COVID-19 is disrupting the stability of food, shelter, and sleep. Stress levels are unthinkable. 

The continuing pandemic, along with unemployment, racial injustice, and social isolation, is raising anxiety and depression to high levels as well. Moreover, it’s been reported that ongoing stress can decrease the body’s lymphocyte levels, making infection more likely. This cycle is evident among COVID patients.

Reporting on this untenable situation during the next edition of Talk Ten Tuesdays will be Sheryl Markowitz, senior vice president of clinical operations at Healthfirst of New York City, one of the largest Medicare and Medicaid providers in the greater metro area of the Big Apple. Ms. Markowitz will be reporting on how Healthfirst is responding to a significant increase in calls from members experiencing anxiety and depression by increasing outreach and availability of help.

The live broadcast will also feature these other segments:

• Tuesday Focus: Vaccinating Kids: September is National Immunization Awareness Month, and recent action by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has green-lighted children being vaccinated by state-licensed pharmacists – a move that has generated pushback, first from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), and now, the American Medical Association (AMA) as well. Nationally recognized professional coder and auditor Terry Fletcher will have an update on this budding controversy.
  
  
• News Desk: Timothy Powell, compliance expert and ICD10monitor national correspondent, will anchor the Talk Ten Tuesdays News Desk.
  
  
• The Coding Report: Laurie Johnson will report on last week’s two-day meeting of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Coordination and Maintenance Committee.
  
  
• TalkBack: Erica Remer, MD, founder and president of Erica Remer, MD, Inc. and Talk Ten Tuesdays co-host, will report on another thought-provoking topic that has captured her attention.