Posts by Karissa Miller
Compliance Deadline Review: Vaccines, PRF & More
The many COVID-19 payments, loans, and grant funds available to medical practices each have compliance deadlines associated with them. Check below for upcoming deadlines to keep in mind throughout 2022. April 5, 2022 Deadline: Submit COVID-19 Vaccine Administration Claims for Reimbursement The COVID-19 Coverage Assistance Fund which reimburses claims for testing, treatment, and vaccine administration…
Read MoreOverdose Rates Continue to Climb: Two Actions for Physicians
The opioid epidemic in Montgomery County and across the region has intensified since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, with overdoses and deaths spiking. In Maryland, overdose deaths increased 18% from 2019 to 2020. Provisional data from the CDC’s National Vital Statistics System (NVSS) projects another year-over-year increase of 4% in Maryland. In D.C., overdose…
Read MoreNIH Spotlights Maternal Health Resources
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced a special focus on maternal health during women’s history month, acknowledging the historical drivers of health inequity, and providing resources for physicians and health care organizations to continue the work of reducing disparities. Diverse Voices Virtual Talk: Environmental Exposures and Disparities in Pregnancy on March 31, 2 PM…
Read MoreCDS Electronic Prescribing Deadline 1/1/2022
Due to the strong advocacy by the physician community, the Maryland Department of Health (MDH) is delaying compliance actions of e-prescribing until 1/1/2023 in alignment with the federal CMS postponement. The transmittal can also be found on the OCSA website. A health care practitioner who is unable to electronically transmit prescriptions for controlled dangerous substance drugs may request…
Read MoreMDH Network Security Incident: How to Renew Your CDS License Expiring December 31, 2021
A network security incident on December 4, 2021, caused disruption to some Maryland Department of Health (MDH) operations, including to the Maryland Office of Controlled Dangerous Substances (OCSA) CDS renewal portal. If your CDS license renewal is due in January 2022 or later, OCSA guidance currently asks that you wait for restored web service. If your…
Read MoreCOVID-19 Vaccine Mandates
On November 16, 2021, MCMS held a webinar with Jessica Summers, Esq. from the law firm of Paley Rothman on COVID-19 vaccine mandates. The webinar discussed both government-issued and voluntary employer mandates. Key government-issued mandates include the Maryland Order for Hospitals and Nursing Homes, Federal Executive Order 14042, the CMS Interim Final Rule, and the OSHA Emergency…
Read MorePhysician Member Perspective on National HIV/AIDs and Aging Awareness Day
National HIV/AIDs and Aging Awareness Day is September 18 and is one of fourteen nationally declared awareness days for HIV/AIDs. MCMS thanks physician member and past president Carolyn B. O’Conor, M.D. for sharing her perspective on this important topic of public health concern and patient care. Author: Carolyn O’Conor, M.D. Family Medicine – Comprehensive…
Read MorePress Release: MCMS Recognizes Travis Gayles, M.D., County Health Officer for His Leadership During COVID-19 Pandemic
FOR INFORMATION: Susan D’Antoni, FAAMSE CEO O: 301.921.4300, ext. 403 Statement from Irfana Ali, MD, President, MCMS On behalf of the Executive Board of Montgomery County Medical Society, a professional association representing more than 1,600 physicians practicing in and/or living in Montgomery County, we wish to thank Travis Gayles, M.D., Montgomery County Health Officer and…
Read MoreMandating the COVID-19 Vaccine for Staff
The following Q&A appears here courtesy of SHRM, the Society for Human Resource Management, which has offered extensive, free resources for employers throughout the pandemic. Additional SHRM resources are listed below. Can you mandate COVID-19 vaccination for employees? The short answer is, yes. Currently, there aren’t valid legal arguments forbidding private employers from requiring vaccinations…
Read MoreCOVID-19 Vaccination & Co-Administration of Vaccines
This article is part of MCMS’s 2021 observance of National Immunization Awareness Month. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused physicians to change how they operate to continue providing essential services to patients. Ensuring immunization services are maintained or reinitiated is essential for protecting individuals and communities from vaccine-preventable diseases and outbreaks and reducing the burden of…
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