LEARNING LIBRARY
The following are educational programs recorded by Montgomery County Medical Society for members to access on-demand. In response to the COVID-19 public health crisis, this library has been made publicly available on a temporary basis.
Currently available topics: Borrowing - Employment Law - Paycheck Protection Program - Practice Reopening - Practice Finance & Taxes - Remote Patient Monitoring - Telehealth Coding - Telehealth Implementation
Date Recorded: Wednesday, March 24, 2021 - Watch on YouTube
Don't miss the most overlooked relief aid opportunity for medical practices–the Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERC)! This webinar answers critical questions, such as:
- What is the ERC?
- Does my practice qualify?
- How much money can I recoup with this credit?
While PPP 2.0 has received the most attention in the recently-passed stimulus bill, there are other parts of the package that you may have yet to hear about! In this webinar, we heard from Ryan & Wetmore, a local accounting, tax, and consulting firm, about lucrative tax credits that your practice could be taking advantage of retroactively in 2020 and in 2021. Many PPP borrowers are now eligible to receive thousands of dollars in reimbursements through the expanded Employee Retention Credit (ERC).
Learning Objectives: Attendees will be able to...
- Describe relief aid for medical practices provided in the most recent stimulus bill.
- Explain the applicable rules and IRS guidance.
- Form strategies to maximize both the Employee Retention Credit and PPP loan forgiveness.
Presenters: Peter Ryan, CPA, MBA, Founder, Ryan & Wetmore Chloe Parker, CPA, MBA, Manager, Ryan & Wetmore Jack Ramsey, Finance Consultant, Ryan & Wetmore
Date Recorded: Thursday, March 4, 2021 - Watch on YouTube
The HHS Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC)’s final rule on information blocking under the 21st Century Cures Act goes into effect on April 5, 2021. On and after that date, all medical practices, health information networks and exchanges, and EHR vendors will be subject to information blocking rules.
Information blocking is defined by the ONC as “a business, technical, and organizational practice that prevent or materially discourage
the access, exchange or use of electronic health information (EHI) when an Actor knows, or should know, that these practices are likely to interfere with access, exchange, or use of EHI.”
This webinar provides:
- An overview of what information blocking is, with examples.
- A description of information blocking exceptions, with examples.
- A discussion on how to outline a roadmap to compliance, including policy review, defining a reasonableness standard, and preparing staff to document compliance practices.
Speaker: Reza Ghafoorian, MD, JD is the founder of G2Z Law Group, PLLC, and a healthcare attorney. With over 10 years of experience, he counsels clients on health law and health care regulations, including, fraud and abuse, such as antikickback statutes and Stark Law, privacy and security, such as HIPAA and HITECH statutes, reimbursements, CMS appeals, and telemedicine/telehealth.
To download the slide deck for this webinar, with more resources on information blocking, click here.
Date Recorded: Thursday, February 2, 2021 - Watch on YouTube
Are you getting questions from patients about the COVID vaccines all day, every day? Do you want to better prepare yourself for these conversations with patients, staff members, and even friends and family? Or do you have unanswered questions, and wish you could have an Infectious Disease Specialist all to yourself for a half-hour? Then we've got a program for you!
Part I: Immunology: Return to First Year of Medical School Travel back in time for a quick crash course on the med school immunology lessons of yore with Infectious Disease Specialist Phuong Trinh, M.D.
Part II: Patient FAQ Boot Camp - Begins at 15:58. Our physician panel members pose the most common questions from patients, with responses from Dr. Trinh and other relevant panel member physician specialists.
Part III: Stump the ID Specialist! - Begins at 57:01. The weirdest, thorniest, most obscure questions about the COVID-19 vaccines and the answers you've been looking for from our panel of experts.
MCMS thanks David Shapiro and Scott Mirsky from The Law Firm of Paley Rothman in Bethesda for this presentation.
Date Recorded: Thursday, January 21, 2021 - Watch on YouTube
This program provides a brief summary of the numerous COVID-19 support and relief programs that have been provided to date, as well as important updates resulting from the recent omnibus government spending and coronavirus relief package, which included an additional $900 billion for COVID-19 relief.
We also discuss updates about first- and second-draw applications under the Paycheck Protection Program (note that loan portals opened again on January 15th and January 19th, depending on the size of lender’s assets), the latest guidance on PPP loan forgiveness and taxation, and relevant highlights from the omnibus spending package.
MCMS thanks David Shapiro and Scott Mirsky from The Law Firm of Paley Rothman in Bethesda for this presentation.
Date Recorded: Wednesday, January 6, 2021 - Watch on YouTube
This 2021 legislative session overview outlines how the law-making process works in Annapolis, MD and examines the legislation MedChi anticipates will be introduced this session, along with MedChi’s 2021 Legislative Agenda. Participants will valuable grassroots skills, including: - How to effectively respond to MedChi Legislative Alerts and using MedChi’s Legislative Center online. - How to utilize MMPAC’s Advocacy Toolkit. - Understanding MedChi’s Legislative Council and how to become involved. - Hear about component society advocacy efforts and opportunities to participate. Speaker: Pamela Metz Kasemeyer is the managing partner of Schwartz, Metz & Wise, MedChi’s lobbying firm, and has graciously agreed to present at this session. Ms. Metz has more than thirty years of experience lobbying in Annapolis, and extensive experience advocating on healthcare regulatory matters. To learn more about MCMS & MedChi's advocacy efforts, visit our advocacy page.
Date Recorded: Wednesday, November 24, 2020 - Watch on YouTube
The Montgomery County Primary Care and Dental Grant Program was created by the Montgomery County Council appropriation of CARES Act funds for a competitive grant program for independent primary care medical practices based in Montgomery County to respond to lost revenue and costs related to re-opening their practices during COVID-19. The program is accepting applications from November 18-29.
This program provided an open Q&A period with a program administrator, Susan Donovan, MHA, Managing Director, Primary Care Coalition, who answered questions pertaining to grant program eligibility, application requirements, and preference methodology. Learn more about the grant program and how to apply.
Date Recorded: Wednesday, November 18, 2020 - Watch on YouTube
Date Recorded: Wednesday, November 4, 2020 - Watch on YouTube
Date Recorded: October 22, 2020 - Watch on YouTube
Thank you to the 100+ members that registered for our General Membership Meeting on Thursday, October 22! For those that weren't able to join us live, we have recorded the keynote from the event.
Our keynote presenter is one of the nation's leading scholars in the effort to eliminate racial and ethnic health disparities. Dr. Stephen B. Thomas has applied his expertise to address a variety of conditions from which minorities generally face far poorer outcomes, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, and HIV/AIDS. He is the Principal Investigator on the Center of Excellence in Race, Ethnicity, and Health Disparities Research.
The keynote was followed by a reactor panel of local leaders - Irfana Ali, M.D., Tuesday Cook, M.D., and Lynne Diggs, M.D. - who discussed their personal experiences as physicians of color.
Learning Objectives
- Describe the burdens of race and history underlying structural inequality and social determinants of health associated with the excess burden of COVID-19 illness and premature death among people of color in Maryland and around the nation.
- List examples of unconscious bias and how it may impact the delivery of medical care and public health services
- Describe the difference between institutional racism in health care and tailored solutions with policy implications
- Discuss the origins of bioethics and its roots in the history of biomedical research abuse of human subjects recruited from communities of color
Date Recorded: August 25, 2020 - Watch on YouTube
As our social and legal environments continue to change in response to COVID-19, physicians, in particular, are facing a number of complicated and difficult employee management issues.
This Q&A is based on attendee submitted questions, and features David Shapiro and Jim Hammerschmidt of The Law Firm of Paley Rothman, based in Bethesda. Jim and David have years of experience working with healthcare practices and providers, and employers in general, and offered their knowledge and expertise to physician attendees navigating COVID-19-related laws and business issues.
Date Recorded: Wednesday, July 29 - Watch Now on YouTube
In this program, Netrin Health, Meals on Wheels of Central Maryland, and the Maryland Department of Health show how their organizations actively support primary care practices identify and address their patients’ food needs. This session includes real-world patient success stories on food security and show how partnering with these organizations can tackle food insecurity, improve your patients’ overall health, and reduce health care costs.
Learning Objectives
- Define food insecurity
- Describe how food insecurity can impact chronic and mental health conditions
- Characterize the role of primary care in assessing and addressing food security
- Discuss available partnerships in Maryland that can support primary care practices
- Review other opportunities to identify and address social needs in primary care
Speakers
- Arumani Manisundaram, CEO and Founder, Netrin Health
- Stacy Payton, Director of Client Engagement, Meals on Wheels of Central Maryland
- Chad Perman, MPP, Program Director, Program Management Office for Maryland Primary Care Program, Maryland Department of Health
Date Recorded: July 1, 2020 - Watch on YouTube
The PPP loan requirements have changed yet again. The webinar provides an update on the rules and a case study on the forgiveness aspect of the program, as well as the HHS Stimulus tranches of practice funds.
MCMS thanks our speakers Fred Landy, CPA and Maureen McCarthy, CPA of the accounting and consulting firm of Katz Abosch for this informational webinar.
Date Recorded: Wednesday, May 28 - Watch Now on YouTube
This session provides 1) an update about new guidance published by the Small Business Administration (SBA) with respect to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), including an important overview about the recently published loan forgiveness application that businesses will be required to submit in order to request loan forgiveness for their PPP loans; and 2) a summary about the revised return to work guidelines just published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Presenters: David Shapiro and Scott Mirsky from The Law Firm of Paley Rothman in Bethesda.
Date Recorded: Wednesday, May 13 - Watch Now on YouTube
Preparing your medical practice for reopening (or to ramp up patient volume) in the wake of COVID-19 poses challenges in multiple areas of management, from infection control to personnel to PPE supply. This program addresses reopening timing and approach, updating procedures to include physical distancing, hybrid schedule models for telemedicine continuance vs. on-site visits, HR and patient satisfaction considerations, financial considerations, an overview of Maryland Reopening Plan, relevant OSHA guidance and engineering controls, and risk management considerations.
Presenters: Reza Ghafoorian, M.D., Esq., Founder, G2Z Law Group and Maureen West McCarthy, Principal and Managing Director, KatzAbosch
Date Recorded: Wednesday - Watch Now on YouTube
Julia Konovalov & Kate Gilman, CPC of Medical Business Partners provided telehealth billing and coding updates during this valuable session, and guidance on how to manage denials to assist practices in successfully getting paid by health insurers. With the expansion of third-party payment for telehealth, and the changing requirements of the payors, physicians and practice staff need to stay on top of best practices now more than ever. Key topics addressed during this webinar include:
- General outline and guidelines for telehealth, virtual check-ins, and e-visits
- Documentation requirements, including the new time guidelines
- Telehealth, virtual check-ins, and e-visits - specific coding, place of service, and modifiers for:
- Medicare and Medicare Advantage Plans
- Medicaid and Medicaid MCO plans
- Aetna
- Anthem BCBS
- CareFirst
- Cigna
- JH EHP
- Humana
- United Healthcare
Date Recorded: Thursday, April 30 - Watch Now on YouTube
How are you and your medical practice responding to COVID-19 and beyond? Will your practice survive the pandemic, financially, as well as operationally?
During this webinar, Maureen McCarthy and Trey Gailey of KatzAbosch provide guidance on how to plan for immediate and longer term financial challenges resulting from COVID-19. They review best practices and help you develop strategies to move forward.
This educational session addresses how to comprehensively map out a plan for reopening, including:
Utilizing Government programs including tax credits, grants, etc.
- PPP Loans, EIDL, State Grants, and other funding
- Loan forgiveness and tax effects of each program
- Tax credits and tax planning strategies related to COVID-19
Preserving and Projecting Revenue, Cash and Liquidity
- Deferral of expenses and rent relief
- Projecting of cash flow and preserving cash
- Telemedicine billing and coding issues
- Other sources of cash flow
Paying for Staff
- Layoff, furlough, terminate?
- Rehiring staff and timing
- Ramp up to meet volume while still meeting loan requirements
Date Recorded: April 28, 2020 - Watch Now on YouTube
This program provides a brief summary of the CARES Act, with a particular focus on the business loan and grant tools provided for in the CARES Act, including the Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Injury Disaster Loans, as well as both technical and practical information about the loan forgiveness components and tax considerations relating to the CARES Act.
In addition the program provides an update about the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, including the Emergency Family and Medical Leave Expansion Act and the expanded federal Paid Sick Leave Law. The program also includes information about some healthcare provider-specific financial assistance coming from HHS, with a look at how that assistance works in practice.
Presented by Aaron Boker, CPA of Aronson, LLC, Scott Mirsky, Esquire of The Law Firm of Paley Rothman, and David Shapiro, Esquire of The Law Firm of Paley Rothman
Date Recorded: March 24, 2020 - Watch Now on YouTube
In this rapid-fire webinar, Dr. Alex Mohseni and Dr. Amy Schiffman, cohosts of the Mastering Medicare podcast, will teach you everything you need to know to get started with RPM and explain why RPM might be critical to maintaining cash flow during the COVID-19 pandemic.
You will learn:
- How RPM differs from telemedicine and CCM
- Payment potential and billing tips
- Documentation requirements
- Hardware requirements and issues, and EMR Integration
- Vendor and patient selection
- Role of RPM during COVID-19 pandemic
- How to implement RPM without disrupting your current practice
Date Recorded: March 23, 2020 - Watch Now on YouTube
In today’s rapidly changing social and legal environment, physicians, in particular, are facing a number of complicated and difficult decisions about their businesses and, in particular, their employees.
This short legal update and Q&A features David Shapiro and Jim Hammerschmidt of The Law Firm of Paley Rothman, based in Bethesda. Jim and David have years of experience working with healthcare practices and providers, and employers in general, and will provide a brief summary of new and existing laws impacting Montgomery County-based employers as we all try to navigate this new world dealing with COVID-19-related laws and business issues.
Date Recorded: March 18, 2020 - Watch Now on YouTube
The current COVID-19 pandemic calls for new ways to care for the medical needs of your patients - even if it’s from a distance. That's why MCMS is proud to partner with SimpleVisit, a division of PEAKE Technology, to offer a how-to webinar on telemedicine.
This webinar will address:
- What is Telemedicine
- Cost and Best Practices
- How to use Virtual Visits
- Launching a Telemedicine Program
- Reimbursement Considerations
- Stakeholders and Technology
MCMS thanks our presenters, Tim Hilton, Business Development Executive, PEAKE Technology Partners and Allie Clark, Industry Analyst and Content Manager, SimpleVisit. Please be sure to consult your own IT company, medical malpractice carrier, and insurance company carriers for reimbursement policies before telehealth implementation, in addition to considering the latest advisories from federal, state, and local authorities.