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CMS Issues FAQs on Change Healthcare/Optum Payment Disruption Accelerated & Advance Payments

On March 13, CMS published FAQs related to the Change Healthcare/Optum payment disruption accelerated and advance payments. These go into detail about what services qualify for accelerated and advance payments, application criteria, terms of repayment, financial concerns, and other topics.  As a reminder, the AMA has a website on the Change Healthcare cybersecurity issue that outlines the latest developments, information for physician practices, and related AMA advocacy.

Kaiser looks to build a new California hospital, demolish current one

Becker's Hospital Review – Feb. 28 Oakland, Calif.-based Kaiser Permanente has proposed a project that would demolish its existing San Jose (Calif.) Medical Center and construct a new hospital. After demolishing the current 250,000-square-foot medical center, the health system would build a 685,000-square-foot hospital, a new central utility plant and a parking structure, according to Kaiser environmental review documents. The existing hospital would maintain function at full capacity as the new hospital is being built.  "We are prepared to make substantial investments in upgrading our facilities to support our South Bay members and the ...

SCCMA EHC Member Publishes on Climate Change and the Risks to Pregnant Persons and their Offspring

SCCMA Environmental Health Committee Member, Santosh Pandipati, MD, FACOG was recently asked to bring together a panel to author a lead article for a special issue of Seminars in Perinatology dedicated to climate change impacts on women and pregnancy. To download article, please click HERE.  Climate change: Overview of risks to pregnant persons and their offspring  Santosh Pandipati, Melanie Leong, Rupa Basu, David Abel, Sarena Hayer, Jeanne Conry Climate change is one of the greatest challenges confronting humanity. Pregnant persons, their unborn children, and offspring are particularly vulnerable, as evidenced by adverse perinatal ...

HEALTH UPDATE: Resource for patients seeking continued opioid or benzodiazepine therapy

HEALTH UPDATE from the Santa Clara Public Health Department, September 15, 2023 To: All Healthcare Providers From: Sarah Rudman, MD, MPH Deputy Public Health Officer And Akanksha Vaidya, MD, MPH Assistant Public Health Officer The County of Santa Clara Public Health Department recently learned of a large number of patients prescribed long-term opioid or benzodiazepine therapy who have lost access to their usual prescriber or are likely to lose access in the near future. When a patient treated with opioids or benzodiazepines suddenly loses access to prescribed medication, they are at risk of severe withdrawal and may seek illicit ...