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2022 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) and Quality Payment Program (OPP) Proposed Rule Summary

Physician Payment Schedule On July 13, 2021, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released the Calendar Year (CY) 2022 Revisions to Payment Policies under the Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) and Other Changes to Part B Payment Policies proposed rule (published in the Federal Register on July 23, 2021 – Docket number CMS-1751-P). In addition, CMS published a fact sheet on the PFS proposed rule highlighting the key provisions. If finalized, the proposed policies in the rule will take effect on January 1, 2022. CMS is requesting that comments ...

August Webinar Series: AMA Steps Forward

This AMA STEPS Forward™ webinar will outline best practices for implementing new health care technologies—including telehealth—in practice in an equitable, inclusive way focusing on both the impact to marginalized and minoritized patients and the clinicians and systems that care for them. The AMA STEPS Forward™ webinar series has one event coming up in August that we wanted to make you aware of and encourage you to share: Implementing innovative solutions with an equity lens Registration link: https://www.ama-assn.org/delivering-care/health-equity/ama-steps-forward-webinar-series-innovative-solutions-equity-lens August 10, 2021, noon – 1 p.m. CT The AMA STEPS Forward™ webinar series provides interactive instruction from ...

Health Affairs Briefings on Border Health and Immigrant Health

The July 2021 issue of Health Affairs, supported by the California Health Care Foundation, The California Endowment, and Con Alma Health Foundation, covers the intersection of borders, immigrants, and health. Articles describe the coverage gaps remaining among US immigrants, the impacts of immigration policy on health care use, sanctuary policies as social determinants of health, and much more. “The COVID-19 pandemic showed us that disease knows no borders, and that the health of our neighbors is inextricably linked to our own health,” said Sandra R. Hernández, MD, president and CEO of CHCF. “As ...

75 years of age and older now eligible for COVID-19 vaccination

Vaccines Now Available for Santa Clara County Residents 75 Years and Older SCCFREEVAC.ORG Beginning January 13, 2021, the Santa Clara County Health and Hospital System will be offering COVID-19 vaccinations to Santa Clara County residents who are 75 years of age or older.  Any local resident in this age group who is not a regular patient of Kaiser, Palo Alto Medical Foundation, or Stanford Healthcare can now schedule an appointment through one of Santa Clara Valley Medical Center’s (SCVMC’s) vaccination clinic sites by visiting www.sccfreevax.org and clicking on the “schedule a ...

The paper chart holdouts

Robert Lending, MD, describes himself as a “computer dinosaur.” The Tucson, Ariz., internist and clinical lipidologist gets cash from bank tellers rather than ATMs. He doesn’t make online purchases or use social media. And he doesn’t use electronic health records.   Lending, 65, calls EHRs “the most dangerous, ridiculous piece of equipment I could ever have conceived of,” adding that his colleagues envy him for the peace of mind and extra time he enjoys from using paper charts. “You can’t believe how angry they are at computers, at the whole system,” he ...