Public Health
MDH Launches Medicaid Check-In Campaign to Avoid Disruption in Health Insurance Coverage
Medicaid Check-In Campaign The Maryland Department of Health (MDH) is partnering with HealthChoice Managed Care Organizations (MCOs) to launch the Medicaid Check-In campaign. The goal of the Medicaid Check-In is to help Marylanders avoid disruptions in health insurance coverage AS THE NATIONAL PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY COMES TO AN END. The statewide effort will encourage Marylanders…
Read MoreSexually Transmitted Infections – Syphilis But Is Monkeypox an STI?
The rise in rate of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) may raise concerns for you and your patients. This comes alongside the emergence of monkeypox here in the United States – a topic your patients may talk to you about. After a dip in US reports of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) early in the COVID-19 pandemic,…
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 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 MoreGet Patients Back on Track with Routine Vaccinations
August is National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM). This annual observance highlights the efforts of physicians to protect patients of all ages against vaccine-preventable diseases through on-time vaccination. Throughout August, MCMS will share resources to support these efforts. The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted all aspects of life, including patients’ ability to attend important appointments and receive…
Read MoreSmoking Cessation during COVID-19: Use Trends and Opportunities
Tobacco cessation has long been a key public health aim. It can only be considered more critical now during the pandemic, as smoking has long been known to hamper immune system responses, especially with regards to pulmonary diseases and infections. With calls to quitlines down 27% in 2020, we must ask: How has COVID-19 impacted rates…
Read More3 Ways to Help Patients Understand the Thanksgiving Guidance Gobbledygook
There has been much public discussion of safety practices and precautions for the upcoming holiday. Because the rate of COVID-19 transmission varies significantly by location, some nationally promulgated guidance may seem to contradict local recommendations to patients. Here are a few ways physicians and their practices can help patients to navigate the holidays safely. 1.…
Read MoreAddressing Food Insecurity as Part of the Clinical Workflow: CRISP and Meals on Wheels
Food Insecurity in Maryland Before the COVID-19 pandemic, more than 600,000 Marylanders were served by the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), according to the Maryland Department of Human Services. This number included seniors, children, people with disabilities, low-income families, and unemployed workers. COVID-19 subsequently caused hundreds of thousands of Marylanders lost jobs and income. Montgomery…
Read MoreMaryland Private Payors Banned from Cancelling Individual Policies for Nonpayment for 60 Days
On behalf of the Hogan Administration, Maryland Insurance Commissioner Kathleen A. Birrane has used her emergency powers to prevent health insurance companies from cancelling or refusing to renew individual health benefit plan policies for nonpayment of premiums for the next sixty days. Individual health benefit plan policies that were scheduled to terminate because of unpaid…
Read More