Special Edition: December 22, 2020
Urgent reminder: Have you submitted your MLR application yet?
 
The deadline for submitting 2020 Medical Liability Reimbursement program applications is December 31. However, Alberta Health reports that approximately 36% of physicians have not yet applied, so the deadline has been extended to January 14. Please note that AH offices will be closed from December 24 - January 4; therefore, any applications or emails received during this time will be acknowledged the week of January 4.
 
If you have not yet applied, please visit the government website to complete the application.
 
Please note that if you were reimbursed, the payment will appear on your Alberta Health Statement of Account under the heading “Phys Liab Insurance”. Alberta Health has indicated that they are up to date on processing applications received, so if you have not been reimbursed or contacted about your application, your application has likely not been submitted.
 
If you have questions or concerns about your application, please contact Alberta Health at health.mlrprogram@gov.ab.ca.
 
Complete your MLR application

Sunshine List update
 
Earlier this year government indicated they would release physician payment information (Physician Payment Disclosure) on or before November 9. At that time, the AMA published a document called Context Matters: The Facts About Physician Compensation in Alberta to provide better understanding of gross billing data.
 
This planned disclosure of fee-for-service payments has not yet occurred and, at this point, we don’t have an implementation date for either this or any subsequent disclosures. We understand that the January 1, 2021 deadline for a potential spring disclosure has also been removed from the government’s website and that a new deadline will be identified at some point in the future (and annually).
 
If you planned to apply for exemption but missed the October 7 deadline, we encourage you to submit your application as soon as government’s revised form is posted (we’ll keep members apprised of this). If you have already applied for an exemption (by the October 7 deadline), there is no need to apply again. If you already have an application in process, your data will remain undisclosed pending the outcome of the application. If an exemption request is granted then all historical payment information will be removed from disclosure and the exemption will be in effect for a period of five years, at which point you will need to reapply. Learn more about the exemption application process.
 
As of now, there is no set date yet for the disclosure of ARP earnings, AMHSP earnings, AHS stipends and program benefits. Once a date is set, impacted physicians will be informed and provided an opportunity to apply for an exemption.
 
We will keep members informed of any new information as it becomes available. 

COVID-19 Resource Center for Physicians
 
The following are recent updates from Alberta Health Services and Alberta Health.
AHS Memo: COVID-19 Vaccine Information for Community Physicians and PCNs
This December 18 AHS memo contains the following resources:
 
COVID-19 Vaccine Information Sheet
Helps physicians answer patient questions such as: Who should and should not receive the vaccine? What are the side-effects? How effective is the vaccine?
 
Information on reporting Adverse Events Following Immunization (AEFI)
 
 
(E.g., consent forms, signs and posters, FAQs for staff and health professionals)
 
NOTE: COVID-19 FAQs for Community Physicians - recently updated to include vaccine information
 
AH Immunization Newsletter: Alberta’s COVID-19 Immunization Program
December 18 newsletter from AH's COVID-19 immunization program
 
Looking for the latest on COVID-19 care? Visit the AMA website to find up-to-date COVID-19 information for physicians, including vaccine resources, upcoming relevant webinars, virtual care codes, business supports, zone-specific pathways and information targeted to community or hospital-based physicians.
 
Visit albertadoctors.org/COVID

Webinar #4: COVID Talks for Docs
Series: Adapting to Increasing COVID Care Needs in Your Practice
 
Join us on January 6, 12 noon to 1 p.m., for the fourth webinar of the bi-weekly series on the the care and management of COVID-19 patients in the community.
 
This session will respond to common and emerging questions from primary care and other generalist physicians about the COVID-19 vaccine. Participants will have time to ask questions related to managing patient and practice needs during COVID-19, including:
  • COVID-19 vaccine safety and efficacy
  • Addressing vaccine hesitancy
Speakers
  • Dr. Mike Kolber and Tony Nickonchuk
  • Dr. Cora Constantinescu
Session Moderator
  • Dr. Janet Craig
Learning Objectives
At the end of this session participants will be able to:
  • Understand the safety and efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccine
  • Identify key messages in addressing vaccine hesitancy

All community physicians and clinic staff who have questions related to the COVID-19 vaccine are invited to join this session. We encourage community physicians to share the webinar details with their clinic staff.

Please note the webinar will be recorded. If you are unable to join live, the recording will made available on the AMA's Webinars & Online Learning web page within a few days following the event.

Visit the AMA website to register for this webinar and watch recordings of past webinars in this series.
 
Register for Webinar #4: COVID Talks for Docs

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