COVID IN THE NEWS

• About Two-Thirds of the U.S. is Seeing an Uptick in COVID-19 Cases
• HHS Announces $20 Billion Provider Relief Fund Phase 3 General Distribution
• EARLIER, HHS Announced $2 Billion Provider Relief Fund for SNFs that Keep COVID Infection & Mortality Low
• UCSF Testing New COVID Treatment

CALIFORNIA'S NEWEST HEALTHCARE LAWS

• California Remains at Forefront of Health Policy Innovation
• New Law defines "medical necessity" in effort to get private health plans to pay for more mental health and drug addiction treatments
• Nurse Practitioners able to Open Practices in 2023 - after 3 year "transition period" under a doctor's supervision
• California can make its own insulin and other generic and off-patent drugs
• Existing program expansion to allow more low-income seniors & disabled to receive care in their home, rather than SNFs

TELEHEALTH & D2C EXPANSION

• Large Employers Accelerating Adoption of Virtual Care, Mental Health Services for 2021: Survey Finds
• Sam's Club to Sell Subscription Telehealth Plan

CMS & HHS ON THE ROAD TO VALUE

• CMS Releases 2019 Medicare Shared Savings Program ACO Program Results
• CMS Issues Roadmap for State Medicaid Value-Based Payment Models
• CMS Releases Part I of the 2022 Advance Notice of Methodological Changes for Medicare Advantage Capitation Rates and Part C and Part D Payment Policies
• Finalized HHS Payment System Encourages At-Home Kidney Care; HHS/HRSA Also Finalized Rule Allowing Living Organ Donors to Recoup More Expenses

REMEMBER MIMI'S BLOG ABOUT "LIQUID BIOPSIES"? HERE'S THE FOLLOW-UP:

• Illumina Buying Cancer-Screening Spinout Grail in Blockbuster $8 Billion Biotech Deal

In Top Backup and Disaster Recovery Challenges, Alvaka Networks President and CEO Oli Thordarson answers questions posed by technology writer John Edwards. Oli's thoughts and experiences are based on 35+ years working in the IT profession, and alongside other IT professionals, and provide valuable insight for backup and disaster recovery preparedness. And, in Dharma Ransomware-as-a-Service Places SMBs at Significant Risk, Alvaka describes the "fast food of cybercrime," Ransomware-as-a-Service and cybercriminal firm Dharma. (Oli Thordarson, OC)

Bayer and Recursion Pharmaceuticals, a digital biology company industrializing drug discovery, are collaborating to leverage Recursion's purpose-built artificial intelligence-guided drug discovery platform and Bayer's small molecule compound library and deep scientific expertise to discover and develop new treatments for fibrotic diseases of the lung, kidney, heart, and more. In addition, Leaps by Bayer, the impact investment arm of Bayer AG, is leading Recursion's Series D financing with an investment of $50 million. (Rama Penta, SV)

Biospectal was selected as runner-up, out of 160 contestants, as a top startup innovator in remote patient monitoring at High-Tech Connect's recent International E-Healthcare Applications Summit in Winterthur, Switzerland. Biospectal said this clearly shows that remote patient monitoring, such as its blood pressure solution, is no longer the future but a necessity in today's world, especially when Covid-19 demands a shift to clinical monitoring at the point of patient care. (Eliott Jones, SV)

Over 300 friends of Linda Trowbridge, CEO of Center for Elders' Independence (CEI), celebrated her life at a virtual Memorial Tribute on September 25. Several ABL Members attended the event, and speakers included Grace Li, CEO of On Lok, who praised Linda for her contributions to the PACE community, and Cindy Hatton, CEO of Hospice East Bay, spoke about the contributions Linda made to their Hospice as a Board Member. In addition to this impressive Legacy Tribute to Linda's accomplishments, CEI's Board announced their decision to rename the newly renovated Downtown Oakland Center, the "Linda Trowbridge Center." The event also raised over $15,000 for CEI.

CHEQS has announced a new affiliation with Healthy Business Group, to serve benefit advisers, TPAs, and risk bearers, providing access to critically vetted telehealth solutions at national account pricing with simple member enrollment. (Dave Brown, OAK)

Choice in Aging recently hosted a four-part video series of "Dishing with Debbie" on the Mechanics of the Master Plan for Aging. Each episode is now available on-demand:
Part 1: Justice & Equity, with Kevin Prindiville, Executive Director of Justice in Aging.
Pt 2: Access, Inclusion & Busting Ableism, with Christina Mills, Executive Director of the California Foundation for Independent Living Centers.
Pt 3: Alzheimer's & Dementia, with Susan DeMarois, Director of Public Policy at the Alzheimer's Association.
Pt 4: Ageism, with Dr. Louise Aronson, Geriatrician, Author of New York Times Bestseller Elderhood, and Professor of Medicine at UCSF. (Debbie Toth, OAK)

Cigna Corporation has announced the launch of Evernorth, a new brand for its growing, high-performing health services portfolio. Evernorth will accelerate delivery of innovative and flexible solutions to meet the diverse needs of health plans, employers, and government organizations. Also, Cigna is expanding its Medicare Advantage offerings during the 2021 annual election period, including a $0 premium plan in every market. Cigna is offering telehealth services to all MA customers and, for the first time, adding virtual physical therapy services to its MA plans. (Chris De Rosa, OC)

Covered California has issued a report that details how it set a record for enrollment by meeting the needs of Californians and promoting enrollment in the face of pandemic and recession. The report shows that as of June 2020, 1.53 million people were actively enrolled in Covered California, which represents the highest figure since the marketplace first opened its doors in 2014. Other major findings of the report include: 57% who signed up during the COVID-19 special-enrollment period were previously enrolled in employer-sponsored insurance; and 21% report having been previously uninsured. (Kathy Keeshen, JD, SF)

The World Economic Forum's UpLink platform has announced its first cohort of COVID innovators - 15 solutions addressing the immediate and long-term challenges of the COVID crisis, and Elemeno Health is among them. UpLink is a digital platform for surfacing and scaling innovations that could solve some of the world's most pressing challenges. The Forum will work extensively with these innovators over the next months to scale their impact, promote their work on social media platforms, present them at events, and introduce them to experts and potential funders who can accelerate their ideas. Also, Elemeno Health was a Semifinalist in the recent UCSF Digital Health Awards in the "Best Company with UCSF DNA" category. The event garnered 750+ submissions in 15 categories. (Arup Roy-Burman, MD, OAK)

Elevate Addiction Services was named among Newsweek's and Statista's recent listing of "America's Best Addiction Treatment Centers 2020." Facilities were evaluated on quality of service, reputation, and accreditation relative to in-state competition. Meanwhile, Elevate has debuted a new podcast, The Elevate Experience, featuring genuine conversations concerning addiction treatment, recovery, personal journeys of healing and self-betterment, and behind-the-scenes looks at how the Elevate program breaks the mold of traditional addiction treatment. (Dan Manson, SV)

Home Safety Services is partnering with the Area 12 Agency on Aging and their "Dignity at Home Fall Prevention Program," an evidence-based program centered on helping seniors avoid falls and remain safely in their homes. The program focuses on education, community outreach, and injury prevention equipment and services. It partners with other community agencies to conduct in-home environmental assessments and fall-risk assessments. (Martin Simenc, SV)

Hospice East Bay recently held a virtual version of its Giving in the Garden, a gathering to celebrate and support the work of the hospice. A 24-minute video of the event can be viewed here, which includes remarks from CEO Cindy Hatton, demonstrations of music therapy and pet-pal therapy, suggestions for coping with bereavement during the pandemic, and an update on Bruns House inpatient hospice facility. (Cindy Hatton, OAK)

HumanGood has partnered with One Day University to provide residents of HumanGood's 21 life plan communities and 95 affordable housing communities, as well as HumanGood staff members, with online access to live and pre-recorded talks presented by professors from top-tier schools. Topics include history, science, the arts, literature, politics, psychology, culture, and more. Residents will also have opportunities to participate in interactive small-group discussions with professors. (Tara McGuinness, OAK)

Inglewood Imaging Center recently announced its technology investment and center modernization, which for mammograms includes: 3D Wide-Angle Tomosynthesis; artificial intelligence and computer-aided detection; potentially 40% less call-backs compared to conventional digital mammograms; and improved patient tracking and reporting software. In addition, IIC has further improved the mammogram experience with its "5-Senses Approach" that includes: "comfort compression" that's rated as 46% less squeeze; warm, inviting lighting colors; aromatherapy; soft, calming music; and a piece of chocolate upon exam completion. (Brad Schmidt, LA)

Kaiser Permanente (KP) recently reported that in addition to testing for COVID-19 at KP facilities, members have options for getting tested at an external, independent facility (ie, CVS, Walgreens, Walmart, other retail locations, or a private lab). If the member is charged, KP will provide reimbursement for the test cost if it's conducted by a licensed facility. Meanwhile, KP has become the first healthcare system in the U.S. to achieve carbon-neutral status - eliminating its 800,000-ton annual carbon footprint, the equivalent of taking 175,000 cars off the road. (Marcos Vasconcelos, OAK)

On October 13, King & Spalding (K&S) will present a webinar - What You Need to Know About CMS's Latest Rulemakings Affecting Hospital Medicare Reimbursement, Including IPPS, OPPS and the Part C Proposed Rule - from 10-11:15 a.m. Pacific.
Also, K&S has published FDA Proposes New Rule Modifying its "Intended Use" Regulations. Meanwhile, the LMG Life Sciences Awards named K&S its 2020 Government Investigations Firm of the Year. The Awards honor firms, individuals, and companies behind the most innovative and challenging life sciences work of the past year. (Marcia Augsburger, JD, SF; Travis Jackson, JD)

In Tribal Wellness Center: Lummi Nation's proactive response to COVID 19, KMD Architects shares how the Lummi Nation, in Washington state, took a proactive approach to the outbreak of COVID-19 in nearby Seattle, as the tribe was in the midst of designing a new Wellness Campus, including a KMD-designed 50,000-square-foot healthcare and dental facility. Among their responses to the virus outbreak, the tribe asked KMD to redesign portions of the new facility to include a flexible HVAC system, with a goal to create zones of negative air pressure, in which infectious patients could be treated, but staff and non-infectious patients are better protected. (Rob Matthew, SF)

Mike Stacey, MD, of LifeLong Medical Care, shared that he has recently been working with the Alameda County public health team as a Physician Consultant to help cover health officer duties. And Mike recently talked on KCBS radio's Ask an Expert about issues health departments are grappling with related to COVID-19, extreme heat, fires and smoke. Meanwhile, LifeLong will hold their Annual Charity Golf Tournament on October 26 at the Richmond Country Club. (Mike Stacey, MD, OAK)

MedicalLab Management magazine recently published Product Spotlight: TestDirectly from LigoLab, and LigoLab Information System published How Our Lab Partner Embraced Innovation and Won a Statewide Testing Contract, which details how, in May 2020, the Florida Department of Health partnered with Northwest Laboratory, LigoLab, and TestDirectly to screen the state's 500,000 long-term-care residents and employees for COVID-19. This partnership was also spotlighted at the recent Executive War College, where LigoLab CEO Suren Avunjian co-led a virtual Master Class, detailing lessons learned. (Suren Avunjian, LA)

Mazzetti is making its recent webinar and its slides available on-demand: Not Another COVID-19 Webinar, featuring CEO Walt Vernon and other panelists discussing a spectrum of responses in hospitals across the country, how the virus has been a catalyst in the bigger risk mitigation and emergency preparedness conversation, and more. Meanwhile, for the tenth year, Mazzetti's San Francisco headquarters office was recently recertified as a San Francisco Green Business, now part of the broader California Green Business Network. The recertification process involved completion of an extensive checklist to improve office operations for sustainability, from minimizing waste to utilizing less toxic products to energy and water efficiency measures, in order to meet the program's high environmental standards. (Walt Vernon, JD, SF)

MedWand is spotlighted in a recent TenoBlog post - 4 Medical Devices That Are Changing the Game in 2020. An excerpt: "MedWand for Remote Exams - A medical device called MedWand has offered a potential solution for video visits. Following the doctor's instructions, the patient plugs the device into their computer and runs the wand over their body to get vital signs. This allows for a more comprehensive virtual exam." Meanwhile, MedWand has published a 2.5-minute video of its device in action. (Bob Rose, OC)

On Saturday evening, October 10, Mission Hospice & Home Care will present a virtual Diamonds & Denim Fall Gala, a fundraiser which will feature patient stories, music, an auction, and more. (Dolores Gomez, SF)

Harry Nelson, Partner in Nelson Hardiman (NH), will participate in the virtual California Addiction Conference, on October 22-25, 2020. Meanwhile, recent videos from NH include: Accounting & Tax Implications of Healthcare Reimbursement and Behavioral Health Commercial Insurance Reimbursement. And, NH has published a Client Alert: What to Do If the FBI Comes Knocking. (Harry Nelson, JD, LA)

In How Big Data Can Revolutionize Healthcare Forever, Savi Group reports that there are mountains of data that healthcare organizations can use to improve their operations, provide better patient care, reduce errors, and more. However, sorting and analyzing all this information requires proper management and sophisticated technology. Savi discusses the opportunities and what systems are needed. And, in Why You Should Care About Improving Patient Experience, Savi reports that by integrating data and digital technologies into operations, medical practices can identify areas of improvement and boost the overall health of their organizations. (Sumit Mahendru, OC)

VivaLNK recently announced the availability of its new multi-vital ambulatory monitoring solution for Infectious Respiratory Diseases. Currently deployed in Asia, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East, it's now available in the Americas and Western Europe. The solution works by automatically and continuously collecting patient vitals, and wirelessly sending it to a secure on-premise server, accessible by caregivers. In remote patient monitoring or remote field hospital deployments, an optional patient app and mobile device, and a cloud-hosted application are available. Also, UC San Francisco will utilize VivaLNK's continuous wearable ECG sensor for a 3,000-subject multi-year study on atrial fibrillation. Spanning up to 10 years, the study aims to detect biomarkers of early atrial transformation in AF.

Meanwhile, VivaLNK has partnered with Mazzetti, a provider of healthcare building systems engineering solutions, to deploy rapid response patient monitoring solutions for COVID-19 in the U.S. Already, VivaLNK's reusable wearable medical sensors have been deployed in China at 15+ hospitals throughout the virus outbreak. "As the pandemic continues to be unpredictable, we're preparing for the need to set up rapid response situations for patient monitoring," said Walt Vernon, CEO of Mazzetti. "Deploying this technology ensures our local health system is prepared to handle the patient flow while maintaining superior care for those in need." (Jiang Li, Ph.D., SV, & Walt Vernon, JD, SF)

Wipfli reports that five years ago, the UN outlined 17 ways to make the world better and identified Sustainable Development Goals to address global challenges. Microsoft pledged its support and launched the #Buildfor2030 campaign in March to help accelerate change. The campaign highlights ways innovative technology can enable powerful outcomes and recognizes Microsoft partners, like Wipfli, who are building world-changing solutions. Wipfli, leveraging platforms such as Microsoft Dynamics 365, is helping Operation Smile, Doctors Without Borders, and many other nonprofits, meet their goals more effectively. Meanwhile, Wipfli is providing an on-demand webinar: Student loan forgiveness programs for medical professionals. (Jeff Johnson, OAK; Steve Rousso)