CMS Finalizes Prior Authorization Rule

 

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) finalized the Interoperability and Prior Authorization Final Rule on January 17, 2024. The rule impacts the following government funded insurance programs and plans:

  • Medicare Advantage (MA) organizations,
  • Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) fee-for-service (FFS) programs,
  • Medicaid managed care plans,
  • CHIP managed care entities, and
  • Issuers of Qualified Health Plans (QHPs) offered on the Federally-facilitated Exchanges (FFEs)

CMS’ rule is designed to improve the electronic exchange of health information and improve prior authorization processes for medical items and services, including a reduction of the burden on patients and providers.  It will result in clinicians being able to spend more time providing patient care and will help prevent avoidable delays in care for patients.

The rule is estimated to result in approximately $15 billion of savings over ten years.

Some specifics of the rule include:

  • Minimum time frame for expediting prior authorization decisions
  • Requirement that payers include a specific reason for denying a prior authorization request,
  • Requirement that payers publicly report prior authorization metrics,
  • Implementation of a more efficient electronic prior authorization process between providers and payers

Prior authorization relief at the state and national level has been an advocacy priority for the NC Medical Society and its members for many years.  Further analysis of the rule will determine if CMS’ rule measures up to the provisions being sought in legislation under consideration by Congress.

The prior authorization legislation pending at the NC General Assembly, HB649/Ensure Timely, Clinically Sound Utilization Review, passed the House during the 2023 session and is presently in Senate.  We look forward to working with the legislature to get this bill across the finish line in the upcoming 2024 session.

Appreciation is due to NCMS members and partner medical societies for their efforts to help ensure patients receive the necessary and appropriate medical care they deserve.  The new CMS rule is due in large part to the unified effort to fix a burdensome, costly and improper process.

The final CMS rule is available to review at: https://www.cms.gov/files/document/cms-0057-f.pdf.

A CMS fact sheet for rule is available at: https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/cms-interoperability-and-prior-authorization-final-rule-cms-0057-f.


NCDHHS Urges Testing and Treatment in Outpatient Settings for Those with Mild Symptoms

As seasonal respiratory illnesses surge, NCDHHS is urging people to get tested and seek treatment early to prevent severe illness.

 

People with mild symptoms should seek testing and treatment from their regular health care provider, urgent care or a telehealth provider, rather than going to the emergency department during this spike in COVID-19, flu, RSV and other respiratory illnesses.

In addition to testing and treatment, flu and COVID-19 vaccinations are readily available at pharmacies, private medical offices and some federally qualified health care centers and local health departments.

Go to vaccines.gov today to find a vaccine location near you. Children with Medicaid can receive the COVID-19 vaccine – as well as other recommended vaccines including the flu vaccine – at their local health department or through the Vaccines for Children Program free of charge.


Health Centers: Expanding COVID-19 Vaccination Final Program Report Due Soon

ECV Report Deadline Fast Approaching

Health centers using Expanding COVID-19 Vaccination (ECV) funding must submit a final program report by Saturday, March 30. (If you received a project period extension, your deadline will be extended accordingly. The final report is due 90 days after the project period end date.) The report will be available in the Health Resources and Services Administration's (HRSA) Electronic Handbooks beginning Friday, March 1.

HRSA will soon share technical assistance (TA) resources on the ECV TA webpage to help you understand what is expected in this report and also hold a TA session so you can get answers. Look for announcements about these resources and opportunities.

If your health center needs more time to complete approved ECV award activities, contact your Grants Management Specialist or Investment Oversight Advisor as soon as possible.


HHS Focuses on Climate Change, Health Equity with Inflation Reduction Act Catalytic Program

 

The HHS Office of Climate Change and Health Equity will launch its "catalytic program" this month. It will support health care organizations, including health centers, in taking advantage of the tax credits, grants, and other supports made available by the historic Inflation Reduction Act.

More details on the initiative were provided during a November 30th information session, which is now available in recorded form at this link.

A full schedule of planned national sessions (which will begin on January 25th), as well as breakouts for different safety net provider types (which will begin on February 1st), is below.

You can sign up for all or some of the national sessions at this link.

  • Session 1 (January 25, 2024, noon-1pm eastern): Introduction
  • Session 2 (February 8, 2024, noon-1pm eastern): Self-Assessment
  • Session 3 (February 22, 2024, noon-1pm eastern): IRA Tax Credits Overview
  • Session 4 (March 7, 2024, noon-1pm eastern): IRA Tax Credits Specifics
  • Session 5 (March 21, 2024, noon-1pm eastern): Other IRA Opportunities
  • Session 6 (April 4, 2024, noon-1pm eastern): Financing Strategies
  • Session 7 (April 18, 2024, noon-1pm eastern): Open Questions, Wrap-Up and Next Steps

You can sign up for all or some of the essential hospital breakout sessions, which will consider content from the preceding national session through the lens of essential hospitals, at this link. These sessions will occur on the following schedule:

  • Session 1 (February 1, 2024, noon-1pm eastern)
  • Session 2 (February 15, 2024, noon-1pm eastern)
  • Session 3 (February 29, 2024, noon-1pm eastern)
  • Session 4 (March 14, 2024, noon-1pm eastern)
  • Session 5 (March 28, 2024, noon-1pm eastern)
  • Session 6 (April 11, 2024, noon-1pm eastern)

You can sign up for all or some of the community health center breakout sessions, which will consider content from the preceding national session through the lens of community health centers, at this link. These sessions will occur on the following schedule:

  • Session 1 (February 1, 2024, 1-2pm eastern)
  • Session 2 (February 15, 2024, 1-2pm eastern)
  • Session 3 (February 29, 2024, 1-2pm eastern)
  • Session 4 (March 14, 2024, 1-2pm eastern)
  • Session 5 (March 28, 2024, 1-2pm eastern)
  • Session 6 (April 11, 2024, 1-2pm eastern)

You can sign up for all or some of the rural provider breakout sessions, which will consider content from the preceding national session through the lens of rural providers, at this link. These sessions will occur on the following schedule:

  • Session 1 (February 1, 2024, 2-3pm eastern)
  • Session 2 (February 15, 2024, 2-3pm eastern)
  • Session 3 (February 29, 2024, 2-3pm eastern)
  • Session 4 (March 14, 2024, 2-3pm eastern)
  • Session 5 (March 28, 2024, 2-3pm eastern)
  • Session 6 (April 11, 2024, 2-3pm eastern)

For more information on the Catalytic Program, please contact the HHS here.


Tell Your Patients! Mobile Free Pharmacy Event Happening Soon

Your Patients May be Eligible for Free OTC Medicines

The Mobile Free Pharmacy provides adults and children who are low-income and in need with free over the counter medicine. Medicine such as aspirin, children’s cough syrup, allergy medicine and vitamins are just a few items given to families who need assistance.

The next event will be held in Wake County tomorrow, Friday, January 19th.

Roberts Park Community Center
1300 E Martin St Raleigh, NC 27610

Friday, January 19, 2024

9:00 am - 2:00 pm

Upcoming Mobile Free Pharmacy Events:

Davidson County: February 2nd

Orange County: February 9th

Alamance County: February 17th


Free Drinks, Snacks, and Fun with the NC Medical Society!

Was your New Year's resolution to be more social?

NC Medical Society's got you covered!

Physicians, PAs, Residents & Students

Join us for free drinks, snacks, and a chance to beat the winter doldrums!

Come meet old friends and make some new ones at the first NCMS Social of 2024.

January 29 - 6pm-8pm
Joymongers Brewing, Winston-Salem

480 W End Blvd. Winston-Salem, NC 27101

REGISTER NOW!

For more information, please contact Toni Hill, [email protected].

Protecting you, your patients and the future of healthcare.


Scientists Find Pathway That Could Aid in Breast Cancer Prevention and Treatment

 

A research team led by Gaorav Gupta, MD, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology at the UNC School of Medicine and member of UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, discovered the inner workings of an immune response pathway that could aid in cancer prevention and treatment.

“Our findings suggest that loss of this pathway may be what’s allowing breast cancer cells to withstand high levels of DNA damage without being recognized by the immune system,” said Gupta. “We’re very interested in identifying ways to reactivate this pathway to treat and potentially even prevent cancer development.”

Continue to the full article here.


Heart Community Event Brings Better Heart Health to Women

Greensboro – Women can learn the latest on staying heart healthy at the third annual Women’s Heart Community Event, February 2, at Union Square in Greensboro. The free program features a host of Cone Health experts, health screenings and expos designed for the unique health needs of women.  People at a table

According to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in the state. At the Women’s Heart Community Event, participants can hear about the latest research and learn ways to prevent heart disease and improve overall wellness.

The event opens at 7:30 with a free breakfast. Classes begin at 8 a.m. with lectures on:

  • 8:15 a.m. - FemmeFit Focus: Decoding Women's Cardiometabolic Health with Dr. Bridgett Christopher
  • 8:45 a.m. - EmpowerHER: Navigating Well-Woman Visits for Lifelong Health with Dr. Carolyn Harraway-Smith
  • 9:15 a.m. - Under Pressure: The Link Between Stress and Cardiovascular Health with Dr. Matt Schooler
  • 9:45 a.m. - Pulse & Power: Navigating Hypertension in Women's Heart Health with Dr. Tiffany Randolph
  • 10:15 a.m. - Heart Harmony: Fueling Wellness through Nutrition and Movement with Dr. Heather Pemberton

From 11-2, there will be boxed lunches and free health screenings. (Appointments are required for mammograms. Visit www.conehealth.com/communityheart for scheduling information.)

Participants can also choose classes matching their own interests at the expo.

  • Heart healthy cooking demonstrations
  • Minute With a Pharmacist meetings
  • Hands-only CPR training
  • Blood pressure and blood sugar screening with monitoring and consultations
  • Mammography bus

This is a free event, but space is limited for the morning educational sessions. Register to attend at conehealth.com/communityheart.[source]


Webinar: Changes in Federal Regulation Regarding Medical Providers Prescribing Buprenorphine

 

 

This webinar aims to provide a comprehensive review of the latest updates in DATA Waiver and DEA Training prerequisites for medication-assisted treatment (MAT) and buprenorphine. It will explore the reasons behind the implementation of the Waiver Elimination (MAT-Act), outline the key components of the MAT-Act that took effect in 2023, highlight the advantages of the MAT-Act for healthcare providers and prescribers, and inform participants about the free training and consultation opportunities related to the treatment of patients with Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD).

Thursday, January 18
1:00-1:30 p.m. ET

Learn more and register here.

Earn 0.5 continuing education credits for attending this session.


It's Odorless, Colorless, and Dangerous! It's Radon. A Free Test Kit Can Help Detect It.

 

RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is giving out 5,000 free radon test kits this month during Radon Action Month.

Radon, which NCDHHS says is “released from the ground into outdoor air,” can reach harmful levels when it gets trapped and accumulates in homes and buildings.

The only way to determine if a home has risky levels of the odorless, colorless gas is to test for it. North Carolina residents can order a free test kit this month, while supplies last, at radon.ncdhhs.gov.

According to NCDHHS, radon is the leading cause of lung cancer for non-smokers, and around 450 North Carolinians die each year from radon-induced lung cancer. The risk factor for that type of cancer for current or former tobacco smokers also increases by 10 if they live in a place with elevated levels of the harmful gas.

Data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates that 73 of North Carolina’s 100 counties have indoor air radon levels that are “above safety standards,” meaning a level of four picoCuries per liter of air.

The NC Radon Program recommends that people who find elevated levels in their homes or buildings hire a certified radon mitigator to help bring the risk level down. More information on radon mitigation can be found here. [source]


Is Practice Efficiency on Your Resolution List? AMA Practice Innovation Boot Camp Can Help!

 

AMA STEPS Forward® Innovation Academy is hosting a Saving Time: Practice Innovation Boot Camp on March 4-5, 2024 in Chicago, IL.

This in-person event is perfect for health care change agents looking to improve practice efficiencies and eliminate unnecessary work.

Participants will gain invaluable insights into process streamlining, de-implementation strategies, EHR inbox reduction and how to maximize team-based care. The goal is to equip attendees with practical timesaving tools that they can take back to their organizations.

 Registration Details:

  • Dates: March 4-5, 2024
  • Location: AMA Plaza, Chicago
  • Cost: $179 members / $299 nonmembers (AMA members save 40%)
  • Included: Breakfast and lunch both days, Monday evening food and drink reception, and access to a discounted hotel rate

Boot Camp Subject Matter Experts:

  • Marie Brown, MD, MACP, director, practice redesign, American Medical Association
  • Jane F. Fogg, MD, MPH, senior physician advisor, physician satisfaction, AMA
  • Kevin Hopkins, MD, primary care medical director, Cleveland Clinic, and senior physician advisor, AMA
  • Jill Jin, MD, MPH, clinical assistant professor of medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and senior physician advisor, AMA
  • Christine A. Sinsky, MD, vice president, professional satisfaction, AMA

Space is limited to 40 participants, so don’t wait to secure your spot! Click here to learn more and register.


Register Now for Medicaid Managed Care January Fireside Chat

 

Medicaid Managed Care Fireside Chat:

Key Medicaid Updates

Thursday, January 18 | 5:30 p.m.

 

Please join for the first Fireside Chat of the new year on Thursday, January 18 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. The “state of the state” that will include sensitive updates for all providers in NC about Medicaid Expansion, Medicaid Quality reports, Advanced Medical Home Modernization, and Tailored Plan Consolidation and Launch. This will also be Dr. Dowler’s final Fireside Chat and we will highlight ‘Medicaid Superlatives’ from her last five years.

This will be the last scheduled update for the immediate future. Your feedback about future communication desires and venues from Medicaid will be welcomed!


A Look Back at the 2023 North Carolina Legislative and 2023 Congressional Sessions

As we begin 2024, we invite you to take a look back at the 2023 North Carolina Legislative and 2023 Congressional Sessions.

Each report gives a sampling of the bills the North Carolina Medical Society has tracked in on this session at the state and federal level. The NCMS monitored over 250 bills. The state legislative report is broken down by NCMS legislative priorities and the bills that fall into each category, highlighting a select number NCMS engaged in.

Each report is your membership at work at the state and federal level. The NCMS is constantly at work for you, your patients, and your practice, making sure your profession is protected from legislative interference!

Thank you to all our members who engaged in meetings with legislators, White Coat Days, and Actions Alerts in 2023! We can’t wait to see what 2024 brings! 

 

View the 2023 Long Session Legislative Report:

View the 2023 Congressional Update:


Recognize a Colleague for their Excellence in Medicine

 

The AMA Foundation Excellence in Medicine Awards recognize physicians and medical advocates who exemplify the highest values of volunteerism, community engagement, leadership and dedication to the care of underserved populations. These awards highlight the critical role that physicians play and are intended to inspire others in and beyond the profession to strive for excellence.

Nominations for the 2024 Excellence in Medicine Awards are now open! Know an outstanding physician who goes above and beyond their everyday work? Nominate them today.

Awards will be presented during the AMA 2024 Annual Meeting in June.

For questions or additional information, contact Jennifer Leininger Knipstein, Senior Program Officer, AMA Foundation.

Deadline to nominate is February 5, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. CST.


Time is Running Out! Get Your Nominations in for Physicians Foundation Leadership Award Program

The Physicians Foundation has extended its call for nominations for the Leadership Award Program! New or early-career physicians are now encouraged to apply by January 31, 2024.

 

The Physicians Foundation’s Leadership Awards Program recognizes physicians for extraordinary actions in their practice or community. Award recipients will receive a $10,000 scholarship to elevate their efforts to address drivers of health (DOH) or advance innovative solutions to make their communities or practices a healthier place for patients and physicians.

Nominations will fall into two award categories:

  • The Dr. Buz Cooper Award for Addressing Drivers of Health: In alignment with the Foundation’s work to recognize and act on challenges related to DOH, this award honors a physician who has gone above and beyond to connect their patients with the social, economic, educational and environmental resources that they need for their overall health. The award’s namesake is Richard (Buz) Cooper, MD, author of Poverty and the Myths of Health Care Reform.
  • Medical Innovator Award: The Physicians Foundation champions the role of physicians as stewards for high-quality, cost-efficient care. The Medical Innovator Award recognizes a physician who has innovated and successfully implemented a new solution to strengthen the physician-patient relationship, support their medical practice’s sustainability or navigate the changing health care system.

Requirements include:

  • Open to physicians who are new or early-career (practicing less than 15 years).
  • Demonstrate physician leadership in relevant award category.
  • Be nominated by a sponsor (mentor, colleague or peer) in coordination with the nominee. Sponsors should provide a short statement of recommendation.
  • Submit a video component, current resume/CV and a statement that briefly describes how the scholarship will allow them to continue making positive, constructive contributions to the medical profession.

 

About The Physicians Foundation

The Physicians Foundation is a nonprofit seeking to advance the work of practicing physicians and help them facilitate the delivery of high-quality health care to patients. As the U.S. health care system continues to evolve, The Physicians Foundation is steadfast in strengthening the physician-patient relationship, supporting medical practices’ sustainability and helping physicians navigate the changing health care system. The Physicians Foundation pursues its mission through research, education and innovative grant making that improves physician wellbeing, strengthens physician leadership, addresses drivers of health and lifts physician perspectives. For more information, visit www.physiciansfoundation.org


National Program Provides Free Telehealth to Eligible COVID/Flu Patients

 

Under the new national Home Test to Treat Program, patients, regardless of insurance or immigration status, can get a free telehealth visit with a practitioner if they test positive for COVID or the flu. They can also get free or low-cost treatments (e.g., Paxlovid) delivered to their home or pharmacy. Also, all patients can once again get free COVID tests by mail.

The Home Test to Treat Program is funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to better understand how technologies such as at-home tests and telemedicine can improve healthcare access for individuals across the country. Findings will be used to inform future public health programs for the American people. Any data shared with researchers will be limited to what is necessary to evaluate the program and will not include information which can identify individuals.


Safety Stuff that Matters! A Compliance Webinar Series

 

Safety Stuff That Matters!
A Compliance Webinar Series

Jan 17 – May 15, 2024 | 12 PM – 1 PM

Live Webinar Series

This Lunch and Learn series is a monthly, 1-hour session which will educate clinical and leadership staff about clinical compliance concerns that could affect patient safety at the practices. This monthly series will be held on the third Wednesday of each month starting January 17, 2024 from 12 PM - 1 PM.

Speaker

Karen Gregory, RN, CDIPC

Questions? Contact May Cheung: [email protected]

Session 1 | OSHA is Here! No Need to Fear January 17, 2024 | 12 PM – 1 PM

The OSHA inspector is standing at your front desk. Does that create a knot in your stomach? Untie it! This course will prepare you to breeze through an inspection by providing a review of pertinent laws that impact outpatient care facilities. Requirements of the Bloodborne Pathogen standard, Hazard Communication and other pertinent regulations will be reviewed. The step-by-step process of an OSHA inspection will be discussed along with how to respond if citations/penalties are issued. It is possible to ‘never fear’ an OSHA inspection! Join us and we’ll show you how.

Session 2 | Who’s on First: The Role of the Infection Control Coordinator February 21, 2024 | 12 PM – 1 PM

Now more than ever, safety is a hot topic! Patients are well informed about healthcare risks and workers expect a safe workplace. Incidents involving either can have a negative impact on reputation and finances. This session will provide insight on the selection of an infection control coordinator, development of an infection prevention plan and creating safety policies and procedures. Pertinent regulations addressing worker safety and guidance from other relevant organizations will be reviewed.

Session 3 | TIME OUT!! Management of a Blood Exposure March 20, 2024 | 12 PM – 1 PM

An exposure to blood or certain body fluids should be considered an emergency with very clearly defined steps in place to evaluate the exposed employee and the source patient. This session will discuss actions required by the Bloodborne Pathogen Standard to ensure the employee receives the best possible follow-up after this event.

Session 4 | No Wet Packages: Instrument Processing Done Correctly and Efficiently April 17, 2024 | 12 PM – 1 PM

Isn’t it frustrating when you realize your packages are wet at the end of a sterilization cycle? You are not alone! Correct instrument processing is a top priority for every practice and an efficient process will save you time and money! This fast-paced course answers the most common questions about instrument processing and provides a clear,

4-step process to ensure your instruments are readily available and safe for patient use.

Session 5 | One Needle, One Syringe: Safe Injection Practices May 15, 2024 | 12 PM – 1 PM

As defined by the World Health Organization, a safe injection does not harm the recipient, does not expose the provider to any avoidable risks and does not result in waste that is dangerous for the community. Think about how many injections are provided each day in your practice? Are you aware of the clearly established criteria to reduce the risk of infection or a non-infectious adverse event? This session will examine cases where patient harm was associated with unsafe injection practices AND provide recommendations to ensure you and the patient are safe when providing parenteral medications.

CE Information:

1.0 Contact Hour / 0.1 CEU per session attended.

Participants must attend the session in full to receive full CE credit.

Participants can earn up to 5.0 Contact Hours / 0.5 CEUs for the entire series.

 


NC System Utilizes New Tech to Detect Breast Cancer Earlier

 

Catawba Valley Health System has announced new technology that helps doctors find breast cancers earlier, when they may be more easily treated, with fewer false positives, which can be stressful for patients. The technology is the first of its kind in the Catawba County region, the next closest located in Greensboro.

Located at Catawba Valley Imaging Center (CVIC), a service of Catawba Valley Medical Center, the technology is called Profound AI and maximizes the benefits of a woman having a 3D screening mammogram. ProFound AI acts as another pair of eyes along with the radiologists reviewing 3D mammography images. The most state-of-the-art software available, it rapidly analyzes each 3D mammogram image, detecting cancers with unprecedented accuracy.

According to Lindsay Runion, director of mammography at CVIC, “Profound AI is FDA-approved and clinically proven to enhance breast cancer detection, while significantly reducing the rate of false positives and unnecessary additional testing and stress for women. This technology should provide women in our region great peace of mind that their mammograms are read with the ultimate precision and clarity.”

The ProFound AI software rapidly compares a patient’s mammography images against those it has learned from and alerts radiologists if suspicious areas may warrant a closer look. “Simply put,” Runion added, “this kind of advanced technology is used in healthcare to have mammograms read thoroughly, accurately, and in a more timely manner.”

While digital (3D) mammography has become the industry standard for screening mammograms, Profound AI offers advantages over 3D screenings alone:

  • 8 percent average increase in sensitivity over digital screening alone
  • 6.9 percent increase in specificity over digital screening alone
  • 7.2 percent reduction in patient recalls.

Runion said, “As this region’s trusted radiology provider, we work diligently to ensure our radiologists have the latest tools and advancements available. You won’t find this leading-edge technology in Charlotte, Winston-Salem, or anywhere in our state west of Greensboro. There is simply no reason to drive away from Catawba County to get the very best in breast care.” [source]


TODAY: NCDHHS Livestream Spanish-language Cafecito and Tele-Town Hall: North Carolina Medicaid for More People

 

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services will host a live Cafecito and tele-town hall TODAY, Thursday, January 11, from 6 to 7 p.m., to discuss Medicaid expansion, who is newly eligible, ways to apply and which qualified immigration statuses are eligible for health care coverage.

Event participants include:

  • Yazmin Garcia Rico, MSW, Director of Latinx and Hispanic Policy and Strategy, NCDHHS
  • Jennifer Platts, Communications Specialist, NC Medicaid
  • Kate Woomer-Deters, Senior Attorney, Immigrant and Refugee Rights Project, NC Justice Center

North Carolina Medicaid is now available for more people following the historic expansion on Dec. 1, 2023. More than 600,000 people ages 19 through 64 years are newly eligible for health care coverage, including thousands of individuals who are part of the Hispanic and Latino community.

Cafecito and tele-town hall panelists will discuss the following:

  • Who is eligible for Medicaid
  • How to apply for health care coverage
  • Where to find Medicaid resources and application support in Spanish
  • Impacts of Medicaid expansion on health coverage for the Hispanic and Latino community in North Carolina

Some non-U.S. citizens with qualified immigration status in North Carolina can get health care coverage through Medicaid. An expert from the North Carolina Justice Center, Kate Woomer-Deters, will provide insights on who might be eligible for Medicaid based on their immigration status, how Medicaid impacts Public Charge and where people can access confidential support.

The Cafecito will stream live from the NCDHHS FacebookTwitter and YouTube accounts, where viewers can submit questions. The event also includes a tele-town hall, which invites people by phone to listen in and submit questions. People can also dial into the event by calling 855-756-7520 Ext. 100647#.

NCDHHS' Cafecito's and tele-town halls are part of the state's ongoing public efforts to ensure equitable access to timely health information, including Medicaid enrollment updates and resources to help North Carolinians find health care coverage. [source]


It's Time for a Healthier NC. Take the Pledge to Stop Diabetes in its Tracks!

Take a stand against diabetes!

 

 

DIABETESFREENC is a joint initiative of the NCMS Foundation and the American Medical Association (AMA) aimed to stop the spread of diabetes in NC.

The National Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) is a lifestyle change program that has free or low-cost options for patients, regardless of their insurance provider and you can refer using any of these convenient platforms: Our Community Health Initiative (OCHI), NC CARE 360 and the DPP Navigator.

Your pledge demonstrates your willingness to support diabetes prevention in NC! Pledge TODAY!


NCTracks Reminder: Provider Name on Applications Must Match for Re-Verification

 

The provider name listed on applications for re-verification must match their legal name, name on the National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES) Registry, and their name on any license, certification, and/or accreditation.

Providers can check their listed NPPES name at: https://npiregistry.cms.hhs.gov/search

If the name does not match, do NOT submit the application. Instead send an email to [email protected] with required documentation attached.

See chart on this page for more information about required documentation.


NCDHHS Hosts Livestream Fireside Chat and Tele-Town Hall TODAY

 

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services will host a live fireside chat and tele-town hall Wednesday, January 10, from 6 to 7 p.m., to discuss Medicaid expansion, including impacts on rural communities, who is newly eligible and ways to apply for health care coverage.

Event participants include:

  • Elizabeth Cuervo Tilson, M.D., State Health Director and Chief Medical Officer, NCDHHS
  • LaQuana Palmer, MPA, Deputy Director, NC Medicaid Communications and Engagement
  • Brenda Jackson, Director, Cumberland County Department of Social Services

More than 600,000 people ages 19 through 64 years are newly eligible for health care coverage through Medicaid. People living in rural communities will be particularly impacted as they are three to four times more likely to be uninsured. Medicaid expansion has been a critical tool in other states in helping to sustain access to health care in rural areas.

Fireside chat and tele-town hall panelists will discuss the following:

  • Who is eligible for Medicaid
  • How to apply for health care coverage
  • What health services are covered under Medicaid
  • How expansion impacts rural communities

The new NCDHHS Medicaid Expansion website provides information on eligibility, how to apply and where to find support. The state and its regional partners also have resources available to support those in rural or other areas who don’t have consistent access to the internet. Individuals can also find state and local support teams to help them better understand their health care coverage options and complete Medicaid applications.

The fireside chat will stream live from the NCDHHS FacebookTwitter and YouTube accounts, where viewers can submit questions. The event also includes a tele-town hall, which invites people by phone to listen in and submit questions. People can also dial into the event by calling 855-756-7520 Ext. 100651#.

NCDHHS’ fireside chats and tele-town halls are part of the state’s ongoing public efforts to ensure equitable access to timely health information, including Medicaid enrollment updates and resources to help North Carolinians find health care coverage. [source]


Do You Know? NC Medicaid Launches Expansion Enrollment Dashboard

 

Last month, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services launched a dashboard to track monthly enrollment in Medicaid for people eligible through expansion.

More than 600,000 North Carolinians are newly eligible for health coverage through the historic expansion of NC Medicaid. The NC Medicaid Expansion Enrollment Dashboard offers a detailed overview of enrollment trends in newly eligible adults ages 19-64 who can now apply for full health care coverage.

On day one, there were nearly 273,000 people enrolled and covered by Medicaid expansion, most of which were part of the family planning population who were automatically moved to full coverage. The platform provides a look at enrollee characteristics that include age, race, ethnicity and other demographics. Information on percentage of eligible adults newly enrolled in Medicaid by county and type of health plan, as well as specifically within rural areas of the state, is also shared.

The dashboard shows the highest percentages of adults 19-64 now covered by Medicaid are in North Carolina's rural communities. The four counties with the highest portion of adults enrolled are Anson, Edgecombe, Richmond and Robeson counties. The dashboard represents a snapshot of enrollments known at the beginning of each month and does not capture enrollments processed after the start of the month. This new dashboard for Medicaid expansion is in addition to the department's existing NC Medicaid Enrollment dashboard.

"Hundreds of people each day are gaining health care coverage and getting the care they need," said NC Health and Human Services Secretary Kody H. Kinsley. "Our work continues with state and community partners to support enrollment efforts to ensure as many people as possible can get covered."

In addition to the enrollment dashboard, NCDHHS is seeing a big uptick in NC Medicaid interest and engagement. Through Dec. 15, 2023, more than 84,000 people have applied for Medicaid, and staff at county Department of Social Services are processing these applications.

"The work of the department, community partners and County DSS offices is resulting in thousands and thousands of people checking to see if they are eligible for NC Medicaid," said NC Medicaid Deputy Secretary Jay Ludlam. "We encourage everyone to share materials, volunteer and take other opportunities to help spread the word about Medicaid expansion to family members, friends, neighbors and other members of their communities."

NCDHHS' Medicaid Expansion portal includes information on income requirements, FAQs, videos on how to apply and a sign-up form to receive the latest news and updates. [source]


Drop in Donations Leaves Red Cross Facing Severe Blood Shortage

Number of U.S. blood donors hits all-time low for past 20 years

 

 

The American Red Cross sounded the alarm over a severe blood shortage facing the U.S. as the number of donors dropped to the lowest levels in two decades.

The Red Cross said in an announcement that the number of people donating blood in the U.S. dropped 40 percent over the last 20 years, which can majorly disrupt those needing emergency blood transfusions and other operations. The organization added there was a 7,000-unit shortfall in blood donations between Christmas Day and New Year’s Day alone.

“One of the most distressing situations for a doctor is to have a hospital full of patients and an empty refrigerator without any blood products,” Pampee Young, chief medical officer of the Red Cross, said in a statement.

“A person needs lifesaving blood every two seconds in our country — and its availability can be the difference between life and death, however, blood is only available thanks to the generosity of those who roll up a sleeve to donate,” Young added.

The Red Cross said winter weather and respiratory illnesses, such as the flu and COVID-19, may hinder people from donating blood. The organization is urging people to sign up to donate blood and are encouraging people to do so by working with the NFL, which is offering a chance to win a trip for two people to Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas.

The organization said anyone who signs up to donate blood in January will be automatically entered for a chance to win. [source]

To find dates and locations across the state to donate, schedule an appointment to give blood or platelets, visit RedCrossBlood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

Sponsoring a blood drive? Let us know at [email protected].


Cape Fear Valley Health to Host Medicaid Enrollment Event

 

Cape Fear Valley Health, in collaboration with First Source, will host a free in-person workshop to assist Harnett County residents who would like assistance signing up for Medicaid under North Carolina’s new expansion. The event will take place on Saturday, January 13, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Harnett County Resource Center and Library, Training Room 103 A, located at 455 McKinney Parkway, Lillington. There are no reservations for this event, it is first-come, first-served.

At Cape Fear Valley’s event, there will be hands-on help for individuals to check if they qualify for Medicaid and assist them in applying for Medicaid online. Residents can also check their eligibility and sign up online at epass.nc.gov or through a paper application or in-person at the local Department of Social Services (DSS). [source]


2024 Elections: North Carolina Physicians, PAs File for State and Federal Offices

 

2024 will be a big year on the political scene.  It’s a congressional and presidential election year on the national front, and all NC General Assembly seats are up for election.

Here in North Carolina, several physicians and one physician assistant have filed to run for office – five for the NC General Assembly and four for the US House of Representatives.

NC House Candidates

Naveed Aziz, MD – NC House - 42

Grant Campbell, MD - NC House - 83

Ralph Carter, III, MD - NC House - 48

Tim Reeder, MD - NC House - 9

NC Senate Candidate

David L. Hill, MD - NC Senate - 7

Mark Hollo, PA - NC Senate - 45

US House Candidates

Mary Ann Contogiannis, MD - US House - NC6

Steve Feldman, MD - US House - NC10

Josh McConkey, MD - US House - NC13

Greg Murphy, MD - US House - NC3

The 2024 Primary Election is scheduled for March 5, 2024.  The General Election is scheduled for November 5, 2024.

Are you registered to vote?  If not, instructions are available from the NC State Board of Elections.

Important Primary Election dates to note:

Jan. 19, 2024:    County boards of elections begin mailing absentee ballots to eligible voters who submitted an absentee ballot request form.  Request an absentee ballot here.

Feb. 9, 2024:      Voter registration deadline - 5 pm. Voter registration and absentee voting deadlines are different for military and overseas citizen voters.

Feb. 15, 2024:   In-person early voting begins.

Feb. 27, 2024:   Absentee ballot request deadline - 5 pm.

March 2, 2024: In-person early voting ends - 3 pm.

March 5, 2024: Primary Election Day.

March 5, 2024:  Absentee ballot return deadline - 7:30 pm. Voter registration and absentee voting deadlines are different for military and overseas citizen voters.

May 14, 2024:   Second Primary Election Day (if necessary)

Important General Election dates for your calendar:

Sept. 6, 2024:    County boards of elections begin mailing absentee ballots to eligible voters who submitted an absentee ballot request form.  Request an absentee ballot here.

Oct. 11, 2024:    Voter registration deadline - 5 pm. Voter registration and absentee voting deadlines are different for military and overseas citizen voters.

Oct. 17, 2024:    In-person early voting begins.

Oct. 29, 2024:   Absentee ballot request deadline - 5 pm.

Nov. 5, 2024:   Primary Election Day.

Nov. 5, 2024:     Absentee ballot return deadline - 7:30 pm. Voter registration and absentee voting deadlines are different for military and overseas citizen voters.

 

*Additional candidates could be added to this list in the coming days.

The NCMS has extended an invitation to all of our members running for office to talk about issues important to you. Look for the 2024 Candidate Series over the coming months in Morning Rounds, www.ncmedsoc.org, and on social media.


COVID Variant JN.1 Rapidly Spreading

 

The covid virus is continually changing, and a recent version is rapidly climbing the charts. Even though it appeared only in September, the variant known as JN.1, a descendant of omicron, is rapidly spreading, representing between 39% to half of the cases, according to pre-holiday stats from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Lab data indicates that the updated vaccines, as well as existing covid rapid tests and medical treatments, are effective with this latest iteration. More good news is that it “does not appear to pose additional risks to public health beyond that of other recent variants,” according to the CDC. Even so, new covid hospitalizations — 34,798 for the week that ended December 30 — are trending upward, although rates are still substantially lower than last December’s tally. It’s early in the season, though. Levels of virus in wastewater — one indicator of how infections are spreading — are “very high,” exceeding the levels seen this time last year.

Read the full article here.


NCMS CEO Chip Baggett and other Industry Leaders Discuss 2024 Goals

 

In conversation with Chris Roush, executive editor at Business North Carolina, six industry leaders discussed what their industries, and the state in general, needs to accomplish in 2024. Read what they had to say here.

 

 

We were founded in 1849 by a group of seven doctors that rode on horseback to town and said, “We need to stand up and do something for our patients.” And we’ve been doing that now for 175 years.

 

 


Regular Use of Hearing Aids May Boost Longevity

 

Among the roughly 40 million adults in the U.S. who have hearing loss, most don't use hearing aids. This means they may be missing out on more than just good hearing.

Research shows hearing loss, if left untreated, can increase the risk of frailty, falls, social isolation, depression and cognitive decline. One study from scientists at Johns Hopkins University found that even people with mild hearing loss doubled their risk of dementia.

Now a new study finds that restoring hearing loss with hearing aids may lengthen people's lives.

Learn more about the research here.


NC Medicaid, NC Pharmacists Increase Access to Contraception

 

MEDIA ADVISORY — To increase access to contraception in North Carolina, NCDHHS through NC Medicaid, is now enrolling pharmacists as Medicaid providers and paying for contraceptive counseling services provided in pharmacies. State health leaders will attend an event on Wednesday at 2:30 p.m. to celebrate the actions taken by NC Medicaid to make these important services more accessible to North Carolinians.

Expanding access to reproductive life planning is a critical component of NCDHHS’ commitment to improving the health and well-being of children and families across North Carolina. Access to contraception empowers people to make informed choices about if and when they want to have children, decreases unintended pregnancies and promotes the educational and professional advancement of parents.

"Our goal is that all families have the opportunity to thrive,” said Dr. Elizabeth Cuervo Tilson, State Health Director and Chief Medical Officer for NCDHHS. "More than half of all pregnancies in North Carolina are unintended, which can unfortunately lead to poor maternal and infant outcomes. By expanding access to contraception and counseling services, we can improve the health of moms, babies and families throughout North Carolina."

The North Carolina General Assembly passed a law in 2021 authorizing pharmacists to dispense contraception, along with several other medications, without a prescription from a provider. Initially, pharmacists could dispense these medications through a Statewide Standing Order from the State Health Director. Subsequently, the North Carolina Board of Pharmacy and Medical Board adopted the standing orders as approved protocols under which pharmacists can dispense medications. These medications are covered by Medicaid without a co-pay or other cost sharing.

However, a lack of reimbursement for the required evaluation, risk assessment and counseling services was identified by pharmacies as a barrier to implementation. Actions taken by NC Medicaid will lessen that barrier.

"NC Medicaid values pharmacists and their contribution to the care of our members, especially those who are in the harder-to-reach rural areas of North Carolina where physician practices are more limited," said NCDHHS Deputy Secretary for NC Medicaid Jay Ludlam. "By supporting our pharmacists, authorized by this legislation, NCDHHS aims to provide more access to contraception for those covered by Medicaid."

NCDHHS has worked to expand access to contraception through multiple other initiatives, including advancing same-day access to all types of contraception and providing Medicaid reimbursement for immediate post-partum, long-acting reversible contraception.

WHAT: State health leaders discuss NC Medicaid’s actions to increase access to contraception counseling at pharmacies.

WHO: Dr. Elizabeth Cuervo Tilson, M.D., State Health Director and the Chief Medical Officer, NCDHHS
Dr. Mollie Ashe Scott, PharmD, Regional Associate Dean and Clinical Professor, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy 
Dr. Angela Smith, PharmD, DHA, Director of Pharmacy & Ancillary Services, NC Medicaid, NCDHHS
Dr. Jennifer Burch, PharmD, RPH, Central Pharmacy

WHEN: Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024
2:30 p.m.

WHERE: Central Pharmacy
2609 N. Duke St. #103
Durham, NC 27704

MEDIA: Credentialed media are invited to attend and arrive at 2:20 p.m. to set up and get b-roll of the pharmacy. Please RSVP to [email protected].


Mark Your Calendar Now! Collaborative Care Model Learning Collaborative Planned for Early 2024

Collaborative Care Model (CoCM) Provider
Learning Collaborative

January 18, February 15, March 21, April 18, May 16, June 20, 2024

12:30 - 1:30 p.m. | Location: Livestream Webinar

 

 

The Collaborative Care Model (CoCM) is an integrated modality that provides patients with medical and behavioral health care in a primary care setting. The CoCM Learning Collaborative sessions will highlight collaborative care team integration and the role of the CoCM Behavioral Health Care Manager for practices new to the model and those established with implementing CoCM.

Objectives:

  • Participants will be able to describe the principles of the Collaborative Care Model (CoCM).
  • Participants will be able to identify key concepts and team member roles/responsibilities for effective implementation of CoCM.
  • Participants will be able to explain the value and evidence for measurement-based, treatment to target CoCM care.
  • Participants will be able to discuss the contributing factors to successful Collaborative Care implementation.

Target Audience:
These Learning Collaboratives are for primary care providers, behavioral health professionals, and anyone else who has implemented or is considering the Collaborative Care Model (CoCM) for integrating behavioral health in a primary care setting. Independent primary care practices, FQHC’s, and rural health clinics may find this collaborative especially helpful for meeting some of the behavioral health needs of their patients.

 

January 18, 2024 • 12:30 - 1:30 p.m.
Overview of CoCM Model/Role of PCP
February 15, 2024 • 12:30 - 1:30 p.m.
Role of the Psychiatric Consultant/Systematic Caseload Review
March 21, 2024 • 12:30 - 1:30 p.m.
Role of BH Care Manager/Registry Tracking
April 18, 2024 • 12:30 - 1:30 p.m.
CoCM Billing
May 16, 2024 • 12:30 - 1:30 p.m.
Communicating about CoCM Across the Care Team
June 20, 2024 • 12:30 - 1:30 p.m.
Caseload Management/Relapse Prevention Plan

Registration is required for each date via the link (participants will use this link for each session).

Download the PDF here.

For Additional information about the model please click this link.

Questions? Contact LaShawnna Andrews, MSM, Director, Continuing Professional Development IPE at (910) 678-7319 or [email protected]


Request for Proposals: Creation of Team Based Teaching Sites in Rural North Carolina

 

The North Carolina Area Health Education Centers Program (NC AHEC) is seeking proposals to establish up to 5 rural interprofessional clinical training sites. Proposals must include how teaching sites will provide interprofessional training for medical students and nurse practitioner or physician assistant students to transform current models.

Application Due Date: February 16, 2024

Eligible Applicants
Community based primary care medical practices or groups of practices (Family Medicine, General Internal Medicine, General Pediatrics) in rural North Carolina are eligible to apply. Documented partnerships with North Carolina institutions that train medical students and nurse practitioner or physician assistant students (e.g., letter of support, academic affiliation agreement, etc.) is required. Health Systems can submit one or more proposals to establish teaching sites. A site may have more than one location but will be considered one site for the purposes of the proposal. Up to five sites will be funded in total.

Learn more about the Scope of Work, Project Goals, and Application Instructions here.


Dementia Alliance of North Carolina Helps Improve Care, Support of Patients Living with Dementia

 

Dementia Alliance of North Carolina seeks to improve the lives of North Carolinians impacted by dementia as well as empower their caregivers through support, education and research. Each program is built on a foundation of CARE that provides Comfort, Assistance, Resources and Education for individuals and families living with dementia.

Dementia Alliance of North Carolina partners with healthcare clinicians and aging service providers across the state to improve the care and support of your patients living with dementia as well as their caregivers. The organization serves as a direct referral program connecting patients in your practice with Dementia Navigators who can assist with:

• Personalized recommendations
• Online and phone consultations
• Information & Referrals • Educational Materials
• Connections to Support Groups
• Caregiver Assistance Funds

Learn more about the work of this organization and how it could help your patients here.


AMA Advocacy Insights Webinar Series: The Latest on Medicare Payment Legislation

REGISTER TODAY!

Physicians face a 3.37% reduction in Medicare payments at the start of 2024, absent congressional intervention. Lawmakers have until January 19 to act and avoid this potentially devastating cut to physician practices—practices that have already weathered the pandemic, a 2% pay cut in 2023 and no adjustment for inflation. Without a sustainable Medicare payment system that physician practices can rely on, patient access to care will be in jeopardy.

Register for this Advocacy Insights webinar to hear about what’s happening with Medicare payment on Capitol Hill as the new year begins, what the AMA is doing to fight for legislative solutions and how you can get involved in the AMA’s Physicians Grassroots Network campaign.

Moderator

  • Willie Underwood III, MD, MSc, MPH, chair, AMA Board of Trustees

Speakers

  • Rob Jordan, vice president, Political Affairs, AMA
  • Jason Marino, director, Congressional Affairs, AMA

January 9, 2024, 11 A.M., Central

Registration is now open.


Is There a Link Between ‘Good Cholesterol’ and Dementia?

Despite its nickname as the “good cholesterol” because of its cardiovascular benefits, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol was linked to as much as a 42 percent increased risk for dementia in older people with very high levels of HDL, according to research published in a Lancet journal, the Lancet Regional Health - Western Pacific.

Although HDL helps remove cholesterol from people’s arteries, the researchers wrote that, at very high levels, HDL’s structure and actions change, and it “may become deleterious to health” in various ways.

For more than six years, they tracked 18,668 study participants, all 65 or older and all physically and cognitively healthy at the start of the study. In those years, cognitive dementia was diagnosed in 850 participants (4.6 percent).

Read more about what the research shows here.


NCDHHS: Policy Changes to Standard Plan Oversight of Care Management Providers

 

The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is implementing a policy update related to Standard Plan oversight of providers performing delegated care management functions. Under the Standard Plan contract with the Division of Health Benefits, Standard Plans are required to achieve National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) Health Plan Accreditation (HPA) by July 1, 2025.

The updated policy aims to minimize the impact of the health plan accreditation process on delegated care management entities by exempting providers participating in the following programs from being required to participate in health plan accreditation-related oversight:

  • Advanced Medical Home Tier 3 (AMH 3)
  • Care Management for At-Risk Children (CMARC)
  • Care Management for High-Risk Pregnancies (CMHRP)
  • Healthy Opportunities Pilots (HOP)
  • Integrated Care for Kids (InCK)

Under the policy, delegated care management providers cannot be required by Standard Plans to participate in audits or monitoring activities for the purpose of meeting certain NCQA requirements. With this policy in place, NCQA will not evaluate Standard Plans against delegation oversight requirements when Standard Plans delegate care management activities for the programs specified above, until further notice. This means that NCQA’s review of plan performance on the care management elements of accreditation will not use documentation from delegated care management providers, easing provider burden related to the plan accreditation process. DHHS is instituting this policy until Standard Plan NCQA health plan accreditation is complete in 2025, after which it may be extended or modified.

Standard Plans may continue to monitor delegated entities’ care management activities against other care management or program requirements (e.g., Advanced Medical Home care management requirements) to advance their performance expectations. Standard Plans and delegated care management providers are also encouraged to work in collaboration w to prepare for potential future NCQA delegation oversight or otherwise to improve care management performance or build care management capacity.

Details on the policy change can be found in Notice of Policy Changes Related to Standard Plan Oversight of Delegated Care Management. Additional information on the AMH program can be found on the NC Medicaid Advanced Medical Home webpage. [source]


Rural Health Grant Opportunity: North Carolina Farmworker Health Program

 

The North Carolina Farmworker Health Program (NCFHP) is anticipating the receipt of federal funds to increase access to primary, preventive, and behavioral health services for migrant and seasonal farmworkers and their families in select regions in North Carolina.

NCFHP funding is meant to supplement existing resources in communities and reduce barriers to care so that farmworkers and their family members have equitable access to comprehensive and continuous health care services. NCFHP supports the development of sustainable services for farmworkers by encouraging local partnerships and collaborations to facilitate the inclusion of farmworkers in services that are available for the general community.

Funding focus: Funds may be used for enabling, dental, and behavioral health services for farmworkers and their families when these services are not otherwise available or if the existing services are not sufficient to respond to the demand.

Get more information on this funding opportunity and eligibility requirements here.


These Tiny Power Sources Can Pose Huge Risks, Especially to Children

Button Batteries Pose Threat Long After Holidays

The holidays may be over, but a serious threat remains. Button batteries. These tiny power units used to juice countless devices can pose a huge risk, especially to children.

Every year in the United States, more than 3,500 people of all ages swallow button batteries.

Most button batteries pass through the body and are eliminated in the stool. However, sometimes batteries get "hung up," and these are the ones that cause problems.

A battery that is stuck in the esophagus is especially likely to cause tissue damage. An electrical current can form around the outside of the battery, generating hydroxide (an alkaline chemical), causing a tissue burn. When a battery is swallowed, it is impossible to know whether it will pass through or get "hung up." [source]

Below are guidelines to follow if battery ingestion is suspected:

 

National Capital Poison Center Button Battery Ingestion Triage and Treatment Guideline (2018)

 

Download a text version of this guidance here.


NC Hospital Celebrates Success of World’s First Partial Heart Transplant

 

DURHAM, N.C. – The world’s first partial heart transplant has achieved what researchers have spent more than a year hoping for -- functioning valves and arteries that grow along with the young patient, as hypothesized by the pioneering team behind the procedure at Duke Health.

The procedure was performed in the spring of 2022, in an infant who needed heart valve replacement. The previous standard of care -- using valves that were non-living -- would not grow along with the child, requiring frequent replacement, entailing surgical procedures that carry a 50% mortality rate.

(Photo: CNN, Nick and Tayler Monroe)

A study led by Duke Health physicians, appearing online Jan. 2 in the Journal of the American Medical Association, found that the new manner of valve procurement used during the partial heart transplant led to two well-functioning valves and arteries that are growing in concert with the child as if they were native vessels.

“This publication is proof that this technology works, this idea works, and can be used to help other children,” said Joseph W. Turek, M.D., Ph.D., first author of the study and Duke’s chief of pediatric cardiac surgery, who led the landmark procedure.

The study also found the procedure requires about a quarter of the amount of immunosuppressant medication than a full heart transplant, potentially saving patients from detrimental side effects that might compound over decades.

Turek said the innovation has paved the way for a domino heart transplant, where one heart is able to save two lives. During a domino heart transplant, a patient who has healthy valves but is in need of stronger heart muscle receives a full heart transplant; their healthy valves are then donated to another patient in need, creating a domino effect.

“You could potentially double the number of hearts that are used for the benefit of children with heart disease,” Turek said. “Of all the hearts that are donated, roughly half meet the criteria to go on to be used for full transplant, but we believe there’s an equal number of hearts that could be used for valves.”

“If you introduce the donated hearts that weren’t being put to use into the supply chain and add the valves from domino heart transplants, that can create a substantial change,” Turek said.

The partial heart transplant procedure has been performed 13 times at four centers around the world, including nine at Duke, several of which have been domino heart transplants.

Turek said bringing this innovation to a clinical trial would be the next step to achieving the volume in procedures that would change the availability of hearts by a large amount.

“This innovation adds a lot to the whole donation community,” Turek said, “because it’s treating more kids, while also honoring the wishes of selfless donor parents who’ve given the ultimate gift. It allows them to offer hope to another child in the process.” [source]


NCTracks: Delay in Division of Health Service Regulation License Renewal Updates

 

NC Medicaid requires providers to keep credentials current on their NCTracks provider enrollment record. The expiring credential must be verified as renewed through the licensing entity prior to being updated on the NCTracks record. NC Medicaid is aware and collaborating with the Division of Health Service Regulation (DHSR) regarding the inventory of pending license renewal applications.  Any DHSR licensure renewal application that was submitted to DHSR prior to December 31st will remain active with NC Medicaid until DHSR processes all the renewals. Any DHSR Providers due to suspend, due to the expired license, will remain in active status until all renewal applications are completed by DHSR.

In addition, DHSR will send to NC Medicaid a licensure file, each week which is used to update the NCTracks provider enrollment record. As provider licenses are renewed, the information is shared with NC Medicaid and updates are automatically made on the NCTracks record. Providers may also report the license renewal using the NCTracks MCR process upon notification from DHSR that the license is renewed, knowing that NCTracks will verify the status and new expiration date using the file received from DHSR prior to updating the NCTracks enrollment record.

For inquiries related to the status of your license, please contact DHSR. For assistance with submitting an MCR, please contact GDIT.


Join Us for the NCMS Advocacy Summit- Shaping Healthcare Policy Together

 

Make Plans Now for NCMS Advocacy Summit in March

Happy New Year!

As you begin to fill your calendar for 2024, don’t forget to register for the NCMS Advocacy Summit - a gathering of healthcare leaders and policy experts dedicated to fostering meaningful discussions around legislative developments crucial to our profession. The event is March 23rd, so register now as space is limited!

Why Attend?

  • Stay informed about critical legislative changes affecting your practice.
  • Equip yourself with effective communication strategies for impactful advocacy.
  • Network with fellow healthcare professionals and policy experts.
  • Play a pivotal role in shaping the future of healthcare in our state.

We are confident that your participation in the NCMS Advocacy Summit will not only enrich your understanding of legislative landscapes but also empower you to make a tangible impact on behalf of your patients and the healthcare profession.

McKimmon Center

1101 Gorman Street
Raleigh, NC 27606

March 23, 2024
9:00 AM-5:00 PM

 

Secure your spot at this influential summit here.


Want to Know More About NC Salary and Benefits Trends? NCMGMA Has New Survey Results Now

 

NCMGMA is pleased to announce the release of the Medical Employee Salary & Benefits Online Survey results. This data, collected from 2023 practice metrics, is designed to bring you the information you need to see trends specific to the healthcare industry, and provide comparative information your organization can use to assist in making crucial business decisions.

Attention Survey Participants

If you met the 75% survey completion requirement, your access to the data is complimentary. Visit benchmark.ncmgmasalarysurvey.com/ and use your participation username and password to access the data. Please use the "Forgot Password" option if you cannot recall your log in details (be sure to check your spam for the details if you do not see it in your in box). If you have any questions about your survey completion, please contact the NCMGMA offices at [email protected].

Purchase Your 2023 Data Access

For practice administrators who would like to purchase access to the 2023 Salary & Benefits Survey data or who did not meet the 75% survey completion requirement, the cost is $400 for NCMGMA members and $600 for non-members. To purchase your data access, please follow the link below.

Questions
If you have any questions, please contact the NCMGMA offices at info@ncmgm.org.


NCMS Member Recognized as a National Leader in Treatment of Diabetes

Gebreselassie (Gebre) Nida (image credit: Cone Health)

REIDSVILLE — Local endocrinologist Gebreselassie (Gebre) Nida has recently been recognized as a national leader in treatment of diabetes and promotion of healthy lifestyles.

The prestigious medical report card, the Marquis Who’s Who, included Nida in its recent directory of top physicians, according to Cone Health officials.

Nida practices at Cone Health’s Reidsville Endocrinology Associates.

While Nida is an accomplished endocrinology and diabetes physician, he is becoming known as an expert in the growing field of lifestyle medicine, according to Cone spokesman Doug Allred.

A marathon runner who practices a healthy lifestyle himself, Nida is passionate about preventing and reversing Type 2 diabetes and many lifestyle-related chronic diseases, Allred said in a news release.

Lifestyle medicine uses proven methods to make changes in diet, exercise and stress management to improve health. Much of the system centers on removing the root causes of chronic diseases, such as ultra-processed foods and drinks, from the diet.

Nida’s vision is to expand this effective and better way of healing, Allred said in the release.

He credits his leaders and team members for the success of the Lifestyle Medicine Steering Committee at Cone Health.

Nida serves as a board member for Annie Penn Hospital Foundation and is the lead physician for the Rockingham County Diabetes Task Force. He leads and contributes to the Greensboro Chapter of Walk with a Doc.

A native of rural Ethiopia, Nida grew up tending animals in rugged conditions.

He raised cattle and sheep in an area without electricity and running water.

And because his father valued education, Nida was allowed to attend an elementary school he reached by walking one hour each way.

By age 12, Nida left home to pursue more specialized education and eventually made it to Addis Ababa University where he earned medical degree in 1999.

Soon after, Nida and his wife, Ethiopia Desta, immigrated to the United States where he pursued postgraduate studies, a residency in internal medicine and a fellowship in endocrinology, diabetes, and metabolism at Wayne State University in Michigan.

Nida joined Cone Health in 2012 where he recently added the new specialty Lifestyle Medicine with a new board certification from American College of Lifestyle Medicine.

An outdoors enthusiast, Nida has competed in 32 marathons, including five Boston Marathon races, and three major world marathons with a personal best time of 2:47:09 at age 48. [source]


Active Respiratory Illness Season Prompts Hospitals to Implement Visitor Restrictions

 

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – UNC Hospitals and UNC Health Chatham will implement temporary age-based visitor restrictions for some areas across our inpatient hospitals beginning at 7 a.m. on Tuesday, January 2, 2024.

“We understand these restrictions can present some challenges for our visitors and can be difficult for children who have a loved one in the hospital,” said Dr. Emily Sickbert-Bennett, Director of Infection Prevention for UNC Hospitals. “However, in looking at the data and this active respiratory illness season, we believe this decision is important to help keep our patients and teammates safer while providing a healthy environment where our patients can continue their healing journey.”

Effective Tuesday, January 2 on our UNC Hospitals’ Chapel Hill, Hillsborough, and Youth Behavioral Health campuses and at UNC Health Chatham in Siler City:

  • Visitors aged 11 and younger will be prohibited from all inpatient areas and all waiting rooms
  • All visitors with respiratory symptoms are prohibited from these same areas
  • Normal visiting policies will remain in effect for the remaining areas within UNC Hospitals
  • Healthy visitors of any age will remain welcome in our lobbies and retail/food locations

Other hospitals in the UNC Health system set their own visitor restrictions and policies based on local trends and other factors. At this time, UNC Health Rex in Raleigh and Holly Springs are not implementing additional restrictions.

Please note: If you’re planning to visit a loved one in the hospital, check with their clinical team or on the hospital’s website under “Visitor Policy” for any updates.

If you are feeling sick or have recently experience any symptom of respiratory illnesses, please stay home. We continue to encourage all visitors to wear masks in our hospitals.

Our infection prevention teams continuously monitor key criteria to help guide hospital leaders’ decision-making of when to impose and lift visitor restrictions to protect patient and teammate safety. We will share updates about when this restriction might lift as available. [source]


Happy Birthday to These NCMS Members Celebrating This Month!

Grab your party hats and noisemakers and let’s celebrate!

 

Jeffrey C. Acker, MD
David F. Adams, MD
Saifullah K. Afridi, MD
Dorothy E. Agbafe-Mosley, MD
Bilal M. Agha, MD
Joseph E. Agsten, MD
Serdal Aktolga, MD
Siobhan E. Alexander, MD
Joselito Almario, MD
Devena E. Alston-Johnson, MD
Tarini Anand, MD
Susan H. Andersen, MD
Dudley B. Anderson, MD
Larry G. Anderson, MD
Geanina Anghel, MD
Jerry N. Ariail, MD
Linda K. Armstrong, DO
Barton S. Arthur, MD
Rahul Arya, MD
Nasser A. Askary, MD
Marcus E. Babaoff, MD
Frederick J. Bachl, MD
Deren T. Bagsby, MD
Adija D. Bailey, PA-C
Michelle S. Bakardjiev, MD
Harry H. Ballard, MD, FACS
Christopher M. Barsanti, MD
Demir E. Bastug, MD
Stacey A. Bauer, PA
Sohail Bazel, MD
Cory D. Bean, MD
Melinda L. Beavers, MD
Kean T. Beierschmitt, PA-C
Robert S. Belk, MD
Daniel Bernstein, MD
Vikram S. Bhinder, MD
Scott C. Bilbro, MD
Edward B. Black, MD
Mary V. Blevins Smith, MD
Mark A. Boles, MD
Paul V. Bondy, MD
Michael R. Bonisa, PA-C
Frank P. Bonomo, DO
Karen M. Booth, PA
Lester S. Borden, Jr., MD
Elizabeth K. W. Borders, MD
Mahesh B. Borhade, MD
Joshua M. Bowers, DO
Tracy M. Bowman, PA-C
Daniel R. Brandon, Sr., MD
Benjamin J. Bregman, MD
E. D. Bridges, MD
Seth A. Broster, MD
Blair J. Brown, MD
Edward C. Brown, III, MD
J. Hugh Bryan, MD
Amy G. Bryant, MD
Michael F. Buckley, MD
Scott A. Burbank, MD
Shannon J. Burke, PA-C
Brian S. Burlingame, MD
Thomas H. Buter, MD
Andrew W. Buzan, MD
Nicole H. Byars, PA-C
John M. Cahill, MD
Sunny R. Cai, MD
James B. Calderbank, MD
G. Hadley Callaway, MD
Garlon L. Campbell, Jr., MD
Lauren N. Canada-Smith Vazquez, PA-C
Tony W. Canupp, MD, MPH, CHCQM
Donna M. Capps, MD
T. Kern Carlton, III, MD
Aaron M. Carter, MD
James H. Carter, Jr., MHS, PA-C
David J. Casey, MD
John V. Cattie, MD
Cristina M. Cavazos, MD
Salvador J. Cefalu, MD
Christopher M. Cerjan, MD
C. Labron Chambers, Jr., MD, MBA
Todd M. Chapman, Jr., MD
Jonathan D. Chappell, MD
Vijay Chaudhary, MD
Debi P. Chaudhuri, MD
Liling Chen, MD
Laura Chesley, MD, FAAFP
Alexander Chiaramonti, MD
John B. Chiavetta, MD
Mary Ann Chiodo, MD
W. R. Chitwood, Jr., MD, FACS
Jordan N. Christiansen, PA-C
H. W. Chu, MD
Amy V. Chudgar, MD
S. David Ciliberto, MD
Alexander J. Clark, MD
Kevin R. Clark, DO
Louis P. Clark, Jr., MD
Thomas L. Clarke, MD
Mark W. Clarkson, MD
Patrick C. Clegg, DO
Timothy V. Clifton, DO
Silas B. Coley, Jr., MD
Brian A. Collins, DO
David J. Conner, MD
Alan W. Cooper, MD
Maike N. Copeland, MD
Margeaux R. Corby, MD
William C. Corey, DO
Deanna L. Cottrell, PA-C
Maurice N. Courie, MD
Bruce A. Cox, Jr., MD
C. Patrick Craig, DO
Andrea K. Crane, MD
Andrew P. Crane, MD
Marian E. Cranford, PA-C
McNeil L. Cronin, MD
Kimberly N. Cronshaw, PA
Lauren N. Crouse, MD
Earl H. Crumpler, Jr., MD
John H. Culp, Jr., MD
Valerie L. Cumbea, PA-C
Robin G. Cummings, MD, FACC, FACS
Faisal A. Daud, MD
Charles Davant, III, MD
Paige Davis Clark, MD
William De Araujo, MD
Elizabeth C. Deans, MD
Michelle S. Deans, PA
Janet L. Dees, MD, MBA
Osmani Deochand, MD
Hemant A. Desai, MD
Pratik Desai, MD, FACC
Thomas J. DeVito, PA-C
Elizabeth R. Dewey, MD
Ralph J. DiFiore, MD
Robert R. Dixon, MD
Patrick W. Donahue, MD
Eve M. Doucette, MD
Edgar S. Douglas, Jr., MD
David A. Dowdy, MD, FACC
Gregory L. Drake, MD, FACS
Samuel T. Drake, MD
Nicole T. Drobner, PA-C
Allison J. Dudley, MD
Robert A. Duncan, MD
Maria Eapen, MD
Laura Y. Edgerton, PA-C
Henry G. Edmundson, Jr., MD
Michael D. Edwards, MD
Joseph R. Elbeery, MD, FSSC, FACCP, FACS
Hazem El-Droubi, MD
Samantha L. Elmore, PA
Paul E. Enochs, MD, FACS, FASMBS
Sean M. Epps, PA-C
Amy S. Erickson, DO
Shannon R. Ervin, PA-C
Keith A. Fehring, MD
Carolyn R. Ferree, MD, FACR
William G. Ferrell, MD
Holly E. Ferris, PA
Tobin A. Finizio, II, MD
Heather K. Firebaugh, MD
Susie L. Fitzgerald, DO
Shelley E. Fleming, PA
Tyann L. Floore, DO
Brie M. Folkner, MD
Lynn Fort, III, MD
Charlie H. Foster, Jr., MD
Wyatt C. Fowler, MD
Daniel L. Fox, MD
Richard F. Fox, MD
Jeffrey J. Freeman, MD
Julie A. Freischlag, MD
Jacob Friedman, MD
Eric R. Frizzell, MD
Herbert E. Fuchs, MD
Paul D. Fuchs, MD
Courtney F. Garbee, DO
Francis S. Gardner, Jr., MD
Leland E. Garrett, Jr., MD, FACP
Raymond A. Gaskins, Jr., MD
Boyd B. Gasque, Jr., MD
J. Richard Gavigan, MD
Matthew R. Gay, MD
Raghuvir B. Gelot, MD
Joseph J. Gerdes, MD
Elizabeth B. Gibbons, MD
John H. Gilliam, III, MD
D. John Godehn, Jr., MD
Harold L. Godwin, MD
Beth G. Goldstein, MD
Richard F. Gorman, Jr., MD
Alexis P. Goss, PA-C
Laura D. Gratton, DO
Kathryn L. Green, MD
William R. Green, MD, MBA
Richard M. Griffin, MD
Timothy L. Gruebel, MD
Patricia T. Guilford, DO
Robert A. Gutman, MD
Joe D. Haines, Jr., MD
Thomas M. Haizlip, Jr., MD
Joe W. Hardison, MD
Warren L. Harrell, Jr., MD
Morrill H. Harrington-Weaver, MD
Patricia C. Harris, PA-C
Edgar O. Hartle, MD, FACEP
Edwin L. Hartman, MD
Theresa L. Hartsell, MD
Karen H. Harum, MD, FAAP
J. Battle Haslam, MD
Justin B. Hauser, MD
Esther Rebecca Hayes, MD, FAAFP
Edmund B. Haywood, Jr., MD
Caitlin B. Heredia, PA-C
John Daniel Herlihy, IV, MD
Charles L. Herring, MD
Brian C. Hiestand, MD
Leana L. Higgins, PA
Frank S. Highley, MD, PhD
Michael J. Hill, MD
Stephanie L. Hill, MD
Peter P. T. Hindel, MD
Ryan J. Hines, MD
E. Ted Hodges, III, MD
Ronnita E. Holden, PA-C
Michael C. Hollingshead, MD
Norman A. Holmes, MD
Gregory G. Holthusen, MD
H. David Homesley, Jr., MD
John D. Hoover, MD
William F. Hopper, MD
Harold R. Howe, Jr., MD
Nathan J. Hruska, MD
Jeffrey T. Hu, MD
Richard W. Hudson, MD
Susan I. Hungness, MD
Kenneth R. Hutchins, MD
Sherry Z. Ikalowych, MD, MS
Mitchell G. Isaac, MD
Mona S. A. Ismail, MD
Jawanza N. Jabari, MD
Donald C. Jackson, MD
David A. Jaworski, MD
Grant W. Jenkins, MD
A. Tyson Jennette, MD
Christina Y. Jeong, MD
Bo Jiang, MD
Blake G. Joeckel, PA-C
Jeffrey C. Johnson, MD, FAAP
Billy E. Jones, MD
Neil D. Jones, MD
Thomas R. Jones, MD
Amy Y. Jordan, MD
Mark A. Joseph, MD
George W. Joyce, MD
Tilak S. Kalaria, MD
Heather J. Kaneda, DO
Anita A. Kelkar, MD
Ashley D. Kent, MD
Mustafa S. Khan, MD
Stephen P. Kikel, MD
Kevin A. Kilbride, MD
Frank A. Killian, MD
Andrew K. Kiluk, MD
Christ A. Koconis, MD
Julie M. Kolis, PA-C
Arthur E. Kopelman, MD
Francis J. Kosarek, MD
Peter E. Kravath, MD
Ronald D. Krull, MD
Anton P. Lacap, MD
Michael S. Lancaster, MD
Ronnie B. Laney, Jr., MD, MPH
Michael Law, MD
Jangwon Lee, MD
Mark D. Lenderman, MD
Janet L. Leone-Britt, PA-C
Catherine L. B. Lerner, MD
Eugene W. C. Leung, MD
Brian C. Lewis, MD, FACS
Eugene W. Linfors, MD
Edgar W. Little, MD
Tonya Dee S. Little, MD
Robert E. Littleton, MD
Robert C. Llanos, MD
Matthew J. Locker, MD
C. Trevor Locklear, MD
James M. Loftus, Jr., MD
Bart Lopina, MD
David E. Love, MD
R. F. Lowry, Jr., MD
Jing Lu, MD
Sahba E. Maani, MD
Harjit B. Mac, MD
Lissette E. Machin, MD
Neil R. MacIntyre, III, MD
Adit S. Mahale, MD
Ranjan S. Maitra, MD
Bahman Malekpour, MD
Arun Manikumar, MD
Anjali S. Marble, DO
Carol C. Marks, PA-C
J. Ashley Marsh, MD
Mary A. Marshbanks, MD
Thomas W. Marsland, MD
Alexa K. Martin, DO
Daniel J. Martinie, MD
Anthony L. Masciello, MD
J. Bohannon Mason, MD
Paul A. Mattera, PA-C
Shannon M. Matthews, MD
Arthur S. Maynard, III, MD
Brittany N. McCallister, PA-C
Michael E. McCrory, MD
Heath K. McCullough, MD
Varnell D. McDonald-Fletcher, PA-C, Ed.D
Brian J. McGrath, Jr., DO
Derek R. McHaffie, MD
M. Dixon McKay, MD
Randal N. McLean, PA-C
James H. McMillan, MD
James A. McQueen, MD
Henry M. Meinecke, MD
Kenneth Melton, MD
Steven L. Mendelsohn, MD, PhD
Marjorie E. R. Merod, MD
Laura T. Meyer, MD
John D. Midgett, PA-C
Matthew D. Miller, MD
Sean G. Miller, MD
Michael F. Miltich, MD
Joe T. Minchew, MD
Girish Mishra, MD
Todd M. Mitchell, MD
Jaymin J. Modi, DO
Adel W. Mohamed, MD
John T. Monroe, Jr., MD
Dixon M. Moody, MD
Delores C. Moore, MD
Ellen J. Moore, MD
Casi L. Mooring, PA-C
Jennifer I. Morales, MD
Sandra Y. Morelock, MD
Robert J. Morgan, MD
Eric D. Morse, MD
Melissa S. Morse, PA-C
Rodney A. Mortenson, MD
Duncan Morton, Jr., MD
Prashant R. Mudireddy, MD
Scott A. Murkin, MD
Cecile M. Murray, MD
Jennifer A. Mury, MD
David B. Musante, MD
Steven J. Muscoreil, MD, MHA
Naseem H. Nasrallah, MD
Christopher A. Nassef, MD
Jennifer A. Neilsen, MD
Clay G. Nelson, MD
Jean M. Nelson, MD
Robert B. Newell, Jr., MD
Viet-Nhan H. Nguyen, DO
Abdolhakim Niazi-Sai, MD
Mukesh K. Nigam, MD
Jacqueline M. Njapa, MD
Davin O. Nyangau, PA-C
Chang Y. Oak, MD
Ward S. Oakley, Jr., MD
Patrick J. O'Brien, MD
Philmo Y. Oh, MD
Tambetta N. Ojong, MD
Obinna C. Oriaku, MD
Joseph R. Overby, Jr., MD
William R. Owings, MD
Domenic A. Palagruto, II, DO
Frank S. Pancotto, MD, FACP
Robert A. Parr, DO
Ebony N. Parson, MD
Eugene H. Paschold, MD
Akash N. Patel, DO
James B. Payton, MD
Paula E. Pecen, MD
Menno Pennink, MD
Lourdes A. Pereda, MD, FAAP
Luis M. Perez, MD
Robert L. Peterson, MD
Patricia H. Petrozza, MD
Ervin L. Phipps, MD
Oanh N. Phung, PA-C
Fred L. Picklesimer, MD
Mark D. Piehl, MD, MPH
Scott A. Playford, MD
Alexandria M. Ponkratz, MD
Walter J. Pories, MD
Isaac W. Porter, MD
Michael R. Prafka, PA-C
Venkat L. Prasad, MD, MBA, MHA
Simon S. Prendiville, MD
R. Derek Prentice, MD
Elizabeth H. Prichard, MD
Jerry L. Pruitt, MD
Pavan Pyreddy, MD
Larry J. Quate, MD
Imran Quyyum, MD
Elizabeth V. Raft, MD
Mark W. Ragozzino, MD
Sneha P. Raju, MD
Theresa F. Ramos, PA-C
Rebecca E. Rawl, MD
Michael L. Reardon, MD
Charles D. Reid, MD
Derek L. Reinke, MD
David L. Remington, MD
Cole P. Reynolds, PA-C
David F. Rhodes, MD
Johnathan D. Rhyne, MD, FAAP
Daniel M. Ricci, MD
Kathleen R. Richard, MD
Geoffrey D. Rieser, MD
Aimee J. Riley, DO
William D. Rippy, MD
David J. Ritchie, MD
Stanley J. Robboy, MD
Harold R. Roberts, MD
Thomas A. Roberts, Jr., MD
Kent A. Robertson, MD
Thomas J. Robertson, Jr., MD, FACS
Antonio Rodriguez, MD
Rosiane A. Roeder, MD, MPH
Jason P. Rogers, MD
Kevin S. Roof, MD
Joel S. Rose, MD
Sarah C. Ruff, MD
Jose A. Ruiz, Jr., PA-C
Saskia A. Rupnarain, PA
Ritu R. Sandhu, MD
Alberto L. M. D. Santos, MD
Robert N. Satterfield, MD
William H. Satterfield, MD
Tarshree L. Sawyer, MD
Jessica Schorr Saxe, MD
William F. Sayers, MD
Benjamin I. Schachner, MD
Gary R. Schafer, MD
Robert W. Schafermeyer, MD
Randall E. Schisler, Jr., MD
Jacqueline D. Schiwek, MD
Jennifer J. Schmidt, DO
Charles K. Scott, MD, FAAP
Kathleen M. Seibel, MD, MHA
Murray K. Seidel, MD
Jonathan K. Seigel, MD
Donald Serafin, MD
Molly K. Setzer, DO
Saif L. Shafiq, MD
Hemang K. Shah, MD
Shabana Shahid, MD
Robert M. Shakar, Jr., MD
Rony L. Shammas, MD
Shannon Marie H. Sherfey, MD
David J. Sheridan, MD
Ajaydeep S. Sidhu, MD
John Sierra, MD
Jeffrey A. Silver, MD
Christian H. Simpson, MD
Lisa V. Sitterson, MD
Anna Skaskiw, MD
James B. Sloan, MD
Stephen A. Small, MD, FACEP, FAAEM
Carl L. Smith, MD
Melanie C. Smith, MD
Gjanje L. Smith-Mathus, MD
Robert H. Smithson, MD
Craig A. Soltis, MD
Chut Sombutmai, DO
John K. Southard, Jr., MD
Megan J. Speziale, PA
Samuel S. Spicer, MD
Denise W. Sponseller, PA-C
Matthew T. Sproul, MD
Rhonda H. Stahl, MD
Marilyn J. L. Steel, MD
Virgil S. Steele, MD
Michael D. Stephens, MD
Trenton T. Stevens, MD
Elee E. Stewart, MD
Susan E. Stinehelfer, MD
Cameron M. Stone, MD
Sara E. Stoneburner, MD
Stephen B. Strock, MD
Matthew A. Strode, DO
Brett T. Summey, Jr., MD
Siddharth P. Sura, MD, MPH
David M. Susco, MD
Stephanie G. Sussman, MD
Katherine W. Suttle, MD
Kia L. Swan-Moore, MD
Ava M. Swayze, DO
Alan E. Szczesniewski, DO
Michael F. Tabone, DO
Kyle D. Talbot, MD
Alexandra Tarasidis, DO
Anna L. Tatarchuk, MD
Daniel N. Taylor, PA
Daniel S. Terryberry, MD
Jantira T. Thomas, DO
T. Payson Thompson, MD
W. Keith Thompson, MD, FAAP
John W. Tidwell, II, MD
Hugh H. Tilson, MD
Ellis A. Tinsley, Sr., MD
Jerry H. Titel, MD
Monica M. Turbay, MPA, PA-C
Joshua S. Turner, PA-C
Stephen R. Uhlin, MD
William V. Van Fleet, MD
Marion P. Van Kirk, MD
Brian S. Vierling, MD
Cindy H. Vu, MD
Koehler E. Waldrop, PA-C
Gurmukh S. Walha, MD
Amy J. Walsh, MD
Abe Walston, II, MD
Demming M. Ward, MD
Paul R. Watson, PA-C
Susan A. Watson, MD
William G. Way, Jr., MD
Thomas J. Weber, Jr., DO
Richard H. Weisler, MD
Richard E. Weiss, MD
Samuel Wesonga, MD
Marcus C. Whaley, MD
Joseph G. Whelan, Jr., MD
James T. White, MD
Adrienne E. Wiggins-Metcalf, MD
Erik C. Wiglama, DO
Alisha S. Williams, MD
Charles E. Williams, MD
Heather L. Willis, MD
Christopher N. Wilson, MD, FAAP
Eugene K. Wilson, III, MD
Patrick A. Wilson, MD
Matthew W. Wood, MD
Neil A. Worden, MD
J. William Wotring, Jr., MD
Jeffrey W. Wright, MD, FACOG
Robert A. Yapundich, MD, FAAN
Daniel A. Young, MD
Nicholas S. Zarzar, MD
Daniel M. Zirkman, MD
David W. Zub, MD
Joseph P. Zuhosky, MD


NCMS Capitol Chronicle - Disastrous 3.4% Medicare Physician Payment Cut is Looming

 

On November 2, 2023, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released their final rule for the 2024 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule. Under the rule, physician payment will be cut starting January 1, 2024, by 3.4% unless Congress intervenes. This cut would follow on the heels of a 2% cut in 2023.

Averting the disastrous payment cut is unfinished business for the year, but there is still time for Congress to act to stop the reduction before Medicare processes the first claims for 2024. Congress has until January 19, 2024 to take action to avoid the next government shutdown and we need to impress upon our Senate and House members the urgency of resolving the Medicare cut in those deliberations.

Rep. Greg Murphy MD (NC-3)

Representative Greg Murphy MD has paved the way for Congress to take the necessary action by introducing H.R. 6683 the Preserving Seniors' Access to Physicians Act. This legislation, with the support of both Democrats and Republicans, would eliminate the scheduled 3.4% physician payment cut and presents Congress with model language that can be incorporated into their appropriations package to meet next month’s government funding deadline.

The NCMS and our state and national partners have collectively engaged to impress upon Congress the need to fix the Medicare cut and protect patients’ access to care.  We joined the AMA and 120 state and national medical/specialty societies in a joint letter to congressional leaders urging them to take action to avert the 3.4%% cut and fix Medicare’s systemic problems.

Now we need you to add your voice to this effort by using the AMA’s platform for connecting with your members of Congress.  Please take a minute and send your message today.  Every voice makes a difference.

Thank you.


Do you know your state and federal legislators?
More importantly, do your legislators know you?

The NCMS can help you connect with policy makers as a constituent and advocate!


 


Ending Soon! Grant Opportunity for State Designated Rural Health Centers

 

The purpose of grants awarded under the Rural Health Centers Capital Grant program is to support State Designated Rural Health Centers (SDRHC).

The Office of Rural Health (ORH) assists underserved communities and populations with developing innovative strategies for improving access, quality, and cost-effectiveness of health care. The ability of a healthcare facility to meet the needs of a rural patient population is directly related to the efficiency, size, and quality of the facility and its equipment.

Capital Grant funding allows for investment in healthcare infrastructure, including the construction, renovation, and expansion of rural healthcare facilities. Capital investments can also be made through the purchase and installation of major equipment and technology. Capital Grant funding does not support staff salaries and requests should not duplicate Community Health, Farmworker Health, or SDRHC grant funded operating projects.

Get more details and application and submission instructions here.

Grant applications must be received via electronic survey by 5:00 p.m. December 29, 2023.


WARNING! Scammers Using QR Codes to Steal Your Personal Information.

 

It's the most wonderful time of the year, especially for scammers!

The Federal Trade Commission is sounding an alarm on QR code scams. Scammers are using these convenient links to mislead unsuspecting individuals by covering up legitimate QR codes with their own. The fraudulent code leads to a spoof website designed to steal your information or install malware.

These codes can also arrive via text message and/or email. Scammers use message like the following to prompt you to take immediate action:

  • say they couldn't deliver your package and you need to contact them to reschedule
  • pretend there’s a problem with your account and you need to confirm your information
  • report of suspicious activity on your account, and you need to change your password

If you're not expecting--or do not recognize--the sender, do not click.

Here are some tips to help protect yourself and your information:

  • If you see a QR code in an unexpected place, inspect the URL before you open it. If it looks like a URL you recognize, make sure it’s not spoofed — look for misspellings or a switched letter.
  • Don’t scan a QR code in an email or text message you weren’t expecting — especially if it urges you to act immediately. If you think the message is legitimate, use a phone number or website you know is real to contact the company.
  • Protect your phone and accounts. Update your phone's OS to protect against hackers and protect your online accounts with strong passwords and multi-factor authentication.

CDC: Suspect Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever? Start Treatment Immediately!

CDC Issues Warning on Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever

The CDC is warning health care providers that if a patient has symptoms of Rocky Mountain spotted fever and has recently traveled to northern Mexico, they should consider starting treatment with the antibiotic doxycycline right away, rather than waiting for test results to confirm the condition.

Signs of infection can be mild in the first few days, including a low fever, headache, stomach problems, abdominal pain, rash and swelling around the eyes and on the back of the hands. On or after about five days, someone may develop changes in mental state, coma, brain swelling, respiratory problems and multiorgan damage. It’s fatal in 5% to 10% of cases, with about half of those deaths happening within eight days of the onset of illness.

An outbreak of the tickborne disease has caused at least five illnesses, including three deaths, in the US since July.

Read the full article here.


New Study: Flu Virus May Have Long-lasting Effects on Health

 

COVID-19 Not Only Illness That Leads to Persistent Symptoms

Evidence continues to mount that Covid isn’t the only viral illness that can lead to persistent and sometimes debilitating symptoms.

Research published Thursday in The Lancet Infectious Diseases finds that the flu virus may also have long-lasting effects on health.

With the arrival of the pandemic and the resulting rash of long Covid cases, doctors had to rethink their ideas about viral infections, said senior study author Dr. Ziyad Al-Aly, chief of research and development at the VA St. Louis Health Care System and a clinical epidemiologist at Washington University in St. Louis.

“Our conception of these illnesses as acute events that you deal with and then put behind you has changed,” he said. “The acute phase is like the tip of an iceberg. People who get these infections may need attention beyond the acute phase. We need to ask if they have fully recovered, if they are able to go to the gym like before, if they have the same mental acuity.”

This view of viral illnesses and their potential long-term impacts may lead to research that will also help people with other little understood conditions, such as chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia, which experts believe might be triggered by viral infections, Al-Aly said.

Read the full article here.