Online payment portals: Physicians beware Recently, a number of payors have begun to offer online payment portals that allow patients to pay for physician services via the Internet. Physicians should be aware, however, that while these online payment portals typically do not charge setup fees for participating, physicians will be assessed a per transaction fee, similar to the transaction fees associated with credit card or merchant transactions. Aetna, for example, partnered with Citi to provide an online patient health care payment option called Money² for Health. This online payment tool will allow patients to securely pay for physician services through the Aetna Navigator member website. For physicians who have signed up to participate in Money² for Health, patient payments will be electronically transferred into your designated accounts. United Healthcare (UHC) has also recently instituted a similar online portal through Instamed. Through the myClaims Manager selection on the www.myuhc.com website, members can now elect to make payments to their medical providers. Physicians should also be aware that non-participation in these programs does not necessarily prohibit patients from continuing to pay through the portal. For instance, the UHC/Instamed program will still allow patients to make payments to physicians who have chosen to not participate in the program. In lieu of an electronic funds transfer to the physician’s bank account, Instamed will issue a hardcopy check to the physician instead. However, the issuance of the hardcopy check does not alleviate the physician from being required to pay a reduced transaction fee. CMA has inquired further with United about physician options to avoid any transaction fees. November 18, 2013 General Payment Plan, United Healthcare, Aetna 0 0 Comment Read More »
November 18-24 is 'Get Smart About Antibiotics Week' With the cold and flu season underway, now is a good time to review appropriate antibiotic use. In fact, the week of November 18-24, 2013, is "Get Smart About Antibiotics Week" – a campaign to highlight the problem of antibiotic resistance and the importance of appropriate antibiotic use. The California Medical Association (CMA) Foundation's Alliance Working for Antibiotic Resistance Education (AWARE) project has teamed up with the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) and others to bring attention to this growing concern. The "Get Smart About Antibiotics Week" campaign aims to slow the rise of antibiotic resistance by: •Promoting adherence to prescribing guidelines among providers, •Decreasing demand for antibiotics for viral upper respiratory infections among healthy adults and parents of young children, and •Increasing adherence to prescribed antibiotics for upper respiratory infections. The CMA Foundation recently published its seventh annual antibiotic awareness toolkit for physicians and other clinicians. The toolkit, available for download at the AWARE website, contains an array of clinical resources and patient education materials to help reduce inappropriate antibiotic use. For more information about "Get Smart About Antibiotics Week," visit the CDC website. Contact: CMA Foundation, (916) 779-6620 or aware@thecmafoundation.org. November 18, 2013 General Antibiotics 0 0 Comment Read More »
Stepping Up to Leadership Training, March 6-8, 2014 The Stepping Up to Leadership program was created by the Institute for Medical Quality and the PACE Program at the University of California at San Diego in response to a commonly expressed need for better, more practical hands-on training for medical staff leaders. “For years, physicians asked for a program that would empower them to take on leadership roles,” said William Norcross, MD, founder of the PACE Program and an originator of the conference. A grant from The Physicians Foundation helped the conference’s organizers meet their goal of making the program accessible to a broad spectrum of medical staff leaders. “Thanks to a generous grant from The Physicians Foundation, we are able to offer a hands-on, interactive program at a fraction of the normal registration fee,” said Dr. Norcross. The Stepping Up to Leadership program made its debut in 2011 with a program emphasizing communications skills and addressing issues of disruptive and impaired professionals. Now in its third year, the 2014 conference will cover all of the original content, with an added emphasis on aligning the needs of medical staffs and hospitals and helping both entities work together effectively. The conference embraces hands-on learning opportunities and interactive small-group teaching modalities. It covers the skills and topics most needed by medical staff leaders: effective staff leadership, credentialing and privileging, assessing the needs of the organization, using CME effectively, resolving on-call issues, improved communication skills, using quality measures effectively, legal considerations, and managing disruptive or impaired colleagues. The combination of administrative, communicative, and quality-oriented skills and solutions is intended for medical staff leaders from a broad range of backgrounds and experiences, and entire medical staffs are encouraged to attend. “I went to Stepping Up to Leadership with my medical staff, and I learned so much” said an attendee of the 2012 program. “All of the content was useful for the day-to-day of running a medical staff, but I found the section on privileging for physicians who never or rarely admit especially helpful. I would definitely come back.” The conference also provides a prime networking opportunity: a low student-to-faculty ratio and plenty of discussion time are built into the program. “This is a great opportunity for physicians to ask questions and resolve issues specific to their own facilities,” said IMQ Board President John Kusske, MD. Additionally, the 2014 conference will feature keynote speaker Nancy Dickey, MD, family practitioner and the first female president of the American Medical Association. “Dr. Dickey is a dynamic speaker with real-life experience; she’s unquestionably a leader and a problem-solver,” said IMQ President Jill Silverman. “She walks the walk.” Dr. Dickey shares the podium with specially selected faculty from all corners of medical staff leadership development, including Barbara Paul, MD, Senior Vice President and CMO of Community Health Systems in Nashville, Tennessee; Greg Abrams, Esq., an expert in legal issues confronting medical staff leaders; Carol Havens, MD, President of the California Academy of Family Physicians; and others with expertise in various aspects of medical staff leadership. The 2014 Stepping Up to Leadership program will take place March 6-8 at the Loews Coronado Bay Hotel in San Diego. For more information, visit http://www.imq.org/Education/ConferencesWorkshopsWebinars.aspx or call Leslie Iacopi at 415-882-5167. Call Send SMS Add to Skype You'll need Skype CreditFree via Skype November 15, 2013 General IMQ, Institute for Medical Quality, medical staff leaders, PACE Program, Stepping Up to Leadership 0 0 Comment Read More »
NEPO launches regional Covered California health care provider outreach and education meetings The CMA Foundation's Network of Ethnic Physician Organizations (NEPO) is hosting its first Covered California provider outreach and education meeting December 7, 2013, at 9:30 a.m. at the Kaplan Medical offices in Pasadena. Physicians and other health care providers and their staff are invited to attend this 2.5 hour educational session. Participants will learn more about Covered California and how they can help patients get health insurance coverage. Registration is free, but space is limited, so secure your spot today. For more information or to register, visit http://www.eventbrite.com/event/9019901769. This is first in a series of regional meetings that will be held throughout the state. Questions? Contact Liza Kirkland, lkirkland@thecmafoundation.org or (916 ) 779-6643. November 6, 2013 General Covered California, Health Benefit Exchange, Network of Ethnic Physician Organizations, Health Care Reform, Health Insurance Exchange, NEPO 0 0 Comment Read More »
CMA Medi-Cal Survival Guide helps physicians understand numerous program changes Over the past year, there have been a number of changes for Medi-Cal patients and for the physicians who treat them. There will be more changes in 2014 as well. To help physicians understand the impact these changes will have on their practices, the California Medical Association (CMA) has published a Medi-Cal Survival Toolkit. The toolkit contains a summary on many of the changes, important dates, options for physicians and links to important resources. The toolkit is available to free to members in CMA's online resource library. Contact: CMA's reimbursement helpline, (888) 401-5911 or economicservices@cmanet.org. November 6, 2013 Medi-Cal Healthy Families, Medi-Cal, Insurance/Reimbursement 0 0 Comment Read More »
November is national COPD awareness month In recognition of national COPD awareness month, the California Medical Association (CMA) Foundation is encouraging physicians to talk to their patients about simple measures they can take to improve their lung function. COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) is a serious lung disease that makes it difficult to breathe. Also known as emphysema and chronic bronchitis, it recently surpassed stroke as the third leading cause of death in the United States. More than 12 million people are diagnosed with COPD and an additional 12 million are likely to have the disease and don't even know it. While one in five adults over the age of 45 have COPD, many dismiss their symptoms as a normal consequence of aging or being out of shape. The CMA Foundation AWARE (Alliance Working for Antibiotic Resistance Education) project has posted on its website a number of patient education materials that physicians can use to help patients lower their risk of the disease and understand that with proper diagnosis and treatment they can breathe easier and enjoy an improved quality of life. The materials can be downloaded at www.aware.md, under "Patient and Consumer Education Materials." COPD occurs most frequently in current and former smokers age 40 and up. However, as many as one out of six people with COPD have never smoked. COPD symptoms – such as shortness of breath, chronic coughing or wheezing, producing excess sputum, or feeling unable to take a deep breath – come on slowly and worsen over time. COPD can occur through long-term exposure to substances that can irritate the lungs, such as certain chemicals, secondhand smoke, and dust or fumes in the workplace. COPD can also occur in people with a genetic condition known as alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency. For more information about National COPD Awareness Month activities taking place across the country visit the COPD "Learn More Breathe Better" campaign at http://copd.nhlbi.nih.gov. November 6, 2013 General Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, COPD, Public Health 0 0 Comment Read More »
Both houses of Congress working together in an unprecedented collaboration to repeal SGR http:///On Thursday, the Senate Finance Committee and the House Ways and Means Committee released an unprecedented bipartisan and bicameral “discussion draft” proposal that would fully repeal the flawed Medicare Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) formula. The draft legislation would not provide automatic payment increases for 10 years. However, starting in 2016 physicians can choose to participate in new payment models (such as medical homes) and qualify for 5 percent annual bonuses. In 2017 and beyond, physicians remaining in the fee-for-service program can participate in a new “value-based performance payment program,” which will combine all of the incentive payments and penalties from the existing meaningful use, Physician Quality Reporting System and value-based modifier programs. The proposal also includes $10 million to help small practices in rural or underserved areas improve performance and facilitate participation in alternative payment models. It also provides additional payment for complex chronic care management and establishes appropriate use criteria for imaging services set forth by medical specialty societies. The SGR formula has been threatening severe payment cuts to physician reimbursement for more than a decade. Over the years, moves to repeal the SGR have failed, due in large part to the large price tag of such a fix. Recent declines in spending on physician services have lowered the estimates on the price tag for a repeal of the SGR. In February, the Congressional Budget Office cut earlier projections in half when it said that it would cost $138 billion over 10 years. With the cost going down so dramatically, there's a concerted effort on both sides of the political aisle to get this problem fixed this year. "We applaud the Senate and House for working together on a bipartisan basis to repeal the flawed Medicare SGR payment formula. This is an encouraging development and it could be a pivotal step to stabilizing Medicare," says Richard Thorp, M.D., president of the California Medical Association (CMA). "With the drastically lower price tag and bipartisan support for the necessary policy changes, we must seize the opportunity to set Medicare on a more stable and predictable course for current and future generations of patients and physicians." Comments on the draft outline are due by Nov. 12, which is when the House will be back in session. CMA is currently analyzing the proposal, and looks forward to continuing the constructive, bipartisan dialogue with the committees as preparations are made for moving legislation forward. There is work to be done to refine and improve the current proposal so that it works for physicians and their patients. "CMA will be working to improve the current proposal so that physicians can sustain their practices," says Dr. Thorp. "Hopefully, we can build payment and care delivery models that are as advanced and effective as our medical care." CMA is also urging the committees to include the California geographic locality update in the legislation. Tell Congress to repeal the SGR once and for all CMA is urging Congress to keep the momentum going and enact final payment reform before the end of the year. Physicians are asked to call, write or email their members of Congress and urge them to continue working in a bipartisan manner to protect Medicare and seniors’ choice of physician by repealing the flawed Medicare SGR formula in 2013 and enacting a stable payment system. To be connected with your members of Congress, call AMA’s Grassroots Hotline (888/434-6200) or visit www.FixMedicareNow.org. Contact: Elizabeth McNeil, (415) 882-3376 or emcneil@cmanet.org. November 5, 2013 Medicare Insurance/Reimbursement, Medicare, SGR, Sustainable Growth Rate, Advocacy 0 0 Comment Read More »
Loma Linda Street Medicine Needs More Volunteer Licensed Providers Street Medicine is Something Different Weekly medical outreaches at: Homeless and Women's Shelters Churches On the streets of San Bernardino Serves the medically underserved: Poor Homeless Marginalized Student-led and Physician-supported Student leaders responsible for organization Physicians/Licensed Providers teach and provide legitimacy to outreaches Official School of Medicine organization A branch of Healthy Neighborhoods Project What We Do Function like a basic mobile clinic Provide medical advice Referrals to low-cost clinics or ED Prescribe and dispense medications Except meds requiring regular labs Except narcotics Administer flu vaccinations Wound care Get to know our patients and their needs Follow-up with patients as availability permits Street Medicine Needs More Volunteer Licensed Providers! Although we are almost entirely student-run, we depend on our volunteer physicians, physician assistants and nurse practitioners to provide teaching and legitimacy to our medical care Without you, we cannot continue our outreaches! Our current goal is to establish 12 committed physicians/providers as a set of rotating attendings Each attending would volunteer for ony 4 outreaches/year! Can I Volunteer? We currently accept any licensed MD or DO, PA-C, or NP We are looking for physicians/providers specialized in primary care fields, including: Emergency Medicine Family Medicine Internal Medicine and Med-Peds Preventive Medicine Will I Be Covered for Malpractice? Faculty of LLU covered by Risk Management will be covered. Providers not covered by Risk Management will need to provide us with a letter from the insurance company stating that the provider is covered while seeing patients on our outreaches. What About Safety? Often times our outreaches take place in established clinics, shelters and churches, and safety is typically not a problem For our Street Walks, we have developed protocols to optimize the safety of all of our volunteers, and we train all of our student leaders to exercise these protocols We also contact the San Bernardino Sheriff's Dept. dispatcher prior to each Street Walk How Do I Sign Up? For questions or to sign up, email our Attending Liaison, Marcus Heisler, at attendings.streetmedicine.llu@gmail.com You may also email our Director, Barry Howe, at director.streetmedicine.llu@gmail.com Or visit our website: http://mymedhome.com/llstreetmed/volunteers/attending-physicians/ November 5, 2013 General Medically Underserved 0 0 Comment Read More »
