5/17/2021 AMCNO Updates

AMA Report Continues to Show Changes in Medicare Spending During the Pandemic

As we previously reported, the American Medical Association (AMA) is taking a look at the financial impact COVID-19 has on the spending and use of Medicare physician services.
 
Their latest report continues to focus on 2020 numbers, this time specifically from the first quarter (January) through the third quarter (September).

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The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently announced it is releasing new buprenorphine practice guidelines, in an effort to give more Americans with opioid use disorder access to this evidence-based treatment.
 
The announcement means a longtime requirement tied to training will be removed, which was cited as a barrier by some practitioners for being able to treat more people..

Access the full guideline document here.

An Upcoming Webinar will Discuss the Way Out of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Prevention Action Alliance, with support from the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OhioMHAS), is hosting a webinar on COVID-19 vaccines May 19, at 1:30 pm.
 
GEERS Rise and Thrive: COVID-19 Vaccines – The Way Out of the Pandemic will be presented by Dr. Thomas File, who is the Chair of the Infectious Disease Division and Co-Director of the Antimicrobial Stewardship Program at Summa Health in Akron. He is also professor of Internal Medicine, master teacher, and chair of the Infectious Disease Section at Northeast Ohio Medical University.
 
During the session, Dr. File will give a general review of the pandemic and highlight clinical studies and the importance of vaccines to combat the pandemic. He will also discuss the characteristics of vaccines, including safety and efficacy, side effects and need for access.

AMCNO Collaborates with AMA on New Telehealth Program

The AMCNO is pleased be a collaborator of the American Medical Association’s (AMA) new Telehealth Immersion Program.
 
This program, which uses the Telehealth Initiative as a framework, will provide foundational information about the telehealth landscape and offer deep dives into the aspect of it, including clinical use cases, integration with other healthcare technologies, and how to successfully scale and sustain telehealth in practice.

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Live Play Touches on Heavy Subject of the Well-Being of Burned Out Physicians

In response to the pandemic and heightened challenges faced by health providers, the New Theater of Medicine has created a live streaming play about physician suicide, called Five Days to Friday.
 
The story follows a prominent general surgeon and chief resident as they attempt to navigate a week of familiar challenges related to their professional and personal life.

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FDA and CDC Lift Pause on Use of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 Vaccine: What You Need to Know

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently determined that the recommended pause regarding the use of the Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) COVID-19 Vaccine in the U.S. should be lifted and use of the vaccine should resume.
 
If you are a healthcare provider administering the vaccine, please review the Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine Fact Sheet for Healthcare Providers Administering Vaccine. It has been revised to include information about the risk of thrombosis-thrombocytopenia syndrome, which has occurred in a very small number of people who have received the Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine.

Share Your Experience with Recoupment of Medicare Advance Payments

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently began automatic recoupment of COVID-19 Accelerated and Advance Payments, which were an advance of up to 3 months of Medicare payments to help physician practices keep things going early on in the pandemic.
 
The American Medical Association (AMA) and the Federation strongly advocated for improved repayment terms, which Congress and CMS adopted in 2020. The AMA is now interested in hearing your feedback about recoupment of these advance payments. Share your feedback either via [email protected] or with Terri Marchiori directly.
 
For more information about the programs established by the federal government to help physician practices offset the financial impact of COVID-19, access these AMA resources.