, pharmaceutical companies, laboratories and patient groups in a letter to Congress thanking the House for passing NASPER, the federal program providing support for state Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (PDMPs), and urging the Senate to do the same. MSNJ urged our Senators to vote for the bill this week. AMA issued sensible opioid prescribing guidelines. And, President Obama sided with physicians on opioid restrictions. Read more.
News
Physician Practice Based Services Less Costly than Hospital Outpatient Department 
A new report by researchers at Avalere Health, released by the Physicians Advocacy Institute (PAI), finds that cardiac imaging services cost three times as much in a hospital outpatient department as in a physician's office. The "Medicare Payment Differentials Across Outpatient Settings of Care" report compared Medicare payments for three common procedures, echocardiograms, colonoscopies, and evaluation and management services and found that all were less costly in a physician's office. And, for the first time, this study looked at Medicare payments for entire episodes of care for certain procedures and found them less costly in a physician's office. PAI has provided the report to the House Energy & Commerce Committee, including ranking member Frank Pallone, Jr., in response to its request for information on implementing a new Medicare policy that would establish "site neutral" payments.  Read Health Leaders Media coverage. Read more.
CMS Finalizes Medicare Overpayment Return Rule
This month CMS finalized the long-awaited Medicare overpayment return rule. The rule had been delayed because of significant pushback from the regulated community, particularly on the originally proposed 10 year look-back period. MSNJ was among those objecting in comments to the long look-back and to the triggering event, including the duty to discover the overpayment.

The final rule limits the look-back period to six years, consistent with prior practice, and states that "a person has identified an overpayment when the person has, or should have through the exercise of reasonable diligence, determined that the person has received an overpayment and quantified the amount of the overpayment." Overpayments must be paid within 60 days after the overpayment is identified. Read CMS's Fact Sheet. Read the final rule and
First Healthcare Compliance's blog, "Overpayments: Reporting and Returning Deadline Announced."
Joint Commission Alert on Suicide Prevention 
The Joint Commission has issued a Sentinel Event Alert on suicide prevention. It aims to assist healthcare providers in inpatient and outpatient settings to better identify and treat individuals with suicide ideation. It also addresses screening, Risk assessment, safety, treatment, discharge and follow-up care for at-risk individuals. Members are urged to read this alert.

MSNJ Revolving Reference Committee
With 30 people in attendance via webinar, the RRC met on February 8 to discuss two resolutions and made the following recommendations:
  1. Expedited Partner Therapy (Patient-delivered Partner Therapy) in the Management of Sexually Transmitted Diseases - Recommended to be Amended.
  2. Dues Structure Trial - Recommended to be Amended.
Read the complete report. 
Reference Committee Webinar, April 19
Session I - HOD
The first session of MSNJ House of Delegates will convene on Tuesday, April 19 via Webinar/Conference call from 6-9 pm. Resolutions are due from the Counties by March 28. Register online. Read more
EHR Incentive Program Hardship Exception Clarification
CMS has issued an FAQ clarifying that applying for a hardship exemption from the 2017 meaningful use payment penalty will not preclude physicians from receiving the incentive, if they successfully attest to meaningful use in 2015. In essence, the hardship exemption will act as a safety net.
De Groote Award Nominations
MSNJ is accepting nominations for the De Groote Award which will be conferred at the MSNJ Inaugural Gala of the 224rd President, Joseph Costabile, MD on July 23, 2016. The De Groote Award was established by resolution to honor the selfless work of Dr. Robert De Groote in service to the medical profession. The De Groote Award will be given to the individual whose selfless and idealistic work benefits humankind and not him or herself.

Nominations should be made by submitting a
brief narrative to [email protected] by the close of business on Friday, April 15, 2016.
Lifetime Achievement Award
MSNJ is accepting nominations for the Lifetime Achievement Award, which will be presented at the Inaugural Gala of the 224th President, Dr. Joseph Costabile, on July 23, 2016. Submit a short paragraph to [email protected] describing their commitment to the Medical Society.
Top Doctors 2016: Make Your Voice Heard in New Jersey Monthly by Tuesday, March 1
New Jersey Monthly's annual survey of physicians is underway. This is the only survey that is mailed to all doctors in active practice in New Jersey rather than relying on the opinions of a smaller group of doctors or a national poll. MSNJ encourages all members to participate. Vote online
by Tuesday, March 1. You will be asked to enter your medical license number before entering the site to vote. The results will be published in the November issue of New Jersey Monthly and are searchable throughout the year at www.njmonthly.com. 
Founding Medical School Dean Announced
Seton Hall University and Hackensack University Health Network has announced that starting next month, Dr. Bonita Stanton will be the founding dean of their school of medicine. Read more. 
Practice Management
PQRSwizard� Benefit: Deadline Extended
Through a partnership with PQRSwizard�, MSNJ has 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. 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 now March 18, 2016.
Read CMS' MLN Matters article: Provider Enrollment Revalidation - Cycle 2.
 
Medical Society of New Jersey
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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.

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