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59th Annual Meeting | March 8, 2024 Highlights |
The 59th Annual Meeting of the Pittsburgh Ophthalmology Society (POS), orchestrated under the guidance of Dr. Pamela P. Rath, took place alongside the 44th Annual Meeting for Ophthalmic Personnel on March 8th. Held at the Omni William Penn hotel, the event drew over 85 physicians, 140 ophthalmic personnel, and 34 exhibitors, fostering a conducive environment for learning and collaboration. The highlight of the event was the 43rd annual Harvey E. Thorpe Lecture, delivered by Dr. Daniel F. Martin, MD, Chair of the Cole Eye Institute at Cleveland Clinic. Accompanied by esteemed guest faculty including Dr. Jane C. Edmond (Austin, TX), Dr. Mark A. Rolain (Sterling Heights, MI), and Dr. Joshua Stein (Ann Arbor, MI), the program featured insightful lectures that captivated attendees. Their expertise and willingness to share insights contributed to the overall success of the event, as echoed by positive feedback from participants. Dr. Martin's lectures, in particular, resonated with the audience, showcasing his profound knowledge and expertise in the field. Attendees lauded all speakers for their excellence in content delivery and engagement. Read more Photos below: (left to right): Pamela P. Rath, MD, President; Daniel F. Martin, MD (43rd annual Harvey E. Thorpe Lecturer); Jane Edmond, MD (Guest Faculty); Joshua Stein, MD, MS, Guest Faculty. Daniel Martin, MD accepting the Thorpe Scroll from Pamela P. Rath, MD. Attendees gather in the lecture room at the 44th Annual Meeting. |
IMPORTANT INFORMATION and RESOURCES Members Affected by Change HealthCare Ransomware Shutdown The POS will continually update this site as information and resources become available. |
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ARTICLE | THE NEW YORK TIMES With Cyberattack Fix Weeks Away, Health Providers Slam United Includes an overview and a few ideas of when things may be fixed from the attack. CENTERS FOR MEDICARE (CMS) and MEDICAID SERVICES | RESOURCES On Saturday, March 9, Centers for Medicare (CMS) and Medicaid Services announced a new opportunity for physicians impacted by the cyberattack and resulting disruptions with Change Healthcare to request advanced Medicare payments to help with cash flow disruptions. The details of the program, terms, and the steps needed to apply can be found in the links below. CMS Statement – https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cms-statement-continued-action-respond-cyberattack-change-healthcare ALLEGHENY COUNTY MEDICAL SOCIETY | BLOG POST (Updated as information becomes available) https://www.acms.org/resources-following-change-healthcare-cyberattack/ |
Highmark Advanced Payment online form! (3.14.2024) https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=cxp9xVwOS0avtwhtxn89Rg__BuBvSWNIgWhDSBtUAY1URU8zM1BWMFNWMTNPT0c0RE0wV1JPQlRIQiQlQCN0PWcuTo complete the form, you will need the # of days you have cash on hand, the weekly Highmark payment amount from all Highmark entities, # of weeks you are requesting. At the end of the form, it says to allow 10 days for processing. There is a special CMS form to now complete for advanced payment. Please read our article (JH, JL) and complete the Request for Healthcare/Optum Payment Disruption (CHOPD) Accelerated Payments to Part A Providers and Advance Payments to Part B Suppliers template to submit your request. Please note: · The template must be initialed and signed by the provider's authorized official that is legally able to make financial commitments and assume financial obligations on behalf of the provider (digital signature is acceptable). · Providers that are part of a health system may attach a list of Medicare IDs (PTANs) / NPIs with the request. The authorized representative must have authority to sign on behalf of all parties/suppliers included in the list. For additional information such as eligibility requirements, required acknowledgement of terms, and payment amount, please refer to CMS' CHOPD Accelerated Payments to Part A Providers and Advance Payments to Part B Suppliers Fact Sheet. How to submit your request: Please submit the completed request template to our Accelerated and Advance Payments mailbox at AAP@novitas-solutions.com. "Our priority is to support CMS in their efforts to help our Medicare providers experiencing payment disruptions from this cyber incident. We look forward to receiving your request as soon as possible." |
UPMC MERCY: THE NEW LOCATION OF URGENT CARE |
UPMC Mercy Pavilion and the Vision Institute have replaced UPMC Presbyterian Emergency Department and the former Eye and Ear Institute as the referral location for urgent and emergent 24/7 ophthalmic care in the Pittsburgh area. It is vital that you direct urgent and emergent care patients to UPMC Mercy rather than to UPMC Presbyterian. The change in location is a break in a longstanding Pittsburgh tradition. We would like to ensure that the greater Pittsburgh eye care community adjusts quickly. Please update your practice's answering machine messages and after-hours scripting as these items are easy to overlook. The leadership team at the Vision Institute is available for any further information. If you have questions about urgent care logistics, please contact Jake Waxman (waxmane@upmc.edu) or Jerome Finkelstein (finkelsteinji@upmc.edu). |