NCMS Political Pulse for October 23, 2020
Be a part of what is likely a record turnout for this election -- make your plan to vote! NCMS Director of Legislative Relations Sue Ann Forrest, MPA, offers some tips on how to be part of this important process this year. Also, tune in at 1 p.m. today for the Kanof Institute for Physician Leadership Power Hour for a discussion with legislators about the $25 million financial recovery program and other pressing health care topics. Register for this virtual conversation here.
NCMS Morning Rounds 10-23-20
Happy Friday! Here's your NCMS Morning Rounds!Oct. 23, 2020NC Medicaid Extends Rate IncreasesNC Medicaid is extending temporary provider rate increases and clinical coverage policies related to COVID-19 through the end of the federal COVID-19 public health emergency, which goes through January 21, 2021. This action will extend all COVID-19 rate increases currently in place. If the federal government extends the federal Public Health Emergency or takes other action, NC Medicaid will reassess both needs and available funding for further extension of temporary rate increases. For more information, please refer to SPECIAL BULLETIN COVID-19 #139: COVID-19 Temporary Provider Rate Increases and Clinical Policy Changes Extended. HOPE Program Offers Rent, Utilities AssistanceThe Housing Opportunities and Prevention of Evictions (HOPE) Program is a new statewide initiative that may provide rent and utility assistance to eligible low- and moderate-income renters experiencing financial hardship due to the economic effects of COVID-19. The new program will help prevent evictions and utility disconnections in order to promote housing stability during the ongoing pandemic. HOPE is an initiative of the NC Office of Recovery and Resiliency, a division of the North Carolina Department of Public Safety, and is funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Community Development Block Grant program – Coronavirus and the U.S. Department of the Treasury Coronavirus Relief Funds. Learn more about the program on this fact sheet and FAQs. The HOPE funds will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. Learn more and apply at this link (for Spanish speakers here). Please share this information with your patients and colleagues. Deadline Approaches for Future Clinician LeadersThe November deadline to apply to be part of the Kanof Institute for Physician Leadership (KIPL) Future Clinician Leaders College is fast approaching. This one-year interprofessional leadership development program is uniquely designed for emerging leaders in health care professional training in North Carolina. In partnership with the North Carolina AHEC Program lead by the Northwest AHEC, Future Clinician Leaders College participants will build strong leader identity in the interprofessional team and gain a thorough understanding of health care leadership including advocacy and driving change. Participants will have an opportunity to interact with North Carolina health care leaders and use their leadership skills to tackle major health policy challenges facing the state through a group project spanning clinical professions as well as institutions. Previous project topics have included: the opioid epidemic, provider shortage, cost of medicine, equity and population health. The deadline to apply to become a 2021 Future Clinician Leader is Nov. 13. If you are a medical, pharmacy, PA, nursing or other health professional student who wants to be a leader, please read our call for applications here. You may apply here. For more information, visit this website. In the News‘All You Want is to Be Believed’: The Impacts of Unconscious Bias in Health Care, Kaiser Health News, 10-21-20 Learning OpportunityREMINDER: Tune in to today’s Power Hour from 1 to 2 p.m.This election year has been compared by some political history scholars to the 1860 election, as presenting another stark choice between two competing visions for the future of the US. Politics at the local level is fundamental to that vision. Join a conversation with NC General Assembly representatives from both sides of the aisle as we discuss crucial issues for the state as well as the $25 million relief package for independent practices and other pressing health care issues. The KIPL Power Hour aims to provide a forum for ongoing conversation, collaboration, and community. Tune in to Power Hour weekly to hear from different experts, decision makers and influencers on a variety of topics. The format is informal and conversational, and sessions are easy to access through Zoom. Power Hours will be recorded and made available to you through your NCMS Morning Rounds and on the KIPL webpage. If you have policies you'd like your NCMS Board of Directors to consider, please complete the Board input form here. Thanks for reading!
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NCMS Morning Rounds 10-22-20
Enjoy your Thursday NCMS Morning Rounds!
Oct. 22, 2020
JAMA Editor Offers Insights into Impact of Pandemic
The Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Howard Bauchner, MD, MPH, was the featured speaker at the NCMS’ virtual Annual Business Meeting last Friday. He detailed how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the editorial process at JAMA as well as general insights he has gleaned from the many pandemic related articles submitted.
Since the beginning of the year the number of article submissions to JAMA have increased 134 percent, Dr. Bauchner said, including an estimated 10,000 manuscripts related to COVID-19. He noted that the journal is editorially independent from the AMA, and that he sees its role as providing scientific and data-based education for both physicians and the general public. To that end, JAMA maintains a free, searchable database of its content. Access it here.
In reviewing the massive amount of information that has come across his desk regarding COVID-19, Dr. Bauchner shared some general observations about the pandemic. Specifically, he opined that:
• Lack of leadership, consistent message and interference with federal agencies was devastating;
• Early mistakes by the FDA and CDC had important clinical implications;
• Failure to recognize asymptomatic spread earlier led to many deaths (journals are partly responsible, he said);
• Long-term consequences for mental health, education and state budgets are yet to be realized.
He predicted the US would see 400,000 to 500,000 excess deaths by the end of the year.
REMINDER: There is Always HOPE4HEALERS
The NC Hope4Healers Helpline (919-226-2002) is a partnership between the NC Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) and the North Carolina Psychological Foundation. It provides mental health and resilience supports for health care professionals, emergency medical specialists, first responders, other staff who work in health care settings and their families throughout the state who are experiencing stress from being on the front lines of the state’s COVID-19 response.
Hope4Healers is available 24 hours per day, seven days a week for people to reach out for support from a licensed mental health professional.
NCDHHS also has a list of other general resources to assist you and/or your patients struggling with mental health issues during this stressful time. Access that list here. The NCMS also maintains its Emotional Supports During COVID-19 webpage specifically for health care teams in need. Review those resources here.
NC Reports First Flu Death of the Season
The 2020-21 flu season officially began on Sept. 27 and last week the NC Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) reported its first flu-related death of the season. This year the NC Department of Public Health will post a combined COVID-19 and influenza surveillance summary report each Thursday throughout the flu season, which will continue through late May. You can see the weekly report here.
The first flu death this season involved an adult over 65 years of age in the central part of the state.
“This is a sad reminder that flu can be a serious illness and can lead to complications and even death in some cases,” said State Epidemiologist Zack Moore, M.D., MPH. “With flu season starting during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is more important than ever for people to get a flu vaccine this year.”
During the 2019-20 flu season, 186 flu deaths were reported in North Carolina, down from 208 deaths during the 2018-19 flu season. Of those 186 deaths, 105 were people age 65 and older and five were under the age of 18.
The flu vaccine is the best way to prevent flu and its complications. The CDC recommends flu vaccination every year for everyone 6 months and older. It is especially important for those at higher risk of more serious outcomes, such as people over 65 years old, children younger than 5, pregnant women and those with certain medical conditions such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease and obesity. Some of these same groups are also at high risk of complications from COVID-19.
In the News
CVS to Hire 15,000 Employees for Flu Season, Becker’s Hospital Review, 10-19-20
Learning Opportunity
Join The Physicians Foundation and Health Affairs on Thursday, Oct. 29 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. for a unique opportunity to focus on health policy issues affecting physicians. Health Affairs Editor-in-Chief Alan Weil will host an online forum examining the growing expectation that physicians address the social determinants of their patients’ health. Guests include NCMS Board member Karen L. Smith, MD, FAAFP, a family medicine physician in Raeford. Learn more and register here.
If you have policies you'd like your NCMS Board of Directors to consider, please complete the Board input form here. Thanks for reading!
NCMS Morning Rounds 10-20-20
Enjoy Tuesday's NCMS Morning Rounds!
Oct. 20, 2020
NCMS Racial Reconciliation Task Force Video
The NCMS’ Racial Reconciliation Task Force, co-chaired by Karen Smith, MD and Robert ‘Charlie’ Monteiro, MD, presented its report at the NCMS Annual Business Meeting last Friday, detailing the task force’s research into the NCMS’ past discriminatory policies toward African-American physicians and what actions can now be taken to reconcile with those physicians’ and/or their families.
The report concluded with a video focused on the experience of one African-American physician, Joseph Weaver, MD, who eloquently and effectively questioned the segregated policies of organized medicine in the 1950s and 60s. The video, introduced by Dr. Smith, includes Dr. Weaver’s daughter, Claudia Richardson, MD, recounting the challenges her father faced in opening a practice in Ahoskie, NC in the 1950s and his struggle to be fully accepted by the NCMS and other medical societies.
The Task Force recommended that the NCMS Board of Directors send an apology letter to the family members of those impacted by the discriminatory policies as one way to help acknowledge and heal past wounds. The Board approved this recommendation at its meeting last week.
NCMS PPE Update -- Nitrile Gloves in Stock!
For those who are looking for Nitrile gloves, the NCMS’ PPE supplier, ActionPPE now has a limited supply of those gloves in-stock for NCMS members.
Please order ASAP, while supplies last. Here are the details:
• Nitrile sizes M/L/XL
• 4Mil
• Exam grade
• Color: white
• $19.95 per box of 100
• FDA certified
Order yours at the NCMS ActionPPE webpage.
Remember to use your membership discount code: NCMS-SAVE5 and save 5 percent on checkout.
This PPE is separate from the FREE PPE available through the NCMS for independent practices thanks to a state appropriation. Learn if you are eligible for and order free PPE here.
NC Submits COVID-19 Vaccination Plan to CDC
The NC Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) submitted its plan for immunizing North Carolinians once a COVID-19 vaccine is approved and available to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) last Friday. The plan’s goal is to immunize everyone who is eligible for and wants a COVID-19 vaccine.
"Leaders from across sectors came together under tight timelines to collaboratively develop a vaccine plan that leads with equity and prioritizes building trust. We will continue to update this plan as we learn more from the science and data on vaccines and in response to the needs of North Carolinians," said NCDHHS Secretary Mandy K. Cohen, MD, MPH.
North Carolina’s vaccine plan reflects five principles:
1. All North Carolinians have equitable access to vaccines.
2. Vaccine planning and distribution is inclusive; actively engages state and local government, public and private partners; and draws upon the experience and expertise of leaders from historically marginalized populations.
3. Transparent, accurate and frequent public communications is essential to building trust.
4. Data is used to promote equity, track progress and guide decision-making.
5. Appropriate stewardship of resources and continuous evaluation and improvement drive successful implementation.
Currently, multiple vaccines are in development. Promising vaccines are being manufactured at the same time they are being tested, so there will be an initial supply when the science shows which vaccines are found to be safe and effective. Once the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorizes a vaccine, it will take time for manufacturers to ramp up production. Therefore, states will receive limited vaccine supplies at the start and will need to determine which populations receive the vaccine first. North Carolina’s prioritization framework was developed based on the National Academy of Medicine framework and in consultation with an external COVID-19 Vaccine Advisory Committee convened by the North Carolina Institute of Medicine (NCIOM).
NCMS Board of Directors member Art Apolinario, MD, MPH, FAAFP, a family medicine physician at Clinton Medical Clinic, co-chaired the NCIOM Vaccine Advisory Committee, along with Goldie Byrd, MD, Director, Maya Angelou Center for Health Equity at Wake Forest University; and Leah Devlin, DDS, MPH, Professor, Department of Health Policy and Management at UNC School of Public Health.
"My patients have taught me how important it is to recognize the mistrust that the current health care system has created with non-white communities," Dr. Apolinario said. “We worked to ensure that racial disparities and equity in delivery of care were recognized and put in the forefront of this COVID-vaccine decision making process. We had stakeholders at the table to make sure we made unbiased decisions. Our work was independent, free of political bias, open to all opinions and strictly adhered to data and science as the main tenets for good decision making."
This is an interim plan and will continue to be revised based on further information and guidance from the CDC and other federal agencies, increasing data on safety and efficacy from vaccine trials, ongoing input from state and local partners and the Vaccine Advisory Committee, and refinements needed as the state progresses through the planning and operational stages.
In the News
STAT-Harris Poll: The Share of Americans Interested in Getting COVID-19 Vaccine As Soon As Possible is Dropping, STAT, 10-19-20
Learning Opportunity
Please join the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine on Wednesday, Oct. 21 from 1 to 2:30 p.m. for a webinar on the release of its new report Understanding the Well-Being of LGBTQI+ Populations. This report will review the available data and future research needs relevant to persons of diverse sexualities and genders, and persons with differences in sex development, across multiple dimensions over the course of their lives. The webinar will include an overview of the study process and discussion of the report’s findings, conclusions, and recommendations. Learn more and register here.
If you have policies you'd like your NCMS Board of Directors to consider, please complete the Board input form here. Thanks for reading!
NCMS Political Pulse for Oct. 16, 2020
Watch as NCMS Director of Legislative Relations Sue Ann Forrest, MPA, reminds you about important voting deadlines -- early voting is underway now -- and encourages independent practices to apply to the Financial Recovery Program.
Be on the lookout today for tweets and social media posts from our NCMS LEAD Health Care Conference, underway now. This morning our Leadership College scholars are presenting their MEDTalks. This afternoon is our Annual Business Meeting. Our incoming president, Philip Brown's, MD, inauguration will be livestreamed on our Facebook page (ncmedsoc) beginning around 4 p.m. this afternoon.
NCMS Morning Rounds 10-15-20
Enjoy your Thursday NCMS Morning Rounds.Oct. 15, 2020Additional Federal Funds for Medicaid/CHIP ProvidersLast week, the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced an additional funding opportunity for those physicians and PAs seeing patients receiving Medicaid/CHIP. HHS has allocated $20 billion for this round of funding. The application period runs through Nov. 6, 2020, and HHS encourages you to apply early for this round of federal Provider Relief Funds. Learn more here. Download COVID Exposure App to Stay SafeMore than 100,000 people have downloaded SlowCOVIDNC, the official exposure notification app of the NC Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS). SlowCOVIDNC alerts users when they may have been exposed to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19. The app relies on users to anonymously submit their positive result to notify others. It is free, completely anonymous and does not collect, store or share personal information or location data. You can easily download the app for free on your smart phone through the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store. SlowCOVIDNC leverages Google and Apple’s Exposure Notification System (ENS) and alerts users who have the app if they have been in close range of an individual who later tests positive for COVID-19. It is voluntary to download and use and is designed to enhance the state’s existing contact tracing efforts. NCHICA Announces Permanent ClosingYesterday the NC Healthcare Information and Communications Alliance (NCHICA) made the sad announcement that it was permanently closing down due to the impact of COVID-19 on its finances. NCHICA was established in 1994 by Executive Order of Governor James B. Hunt, Jr. The founders’ vision 26 years ago was that the delivery, quality, accessibility and efficiency of health care could be vastly improved through the use of information technology. Through workgroups made up of volunteers from its member organizations including corporations, nonprofits, public agencies and educational entities, the Alliance did make major strides toward its vision. The NCMS as a member organization has long been involved with NCHICA and NCMS Strategic Planning Officer Karen L. Smith, MD, FAAPP and NCMS Vice President for Rural Health System Innovation Franklin Walker, MBA are members of its Board of Directors. In the NewsCoronavirus Infections are Real, But Very, Very Rare, The New York Times, 10-13-20 Learning OpportunityA webinar hosted by the NCMS Foundation’s Kanof Institute for Physician Leadership will focus on 'Connecting Communities of Care Via Health Information Exchange' on Tuesday, Oct. 20 from noon to 1 p.m. Jessica Brehmer, in her role as Business and Outreach Specialist for the NC Health Information Exchange Authority will describe the NCHIEA’s role in helping to close care gaps and look ahead to 2021. Learn more and register here. If you have policies you'd like your NCMS Board of Directors to consider, please complete the Board input form here. Thanks for reading!
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NCMS Morning Rounds 10-14-20
Welcome to your Wednesday NCMS Morning Rounds.Oct. 14, 2020Are You a Future Clinician Leader? Apply Now to Become One!The NCMS and Kanof Institute for Physician Leadership (KIPL) Future Clinician Leaders College is now accepting applications for this one-year interprofessional leadership development program for emerging leaders in health care professional training within the state of North Carolina. In partnership with the North Carolina AHEC Program lead by the Northwest AHEC, Future Clinician Leaders College participants will build strong leader identity in the interprofessional team and gain a thorough understanding of health care leadership including advocacy and driving change. Participants will have an opportunity to interact with North Carolina health care leaders and use their leadership skills to tackle major health policy challenges facing the state through a group project spanning clinical professions as well as institutions. Previous project topics have included: the opioid epidemic, provider shortage, cost of medicine, equity and population health. An interactive and participative approach will probe student experiences, build new perspectives and focus on each student’s individual development as a leader. The purpose is to build leadership centered on self-awareness and foster authenticity allowing each student to act in alignment with their core values as a leader, encourage and assess information from different perspectives and balance transparency. The curriculum further weaves in diversity and equity, to build leaders that confidently lead from a perspective of working with diversity as opposed to managing diversity in the workplace. The deadline to apply to become a 2021 Future Clinician Leader is Nov. 13. If you are a medical, pharmacy, PA, nursing or other health professional student who wants to be a leader, please read our call for applications here. You may apply here. For more information, visit this website. In-Person Voting Begins Tomorrow, Oct. 15Polling places for early, in-person voting open tomorrow, Oct. 15 and will continue through Oct. 31. Find an early voting location near you at this link. Remember, too, you may drop off absentee ballots at early voting sites rather than mail them in. You may not bring an absentee ballot to your regular polling place on Nov. 3, Election Day, however. Check out our NCMS legislative blog and our quick links to voting tools and information. As you do your research on candidates on your ballot, feel free to consult NCMS Director of Legislative Relations Sue Ann Forrest, MPA, if you have questions. You may reach out to her at [email protected]. New Repayment Terms for Medicare COVID-19 LoansThe Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently issued new recoupment terms allowing those who received payments through the Medicare Accelerated and Advance Payment (AAP) program one additional year to start loan payments. CMS distributed $106 billion in APP program payments to providers and suppliers in order to alleviate the financial burden health care providers faced while experiencing cash flow issues in the early stages of combating the COVID-19 public health emergency. Under the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2021 and Other Extensions Act, repayment will now begin one year from the issuance date of each provider or supplier’s accelerated or advance payment. CMS also issued guidance on how to request an Extended Repayment Schedule (ERS) for those who are continuing to experience financial hardships. An ERS is a debt installment payment plan that allows you to pay debts over the course of three years, or, up to five years in the case of extreme hardship. Please contact your MAC for information on how to request an ERS. To allow even more flexibility in paying back the loans, the $175 billion issued in Provider Relief funds can be used towards repayment of these Medicare loans. Learn more through this Fact Sheet or this FAQ document. In the NewsDr. Fauci says US Faces ‘a Whole Lot of Trouble’ as Coronavirus Cases Rise Heading into Winter, CNBC, 10-12-20 Learning OpportunityThe North Carolina Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Society in conjunction with Novartis invites specialists to a virtual panel discussion on ‘Asthma Management in the Era of COVID-19,’ on Thursday Oct. 22 at 7 pm. The panel discussion will be moderated by Aerik Williams, MD, NCAAIS President. For a link to participate, please email [email protected]. Ongoing opportunity: The NC Orthopaedic Association (NCOA) is offering its pre-recorded CME presentations online until Jan. 2 for viewing at your leisure. These sessions will be hosted on the SR-AHEC CME portal. Once you view the session and answer the questions you will receive your CME certificate from SR-AHEC. Register and pay fee here. If you have policies you'd like your NCMS Board of Directors to consider, please complete the Board input form here. Thanks for reading!
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NCMS Morning Rounds 10-13-20
It's Tuesday and time for your NCMS Morning Rounds.Oct. 13, 2020TODAY -- Last Day to Register for the NCMS LEAD Health Care ConferenceDon’t miss this unique opportunity to learn with and from your colleagues and to participate in the NCMS’ Annual Business meeting -- virtually. Only a few spots remain for each of the sessions this Thursday and Friday, Oct. 15-16, so get the details here on what is being offered and register now. Once you register, the links to the various sessions will be emailed to you 24 hours before the session is scheduled to begin. For instance, if you register for the Racial Equity Institute training, the links will be emailed to you at 9 a.m. tomorrow, Wednesday, Oct. 14. MedTalks links will be sent at 9 a.m. on Thursday and the link to the NCMS Annual Business Meeting will be sent at noon on Thursday. If you do not receive the links, please check your spam/junk mail folder. If you still did not receive them, please reach out to Danielle Snyder at [email protected]. State Offers Reimbursement for Uninsured COVID-19 PatientsThe North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) developed a program to reimburse primary care providers (PCP) with federal funds for providing care for COVID-19 related services (e.g. follow-up care) to uninsured North Carolina residents. An NCTracks Portal to submit claims is scheduled to go live in late October and claims will be retroactively reimbursed to Sept. 1, 2020. A payment of $150 per eligible encounter enables providers to recoup costs for COVID-19 related services provided for uninsured patients. Nearly $8 million is available to support the program through Dec. 30, 2020, or until the funds are depleted, whichever occurs first. Reimbursement will be made on a first-come first-served basis. For more information, review the fact sheet or the SPECIAL BULLETIN COVID-19 #137: REIMBURSEMENT FOR COVID-19 RELATED PRIMARY CARE SERVICES FOR UNINSURED NC RESIDENTS – Steps to Prepare. Are You Up to Speed?The N.C. Department of Information Technology’s Broadband Infrastructure Office and the Friday Institute for Education Innovation at North Carolina State University have developed the North Carolina Broadband Survey to gather information on locations in the state without adequate internet access and speeds. The information gathered from the survey will: The NCMS advocates for improved access to adequate Broadband throughout the state to help enable telehealth. Please spend just a minute to take the survey and help inform policy and investments in this necessary resource. Even if you currently have internet service in your home or office, the survey includes an optional internet speed test. NCMS Leadership Goes ‘Over the Edge’
Chip and Bob going over the edge. Back safe on the ground. The NCMS was a ‘Harness’ Level sponsor of the 2020 Over the Edge for Special Olympics on Oct. 3. That entitled three NCMS leaders -- NCMS Secretary Treasurer John J. Meier, IV, MD, MBA, NCMS CEO Emeritus Robert W. Seligson, MBA, MA and NCMS Executive Vice President/CEO Chip Baggett, JD – to go ‘over the edge’ of the 30-story tall Wells Fargo Capital Center building in downtown Raleigh. The event raised $75,000 for the Special Olympics and was a memorable experience for everyone who participated – and for those who watched -- as 60 people in all took turns rappelling down the side of the building. Going ‘Over the Edge’ is a way to highlight the fact that it takes courage to try something that doesn’t come easily to you. Just as those with intellectual disabilities who participate in the Special Olympics show courage in overcoming their challenges, those participating in the Over the Edge showed their bravery. Congrats – and thanks -- to Bob, Chip and Dr. Meier! In the News7 Looming Questions About the Rollout of a COVID Vaccine, STAT, 10-9-20 Learning OpportunityTODAY from noon to 1 p.m. learn more about the NCMS Foundation’s Financial Recovery Program for independent practices struggling due to the COVID-19 pandemic. NCMS Vice President for Rural Health System Innovation Franklin Walker, MBA, will provide an overview and answer questions. Learn more and register here. Also, today beginning at 1 p.m. the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will discuss vaccine development and distribution. Hosted by Susan R. Bailey, MD, AMA President, the presentation will provide a comprehensive overview of the CDC’s role in COVID-19 vaccine review and immunization programs. Nancy Messonnier, MD, Director NCISD at the CDC and Amanda Cohn, MD, Acting Chief Medical Officer, NCIRD and Executive Secretary for the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) will address the prioritization and allocation of vaccines, distribution of vaccines and data systems to monitor distribution and uptake, and the role physicians will play in vaccine distribution and vaccine hesitancy. Register now. If you have policies you'd like your NCMS Board of Directors to consider, please complete the Board input form here. Thanks for reading!
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NCMS Political Pulse for October 9, 2020
Two big events to tell you about today -- the launch of the NCMS Foundation's Financial Recovery Program and the NCMS LEAD Health Care Conference coming up next Thursday and Friday. Learn more by watching this week's video.
NCMS Morning Rounds 10-9-20
Finally Friday! Enjoy your NCMS Morning Rounds.Oct. 9, 2020Thank a PA in honor of PA Week! Updated Antigen Testing Guidance from NCDHHSThe North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) yesterday released updated guidance on Antigen Testing for Clinicians and Laboratories. Updates to this guidance include: • Use of antigen tests Access the memo describing the updates here. NC COVID-19 Vaccination Planning UnderwayWhile it’s still uncertain exactly when a COVID-19 vaccine will be ready for distribution, the NC Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) vaccination planning team has been working with a variety of stakeholder organizations, including the NCMS, on building a NC COVID-19 Vaccination Campaign Plan. Along with providing information and guidance to local, state and tribal partner agencies, the state plan will be the framework to accomplish the overall mission of vaccinating every North Carolinian who wishes to receive the vaccine. The plan is currently working its way through the executive review process with an Oct. 16 deadline for final submission to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). NCDHHS’ planning team has been encouraging local health departments to form local planning teams that should include providers within their community. If you would like to be engaged in this work, please contact your local health department. All providers wishing to receive and administer COVID-19 Vaccine once it becomes available, will have to sign a COVID-19 Vaccination Program Provider Agreement. NCDHHS is currently working on incorporating this legal agreement provided by the CDC into an electronic enrollment process. NCDHHS will soon begin enrolling providers, starting with local health departments and hospitals first and then expanding to others. More information about how and when providers can begin to enroll will be forthcoming. In the meantime, here is a graphic from the federal government’s Operation Warp Speed illustrating the vaccine distribution process. Also, this document outlines the CDC’s vaccination planning assumptions. Over 125 vaccines are currently in development with over 25 in currently running clinical trials. Two COVID-19 vaccines have been approved in other countries (Russia and China), however none are currently approved for use in the US. Six manufacturers already have federal contracts for vaccine purchase when the vaccines are approved. Become a Political Strategist – Virtually!If you are interested in becoming a political strategist or a political candidate yourself, consider attending the AMPAC Campaign School. Recognized as one of the top training programs in the country, this comprehensive program will mold you into a winning political strategist to help you elect friends of medicine or help you become a candidate for public office. Due to the pandemic, this year’s program will be virtual and conducted over the course of two consecutive weekends in January 2021. The Campaign School is renowned for its use of a simulated campaign for the U.S. House of Representatives, complete with demographics, voting statistics and candidate biographies and much more. Virtual attendees may include physicians, spouses of physicians, residents, medical students and state medical society staff interested in becoming more involved in politics. Past participants ranged from those attracted to grassroots efforts to those considering becoming a candidate for public office. No matter where you are in the process, you will develop a new understanding of how campaigns are run. This year’s Virtual Campaign School will be conducted over two consecutive weekends: Jan. 15-17 and 23-24, 2021. Both weekends are part of the full program and all sessions must be attended by participants. This includes a 90-minute virtual welcome reception on Friday, Jan. 15 and each Saturday and Sunday session will run approximately four hours (11 am to 3 pm). To help participants prepare for the virtual program in January, AMPAC has developed a set of online tools, to be completed before the main program begins. These include the Campaign School simulation and workbooks which you will receive shortly after you register. The registration fee is $350 for AMA Member/$1000 for non-AMA members. This fee is waived for AMA residents and students; however, space is limited and the AMPAC Board will review and select four participants from the pool of qualified resident and student applicants. Space is limited and deadline to register is November 10, 2020. Learn more and register here. For questions or more information please contact: [email protected]. In the NewsNew Hanover County Commissioners OK Sale of the County Hospital, NC Health News, 10-7-20 Learning OpportunityAddiction Professionals of North Carolina will present a webinar on ‘Confronting Addiction Treatment Fraud in Florida, North Carolina and Beyond,’ on Thursday, Oct. 15 from 12:30 to 3 p.m. Learn more and register here. If you have policies you'd like your NCMS Board of Directors to consider, please complete the Board input form here. Thanks for reading!
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NCMS Morning Rounds 10-8-20
Enjoy Thursday's NCMS Morning Rounds.Oct. 8, 2020NCMSF Financial Recovery Program Launches TodayThe North Carolina Medical Society Foundation (NCMSF) is proud to oversee the state-funded Financial Recovery Program (FRP) to assist eligible practices throughout the state that are experiencing economic distress due to the pandemic. Funding will be based on reimbursement for COVID-19-related expenses incurred between March 1 and Nov. 30, 2020. Your practice is eligible if it falls in ALL the following categories: The deadline to apply is Nov. 30, 2020 with no exceptions. You may not claim reimbursement for expenses already paid for through the federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) or CARES Act Provider Relief Program. Eligible expenditures include, but are not limited to, payment for: Documentation for these expenses include W9s, receipts and invoices to verify expenditures. Questions about the FRP may be sent to [email protected]. NCMS ‘One-Stop Shop’ for Voting ResourcesWith only 26 days until the Nov. 3 General Election, the NCMS has compiled all the necessary links to view your ballot, request an absentee ballot, register to vote and find early voting venues in your area in one convenient spot. Simply click here to access the tools and information to help ensure you cast your ballot on Tuesday, Nov. 3. Our NCMS Director of Legislative Relations Sue Ann Forrest, MPA, is standing by to answer any questions about who is on your ballot. Contact her at [email protected]. NCMS Marketplace Partner Offers Payment Processing SolutionsNCMS Marketplace silver partner Total Merchant Services offers a comprehensive line of payment solutions for your business: credit card acceptance, debit cards, and check acceptance, plus state of the art equipment at no cost to you. As an NCMS member you receive additional benefits like a $300 bonus when you partner with them for payment processing services. They will also reimburse you $150 toward your NCMS annual dues. Learn more about this valuable partnership here. In the NewsFace Masks: What the Data Say, Nature, 10-6-20 Learning OpportunityJoin the Durham-Orange County Medical Society at its regular meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 14 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. when the zoom discussion will focus on “Finding Synergy: Opportunities for Collaboration Between Physicians and Pharmacists.” The featured speaker is Bill Hitch, PharmD, BCPS, CPP, Director of Pharmacotherapy at the Mountain Area Health Education Center (MAHEC) in Asheville, NC and an Assistant Professor of Clinical Education at the University of North Carolina (UNC) Eshelman School of Pharmacy. Dinner is available for pick up for those in the area. Learn more and register here. If you have policies you'd like your NCMS Board of Directors to consider, please complete the Board input form here. Thanks for reading!
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2020 Voter Tools and Information
We've compiled a list of voter tools and information to help answer some questions you may have about the process this year.
If you have more specific questions, or would like to talk about the candidates on your sample ballot please contact Sue Ann Forrest, Director of Legislative Relations at [email protected].
Did you know you can view your sample ballot before election day? This feature allows you to view the entire list of races and candidates on your ballot from President to Soil and Water Commissioners. You can conduct your own research on candidates!
You can view the following information on this site:
- Check voter registration status
- Sample ballot
- Party affiliation
- Election day polling place
- Voter history (elections you have participated in)
- Absentee ballot information
If you are a registered NC voter, you can use this portal to request an absentee by mail ballot which will be mailed to your home address.
Track the status of your mail-in ballot from printing to acceptance. This is a helpful tool to know where your absentee ballot is during processing.
Do you need to update your voter registration?
- Existing NC Division of Motor vehicle customers can submit their voter registration application online through the DMV.
- Complete a voter registration application. Print and sign the application. Mail the form to your county board of elections.
- The voter registration deadline in NC for the 2020 general election is October 9, 2020. (The county board of elections must receive your application by this date. You can drop off the application at your county board of elections. Eligible voters may register to vote and vote on the same day during the early voting period.)
- In 2020, the early voting period begins Thursday, October 15 and ends Saturday October 31.
- During early voting, voters can cast a ballot at ANY early voting site in their county. (On Election Day, voters must vote at their assigned precinct.)
- Eligible voters may register to vote during the early voting period.
- Find early voting sites and schedules here.
NCMS Morning Rounds 10-5-20
Welcome to a new week of NCMS Morning Rounds.
Oct. 5, 2020
Don’t Forget! Cast Your Vote for NCMS Leadership
NCMS online ballots were sent Oct. 1 to all NCMS members for whom we have a current email address. Those who do not have a valid email on file with us were mailed a postcard with instructions on how to cast their vote for the slate of candidates for NCMS leadership positions.
Be sure to cast your secure ballot for NCMS officers, Board of Directors, AMA delegates and Nominating and Leadership Development Committee members. The results of the election will be announced at our Annual Business meeting on Friday, Oct. 16, which is part of our LEAD Health Care Conference. Learn more about that meeting agenda and register here to be on hand to welcome our new leaders.
Please direct any questions about the election to Evan Simmons at [email protected].
HHS Allocates Another $20 Billion in Provider Relief
Last week the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced it was disbursing another $20 billion in CARES Act Provider Relief Funds starting today, Oct. 5. Under this Phase 3 General Distribution allocation, physicians who have already received Provider Relief Fund payments may apply for additional funding that considers financial losses and changes in operating expenses caused by the coronavirus.
Recognizing the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has increased anxiety and depression in the country and behavioral health providers have continued to provide care through telehealth and other means, HHS also announced that the nation’s behavioral health care providers, including psychiatrists, are now eligible for funding. Previously ineligible physicians, such as those who began practicing in 2020, will also be eligible to apply.
Physicians will have from Oct. 5 through Nov. 6, 2020 to apply for Phase 3 General Distribution funding. Learn more here.
New Executive Director for NC Public Health Association
The North Carolina Alliance of Public Health Agencies (NCAPHA), the North Carolina Association of Local Health Directors (NCALHD) and the North Carolina Public Health Association (NCPHA) hired Katye Jobe Griffin as their new executive director. She began her new role last week. The NCPHA is housed in the NCMS headquarters building in Raleigh.
Griffin is an attorney with a special interest in health law and policy. She received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Miami in Florida and her law degree from the Wake Forest University School of Law. Griffin began her legal career with a large firm in Raleigh, focusing her practice on transactional, regulatory, and government relations work.
Most recently, Griffin has been managing her husband’s statewide judicial election campaign while he was deployed with the N.C. Army National Guard.
“Now, more than ever, we are reminded of how vitally important public health is to our state and its citizens,” she said in a press release about her appointment. “I look forward to working with the associations and their members to improve public health for all North Carolinians.”
The NCAPHA is an organization that provides services to support the Local Health Departments and the NC Department of Public Health. The NCALHD is a membership organization consisting of leaders of the 85 local public health agencies across the state. The NCPHA is an association of individuals and organizations working to improve the public’s health through political advocacy, public awareness, professional development, and the interface between research and practice.
In the News
To Free Doctors From Computers Far Flung Scribes Are Now Taking Notes for Them, Kaiser Health News, 10-1-20
Learning Opportunity
Don’t miss the AMA’s next ‘COVID 19 Vaccine Development – What Physician Need to Know’ webinar on Oct. 7 at 3 p.m. This series addresses the science, evidence and process of vaccine development, regulatory review and what physicians need to know. Hosted by AMA physician leaders, each installment aims to gain fact-based insights from the nation’s highest-ranking subject matter experts working to protect the health of the public. This episode’s guest is Peter Marks, MD, PhD, Director of the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), who will offer a comprehensive overview of the FDA vaccine review process, including what the process looks like for COVID-19 vaccine candidates and the differences between the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) and Biologic License Application (BLA) pathways. Register Now!
NCMS Political Pulse for Oct. 2, 2020
Watch as NCMS Director of Legislative Relations Sue Ann Forrest, MPA, describes the work of a select legislative committee, which met this week to hear from law enforcement associations regarding mental health training. Forrest also provides the legislative rationale for why you should be sure to complete your census forms and important reminders about the upcoming general election.
NCMS Morning Rounds 10-2-20
Happy Friday! Enjoy today's NCMS Morning Rounds.Oct. 2, 2020Racial Equity Institute Training at LEAD ConferenceDon’t miss this unique opportunity to gain new insights into racism in this country, particularly as it relates to health, at the NCMS’ Virtual LEAD Health Care Conference. Only a few spots remain for the special Racial Equity Institute workshop to be held Thursday, Oct. 15 from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., so learn more and register now. This training is just one part of our virtual LEAD conference this year. For instance, on Friday, Oct. 16 from 9 a.m. to noon you can tune in to this year’s MedTalks. This is when our 2020 Leadership College scholars will give brief presentations on the results of each of their year-long projects. Topics are presented in a lively video format and cover issues important to the health care profession today from the impacts of COVID-19 to collaborative care models. See a list of all the topics and register today. CME is offered for these virtual events. And don’t forget our NCMS Annual Business meeting on Friday, Oct. 16 from 2:30 to 5 p.m. when we will welcome guest speaker Howard Bauchner, MD, MPH, Editor-in-Chief, JAMA, hear from NCMS President Palmer Edwards, MD, DFAPA about his extraordinary year as our leader and inaugurate incoming NCMS President Philip Brown, Jr., MD as he describes his vision for the coming year. Learn more and register. Free PPE Deadline Nov. 15Even if you currently have an adequate supply of personal protective equipment (PPE), we encourage you to take advantage of the FREE PPE the NCMS is distributing to independent practices throughout the state. Be prepared for whatever the future may hold and stockpile this PPE. The deadline to order is Nov. 15. Learn more about this program and order today. New Appointee to NC Medical BoardGov. Roy Cooper recently appointed NCMS member and NCMS Foundation Kanof Institute for Physician Leadership alumna Anuradha Rao-Patel, MD, to the NC Medical Board (NCMB) for a three-year term beginning Nov. 1. Dr. Rao-Patel is the Lead Medical Director for Government Programs at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina. In that role, she oversees the medical directors responsible for the utilization and care management activities for Medicare Advantage, Federal Employee Program (FEP), and the NC State Health Plan lines of business at Blue Cross NC. She also supports the company’s behavioral health team and Healthy Blue (managed Medicaid). Dr. Rao-Patel attended medical school at Louisiana State University in New Orleans and completed her internship in Internal Medicine at Earl K. Long Hospital in Baton Rouge. She then completed her residency in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Sinai Hospital in Baltimore, MD. Prior to joining Blue Cross NC, she was in private practice providing services for chronic pain management and addiction management. She continues to be clinically active and see patients in addition to her role at Blue Cross NC The NCMB is made up of 13 members, including physicians, advanced practice providers and non-clinician members of the public. Learn more about the Board of the NCMB here. In the NewsDiabetes, Disparities and COVID-19: Three Intertwined ‘Epidemics’ Raise Risk of Severe Illness and Death, STAT, 10-1-20 Learning OpportunityUnited Healthcare is offering two virtual Medicare Advantage Provider Telehealth Trainings this month providing information and resources on connecting with patients using telehealth, coding tips, office staff training and more. The first session will be offered Oct. 7 at 3 p.m. Access this session here. The second session is Oct. 12 at 2 p.m. Access that session here. If you have policies you'd like your NCMS Board of Directors to consider, please complete the Board input form here. Thanks for reading!
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NCMS Morning Rounds 10-1-20
Welcome to the first NCMS Morning Rounds of OctoberOct. 1, 2020Get Out the Vote – Physicians and PAs!VoteHealth 2020 is a nonpartisan group encouraging physicians and other health care professionals to make sure they are registered to vote and cast their ballot for the upcoming general election on Nov. 3. Historically, physicians have voted at a lower rate than the rest of the population, so the NCMS and the AMA are promoting the work of this group, VoteHealth2020, to increase turnout among physicians and PAs. Easy to access tools to check your registration, register to vote and request an absentee ballot are available by clicking here. If you need more of an incentive, read this opinion piece by your NCMS colleague Lacy C. Hobgood MD, FACP, FAAP, Governor, NC Chapter, American College of Physicians. “Voting is Good for Your Health. So Long As You Do It Safely,” was published yesterday in the Greenville Reflector. Read it here. Legislative Committee Addresses Law Enforcement IssuesAt this week’s meeting of the NC House Select Committee on Community Relations, Law Enforcement & Justice committee members heard from several law enforcement associations on policing reforms the groups have implemented or for which they are advocating. NCMS member Rep. Kristin Baker, MD, (R-Carbarrus) is a co-chair and NCMS member Perrin Jones, MD (R-Pitt) is a committee member. The NC Association of Chiefs of Police told the committee that the association’s foundational principle is preservation of life as the core of law enforcement and outlined policing reforms they have supported with the goal of creating a culture of trust and racial equity. The NC Sheriff’s Association explained training processes, data collection, recruitment and retention and use of force investigations. The NC Police Benevolent Association spoke about mental health, response to non-police matters and whistleblower protections among other issues. The committee will meet again in October. Read a full summary of the proceedings on the NCMS legislative blog. NCMS’ Project OBOT Highlighted in WebinarA recent webinar highlighting the AMA’s work on Behavioral Health Integration, NCMS Strategic Planning Officer Karen Smith, MD, spoke about the benefits to her patients of the NCMS Foundation’s Project OBOT. This innovative model is a truly collaborative approach to treating those with substance use disorder (SUD). Beyond offering medication assisted treatment training, the initiative brings together health care professionals, counselors, social workers, those in the judicial system, pharmacists and others throughout the community to help ensure treatment success. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, practices like Dr. Smith’s family practice in Raeford used Project OBOT’s telehealth function to help keep SUD patients' treatment on track. Watch this hourlong informative and inspiring webinar on how to successfully integrate behavioral health into a primary care practice by building a culture of collaboration. The segment about Project OBOT begins at minute 25:50. Watch here. In the NewsHealth on Wheels: Tricked Out RV Delivers Addiction Treatment to Rural Colorado, NPR, 9-28-20 Learning OpportunityJoin the Virtual Legislative Town Hall with NC legislators representing western North Carolina on Thursday, Oct. 8 from 7 to 8 p.m. The Western Carolina Medical Society is hosting this event, which is moderated by NCMS Director of Legislative Relations Sue Ann Forrest, MPA, and offers an opportunity to engage with WNC legislators on issues most important to them, such as access to affordable healthcare, telehealth reform, and much more! Learn more here and register here. If you have policies you'd like your NCMS Board of Directors to consider, please complete the Board input form here. Thanks for reading!
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NCMS Morning Rounds 9-30-20
Enjoy your last NCMS Morning Rounds of September.Sept. 30, 2020Clarifying the State’s COVID Testing StrategySince the start of the pandemic, North Carolina has significantly ramped up its testing capacity from fewer than 10,000 per day in May to now being one of the top 10 states in the country for total number of COVID-19 tests with results, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. Access to testing is essential to supporting and protecting our communities and to understanding the prevalence of the virus in our state to inform public health policy. A new paper from the Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS), Overview of North Carolina’s Testing Approach, outlines the high-level priorities that drive the state’s testing strategy, including to: Read the four-page paper here. NCDHHS also welcomes feedback. Please send any comments to: [email protected]. NCMS Part of ‘Made in NC’ InitiativeThe NCMS is part of a public/private collaboration that aims to produce nearly 2 million N95 respirators per year to address the urgent need for affordable access to essential PPE in the most needy communities. The Made in NC initiative is a collaboration between Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (Blue Cross NC), North Carolina State University’s Nonwovens Institute, Freudenberg Performance Materials, UNC Health, the NC Healthcare Association Strategic Partners and the NCMS. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, demand for N95 respirators and other PPE has outpaced current U.S. manufacturing capabilities, resulting in supply chain challenges in delivering an efficient and reliable source at a reasonable cost. The shortage of critical supplies has left health care providers and essential workers at a higher risk of infection. The Made in NC collaboration will produce an initial 100,000 to 200,000 N95 respirators per month with plans to quickly ramp up, right here in North Carolina, providing a more consistent and affordable source of PPE for local health care providers. “The NCMS is fully supportive of local solutions like this,” said NCMS Executive Vice President and CEO Chip Baggett, JD. “We look forward to helping ensure these affordable N95 respirators get to impacted communities throughout the state.” As these N95 respirators become available, the NCMS and the NC Healthcare Association Strategic Partners will reach out to providers who may lack staffing capacity and contacts to place accelerated orders. Learn more about the initiative here. In the meantime, if you are part of an independent practice in the state, don’t miss the opportunity to receive free PPE through the NCMS’ distribution. The deadline to place an order is Nov. 15. Learn more here. Tracking the Impact of the Pandemic on NC Medical PracticesThe NCMS along with the NC Medical Group Management Association (NCMGMA) and Curi have been surveying our members since the start of the pandemic to help track how COVID-19 has effected your practice. Please take just a moment to answer this month’s survey – it takes less than 5 minutes and offers a valuable snapshot to help us represent your needs. Take the survey now. Thank you for your time and for your commitment to your communities. We’re in this together and are proud to support you and your practice through this tumultuous season. • Urgent Practice Data Survey - Summary Report In memoriam: Charles Kernodle, Jr., MDLongtime Burlington surgeon and Williams High School football team doctor Charles Kernodle Jr., MD, died Saturday afternoon, Sept. 26, at the age of 102. As noted in an NCMS Morning Rounds article earlier this month, Dr. Kernodle, Jr. was a founder of the Kernodle Clinic in Alamance County and a living legend in the area. In a recent feature on WRAL-TV, Dr. Kernodle recalls his life as part of a family of physicians – as a boy he went on house calls with his father in a horse and buggy – his service in World War II and caring for the Williams High School athletes and their families and residents in and around Burlington over the past 70 years. Watch the inspiring report on Dr. Kernodle. Today, all of the more than 50 physicians and PAs in the multi-specialty Kernodle Clinic are NCMS members. Read Dr. Kernodle’s obituary here. In the NewsWhere it Hurts, Kaiser Health News/St. Louis Public Radio, September – November 2020 [this is a podcast series looking at ‘cracks in the American health system.’] Learning OpportunityTODAY, Wednesday, Sept. 30 from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. join a virtual forum on 'COVID-19 and the Health Insurance Coverage Gap.' Hosted by CommWell Health and Care4Carolina, the forum will feature a panel of local experts discussing COVID-19 and the impact that it has had in the southeastern part of North Carolina including Harnett, Sampson, Johnston, Duplin, Bladen, Pender and Brunswick counties. Panelists will address the pandemic’s economic impact, rising unemployment rates, challenges to our health systems and health disparities. Learn more and register. If you have policies you'd like your NCMS Board of Directors to consider, please complete the Board input form here. Thanks for reading!
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NCMS Morning Rounds 9-29-20
Enjoy your Tuesday NCMS Morning Rounds.Sept. 29, 2020Don’t Miss This Year’s MEDTalksThis year the MEDTalk tradition goes virtual. Learn about each of our 2020 Leadership College scholars’ year of research into real issues impacting physicians and PAs today. These brief presentations, modeled on TEDTalks, give you a quick glimpse into what the newest generation of leaders have discovered – about their timely topic and about their leadership potential. Tune in on Friday, Oct. 16 from 9 a.m. to noon. CME is available for this session. Learn more and register here. And don’t forget the other elements of our virtual NCMS LEAD Health Care Conference. The Racial Equity Training workshop held on Thursday, Oct. 15, an innovative and interactive training that will give you new insights into racism and health equity. Space is limited for this special opportunity, so register now. The NCMS Annual Business meeting will take place on Friday afternoon and will feature our keynote speaker Howard Bauchner, MD, MPH, Editor of the Journal of the American Medical Association. Dr. Bauchner will share his unique insights on the COVID-19 pandemic and other timely topics. Also at the Business Meeting, NCMS’ outgoing President Palmer Edwards, MD, DFAPA will reflect on a very eventful year and incoming President Philip Brown, Jr., MD, will lay out his vision for the coming year for the Society. Learn more and please join us by registering today. Get Ready for Medicaid Managed CareAs NC Medicaid moves forward with its planned implementation of Medicaid Managed Care (‘go live’ is July 1, 2021), it is important for enrolled providers to act now to thoroughly review their individual and organization provider enrollment record in NCTracks. Correct information on the NCTracks provider record will assist beneficiaries with the search for primary care providers in the new NC Provider & Health Plan Look-Up, expected to be available Jan. 1, 2021. Providers are encouraged to begin the Manage Change Request process to make necessary corrections and updates. For more information, please see Ensure Your Information Displays Correctly in NC’s Provider Directory Tool – Provider & Health Plan Look-Up. Toolkit for Independent Primary Care PracticesOur friends at Avance Care have shared an updated version of their COVID-19 toolkit aimed at independent primary care practices. This latest compilation of useful resources includes: Access this useful toolkit here. It also is posted on the NCMS COVID-19 webpage for reference anytime. In the NewsCOVID-19 Canines: How Dogs May Help Sniff Out the Coronavirus in Humans, ABC News, 9-24-20 Learning OpportunityThe Overcoming Obesity Virtual Conference will take place Oct. 7-11. The conference is organized by the Obesity Medicine Association (OMA), the largest organization of physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants and other health care providers who are dedicated to improving the lives of patients affected by obesity. The conference will focus on how to treat obesity across the lifespan including advanced techniques for developing personalized treatment plans for patients across the lifespan, particularly for patients with comorbidities such as cancer, psychiatric disease, hypothyroidism, type 2 diabetes and more. Learn more and register here. If you have policies you'd like your NCMS Board of Directors to consider, please complete the Board input form here. Thanks for reading!
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House Select Committee on Community Relations, Law Enforcement & Justice
The House Select Committee on Community Relations, Law Enforcement & Justice met on Monday, September 28, 2020.
NC Association of Chiefs of Police
The Association discussed previous association policing reforms including the following:
- Implemented statewide non-bias based policing training (implicit bias)
- Worked to revise the basic law enforcement program in scenario based reality training
- Worked in bi-partisan legislators to enact the law enforcement video law
- Re-engineered use of force tactics
- Supported Raise the Age legislation
- Created a Police Professionalism Work Group to present reccomendations to address concerns
The Association's foundational principle is that the preservation of life must be at the heart of everything a law enforcment agency does.
They discussed two main goals:
- Create a culture of trust and racial equity in communities
- Preserve life in all use of force
The Association also discussed the goal of enhancing professionalism by creating a culture of excellence by improving policies and procedures as well as improving the wuality of the workforce.
The Sheriff's Association created a working group on Law Enforcement Professionalism. This group discussed training, certifications, accrediation, use of force investigations, data collection, recruitment/retention, and public records.
In October there will be a report released from the Workign Group on where improvements can be made.
NC Police Benevolent Association
The NCPBA discussed some of the top areas of concern for law enforcement officers:
- Mental health
- Response to non-police matters/ordinance violations
- whistleblower protections
- NC Criminal Justice Education and Training Standards Commission
- Procedural Due Process/Uniformity
- Recruitment and Retention
- Office Safety
Overview of Recommendations Recieved
A complete overview was provided of all of the reccomendations recieved for the committee to review thus far.
The group will meet again in October.
NCMS Morning Rounds 9-28-20
Welcome to a new week and your NCMS Morning Rounds.Sept. 28, 2020NCMS Legislative UpdateLast Thursday, President Trump announced an Executive Order focused on health care during a visit to North Carolina. Included in the order were provisions on prescription drugs, price transparency and surprise billing. NCMS staff currently is analyzing the content of the order to assess its impact and also is seeking your input. Read the order here. Please reply to NCMS Director of Legislative Relations Sue Ann Forrest, MPA with any comments or feedback you may have. As with any Executive Order, implementation takes time and requires review and possible changes to a variety of regulations. Reminder: you can still request an absentee ballot if you want to vote by mail – or drop it off at an early voting site. Early in-person voting begins Thursday, Oct. 15 and continues through Oct. 31. Learn more at the NC State Board of Elections website. NC Medicaid Addresses AccuDial ShortageIf you are a neurologist or prescribe the seizure medication AccuDial, you may be aware that it has been in short supply lately. For Medicaid beneficiaries who need the drug, the generic version, Diastat, is not on Medicaid’s approved drug list. When NCMS Vice President for Specialty Society Management Services and Executive Director of the NC Neurology Society Alan Skipper, CAE, CMP called NC Medicaid to inquire about this, the pharmacy services director told him the generic, Diastat, would be covered through the end of October 2020, after which the shortage of AccuDial will be reassessed to determine if the coverage window for Diastat should be continued. Questions on the prior authorization process for this should be directed to NCTracks at 1-866-246-8505. Public Health Impacts of Climate and Weather EventsThe University of North Carolina School of Public Health is conducting a research study on the health Impacts of climate and weather events particularly as they relate to public health preparedness. The researchers are seeking health care professionals to answer a series of questions to help them understand your needs and concerns related to climate/weather events, emergency management and public health preparedness. The survey should take about 20 minutes to complete and must be done before this Wednesday, Sept. 30. By participating in this research study, you will be entered to win your choice of:
If you have any issues accessing the survey, please reach out to Principal Investigator, Dr. Ferdouz Cochran ([email protected]). In the NewsA Failure of Empathy Led to 200,000 Deaths. It Has Deep Roots, The Atlantic, 9-22-20 Learning OpportunityDon’t miss the opportunity tomorrow, Tuesday, Sept. 29 at 6 p.m. to ask several NC experts about navigating the COVID-19 pandemic. Panelists will include infectious disease expert Ibukun C Akinboyo, MD, Medical Director of Pediatric Infection Prevention, Duke University Hospital; mental health expert Carrie Brown, MD, MPH, Chief Medical Officer for Behavioral Health NCDHHS; and testing expert R.W. “Chip” Watkins, MD, MPH, FAAFP, Regional Medical Director, Community Care of NC. Following brief presentations, the focus of the meeting will be on moderated Q&A. Please click here to connect via zoom. If you have policies you'd like your NCMS Board of Directors to consider, please complete the Board input form here. Thanks for reading!
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NCMS Political Pulse Video for Sept. 25, 2020
NCMS staff is analyzing President Trump's Executive Order on health care, which he announced yesterday on a visit to North Carolina. Watch and learn more as NCMS Director of Legislative Relations Sue Ann Forrest, MPA, describes some of the order's provisions and solicits your feedback. Read the Executive Order here.
NCMS Morning Rounds 9-25-20
Here's your Friday NCMS Morning Rounds.
Sept. 25, 2020
What Should the Health Care System Look Like Post-COVID?
The Physicians Foundation is asking physicians to reflect on that question in this quick survey. Please take just three minutes to help policymakers, legislators and the public understand your hopes for the future and your unique perspective on the impact of the pandemic on our health care system.
The Physicians Foundation is a national, nonprofit advancing the work of practicing physicians to facilitate the delivery of high-quality health care to patients.
This is the third of three COVID-19 related surveys undertaken by The Physicians Foundation. Review the results of the previous surveys, which focused on the pandemic’s impact on physician practices and their patients and physician well-being.
TAKE THE SURVEY. If you include your email address you will be entered in a drawing for four $500 cash prizes.
Tell Your Senators Telehealth is Working
The AMA encourages you to contact your Senators to help ensure continued access to telehealth services for your patients.
As Congress remains deadlocked on additional COVID-19 relief legislation our country’s health care system continues to struggle under the massive strain the pandemic continues to exert on it.
During this time telehealth services have emerged as a critical tool to provide care to patients while supporting physical distancing efforts and reducing the spread of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases by avoiding unnecessary outpatient visits.
Earlier this year, Congress acted to temporarily expand access to Medicare covered telehealth services to all Medicare beneficiaries by authorizing HHS to waive outdated statutory restrictions on where telehealth services may be provided. Before this action, Medicare was only allowed to pay for telehealth services provided to Medicare beneficiaries in rural areas at an originating site health care facility.
Unless Congress acts before the end of the COVID Public Health Emergency on Oct. 23, millions of Medicare beneficiaries outside of rural areas will lose access to Medicare telehealth benefits, and rural Medicare beneficiaries will once again be required to drive to a health care facility to receive them.
Recently, bipartisan legislation was introduced in the Senate to make the expanded access to telehealth services permanent. The Telehealth Modernization Act of 2020 (S. 4375) would lift the rural-only restriction and add any site where a patient is located as a potential originating site. This would ensure all Medicare beneficiaries may receive covered Medicare telehealth benefits, including at home and via mobile technologies as appropriate.
The evidence is in – The success of telehealth technology adoption during the COVID-19 public health emergency has made it abundantly clear that Medicare covered telehealth benefits should be available to ALL Medicare patients regardless of where they live or how they access broadband services!
Please contact your senators and ask them to support The Telehealth Modernization Act of 2020 (S. 4375) today!
Welcome to New Gold Level NCMS Marketplace Member, Abyde
Please help us welcome the latest gold level member to our NCMS Marketplace group of vendors.
Abyde software solution is the easiest way for any sized medical practice to implement and sustain comprehensive HIPAA compliance programs. Abyde’s revolutionary approach guides medical practices through mandatory HIPAA compliance requirements such as:
• Security Risk Analysis;
• HIPAA training for doctors and staff;
• Business Associate Agreement portal;
• Customized policy documentation.
Exclusive for NCMS members: Receive preferred member pricing on your Abyde subscription as a member of NCMS. To see Abyde in action, click here to book a demo. Or contact Abyde for more details at [email protected].
In the News
What’s the Right Way to Sneeze in a Face Mask? The Advisory Board Forum/The Washington Post, 9-23-20
Learning Opportunity
Don’t forget to tune in to today’s Power Hour from 1 to 2 p.m. The topic is our ongoing discussion on how we can address racism and improve health equity. Our guests will be:
Artina Dawkins, PhD, MPA – Program Manager and Co-Director of Diversity & Inclusion, Orthopaedic Surgery, Wake Forest Baptist Health
David McIntosh, PhD – Vice President and Chief Inclusion and Diversity Officer, Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center
Amy J. McMichael, MD, FAAD – Professor and Chair in the Department of Dermatology at Wake Forest University Health Sciences in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
If you have policies you'd like your NCMS Board of Directors to consider, please complete the Board input form here. Thanks for reading!
NCMS Morning Rounds 9-24-20
Enjoy your Thursday NCMS Morning Rounds.
Sept. 24, 2020
New COVID-19 Test Reporting Requirement Begins Friday
Earlier this year, the NC General Assembly allocated significant funds made available to it by Congress to finance part of the State’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The state legislation required the NC Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) to promulgate new rules regarding reporting of COVID-19 testing results. The new requirements are set to begin this Friday, Sept. 25. Some of these new reporting requirements may apply to you, so it is important to read the one-page emergency rule found here.
If you have questions or concerns, please let us know. We are evaluating the impact of these requirements on our members, and their utility for COVID-19 pandemic management.
NC Medicaid Transformation Update
Last Friday, at the Medical Care Advisory Committee meeting, NC Medicaid staff updated committee members on the progress of the transformation to Medicaid Managed Care. With funding now in place for the transition, Medicaid managed care is now slated to ‘go live’ on July 1, 2021.
Review NC Medicaid Assistant Secretary Jay Ludlam’s PowerPoint presentation slides from the meeting, which include a detailed timeline.
NC Medicaid staff also provided an update on progress toward integrating behavioral health into the transformation, which is anticipated to launch in July 2022. View the presentation on behavioral health and intellectual/developmental disabilities tailored plans here.
To learn more about the state’s transition to Medicaid managed care, see the Learning Opportunity section of today’s issue of the NCMS Morning Rounds.
SlowCOVIDNC App Has Launched
As previously reported in your NCMS Morning Rounds, the NC Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) developed a new COVID-19 exposure notification app called, SlowCOVIDNC, which launched this week and is ready for download to your -- and your patients’ -- smartphones.
The free SlowCOVID-19NC app leverages Google and Apple’s Exposure Notification System (ENS) to alert users in North Carolina who have downloaded the app if they have been in contact with someone who later tests positive for COVID-19.
The app does not collect, store or share personal information or location data and allows the users to remain anonymous. Bluetooth must be enabled for the app to work. You can find it at the Apple App or Google Play stores.
The effectiveness of the app depends on anyone who tests positive for COVID-19 reporting their positive test by entering a PIN received through Community Care of NC, a web-based portal or by contacting their local health department.
Using SlowCOVIDNC is voluntary and is designed to enhance the state’s existing contact tracing efforts.
Get the details on how it works here.
In the News
No Where To Go: Maternity Care Deserts Across the US, The March of Dimes, 2020 Report
Learning Opportunity
The NC Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) and NC AHEC are offering two monthly evening webinar series to help prepare providers, practice managers and quality managers for Medicaid Managed Care going live on July 1, 2021.
Hosted by Chief Medical Officer of the NC Division of Health Benefits Shannon Dowler, MD, the two series will feature changing subtopics on Medicaid Managed Care on the first Thursday of each month and clinical quality on the third Thursday of each month. The first series kicks off on Oct. 1 with a high-level introduction to Medicaid Managed Care followed by the second series on Oct. 15 to review pediatric immunization trends during COVID-19.
Thursday, Oct. 1 from 5:30 to 6:30 pm, ‘Better with Time: Medicaid Transformation State of Things’ (Series continues the first Thursday of each month). This webinar is hosted by Dr. Dowler, Chief Medical Officer, NC Division of Health Benefits, and moderated by Hugh Tilson, Director, NC AHEC Program. Register here.
Thursday, Oct. 15 from 5:30 to 6:30 pm, ‘Immunizations and Keeping Kids Well: Trends and COVID-19’ (Series continues the third Thursday of each month). This webinar is hosted by Dr. Dowler and Tom Wroth, MD, CEO, Community Care of North Carolina, and moderated by Hugh Tilson. Register here.
If you have policies you'd like your NCMS Board of Directors to consider, please complete the Board input form here. Thanks for reading!
NCMS Morning Rounds 9-23-20
Happy mid-week! Enjoy your NCMS Morning Rounds.
Sept. 23, 2020
NC Medicaid Extends COVID Rate Enhancements; Telehealth Policies
NC Medicaid announced yesterday that it has extended temporary rate enhancements until Oct. 23, the current expiration date of the Public Health Emergency. If the federal government extends the federal Public Health Emergency or takes other action, NC Medicaid has indicated it will reassess both needs and available funding at that time.
NC Medicaid also stated that many of the Clinical Policy Provisions, including the telehealth provisions, enacted to support COVID-19 response will now continue past the Public Health Emergency and are in the process of becoming permanent policy. Learn more here.
NC Medicaid also has added a new CPT code, recently released by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the AMA, for an antigen test designed to detect proteins from the virus that causes COVID-19 in respiratory specimens. NC Medicaid is adding this CPT code to NCTracks for medically necessary laboratory testing effective Sept. 1, 2020.
More information is included in this Medicaid COVID-19 Bulletin, including example populations or circumstances in which antigen testing could be considered and evaluating and reporting antigen test results.
NCMS + AMA Partner to Prevent Type 2 Diabetes
Yesterday, the NCMS and the American Medical Association (AMA) announced a joint effort aimed at reducing the incidence of type 2 diabetes in North Carolina. An estimated 2.8 million North Carolina residents live with prediabetes with approximately 1 million adults in the state diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. There are more than 50,000 new diagnoses of the chronic condition per year.
Through the new collaboration, the NCMS and AMA will work to significantly increase the number of North Carolina physicians and health care providers identifying and diagnosing patients with prediabetes—the precursor to type 2 diabetes. The partnership will also encourage more referrals of patients with prediabetes to an evidence-based National Diabetes Prevention Program (National DPP) lifestyle change program recognized by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Across the nation, a majority of the adults with prediabetes are unaware they have the condition—putting them at risk for developing type 2 diabetes without intervention.
“Working with our physician and PA members to help identify patients with prediabetes and to intervene at this early stage to prevent type 2 diabetes is key to good preventative medical care and benefits everyone,” said NCMS Executive Vice President and CEO Chip Baggett, J.D. “Alongside the AMA, we have developed resources to seamlessly connect patients to Diabetes Prevention Programs in North Carolina – many now available virtually – to significantly reduce the number of people acquiring the chronic condition of type 2 diabetes.”
Through the collaboration, the AMA and NCMS are providing physicians and other health care professionals with a digital resource toolkit to support them in identifying patients with prediabetes , evaluating treatment options, and referring patients to a National DPP lifestyle change program—designed to help patients make healthy, sustainable lifestyle choices.
“The goal of this partnership is to get patients with prediabetes into lifestyle change programs that can help them reduce the risk of progressing to type 2 diabetes,” said AMA President Susan R. Bailey, M.D. “By identifying and diagnosing patients with prediabetes and referring them to a National DPP lifestyle change program, physicians and other health care professionals can help their patients stop type 2 diabetes before it even starts. This is particularly important now more than ever as patients with chronic health conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, appear to be at greater risk of adverse health outcomes associated with COVID-19.”
The AMA has been working since 2013 to prevent and reduce the burden of chronic disease, including type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. As part of its commitment to improving the health of the nation, the AMA developed its Diabetes Prevention Guide to support physicians and health care organizations in defining and implementing evidence-based diabetes prevention strategies. This comprehensive and customized approach helps clinical practices and health care organizations identify and manage patients with prediabetes, including referring eligible patients to a National DPP lifestyle-change program based on their individual needs.
Tillman Selected as New Nursing Board CEO
Crystal Tillman, the current Director of the Education and Practice Department at the North Carolina Board of Nursing, has been selected by the Board to succeed Julie George, who will retire this coming January.
Tillman, an advanced practice registered nurse with more than 37 years of nursing experience, including 10 years of service at the Board, will assume the position of CEO elect in early October working collaboratively with Julie George.
Tillman received advanced degrees from Duke University; Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) and a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN). In addition, she holds certifications as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP-BC) and Primary Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (CPNP-PC).
Established in 1903, the North Carolina Board of Nursing was the first board of nursing in the nation, and today licenses more than 164,000 RNs and LPNs statewide.
In the News
The Road Ahead: Charting the Coronavirus Pandemic Over the Next 12 Months and Beyond, STAT, 9-22-20
Learning Opportunity
Join us for this Friday’s (Sept. 25) Power Hour from 1 to 2 p.m. when we will hold our fourth in a series of discussions on race and health equity. This week’s guest is David McIntosh, PhD, Vice President and Chief Inclusion and Diversity Officer, Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center. Learn more and register.
If you have policies you'd like your NCMS Board of Directors to consider, please complete the Board input form here. Thanks for reading!
NCMS Morning Rounds 9-21-20
Welcome to a new week of NCMS Morning Rounds.Sept. 21, 2020NCMS Legislative UpdateAs we hope you already know, the NC General Assembly appropriated $5 million to the NCMS to purchase and distribute personal protective equipment (PPE) to independent practices in the state by the end of the year. This is free PPE and we encourage all independent practices to order today – even if you have adequate supplies now, it makes good sense to stockpile these products for future needs. Order here. The legislature also appropriated $25 million to the NCMS to offer to financially distressed independent practices. NCMS Foundation staff is developing the quick and easy process that will allow you to apply for this money if you are an independent practice and can demonstrate need. Shortly we will be distributing more information on how to qualify for these funds, which also must be spent by Dec. 30. Watch your email for details – and be sure to spread the word to your colleagues about both the PPE and the financial assistance. Another important reminder: if you haven’t already completed your US Census form, be sure to do so. It’s important everyone in the state is counted since North Carolina could be eligible for another seat in the US House of Representatives depending on an accurate count. Census data also is used to determine funding for programs like CHIP and Medicaid. Be sure to be counted and encourage your patients to complete their form as well. All the information, including the ability to respond online and a state by state response rate (NC is at 89.3 percent of households counted as of Friday) is available on the US Census website. Finally, there are just 43 days until the Nov. 3 General Election. If you are considering voting by mail, you can request your absentee ballot online here. For other information about voting, visit the State Board of Elections website. To help as you make your voting decisions, visit the NCMS legislative blog to see which NCMS members and their spouses are running for elected office. Survey: Pandemic Hits Physicians HardThe results of The Physicians Foundation 2020 Survey of America’s Physicians: COVID-19’s Impact on Physician Wellbeing, released last week, finds nearly 1 in 4 physicians (22 percent) know a physician who committed suicide and the majority (58 percent) expressed feelings of burnout. The survey report also revealed that half of physicians responding have experienced what they characterized as inappropriate anger, tearfulness or anxiety over the pandemic's impact on their practice or employment. The results show nearly 1 in 5 physicians have increased their alcohol, prescription or illicit medicine intake as a result of the pandemic. More than three-quarters said the general public's noncompliance of mask-wearing and other recommendations is their number one source of frustration. The report was compiled based on responses from more than 2,300 physicians surveyed in mid-August. Read the full survey report here. What is the future for health care post-pandemic? NCDHHS Urges Flu Vaccine Amid COVID-19 PandemicHealth officials with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) are urging everyone to protect themselves, their families and those around them by getting vaccinated against Influenza as the state enters flu season amid the COVID-19 pandemic. “This flu season, it is more important than ever to get vaccinated against the flu. We will have both the flu and COVID-19 widely circulating this fall and winter, and we are learning that people can get both infections at the same time,” said State Health Director Elizabeth Cuervo Tilson, MD, MPH. “We want people to protect themselves from the flu and also avoid overwhelming our hospitals so people can get care if they need it.” The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends vaccination against the flu for everyone 6 months and older with any licensed, age-appropriate flu vaccine. Vaccination against the flu can make illness milder and reduce the risk of more serious outcomes, making it especially important for those at higher risk of complications, such as people over 65, children younger than 5, pregnant women and those with certain medical conditions such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease or obesity. Some of those same groups are also at high risk of complications from COVID-19. COVID-19 and flu symptoms are similar, so encourage patients who feel ill to call ahead before coming into your practice, local health department or urgent care. Flu symptoms include: More information about flu is available online through the Division of Public Health and from the CDC at www.cdc.gov/flu. For information about COVID-19 in North Carolina, visit covid19.ncdhhs.gov. Weekly updates on flu surveillance data are posted online at flu.ncdhhs.gov. The flu report will be posted every Thursday beginning Oct. 8 throughout the flu season with updated data from around the state on flu activity and other viral respiratory illnesses. In the NewsAbout 1 in 5 Households in American Cities Miss Needed Medical Care During Pandemic, NPR, 9-17-20 Learning OpportunityThe 2020 NC Psychiatric Association (NCPA) Annual Meeting & Scientific Session will be held fully online from Friday, Oct. 2 (starting at 5 pm) to Sunday, Oct. 4 (ending at 4 pm). Click here for detailed FAQs on the virtual program format. There will be 14 sessions (recorded for re-watch), with a maximum of 12.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits available. Scheduled topics include: the psychiatric toll of COVID-19; structural racism and health disparities; new approaches to postpartum depression; collaborative care to an SMI population; top research findings of 2019-2020; and more. Social activities include a Women in Psychiatry lunch, virtual cocktail hour, morning yoga and even a family friendly “Plague Doctor of Prague” virtual walking tour on Saturday evening. This is not your average Zoom meeting! Non-psychiatrist MDs are welcome! View full agenda and register here. If you have policies you'd like your NCMS Board of Directors to consider, please complete the Board input form here. Thanks for reading!
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Overview of NCMS Members & Member Spouse Candidates
*This candidate list is is not an endorsement. This list is a summary of all physician/PA candidates and physician/PA spouses running for elected office in North Carolina.
United States Congress
Congressman Dr. Greg Murphy (R-Pitt)
3rd Congressional District
Counties included in District: Chowan, Perquimans, Pasquotank, Camden, Currituck, Pitt, Greene, Lenior, Onslow, Jones, Craven, Tyrell, Dare, Hyde, Carteret, Pamlico, Beaufort
Specialty: Urologist
Committees: Education and Labor Committee, Science, Space and Technology Committee
Terms: North Carolina General Assembly House -2.5,
North Carolina General Assembly
Rep./Dr. Kristin Baker, MD (R-Cabarrus)
Specialty: Psychiatrist
Committees: Health, Health Appropriations, Insurance, Education-Universities, House COVID-19 Health Working Group, Chair - House Select Committee on Commuity Relations, Law Enforcement, and Justice
Term: Appointed to the NCGA on March 19, 2020
Rep./Dr. Perrin Jones, MD (R-Pitt)
Specialty: Anesthesiologist
Committees: Health, Health Appropriations, Insurance, Education-Universities, House COVID-19 Health Working Group, Appropriations, Aging, House Select Committee on Commuity Relations, Law Enforcement, and Justice
Term: Appointed to the NCGA on September 9, 2019 (former seat of Rep./Dr. Greg Murphy R-Pitt)
Dr. Phil Stover, MD (D-Franklin, Nash)
Specialty: Family Physician
First time candidate for the NCGA
Physician/PA Spouses
Karen Kozel (R)
NC Senate District 5 - (Pitt, Greene)
Terms: Former NCGA House Member
Joe Sam Queen (D)
NC House District 119 - (Jackson, Swain)
Terms: 3 Terms in the NCGA House, 3 Terms in the NCGA Senate
Committees: Approprations, Appropriations Information Technology, Regulatory Reform, Agriculture
Larry Yarborough (R)
NC House District 2 - (Granville, Person)
Terms: 3 Terms in NCGA House
Committees: Environment Chair, Regulatory Reform Chair, Agriculture Appropriations Vice Chair, Wildlife Resources Vice Chair, Appropriations, Ethics, House Select Committee COVID-19, Alcoholic Beverage Control, Agriculture
NCMS Political Pulse for Sept. 18, 2020
Some important reminders in this week's video -- updates on the NCMS' distribution of free PPE; financial relief; the importance of completing the census and only 46 days until the general election. The NCMS has a variety of useful resources for you!
NCMS Morning Rounds 9-18-20
Happy Friday! Enjoy your NCMS Morning Rounds.
Sept. 18, 2020
Gain New Insight Through Workshop on Racial Equity
This year’s virtual LEAD Health Care Conference is offering a participatory workshop on the timely topic of racial equity with a particular focus on health.
In this presentation, the Greensboro-based Racial Equity Institute (REI) will use stories and data to present a perspective that racism is fundamentally structural in nature. By examining characteristics of modern-day racial inequity, the presentation introduces participants to an analysis that most find immediately helpful and relevant, and includes system-related information regarding health and race as well as facilitated dialogue.
Seats are limited and going fast, so register today for this illuminating workshop. CME is available for this session. Learn more and register.
Comments Sought on COVID Death Notification Rule
The NC Commission for Public Health, at its meeting on Sept. 15, agreed to include PAs and nurse practitioners as well as physicians or their designees in the requirement to provide written notification to all individuals handling the body of someone who died or is reasonably suspected of having died of COVID-19 in order to follow the proper precautions to prevent infection.
The original request for rulemaking came from the North Carolina Board of Funeral Service and only named physicians as the reporting clinician. The NCMS requested that PAs, nurse practitioners and their designees be included in order to avoid increased administrative burden for clinicians by limiting the reporting duty to physicians only. The NCMS was joined in this requested revision by the NC Medical Board and the NC Healthcare Association.
The Commission adopted the revised language, but is now seeking public comment at its meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 30 at 10 a.m. You can access the meeting by teleconference at (919) 715-0769 (no access code). Written comments may be submitted through Oct. 16, 2020 via email to [email protected] or by mail to Virginia Niehaus, Rulemaking Coordinator, Commission for Public Health, 1931 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-1931.
Review the proposed rule here.
State Health Plan to Fully Cover Insulin
The State Health Plan announced on Wednesday that beginning Jan. 1, 2021, members of the Plan who take insulin will not be responsible for any costs for their preferred or non-preferred prescriptions. The new policy is designed to increase adherence to the drug most commonly prescribed to treat diabetes.
About 10 percent of the population or more than 34 million Americans have diabetes, with more than 1 million North Carolinians afflicted with the disease. Nationwide, diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States, costing an estimated $327 billion. Some estimate that diabetes could cost government and private insurers in North Carolina around $17 billion by 2025. The Plan has approximately 12,000 members who are currently using insulin.
Earlier in the year, the State Health Plan Board of Trustees voted to eliminate the cost of insulin for both the 80/20 and 70/30 plans. Part of the board’s strategy is to increase medication adherence when addressing diabetes treatment. Studies through the National Institutes of Health consistently show that medication nonadherence increases medical costs. This nonadherence is often driven by the high costs of medication.
In fact, the list price of insulin has nearly tripled since 2002, according to this Medical Economics article, and the average price of insulin has increased by 64 percent since 2014. A member who uses brand antidiabetic medication spends an average of $467 out-of-pocket yearly with nearly 12 percent spending $1,000 or more. Additionally, diabetes has a disproportionate impact on racial and ethnic minorities, who experience a 50-100 percent higher burden of illness and mortality from the disease than white Americans, as outlined in this American Diabetes Association article.
In the News
Experts Predicted a Sharp Rebound in Preventive Care. Why Hasn’t It Materialized? The Advisory Board Forum, 9-16-20
Learning Opportunity
Mark your calendar for the next NCMS Foundation POWER HOUR next Friday, Sept. 25 from 1 to 2 p.m. This session will be the fourth in our series examining Racism and Health Equity. Our guest will be David McIntosh, PhD – Vice President and Chief Inclusion and Diversity Officer, Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center. Learn more and register here.
If you have policies you'd like your NCMS Board of Directors to consider, please complete the Board input form here. Thanks for reading!
NCMS Morning Rounds 9-16-20
Halfway through the week, and here is Wednesday's NCMS Morning Rounds.
Sept. 16, 2020
Don’t Miss Out on FREE PPE
If you are part of an independent practice in North Carolina, don’t pass up the opportunity to receive FREE personal protective equipment (PPE) through the NCMS. Even if you currently have an ample supply, please place an order. The allocation the NCMS received from the state is meant to ensure independent practices have a stockpile for any future needs.
The money must be spent/PPE ordered by the end of December, so don’t delay. Place your order today – it’s a quick, simple process. And it’s FREE! Click here to learn more and to order.
Coastal Children’s Clinic in New Bern had this to say about the PPE: “We received a shipment of 50 boxes of masks from you today. They were much needed and hugely appreciated. Thank you!”
Survey Reveals Majority of NC Physicians Hurting Financially
North Carolina specific results of The Physicians Foundation’s Survey of America’s Physicians: COVID-19 Impact shows that statewide most physician respondents have experienced a reduction in income over the past four months. Nearly 45 percent (44.64) estimate that reduction is at least 25 percent and nearly 17 percent (16.96) of respondents reported a reduction in income of more than 50 percent.
[FYI: If you are an independent practice struggling financially due to the pandemic, be sure to watch your NCMS Morning Rounds and your email box for information coming shortly about the Financial Recovery Program (FRP). This program will be the mechanism used to distribute to independent practices in need the $25 million the General Assembly appropriated to the NCMS. Like the PPE mentioned above, these funds must be spent by the end of December, so if you are a PLLC practice, watch for details on how to apply.]
The latest Physician Foundation’s survey focused on how the coronavirus has affected physicians’ practices and patients. It was conducted from July 15-26, 2020 and results are based on 3,513 responses nationwide. The North Carolina specific results are based on 149 responses.
Mirroring physicians nationwide, 47 percent of North Carolina respondents believe the pandemic will not be under control until after June 2021. About 34 percent of respondents also believe one long-lasting impact of COVID-19 will be more widespread use of telehealth, while 26 percent believe the pandemic will result in an increase in more serious health conditions because patients delayed care during the pandemic.
Review all the North Carolina results here. The whole report and analysis is available here.
Help with Telehealth Visits
With the increase in telehealth visits, NC AHEC has developed a useful toolkit to help you convert from traditional care delivery methods to virtual visits via telehealth platforms.
The toolkit offers tip sheets on conducting the Annual Wellness Visit, Chronic Care Management Services and Transitional Care Management Services.
Access the tool kit here.
In the News
Most Adults Wary of Taking Any Vaccine Approved Before the Election, Kaiser Health News, 9-10-20
Learning Opportunity
The National Academy of Medicine’s Annual Meeting will be held Oct. 17-19 on the theme, Confronting Urgent Threats to Human Health and Society: COVID-19 and Climate Change. The keynote speaker will be Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, on Monday, Oct. 19. Learn more and register.
If you have policies you'd like your NCMS Board of Directors to consider, please complete the Board input form here. Thanks for reading!
NCMS Morning Rounds 9-15-20
It's Tuesday and time for your Monday NCMS Morning Rounds.
Sept. 15, 2020
Support for Those in Quarantine or Isolation Due to COVID-19
The NC Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) has a new fact sheet outlining the benefits of the COVID-19 Support Services Program and Community Health Worker Initiative announced last month. These programs are designed to ensure individuals who have tested positive or been exposed to COVID-19 have the necessary support while safely and effectively quarantining or isolating themselves. NCDHHS is urging physicians, PAs and others to familiarize themselves with this information and pass it along to their patients when necessary.
Anyone who tests positive for or has been exposed to COVID-19 needs to quarantine or isolate for as long as 14 days, meaning that they need to separate themselves from others, including anyone in their household. Many North Carolinians struggle to safely quarantine and still meet basic needs. The COVID-19 Support Services program is a new effort to provide the supports needed so anyone who needs to isolate or quarantine can do so. This effort is slated to run through late 2020 when NCDHHS will assess its impact.
The Community Health Worker Initiative connects North Carolinians affected by COVID-19 with medical and social support, including diagnostic testing, primary care, case management, nutrition assistance and behavioral health services.
The fact sheet just released offers an overview of NCDHHS-covered services and the community health worker program in target counties, including:
• What support services are available at no cost to individuals;
• Who is eligible for support services;
• How you play a role in connecting residents to support;
• Who to contact for more information.
Physician Well-Being in a Stressful Time
The American Medical Association (AMA) invites you to join its upcoming fall webinar series focusing on physician well-being, practice redesign and implementing telehealth during COVID-19. Programming will focus on resources and solutions to help alleviate stress on health care systems, teams and staff during the pandemic and guide systems through telehealth integration.
The first webinar, ‘Telehealth and Team-based Care: The Shift to Telemedicine and Navigating Through Potential Pitfalls,’ will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 6 from noon to 1 p.m. Future webinars include ‘Caring for Health Care Workers During a Crisis,’ and ‘Physician Stress During Times of COVID.’
Learn more about each of the webinars and register here.
Longtime NCMS Member Featured in TV Report
A founder of the Kernodle Clinic in Alamance County and living legend in the area, Charles Kernodle, Jr., MD, 102 years old, recently was featured on WRAL-TV. Dr. Kernodle served as team doctor for the Williams High School sports team for 70 years, retiring only last year.
In the profile, Dr. Kernodle recalls his life as part of a family of physicians – as a boy he went on house calls with his father in a horse and buggy – his service in World War II and caring for the Williams High School athletes and their families and residents in and around Burlington over the years.
Today, all of the more than 50 physicians and PAs in the multi-specialty Kernodle Clinic are NCMS members.
Watch the inspiring report on Dr. Kernodle.
In the News
How Do Pandemics Usually End and How Will This One Finish?, ABC News, 9-9-20
Learning Opportunity
Southern Regional AHEC is offering a webinar tomorrow, Wednesday, Sept. 16 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on ‘Optimizing Telehealth for the Geriatric Population.’ NCMS Strategic Planning Officer and Raeford family physician Karen L. Smith, MD, FAAFP will explore the use of televideo and telephonic options in the geriatric population. This group often is perceived to have challenges restricting their active participation with telehealth services, which will have an impact on their overall quality of care. The discussion will review challenges and encourage ideas to assist with geriatric utilization of telehealth. Learn more and register here.
If you have policies you'd like your NCMS Board of Directors to consider, please complete the Board input form here. Thanks for reading!
NCMS Morning Rounds 9-14-20
Welcome to a new week and your Monday NCMS Morning Rounds.Sept. 14, 2020NCMS Legislative UpdateGovernor Roy Cooper signed the legislation allocating $25 million to the NCMS to distribute to financially struggling independent medical practices in North Carolina. The window to get these funds to qualifying practices is small – everything needs to be spent by the end of December 2020. If you are an independent practice that could benefit from this money, please begin to gather documentation on how the pandemic has had a financial impact. Watch your upcoming NCMS Morning Rounds and weekly Political Pulse videos for details on eligibility factors and exactly what financial records are necessary. In the meantime, thank you once again to everyone who reached out to their legislators about the importance of this appropriation as it was being considered. Now is a good time to follow up and thank legislators for supporting medical practices in this way. There is An App for That – ‘SlowCOVIDNC’The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) is developing a COVID-19 Exposure Notification app called ‘SlowCOVIDNC’ to launch statewide later this month. The app, downloadable for free to your smart phone through the Apple App or Google Play stores, is designed to help North Carolinians slow the spread of the virus by alerting them when they may have been exposed to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19. SlowCOVIDNC, which leverages Google and Apple’s Exposure Notification System (ENS), will alert users that have the app if they have been in close contact with an individual who later tests positive for COVID-19. The app is completely anonymous and does not collect, store or share personal information or location data. Learn more about how this app works here. NCMS Student Council Update: Brody School of Medicine at ECUNCMS’ Student Council members are sharing with NCMS members news from North Carolina medical schools. In the Sept. 1 issue of your NCMS Morning Rounds, Duke University School of Medicine student council representative Luke Wachsmuth, wrote about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, we get the latest from the Brody School of Medicine: As a staunch mission-driven institution, students at the Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University have remained committed to the eastern North Carolina community throughout the pandemic and in support of the movement for racial justice. Three Brody-affiliated groups -- the Office of Diversity Affairs, Student National Medical Association, and the Joint Social Action Committee -- came together to organize a White Coats for Black Lives march on June 26. We were extremely pleased to see more than 200 participants -- including students from many schools, faculty, staff, administration and even hospital department chairs -- show up to march in solidarity with us. Participants gathered near the hospital and marched together -- while physically distanced and wearing masks -- along a mile-long path to show solidarity and support for the Black Lives Matter movement, particularly as it relates to disparities in health care. Students also volunteered for an event offering free drive-thru COVID-19 testing on July 18 organized by the Pitt County Health Department in conjunction with community organizations. The event was a success and maxed out all of the 300 testing swabs that were available to community members. The current pandemic has impacted medical education in many ways, though we are pleased to welcome our new incoming class of medical students who are engaging safely with each other and faculty with a combination of online and in-person didactics. Additionally, administration at Brody was recently approved for on-site USMLE testing for about 20-30 spots. This will have a significant impact on mitigating any future access issues with the Greenville Prometrics testing location, and we are excited to see how this pans out to assist students at Brody and beyond. If you have questions or would like to get involved with the NCMS Student Council, please contact Ashley Newton, [email protected]. In the NewsHow Common Is Burnout Among Physicians? It Depends On How It’s Defined, STAT, 9-9-20 Learning Opportunity‘Unmasked: How the COVID-19 Crisis Exploited North Carolina’s Most Vulnerable Communities,’ a live webinar, will be offered on Oct. 8 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. This webinar will address the challenges North Carolina has faced over the course of the pandemic, highlight cases of patients in marginalized communities with COVID, and explore the history of disparities of care in this country and how that history informs the current crisis. Learn more and register here. If you have policies you'd like your NCMS Board of Directors to consider, please complete the Board input form here. Thanks for reading!
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NCMS Morning Rounds 9-11-20
Here is your Friday NCMS Morning Rounds.
Sept. 11, 2020
NCMS’ 2020 LEAD Conference Registration is Now Open
Registration is now open for the NCMS’ Virtual LEAD Conference. Please join us for thought-provoking and timely sessions on Oct. 15 and 16.
- Explore the impact of racism in this country with a special focus on health through an innovative and interactive Racial Equity Institute workshop. Seats are limited for this exceptional opportunity, so sign up now.
- Get inspired by our Leadership College scholars through their MedTalk presentations. These brief, 10-minute talks are the culmination of the scholars’ year-long research projects on topics ranging from social determinants of health to value-driven practice models.
- Our longstanding NCMS traditions have a new virtual twist as we install our new leadership and hear from our outgoing President Palmer Edwards, MD, DFAPA as he reflects on the past year – a year unlike any other. Incoming NCMS President Philip Brown, Jr., MD, looks ahead and outlines his vision for the future.
Don’t miss this opportunity to connect, learn and engage with your medical society and your colleagues! Learn more about what’s in store by viewing the Agenda or downloading the meeting schedule and REGISTER TODAY!
CME Credit Statement: The Southern Regional AHEC designates this live activity for a maximum of 8.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s) ™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
Additional Credit: Other health professionals will receive Southern Regional AHEC CEU and/or contact hours and a certificate of attendance form an AMA PRA Category 1 ™ activity. These certificates are accepted by the NC boards for physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and nurses. License requirement are subject to change. Southern Regional AHEC recommends that participants contact their licensing board with specific questions. Southern Regional AHEC will provide 0.8 Continuing Education Units (8.0 contact hours) to participants upon completion of this activity.
Disclosure Statement: The Southern Regional AHEC adheres to ACCME Essential Areas and Policies regarding industry support of continuing medical education. Disclosures of faculty/planning committee members and commercial relationships will be made known at the activity. Speakers are also expected to openly disclose a discussion of any off-label, experimental or investigational use of drugs or devices in their presentations.
New COVID Specific CPT Codes Effective Immediately
The American Medical Association (AMA) has announced updates to the Current Procedural Terminology (CPT®) code set that includes two code additions for reporting medical services sparked by the public health response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The first addition, CPT code 99072, allows for the provision of evaluation, treatment or procedural services during a public health emergency in a setting where extra precautions are taken to ensure the safety of patients and health care professionals. The second addition, CPT code 86413, was approved in response to the development of laboratory tests that provide quantitative measurements of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, as opposed to a qualitative assessment (positive/negative) of SAR-CoV-2 antibodies provided by laboratory tests reported by other CPT codes.
The new codes are effective immediately. Learn more here.
New Poll Shows Increasing Support for Closing NC’s Coverage Gap
The results of a new poll released this week reveal growing support across party lines for closing North Carolina’s health care coverage gap. The “coverage gap” refers to people who earn too much to qualify for Medicaid, but not enough to get help in the private insurance marketplace. Prior to COVID-19, the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) estimated that if North Carolina closed its coverage gap, over 400,000 North Carolinians would gain health insurance. Now, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, KFF reports that the number has grown by well over 200,000.
The survey of 612 registered voters, conducted by Harper Polling and The Stewart Group from August 26-27, found that 75 percent of North Carolinians want to close the health insurance coverage gap, while16 percent oppose closing the gap, according to Dee Stewart, who served as project manager for the statewide survey.
Support for closing the coverage gap is strong across the political spectrum, with 64 percent of self-identified Republicans, 76 percent of unaffiliated voters, and 83 percent of Democrats favoring closing the gap. Even among voters identifying themselves as Very Conservative, an overwhelming 60 percent favor closing the coverage gap, while 22 percent oppose it.
Review the findings here including a breakdown by NC Senate districts.
The survey was commissioned by Care4Carolina, a coalition of 65 member organizations, including the NCMS, supporting affordable, quality health care in North Carolina.
In the News
A Fall COVID-19 Spike Could Be Coming (And It Won’t Look Like Anything We’ve Seen So Far), The Advisory Board Forum, 9-9-20
Learning Opportunity
Reminder: TODAY, Friday, Sept. 11, be sure to tune in for our Power Hour from 1 to 2 p.m. when our guests will discuss unhealthy alcohol use and ways to help identify and assist those with an alcohol use disorder including accessing counseling interventions and medications. The STop UNhealthy (STUN) Alcohol Use Now project pairs NC AHEC Practice Support Coaches with primary care practices to implement screening, brief interventions and treatment or referral for patients who engage in risky drinking or have an alcohol use disorder. Learn more and register here.
AND
The National Academy of Medicine will present ‘American Healthcare After COVID-19: Transforming the System Sector-by-Sector’ on Sept. 24 from 11 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. The keynote address will be delivered by US Surgeon General VADM Jerome M. Adams. Learn more and register here for this free webinar.
If you have policies you'd like your NCMS Board of Directors to consider, please complete the Board input form here. Thanks for reading!
NCMS Political Pulse for Sept. 11, 2020
Watch as NCMS Director of Legislative Relations Sue Ann Forrest, MPA, offers some more detail on the $25 million appropriation to the NCMS to assist independent practices struggling financially due to the pandemic. She also highlights a new online way to help ensure you can get an absentee ballot, if you want to vote by mail this November.
NCMS Morning Rounds 9-9-20
Wednesday already! Enjoy your NCMS Morning Rounds.
Sept. 9, 2020
NCMS Members, Legislators Examine Law Enforcement, Justice Issues
The two physician members of the NC House of Representatives, and NCMS members Kristin Baker, MD, (R-Cabarrus) and Perrin Jones, MD, (R-Pitt) are serving on the House Select Committee on Community Relations, Law Enforcement and Justice. Dr. Baker is a co-chair. The committee held its first meeting last week. View the list of legislative members. View the list of non-legislative members.
The Committee is charged with getting an overview of the current state of North Carolina’s criminal justice system and heard from a variety of experts and reviewed statistics on policing and community relations. Read a summary of the meeting on our legislative blog.
Examining issues around criminal justice is part of our effort to gain a more wholistic understanding of all the factors that impact health as outlined in the North Carolina Institute of Medicine’s Healthy NC 2030 report and in keeping with the NCMS’ goal of improving health for all North Carolinians.
Get COVID-19 Answers from the State Experts
As they have since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in March, experts from the NC Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) have held ‘office hours’ each Friday to answer your questions. Geared to health care professionals these sessions offer brief updates on the state’s response to the pandemic and address issues of concern to the health care community.
The next office hours will be held this Friday, Sept. 11 from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. when State Health Director and Chief Medical Officer Betsey Tilson, MD, MPH and State Epidemiologist Zack Moore, MD, MPH will be on hand to give an update as flu season approaches and answer questions. Please send your questions in advance to [email protected].
Future ‘office hours’ are planned for Friday, Sept. 25 [tentative], Oct. 9 and Oct. 23, all from 12:30 - 1:30.
Access the meeting through your computer at this Zoom link: https://zoom.us/j/705979628
Or dial in for audio only here: 1-646-558-8656 and enter meeting ID 705979628#
NCMS Member Honored With AMA Inspiration Award
Theresa M. Rohr-Kirchgraber, MD, FACP, FAMWA, a new NCMS member, has been nominated for the American Medical Association’s (AMA) Inspiration Award. The award, bestowed by the Women Physicians Section of the AMA, honors and acknowledges physicians who have offered their time, wisdom and support throughout the professional careers of fellow physicians, residents and students.
Dr. Rohr-Kirchgraber is a recent transplant to North Carolina from Indianapolis where she was a professor of clinical internal medicine and pediatrics at the Indiana University School of Medicine. Learn more about her areas of special interest.
Congratulations, Dr. Rohr-Kirchgraber!
In the News
Operation Warp Speed Promised to Do the Impossible. How Far Has It Come? STAT, 9-8-20
Learning Opportunity
Pods, Mods and Vapes - Oh My! E-cigarette Summit: What Adult Allies of Youth Can Do - 2020 Update! This virtual training offered by NC Public Health Region 2 and MAHEC will be offered on Monday, Oct. 12, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. Join other professionals who work in educational or health care settings to explore the latest on the epidemic of tobacco use (via e-cigarettes and other emerging tobacco products) among school-aged youth. Learn how to effectively engage with and impact the behavior of school-aged youth related to tobacco cessation with interactive learning sessions. Learn more and register here.
If you have policies you'd like your NCMS Board of Directors to consider, please complete the Board input form here. Thanks for reading!
NCMS Morning Rounds 9-8-20
Get excited for a new season of NCMS Morning Rounds!
Sept. 8, 2020
What Can Happen By Working Together
Last week, the NC General Assembly allocated $25 million to the NCMS Foundation as part of its Coronovirus Relief Act 3.0 and Governor Cooper signed the legislation appropriating the funds into law. The money will go to financially struggling independent medical practices throughout the state to help mitigate the impact of the pandemic and help them continue to serve their communities. This appropriation was a result of effective collaboration with specialty societies and your individual efforts to communicate with your legislators about what this funding could mean to you and your patients.
The NCMS lobbying team worked closely with colleagues at the NC Academy of Family Physicians, the NC Pediatric Society, the NC College of Emergency Physicians, the NC Association of Physician Assistants, the NC Obstetrics and Gynecology Society and the NC Dermatology Association in order to secure this important appropriation.
Thank you to everyone who responded to our Action Alert to tell your legislators what this money will mean to your practice and how it will help you continue to serve your community. Feel free to reach out and thank your legislator for supporting independent medical practices in this way and be sure to continue the conversation with them in the coming months. Legislators want to hear from their constituents.
New Campaign Encourages Everyone to ‘Get Behind the Mask’
The NC Department of Health and Human Services last week launched a multi-media campaign to encourage all North Carolinians to wear a mask to help stem the spread of the coronavirus. The “Whatever Your Reason, Get Behind the Mask” campaign includes tv and radio spots, social media posts and other resources in English and Spanish. The materials feature real North Carolina residents and places and focuses on their personal reasons for doing what they can to help stop the spread of COVID-19.
Watch the first television commercial that aired last week here.
You can help disseminate this message by using the available campaign resources available in English and Spanish.
Now You Can Request an NC Absentee Ballot Online
The North Carolina State Board of Elections now has an online portal where you can request an absentee ballot for the upcoming election. Prior to this, voters needed to fill out a form and mail it back or drop it off in person at their county board of elections office.
If you have already requested an absentee ballot by mail, the state has said they have started mailing the ballots. If you haven’t received your absentee ballot by Sept. 20, you may want to contact your county board of elections. Here is the link to the list by county.
For more information about voting, visit the State Board of Elections newly redesigned website here.
In the News
Health Care Jobs Inch Back to Pre-Pandemic Levels, Adding 75K in August, Healthcare Dive, 9-4-20
Learning Opportunity
The NC Population Health Collaborative is meeting virtually on Thursday, Sept. 10 from 1 to 3 p.m. This meeting will focus on telehealth and COVID-19 as well as how it may impact population health and planning for the future. Learn more here. Registration is limited to the first 100 people, so register now. Questions about the NC Population Health Collaborative? Please contact Kristen Spaduzzi.
If you have policies you'd like your NCMS Board of Directors to consider, please complete the Board input form here. Thanks for reading!
HB 1105 - Coronavirus Relief Bill 3.0
HB 1105 - Coronavirus Relief Bill
Some key provisions include the following:
- $25 million - North Carolina Medical Society Foundation to ensure access to medical care for citizens by distributing these funds to independent medical practices in the state with financial needs related to COVID-19
- $21 million - Department of Public Instruction to improve internet connectivity for students
- $25 million - Board of Governors to provide funds to transition students to online education and provide funds for students and families impacted by COVID-19
- $17 million -Duke University Human Vaccine Institute of the Duke Univeristy School of Medicine to develop a vaccine and low-cost COVID-19 testing for active infections
- $12 million - DHHS to allocate equally to the 6 food banks
- $20 million - DHHS to provide temporary assistance in a monthly payment to facilities serving residents who are recipients of State-County Special Assistance during COVID-19
- $12.4 million - North Carolina Association of Free and Charitable Clinics to cover costs of services provided during COVID-19
- $6.5 million - DHHS to MedAssist, to offset costs for providing prescription assistance
- $12.4 million - North Carolina Community Health Center Association to cover the cost of eligible health services provided during COVID-19
- $34 million - North Carolina Senior Living Association and NC Health Care Facilities Association for rapid tests
- $5 million - UNC Board of Governors to mitigate the spread on UNC campuses with testing, tracing, and other COVID-19 related services
- $3.5 million - Reinvestment Partners for their Prescription Program
- $4.35 million - DHHS Division of Social Services, to assist in children in foster care during COVID-19
- $9 million - Growing Rural Economies with Acces to Technology Fund to increase broadband access
- $9 million - UNC Charlotte for the Bioinformatics Reseach Center
- $13 million - UNC Board of Governors to purchase PPE
- $500,000 - East Carolina University to conduct research on the key impacts of COVID-19
- $500,000 - UNC Southern Regional Area Health Education Center for COVID
- $12 million - Department of Administration, Council for Women to be used for domestic violence centers and sexual assault programs
- $5 million - State Board of Elecctions to prevent, prepare for, and respond, to the pandemic during the 2020 election cycle
- $600,000 - DHHS Division of Social services to continue Food and Nutrition Services benefits for dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid
- $8 million - DHHS Division of Child Development and Early Education to provide assistance to parents usiing remote learning opportunities for children
- $20 million - DHHS Provider Relief Fund for the related treatment expenses to treat uninsured patients
- $400,000 - Bridge Grant Recovry, Inc. to offset costs for increased demand in substance abuse services
- $500,000 - Triangle Residential Operations for Substance Abusers, Inc.
- $1 million - Nurse Family Partnership
- $38 million - DHHS to distribute to the LME/MCOs
- $30 million Department of Information Technology - supplementary GREAT Act grant process
- Creation of Earthquake Disaster Recovery Fund and allocation for hurricane relief
House Select Committee on Community Relations, Law Enforcement, and Justice
The House Select Committee on Community Relations, Law Enforcement and Justice held it's first meeting on September 2, 2020.
View the list of legislative members here.
View the list of non-legislative members here.
The purpose of this meeting was for Committee members to hear an overview of the current state of the NC criminal justice system and learn more about law enforcement indicators.
Overview of the NC Criminal Justice System
Jessica Smith, UNC School of Government
NC charged 1.9 million crimes in 2019
- 1.6 million misdemeanor charges
- 6.66% violent
- 93.3% nonviolent
- 1 million traffic offenses
- 343,ooo felony charges
- 16.4% violent
- 83.6% nonviolent
- 33% (112,648) charges were drug related
Jessica noted that the group should consider the folowing factors that influence who enters the criminal justice system:
- Health services
- Employment
- Education
- Housing
- Criminal record
- Fines and fees
- Driver's license suspensions
- Family stability
Law Enforcement Indicators: Community Response, Use of Force, Community Engagement
Duren Banks, Division for Applied Justice Research, RTI International
This presentation was provided to the Committee to give an overview of current data relating to community and police interactions.
The Committee had a meaningful discussion on these data points and will meet again later this month.
NCMS Political Pulse for September 4, 2020
The NC General Assembly, in its quick 2-day session this week, passed the Coronavirus Relief Act 3.0. The legislation, which now is with the Governor, includes a $25 million appropriation to the NCMS Foundation to help independent practices that are struggling due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Watch and learn more about this legislation and how you helped make it happen.
NCMS Morning Rounds 9-4-20
Enjoy your NCMS Morning Rounds and a long weekend!
Sept. 4, 2020
On Monday, your NCMS Morning Rounds will not be published and the NCMS offices will be closed for the Labor Day holiday. We appreciate and honor your work to care for NC communities this Labor Day and throughout the year. Please enjoy your weekend!
NCMS Legislative Update
In a quick, two-day session, the NC General Assembly passed the Coronavirus Relief Act 3.0 yesterday, sending the legislation on to Governor Roy Cooper. Included in the bill is $25 million allocated to the NCMS Foundation to distribute to independent medical practices statewide that have been struggling financially due to the pandemic. The NCMS lobbying team and our specialty society colleagues worked hard leading up to and during the session to secure this funding for our members who have been financially hurt due to the current public health crisis.
The money in the legislation comes from the federal CARES Act and must be spent by Dec. 30. Assuming the Governor signs the bill into law, watch your NCMS Morning Rounds and your email in the coming days for details on how to apply for these relief funds.
In addition to the financial relief funding for independent practices, the legislation also includes $72 million for personal protective equipment (PPE), $10 million for internet connectivity and $6 million for food banks. Review the legislation here. The portion dealing with the NCMS Foundation appropriation is on page 17 line 12 (114b).
Earlier this year, the NCMS also received $5 million to purchase personal protective equipment (PPE) to give to independent practices in need of this protective equipment now and for the future. Distribution of the PPE is ongoing (see next article for more information).
Be Sure to Get Your Free PPE
As noted in the previous article, the NC legislature appropriated $5 million to the NCMS to help ensure independent medical practices throughout the state have the necessary personal protective equipment (PPE) necessary to protect practice staff and patients during the pandemic. This PPE is FREE to eligible practices, you simply need to complete this confirmation form.
Your practice is eligible for this PPE if:
• Your practice is organized in accordance with North Carolina General Statutes Chapter 55B and registered with the North Carolina Medical Board as a professional corporation or professional limited liability company with the purpose of practicing medicine.
• Your practice currently provides or contracts for professional medical services.
• Your practice is not owned, managed, or otherwise controlled by an entity defined in G.S. 131E-76(3).
• Your practice is not managed by a practice management company unless the practice management company is majority owned by North Carolina licensed physicians.
This appropriation is thanks to your conversations with legislators, the efforts of the NCMS legislative team and our existing purchasing ability via ActionPPE. As stipulated in the appropriation, all funds must be spent by Dec. 30, so, if you qualify, please complete the confirmation form today. We want to ensure that 100 percent of qualifying practices receive this valuable resource before the deadline.
Once the confirmation form is completed, PPE will be shipped to each office location you provide. Learn more about the available PPE and how it will be shipped at the NCMS Free PPE webpage.
The NCMS also offers a variety of PPE through our ActionPPE group purchasing arrangement. Learn more about this purchasing option here.
If your practice is in critical need or have other questions, please contact Jennifer Crowley or Kathy Scott.
NCDHHS Secretary Cohen Honored
Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health Alumni Association recently announced that NC Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) Secretary Mandy Cohen, MD, MPH, class of 2004, received its 2020 Leadership in Public Health Practice Award. Selected by peers through a nomination and voting process, Sec. Cohen was chosen for her “technical and scientific knowledge, vision, communication skills, ability to influence key decision makers, compassion and empathy, commitment to inclusion and diversity, and mentoring.”
Since the start of the current pandemic, Sec. Cohen has been constantly in the public eye at weekly press briefings and in meetings with health professionals as the state seeks to mitigate the impact of the coronavirus.
The nomination statement for Sec. Cohen noted “her strong leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic response, including her use of data and ability to communicate calmly and with empathy, compassion and transparency, led many North Carolina citizens and elected officials to band together, such that the state was called one of five that will recover from the pandemic.”
Congratulations Sec. Cohen! Learn more here.
In the News
How Foundational Moments in Medicaid’s History Reinforced Rather Than Eliminated Racial Health Disparities, Health Affairs, 9-1-20
Learning Opportunity
Join NCMS Director of Legislative and Political Action Sue Ann Forrest, MPA on Tuesday, Sept. 22 from noon to 1 p.m. for a 2020 Legislative and Elections Update. This ‘Lunch and Learn’ webinar will provide a 2020 NC General Assembly legislative overview and an outlook on the 2020 elections including candidates to watch. Learn more and register.
If you have policies you'd like your NCMS Board of Directors to consider, please complete the Board input form here. Thanks for reading!
NCMS Morning Rounds 9-3-20
Happy Thursday! Enjoy your NCMS Morning Rounds!Sept. 3, 2020NC Medical Board Seeks Input on Non-Compete AgreementsAs noted in your NCMS Morning Rounds on Aug. 21, 2020, the NC Medical Board (NCMB) is asking its licensees to provide input on the impact of non-compete clauses in physician employment contracts. The use of non-compete clauses is widespread in the health services industry, in part because of the significant up-front costs associated with beginning or purchasing a medical practice, and the desire to amortize those costs over time. To avoid breaching a non-compete agreement, departing physicians may be required to move out of their current health services market, or dismiss their current patients. The impact on patients can arise as an issue in medical board proceedings. The NCMB’s Policy Committee will be discussing physician non-compete clauses at its next meeting on Sept. 23, 2020, and is seeking licensee feedback and information. Feedback and relevant documents can be submitted to Senior Board Attorney, Todd Brosius at [email protected]. Please send your feedback by Tuesday,. Sept. 8, 2020. Updated State Guidance on COVID-19 Antigen TestingOn Tuesday, state epidemiologist Zack Moore, MD, MPH reminded health care providers of the requirement to report all COVID-19 test results and issued updated guidance on antigen testing. Physicians and PAs are required by State Health Director Order to report all results, positive and negative, of diagnostic testing for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. This includes antigen test results. As a reminder: • Physicians and other health care providers are required to report all test results that will not be reported by a laboratory within 24 hours of receiving the test result by telephone or secure fax to the local health director in the county or district where the patient resides. Access to testing remains a critical part of North Carolina’s response to COVID-19, Dr. Moore said. Testing helps inform control measures that a person must take to decrease viral transmission and provides data to understand the level of disease spread across North Carolina. Although the CDC gave some flexibility to states to revise their testing criteria, North Carolina has widespread viral transmission and the state has not changed its testing guidance at present. Generally, the guidance on individuals who should be tested is as simple as anyone who has symptoms and anyone who thinks they’ve been exposed. Please continue referring patients for testing when they meet these criteria. For more information, see the detailed testing guidance. If you need more information or a consultation call the NC Division of Public Health epidemiologist on call at 919-733-3419. Why These Physicians Are DPP ChampionsThe NCMS is working closely with the AMA and other organizations to achieve a DiabetesFreeNC. Part of the effort involves working with physician champions, those committed to diabetes prevention programs (DPP) to help their patients avoid this chronic condition. Watch three DPP physician champions Brian Klausner, MD, Jeffrey Viar, DO and Karen Smith, MD, explain why this initiative is important to them in these quick video testimonials. In the NewsTelehealth Grew Wildly Popular Amid COVID-19. Now Visits Are Dropping, Forcing Providers to Recalibrate, STAT, 9-1-20 Learning Opportunity‘Population Health in Challenging Times – Insights from Key Domains: A Workshop’ will be held Monday, Sept. 21 to Thursday, Sept. 24 via webcast. Speakers will explore how some of the main sectors in population health view the COVID-19 public health emergency and the movement for racial justice, and how are they using this moment as: 1. a platform for reimagining how they work (i.e., not merely rebuild, but build anew), The workshop will be organized in six 90-minute panel discussions with Q&A, with each panel focusing on a key domain such as government public health, non-profit, academia, philanthropy, health care, and cross-sector partnerships. This event is public and free to join. Learn more here. If you have policies you'd like your NCMS Board of Directors to consider, please complete the Board input form here. Thanks for reading! Don't want to receive Morning Rounds in the future? Just reply to this email and type "No Rounds" in the subject line. |
NCMS Morning Rounds 9-2-20
Welcome to your Wednesday NCMS Morning Rounds!
Sept. 2, 2020
BCBSNC Extends Prior Auth Waiver for COVID
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (BCBSNC) has extended its prior authorization waiver for COVID-19 related services from Sept. 30 to Oct. 31, 2020. The state’s largest commercial insurer will continue waiving prior authorization requirements for emergent non-elective inpatient admissions, durable medical equipment and post-acute care services that are medically necessary for COVID-19 related services. This measure applies to all Blue Cross NC commercial plans and Medicare Advantage plans offered and administered by BCBSNC, including Experience Health.
Earlier, BCBSNC extended its telehealth or virtual care policy until the end of the year. For a comprehensive overview of all insurers’ telehealth policies, be sure to check out our updated grid on the NCMS COVID-19 webpage.
BCBSNC and other insurers continue to reevaluate their policies enacted during the pandemic. Watch your NCMS Morning Rounds for future updates.
Your Response is Needed!
Since the start of the pandemic back in March, the NCMS along with the NC Medical Group Management Association (NCMGMA) and Curi have partnered to collect data on the many ways practices across the state have been impacted by COVID-19. The information has been helpful in our advocacy on your behalf at the General Assembly and has helped inform the NC Department of Health and Human Services and others. Please take just a minute to complete this month’s survey so we can continue to track the trends and develop resources and opportunities to help you navigate this public health crisis.
Click here to take the survey now
Thank you for your time and for all you do for the health and well-being of your communities.
REMINDER: Be Sure You’re Eligible to Vote in NCMS Election
Voting in the upcoming NCMS election for our society’s leadership, is easy. You just need to make sure your NCMS membership and email address is up-to-date. You can renew your membership here. If you need to update your email address, please send it to our membership services department here.
The final ballots to fill positions on the NCMS Board of Directors, AMA delegation and Nominating and Leadership Development Committee will be published Sept. 24. You will receive your secure ballot and vote via email. For those without email access, we will mail a paper ballot. Voting will close on Oct. 15 and those elected will be announced the following day at the NCMS Annual Business Meeting.
The NCMS’ Nominating and Leadership Development Committee put forth the following slate of candidates:
Board of Directors
President Elect: Mike Utecht, MD
Secretary Treasurer: John Meier, IV, MD
Region 3 Representative: Karen Smith, MD
Region 4 Representative: Rachel Keever, MD
At-Large Member: Eileen Raynor, MD
At-Large Member: Bryant Murphy, MD
American Medical Association Delegation
Delegate: Hadley Callaway, MD
Delegate: William Bowman, MD
Delegate: Darlyne Menscer, MD
Delegate: Liana Puscas, MD
Alternate Delegate: Rebecca Hayes, MD
Nominating & Leadership Development Committee
Region 1: Chris Grubb, MD
Region 1: Jugta Kahai, MD
Region 2: Justin Hurie, MD
Region 4: Gregory Evans, MD
In the News
Med Students ‘Feel Very Behind’ Because of COVID-Induced Disruptions in Training, Kaiser Health News, 8-31-20
Learning Opportunity
This webinar, hosted by the NC Medical Group Management Association (NCMGMA) is geared to your practice manager, but you might be interested in sitting in as well. NC Medical Board Chief Communications Officer Evelyn Contre will address “Keeping Your Providers on the Right Side of the Medical Board” on Sept. 9 from noon to 1 p.m. Learn more and register here.
If you have policies you'd like your NCMS Board of Directors to consider, please complete the Board input form here. Thanks for reading!
NCMS Morning Rounds 8-31-20
Welcome to a new week!
ICYMI – Chip Baggett Selected as New NCMS Executive VP/CEO
Yesterday evening NCMS members received a special email with the announcement that the NCMS’ Board of Directors had selected Chip Baggett, JD, as the organization’s new Executive Vice President/CEO effective tomorrow, Sept. 1, 2020. Baggett succeeds Robert W. Seligson, MBA, MA, who announced in January he would be phasing out his role at the NCMS after 26 years at the helm. This morning, the statewide media will be notified of the news.
A search committee, named by the NCMS’ Board carried out a nationwide search over the past eight months using the executive search firm of Tuft & Associates to find the best candidate to carry forward the organization’s work to empower the physician and PA members of the 171-year-old professional society.
“After an exhaustive national search we determined that Chip is the very best person for this position,” said NCMS Past President John Mangum, MD, who chaired the search committee. “After much careful consideration of many qualified applicants, we selected Chip, not because he was the internal candidate, but because he was the candidate who unequivocally rose to the top.”
A diverse group of more than 40 individuals applied for the job, and the committee, meeting remotely via Zoom, held interviews and lengthy calls to eventually narrow the field to two finalists by mid-August.
Baggett has worked at the NCMS since 2007, most recently as Senior Vice President for Advocacy and Associate General Counsel. Throughout his tenure at the Medical Society he has effectively advocated on behalf of the medical profession at the NC General Assembly, and is routinely lauded as one of the state’s top lobbyists. In his most recent role, he also oversaw the NCMS and NCMS Foundation’s fundraising and communications functions.
Prior to coming to the NCMS, Baggett worked in many facets of health care including as executive director of the Buncombe County Medical Society in Asheville (now the Western Carolina Medical Society) and in pharmaceutical sales. Trained at the Indiana School of Fundraising, he has fundraising experience in a variety of paid and volunteer capacities, and has led successful corporate and non-profit annual fund campaigns. Baggett holds an undergraduate degree in education from Appalachian State University and a law degree from NC Central University School of Law.
“Chip’s wide-ranging skill set will be a great asset to the Medical Society,” said NCMS President Palmer Edwards, MD, DFAPA. “The search committee and the Board strongly felt that he is the person to take the NCMS where it needs to go in the future.”
The NCMS’ mission is to enhance the health of North Carolinians and promote the medical profession through advocacy, policy development, education and leadership training.
“I am humbled by the trust the NCMS has put in me to carry forward this crucial work,” Baggett said. “I look forward to working closely with our fellow health care stakeholder organizations as well as to establishing new, meaningful collaborations to achieve better health in our state.”
Outgoing Executive Vice President and CEO Seligson had nothing but praise for his successor: “Chip will do a stellar job,” he said. “He is passionate, smart, creative, driven and has thoroughly demonstrated his commitment to the NCMS over the years. His heart is in the organization. I am thrilled with the Board’s decision and confident the NCMS will thrive under Chip’s leadership.”
NCMS Legislative Update
At noon on Wednesday legislators will be back in Raleigh and the NC General Assembly will reconvene for what is anticipated will be brief session. The main order of business will be allocating COVID-19 relief funds.
Last week Governor Roy Cooper released his proposed budget adjustments, which include money for testing, contact tracing and PPE. Read our summary of the Governor’s budget proposal on our legislative blog here.
As reported earlier, the NCMS has requested a $50 million appropriation from the legislature to help independent medical practices that are financially suffering due to the pandemic. Last week we issued an Action Alert to help you share with legislators your particular stories about how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted your practice and your patients. Hearing real stories from their constituents helps legislators make effective decisions. If you haven’t already responded to the Action Alert, do so now here.
The NCMS is working closely with the medical specialty societies to align our efforts in securing the appropriation. Watch your NCMS Morning Rounds for updates.
Also this week, the NC House Select Committee on Community Relations, Law Enforcement and Justice will meet on Wednesday morning at 10 a.m. NC Rep. Kristin Baker, MD, (R-Cabarrus), a psychiatrist, is a committee co-chair.
Provider Relief Fund Application Deadline Extended Again
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the deadline for Medicaid/CHIP providers to submit their financial data to apply for federal Provider Relief Funds has been extended to Sept. 13, 2020.
If you have not yet submitted your application, you are encouraged to apply. Those who received payments from the Provider Relief Fund previously or had a change in ownership are now eligible to receive payments.
More information is available in NC Medicaid's SPECIAL BULLETIN COVID-19 #126: New Deadline for Medicaid Providers Applying for Federal Relief Funds.
In the News
Six Feet May Not Be Enough to Protect Against the Coronavirus, Experts Warn, The Washington Post, 8-27-20
Learning Opportunity
American Academy of Pediatrics Julius B. Richmond Center of Excellence will present a 3-part webinar series on e-cigarettes beginning on Thursday, Sept. 24 at 8 p.m. Led by subject matter experts these webinars will focus on clinical and policy approaches to address youth e-cigarette use and prevention with adolescents, families, and communities. The first webinar is “E-cigarettes 101.” Register Now! Those who pre-register will have access to the recording after the live event
If you have policies you'd like your NCMS Board of Directors to consider, please complete the Board input form here. Thanks for reading!
NCMS Morning Rounds 8-28-20
It's Friday and time for the week's final NCMS Morning Rounds.
August 28, 2020
First, a little something to brighten your Friday! Click below to start your day with this uplifting and tuneful 3-minute video.
Watch the video
Tuesday is Application Deadline for NC Job Retention Grants
Earlier this year, the NC General Assembly appropriated $15 million in federal relief funds to assist North Carolina businesses and nonprofit organizations that have experienced interruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic. If your business has not already received assistance under the federal Paycheck Protection Program, you may be eligible for up to $250,000 from the state’s new Job Retention Grant Program (JRG). But you will need to act quickly – the strict deadline is this Tuesday, Sept. 1.
You can learn more and apply at the NC Department of Commerce website here.
To qualify for a grant award, applicants must meet certain eligibility requirements, which include:
- Not having participated in the federal Paycheck Protection Program, the federal Main Street Loan Program, or the state Rapid Recovery Loan Program.
• Having maintained at least 90 percent of the number of full-time employees in North Carolina at the end of June 2020 as it did at the end of February 2020.
• A reduction in sales (in the case of a for-profit business) or receipts (for nonprofits) of more than 10 percent when comparing March-May 2020 to March-May 2019 levels.
Applicants are eligible for a grant up to 125 percent of two months of its 2019 average monthly payroll costs, up to a maximum of $250,000. All applicants that apply and are eligible may expect to receive some level of assistance, but the actual amount of the grant will depend on the total number of eligible requests received by the program.
NCDHHS Child Care Resources for Working Parents
With school now underway, working parents on your staff may be facing the added stress of finding a safe place for their children during the day that can also support their remote learning. The good news is that there is ample licensed child care available across the state, according to the NC Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS).
In partnership with Child Care Resources and Referral, the NCDHHS created a free hotline to connect families to licensed care for their school-age children. Families can call the hotline at 1-888-600-1685.
You can help by letting staff and patients know they have child care options by:
• Sharing NCDHHS’ Child Care Hotline flyer (English, Spanish).
• Sharing the Parent Toolkit on What To Know When Looking for School-Age Child Care
• Including information in your newsletters, presentations and other communication vehicles.
Federal Regulatory Update
NCMS partner organization the Physicians Advocacy Institute (PAI) recently released its federal regulatory update, which highlights PAI’s advocacy on matters that impact physicians and patients. During the COVID-19 pandemic, these efforts have focused on securing adequate financial supports and regulatory flexibilities to allow physicians to continue to safely care for their patients and remain financially viable.
As the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) continues to evolve, PAI is working to share feedback with members of Congress and federal regulators on issues that physicians and patients are facing. Please visit PAI's COVID-19 Resources page and the Healthsperien COVID-19 Resource Updates page for up-to-date information.
Included in the updates is PAI’s complete summary of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid’s (CMS) lengthy proposed rules for the Medicare physician fee schedule and Quality Payment Program and a copy of PAI’s letter to the National Governors Association (NGA) outlining key COVID-19-related policy recommendations and a summary of recommended priorities for policymakers. Read the letter.
In the News
CDC Proposes Guidelines for Distributing Coronvirus Vaccine in the US, CNBC, 8-26-20
Learning Opportunity
A virtual forum focused on COVID-19 and the health insurance coverage gap in western North Carolina will be held Wednesday, Sept. 2 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Learn more and register here.
If you have policies you'd like your NCMS Board of Directors to consider, please complete the Board input form here. Thanks for reading!
NCMS Morning Rounds 8-28-20
Happy Thursday! Enjoy your NCMS Morning Rounds.
August 27, 2020
Mark Your Calendar for NCMS Annual Business Meeting, Oct. 16
While the NCMS’ Annual Business Meeting will be virtual this year, many of the traditions will remain – including remarks by the outgoing and incoming presidents, hearing reports on the state of our society and officially installing our new leadership. Please mark your calendar and plan to attend the proceedings beginning at 3 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 16.
The agenda includes guest speaker Howard Bauchner, MD, MPH, Editor, Journal of the American Medical Association, who will share his unique vantage point on the events of the past year and look ahead to the coming year.
Watch your NCMS Morning Rounds and your email box for more on the Annual Business Meeting and other educational events being planned leading up to that afternoon.
State Seeks Medical Partners for COVID Testing in Hard Hit Communities
As part of the state’s strategy to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, it is calling on local medical and community partners to increase testing efforts in hard hit communities, particularly those with historically marginalized populations. The state has developed a ‘Partner COVID-19 Testing Toolkit’ as a guide to setting up local testing events.
The kit outlines best practices, resources available to you and sources for additional information as well as guidelines on what your responsibilities are throughout the process. Included are detailed steps as you plan, prepare for and manage the community testing event.
Before you begin planning, it is important to work closely with your Local Health Department and, if a community organization is spearheading the effort, a medical partner as both will be vital throughout the process.
Here are some things that will be involved as you consider becoming a partner:
• Select a site: Choose a site that is easily accessible and can support requirements (i.e. shelter, water, etc.)
• Identify funding: Work with local businesses and organizations to identify additional partners that can help support the effort. The medical partner will be responsible for coordinating with the labs and ensuring steps are taken to apply for reimbursement for uninsured patients.
Once the event date and location have been finalized, the medical partner will help prepare for the event using the toolkit, which provides information and resources on:
• Supplies to support registration, testing, storage of samples and personal protection
• Staff roles: Consider hiring staff for general operations, registration, sample collection and traffic control
• Promoting the testing event: Increase attendance and engagement through successful promotion
On the day of the testing event, everyone will need to work together to set-up, at patient registration, sample collection, providing resources and education, disposing of PPE, sending samples to the labs and follow up.
It is important to be equipped with answers for frequently asked patient questions around contact tracing, the importance of isolation and quarantine, where patient data is going, and how patients can access additional community support through NC 2-1-1 and NCCARE360.
Please find the toolkit online here (Also in Spanish). Thank you for your commitment to slow the spread of COVID-19.
REMINDER: Be Sure You’re Eligible to Vote in NCMS Election
Voting in the upcoming NCMS election for our society’s leadership, is easy. You just need to make sure your NCMS membership and email address is up-to-date. You can renew your membership here. If you need to update your email address, please send it to our membership services department here.
The final ballots to fill positions on the NCMS Board of Directors, AMA delegation and Nominating and Leadership Development Committee will be published Sept. 24. You will receive your secure ballot and vote via email. For those without email access, we will mail a paper ballot. Voting will close on Oct. 15 and those elected will be announced the following day at the NCMS Annual Business Meeting.
The NCMS’ Nominating and Leadership Development Committee put forth the following slate of candidates:
Board of Directors
President Elect: Mike Utecht, MD
Secretary Treasurer: John Meier, IV, MD
Region 3 Representative: Karen Smith, MD
Region 4 Representative: Rachel Keever, MD
At-Large Member: Eileen Raynor, MD
At-Large Member: Bryant Murphy, MD
American Medical Association Delegation
Delegate: Hadley Callaway, MD
Delegate: William Bowman, MD
Delegate: Darlyne Menscer, MD
Delegate: Liana Puscas, MD
Alternate Delegate: Rebecca Hayes, MD
Nominating & Leadership Development Committee
Region 1: Chris Grubb, MD
Region 1: Jugta Kahai, MD
Region 2: Justin Hurie, MD
Region 4: Gregory Evans, MD
In the News
Can Mosquitos Spread the Coronavirus?, The Associated Press, 8-25-20
Learning Opportunity
The NC Medical Board (NCMB) and Wake AHEC are offering a free, pre-recorded 3-part webinar series addressing issues around prescription opioids for physicians and PAs licensed to practice in North Carolina. The three learning activities will provide clinicians with best practices for effectively and appropriately treating pain, and ultimately improving patient outcomes. Completing this series will fulfill the NCMB’s three hour controlled substances CME requirement. Learn more and sign up here.
If you have policies you'd like your NCMS Board of Directors to consider, please complete the Board input form here. Thanks for reading!
Governor Releases Budget Adjustments 2020-21
On August 26, 2020, Governor Roy Cooper held a press conference to release his proposed budget adjustments for 2020-21.
Some key items include --
- $175 million for critical public health services, with $25 million for testing and tracing;
- $49 million to develop a state personal protective equipment (PPE) stockpile;
- $25 million to research obstacles to reliable, rapid COVID-19 testing;
- $132 million to help K-12 public schools to protect students, teachers and staff with COVID-19 support;
- $50 million to establish an emergency grant program to invest in expanded broadband access;
- $27.5 million to combine with other funds to create a $50 million relief program to support North Carolina businesses with rent, mortgage and utility relief; and
- One-time bonuses to K-12 public school teachers, principals, support staff and non-certified school personnel.
The NCGA House and Senate are scheduled to convene on Wednesday September 2, at noon.
NCMS Morning Rounds 8-26-20
Halfway through the week and time for your NCMS Morning Rounds.
August 26, 2020
NCMS Board Adopts New Policies
At its meeting Monday evening, your NCMS Board of Directors unanimously adopted policies around maternal and infant health as well as hospital medical staff bylaws.
The NCMS Policy Committee formed a special work group to review existing NCMS policies around infant and maternal health and compare recommendations included in the NCIOM Perinatal System of Care Task Force’s final report and the state’s Perinatal Health Strategic Plan. The workgroup found significant overlap existed in policies and recommendations from each organization and was ultimately able to synthesize and simplify the recommendations into one comprehensive policy document addressing maternal and infant health. Review the background and resulting policies here.
After review of the legal and regulatory issues impacting hospital bylaws, current hospital bylaws from facilities across the state, and position statements from the AMA and other state medical societies, the NCMS’ Hospital Medical Staff Task Force recommended a new policy statement. The Board adopted this recommended policy, which emphasizes the need for each medical staff to have flexibility when determining the appropriate composition, voting rights and structure necessary to promote the highest quality patient care based upon the facility’s unique needs and local circumstances. Read the background and resulting policy statement here.
State Health Plan Reopens Network Enrollment
The State Health Plan recently announced that it will be reopening the NC State Health Plan Network for new medical providers to join. Medical providers will have from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, 2020, to sign up. Providers who join will be included in the network effective Jan. 1, 2021.
The NC State Health Plan Network, which went live Jan. 1, 2020, currently consists of more than 25,000 providers who signed on to the new network last year as part of the Plan’s Clear Pricing Project (CPP). Under the CPP, physicians and PAs in the Network will be reimbursed at Medicare rates plus an average of 60 percent.
If you have questions, you may call Blue Cross NC Provider Relations at 800-777-1643. All other questions can be sent via email to [email protected]. For additional information please visit the Plan’s website. This will be the same website providers will visit once the window opens Sept. 15, 2020, to start the sign up process.
Tell Your Legislator If Your Practice Needs Assistance
The NCMS has requested a $50 million appropriation from the NC General Assembly to offer financial assistance to independent medical practices throughout the state. If your practice has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, please tell your legislator.
When the General Assembly reconvenes in September, the NCMS’ request will likely be considered, so please share with your elected representatives how this pandemic has affected your patient volume, staffing levels and other ways the situation may be making it hard for you to make ends meet.
To help you, we have an Action Alert message that will automatically send to the appropriate legislators. Please feel free to add details or anecdotes specific to your practice. Take Action here.
In the News
Florida’s Cautionary Tale: How Gutting and Muzzling Public Health Fueled COVID Fire, Kaiser Health News, 8-24-20
Learning Opportunity
The National Academy of Medicine and American Public Health Association’s ongoing COVID-19 Conversations webinar series offers information on ‘Returning to K-12 Education: Using Science to Keep Children, Teachers and Staff Safe.’ Watch the recorded session from Aug. 12 here.
If you have policies you'd like your NCMS Board of Directors to consider, please complete the Board input form here. Thanks for reading!
NCMS Morning Rounds 8-25-20
Happy Tuesday! Enjoy your NCMS Morning Rounds.August 25, 2020 Flu Season in the Time of COVID-19Encouraging patients to get their flu shots this fall has taken on new urgency during the current pandemic. The annual influenza epidemic results in an estimated 12,000 to 61,000 in the US each year since 2010 depending on the influenza virus strain. With the COVID-19 pandemic, public health officials and clinicians will be facing an additional respiratory virus with a morbidity and mortality several times higher than influenza. For an overview of how these two viruses may impact patients this fall and winter, listen to this 15-minute podcast with Daniel Solomon, MD, of the Division of Infectious Diseases at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital of the Harvard medical School. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has not changed its normal recommendations on timing of the flu vaccine this year -- September and October are the optimal times to receive the vaccine. Some who may have received a flu shot at their workplace in previous years, will have to make an added effort to get to their primary care provider or visit a pharmacy to get their shot. Get more information on this year’s vaccine and timing from the CDC. Communicating the importance of getting a flu shot to patients as well as how flu and COVID-19 symptoms may be hard to distinguish is especially important this year. This page lays out the similarities and differences between the flu and COVID-19. Read the CDC’s clinical guidance on all vaccinations during a pandemic here. And as an indication of just how serious some are about vaccinating for influenza this year, the state of Massachusetts has made a flu shot mandatory for students. Read more here. Learn How NCCARE 360 Can Help You and Your PatientsNCCARE 360 is the first statewide coordinated network that unites health care and human services organizations through a shared technology platform. The platform allows you to electronically connect your patients with identified needs like transportation, safe housing and food to community resources. NCCARE 360 has partnered with NCAHEC to offer a series of live webinars to share information about the program’s roll out and to learn from the expertise of health care professionals across the state. The events are regionally specific. Learn more and register for one of the free webinars in your area here. PAs Join Care4Carolina CoalitionThe NC Academy of Physician Assistants has officially joined the NCMS and more than 60 local and statewide health care organizations and leaders in the Care4Carolina Coalition. This group calls on North Carolina leaders to close the health care ‘coverage gap’ for those people who earn too much to qualify for Medicaid, but not enough to get help in the private insurance marketplace. There are over 7,000 licensed Physician Assistants (PA) in North Carolina including many who are NCMS members. North Carolina is home to some of the best PA educational programs in the country. Care4Carolina is actively recruiting additional partners who also believe access to quality, affordable health care helps build a healthier, stronger North Carolina. Covering the uninsured means better premium value for North Carolinians with private health insurance by lowering costs for everyone. Providing health insurance coverage will help people gain access to the care they need, which improves health outcomes. To find out more, visit care4carolina.com. In the News4 Theories On Why So Many Coronavirus Cases Are Asymptomatic, The Advisory Board Forum, 8-13-20 Learning OpportunityThe People’s Opioid Summit, a ‘virtual summit to educate, empower and save a life, will be held Oct. 9 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. The summit’s mission is to help people living with the disorder, as well as their families and caregivers, professionals and the general public understand opioid use disorder and how to help each other live a more fulfilling, safer life by eliminating the stigma. Learn more and register here. If you have policies you'd like your NCMS Board of Directors to consider, please complete the Board input form here. Thanks for reading!
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NCMS Morning Rounds 8-24-20
Welcome to a new week and your Monday NCMS Morning Rounds.
August 24, 2020
NCMS Legislative Update – NCMS Requests $50 million in COVID-19 Relief
Last week the NC House Select Committee on COVID-19 and its Health Care Working Group reviewed the funding needs for a variety of groups impacted by the pandemic. Legislators went through a list of 40 items in need of funding and tried to rank them as to urgency. This is in anticipation of the NC General Assembly’s return to Raleigh in September to consider COVID-19 relief legislation.
The NCMS and several other health care stakeholder organizations have requested $50 million from state lawmakers to address the COVID-19 related needs of your practice. Learn more about the committee meeting and our request on our legislative blog.
Watch your email for an Action Alert to send to legislators explaining how the pandemic has impacted your practice and urging them to fund our relief request.
With less than 75 days until the General Election on Nov. 3, we are in the final stretch of our PAC fundraising effort. Our goal to raise an additional $40,000 will help support candidates who understand the issues medical professionals face. Your support is crucial. Please give now, if you haven’t already made your donation. Donate here.
And don’t forget to request your absentee ballot and learn more about how you can vote in the upcoming election.
NC Diabetes Prevention Program Goes Virtual
The NCMS has been working closely with the AMA over the past year to implement a comprehensive diabetes prevention program. When the pandemic hit, that healthy lifestyle programs that were a part of the effort were initially suspended. But now, those beneficial programs are back – virtually.
The AMA published a feature article on North Carolina’s virtual DPP, highlighting the NCMS’ role in the program. Read the article here.
‘Catch-Up to Get Ahead’ Initiative for Childhood Immunizations
The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) this month launched its ‘Catch-up to Get Ahead’ initiative to increase childhood immunization rates in the wake of significant declines due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The campaign includes a toolkit containing graphics and sample posts for your social media networks as well as videos and a list of resources to help you spread the message to parents and caregivers. Access the toolkit here.
The initiative seeks to bring together government and private sector partners to enhance access to essential immunization services by:
• Increasing immunization opportunities by encouraging extended office and clinic hours for the administration of catch-up vaccines;
• Informing parents about COVID-19 safety precautions and practices in place in health care settings and encouraging them to take their children to get vaccinated; and
• Catching children up on their immunizations to mitigate pressures on our healthcare system when the influenza and SARS-CoV-2 viruses begin co-circulating in the coming months.
August is National Immunization Awareness Month and raising awareness around receiving recommended immunizations is even more important during the pandemic.
Learn more about the initiative here.
In the News
Long-Haulers are Re-defining COVID-19, The Atlantic, 8-19-20
Learning Opportunity
SAVE THE DATE: Addiction Medicine Essentials – Oct. 16 – 17. This fall's virtual Addiction Medicine Essentials Conference, will focus on health inequities, particularly racial inequities, in Substance Use Disorder (SUD) prevention, treatment and policy. Dr. Jessica Isom, Dr. Jill Williams and Victor Armstrong will identify and explore barriers to health equity in addiction medicine. Registration coming soon.
If you missed the spring Addiction Medicine Conference you can REWIND to attend 6 sessions and receive up to 4.5 hours of CME, all on your schedule for just $50. Access the sessions here.
If you have policies you'd like your NCMS Board of Directors to consider, please complete the Board input form here. Thanks for reading!
House Committee on COVID-19 Health Care Working Group
The NCGA House Select Committee on COVID-19 Health Care Working Group met on August 20, 2020.
Coronavirus Relief Fund Availability
The Fiscal Research Division provided an overview to the Committee about the previous appropriations provided by the NCGA. View the complete break down of appropriations here.
DHHS Division of Child Development and Early Education COVID-19 Funding Priorities
Susan Gale Perry from NC DHHS explained that about 11% (16,374) of NC COVID-19 cases are among children ages 0-17. Overall food insecurity among all ages of North Carolinians increased from 11.7% in February 2020 to 34% by May 2020.
There has been a 35% decline in Child Protective Services reports. Perry attibuted this decline to the mandatory reports, especially from educational professionals having less contact with students.
Perry states that DHHS anticipated expending all CARES funding for childcare before the December deadline. The Department's top priorities include PPE, workforce retention, and operational grants.
DHHS COVID-19 Funding Priorities
NCDHHS Secretary, Dr. Mandy Cohen, MD, MPH, provided a high level view of the coronavirus relief funding to date.
- The federal CARES Act provided $150 billion to state and local governments.
- To date, NC DHHS has revieved $345,340,000 in Coronavirus Relief Funds appropriated through the NC General Assembly.
- All of this funding must be spent by December 30, 2020.
- Priorities for additional funding:
- Access to Health: Medicaid expansion
- Prevention: infection control, hygiene technical assistance, public awareness campaigns
- Aging Adults: long term care workforce retention
- Rural/Underserved: wrap arround supports, community health workers
- Early Childhood: PPE, childcare workforce retention, adults mental health services
- Opioid Epidemic: treatment and support recovery
Health Care Working Group Funding Requests
There were 39 funding requests made to the COVID-19 Health Care Working Group.
#19 - The North Carolina Medical Society requested $50 million to distribute to financially distressed practices to prevent futher closers of independent practices.
NCMS is creating an action alert for members to advocate for this funding.
The Appropriations Chairs will meet next week to discuss these allocations.
You can find your legislator's contact information here.
NCMS Morning Rounds 8-21-20
Here's your final NCMS Morning Rounds of the week.
August 21, 2020
$12 million to Expand Internet Access Allocated
More than $12 million will be allocated in 11 rural North Carolina counties to expand internet access thanks to the 2019-2020 Growing Rural Economies with Access to Technology (GREAT) grants and COVID-19 Recovery Act funding. Access to reliable broadband service is crucial during the current pandemic as many patients may need to rely on telehealth for some of their care and many children statewide are learning remotely.
The GREAT grant program, which was launched in 2018 and has already provided $10 million for projects in rural counties, provides matching grants to internet service providers and electric membership cooperatives that compete for funding to expand high-speed internet service in Tier 1 counties. Tier 1 counties are those that are the most economically distressed. The COVID-19 Recovery Act also contains funding for internet access projects and will provide about $2 million of the $12 million for this latest round of projects.
The latest grant recipients are expected to connect 8,017 families and 254 businesses, farms and community institutions to high-speed internet.
For more information and a list of the counties receiving the grants, see this press release from Governor Roy Cooper’s office, which announced the awards on Wednesday. The NCMS continues to advocate for improved broadband infrastructure to help ensure Internet access as telehealth adoption becomes more necessary and readily accepted by physicians, PAs, patients and payers.
NC Medical Board Seeks Input on Non-Compete Clauses
The Policy Committee of the North Carolina Medical Board (NCMB) is considering the ethical implications of covenants-not-to-compete in physician employment contracts and is seeking input from stakeholders around the state.
If you or the entity you represent are interested in providing input on this topic, please submit any materials you wish to be considered in writing to Senior Board Attorney Todd Brosius at [email protected] by Tuesday, Sept. 8. It is anticipated the materials will be considered by the Policy Committee at its next meeting on Sept. 23.
Finding Well-being and Joy – A Leadership College Scholar’s Request
Marion M McCrary, MD, FACP, a Leadership College scholar in the NCMS Foundation’s Kanof Institute for Physician Leadership, is seeking your feedback on her Leadership College project. Here is her request:
I wanted to share with you a project I completed as part of the Leadership College curriculum with the North Carolina Medical Society’s Kanof Institute of Physician Leadership.
Stepping Stones – A Practical Path to Well-Being and Finding Joy is a series of videos discussing tangible and practical ways to “Beat Burnout.” I used the framework from the American Medical Association’s StepsForward™ Module on Physician Well-Being and broke the concepts down into bite sized chunks of information. I discussed my own experience and strategies I have learned while studying this over the last several years. I am passionate about Physician Well-Being and Prevention of Burnout and serve as a Well-Being Champion for the North Carolina chapter of the American College of Physicians.
I would be honored if you would watch the videos and share them with any physician or physician group that you feel might benefit from them. My goal is to reach as many physicians as I can with this project.
If you find your system firewall prevents accessing them from your work organization internet connection, please try accessing them on your home computer or on your mobile device.
I am seeking feedback on these as part of my project and there is a link to the survey available on each section and in the description noted for each video on VIMEO!
Thank you!
In the News
A Litany for Survival: Giving Birth as a Black Woman in America, Harper’s Magazine, September 2020
Learning Opportunity
Don’t forget to tune in to TODAY’s Power Hour from 1 to 2 p.m. when we will continue our ongoing discussion around racism in the United States and what we can do as individuals, as a health care community and as a medical society to address racial injustice and health inequities. Join your colleagues and our guests, who are focused on change at all levels to address health inequities and disparities, as we grapple with these issues. Learn more and register here
Dismantling Racism in Healthcare: A Path Forward, Wednesday, Aug. 26, 5 to 6:15 p.m.
Triangle Healthcare Executives' Forum of North Carolina (THEF) chapter of the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) offer a virtual discussion of strategies for addressing racial disparities in health care. Health care leaders will share ideas about strategies that have been successful in dismantling systemic racism and generate thought leadership for new solutions. Learn more and register here.
If you have policies you'd like your NCMS Board of Directors to consider, please complete the Board input form here. Thanks for reading!