Hemet Office Space Available 6,000 sq. ft. prime space available in the heart of the Hemet Center for Medical Excellence located at 3889 West Stetson Ave., Hemet, CA 92545. For more information please contact Nabil Razzouk at nabil.razzouk@arrowheadortho.com or call 909-557-1601. April 23, 2014 General office space available 0 0 Comment Read More »
Physicians descend on Sacramento to lobby a package of bills to increase access to health care As part of the California Medical Association’s (CMA) 40th Annual Legislative Leadership Conference, more than 400 physicians, medical students and CMA Alliance members have come to Sacramento today to lobby their legislative leaders as champions for medicine and their patients. They will be lobbying a package of CMA-sponsored bills that will increase access to health care throughout the state. The bills include: AB 1805 (Skinner) restores a 10 percent cut made to California’s Medicaid program (Medi-Cal) in 2011. Medi-Cal reimbursement rates are among the lowest in the nation, often reimbursing providers below the cost of care. Many Medi-Cal patients have difficulty finding providers able to care for them. As millions of new patients enter the health care delivery system, reimbursement rates must be sustainable so that patients have real access to care. AB 1759 (Pan) extends through 2015 and beyond the reimbursement increase for certain Medi-Cal primary care providers, currently mandated under the Affordable Care Act, but set to expire on December 31, 2014. AB 1771 (V. Manuel Perez) increases access to care, especially in underserved areas, by requiring health insurance companies licensed in the State of California to pay contracted physicians for telephone and electronic patient management telehealth services. AB 2458 (Bonilla) creates additional residency positions to train very much needed primary care physicians by establishing the framework to administer grants to medical education residency programs at hospitals and teaching health centers. AB 1805, 1759 and 2458 are being heard in Assembly Health Committee Tuesday, April 22 at 1:30 p.m. April 23, 2014 General State Legislative Advocacy, Advocacy, Legislative Leadership Day 0 0 Comment Read More »
Study: CA physicians account for $160+ billion in economic impact and almost 1 million jobs California’s 85,943 patient care physicians fulfill a vital role in the state’s economy by supporting 983,990 jobs and generating $162.6 billion in economic activity, according to a new report by the American Medical Association (AMA). The report notes that given the changing health care environment, it is paramount to quantify the economic impact physicians have on society. To provide lawmakers, regulators and policymakers with reliable information, the report measured the economic impact of California physicians according to four key economic barometers. Jobs: Each physician supported an average of 11.45 jobs and contributed to a total of 983,990 jobs statewide. Output: Each physician supported an average of $1.9 million in economic output and contributed to a total of $162.6 billion in economic output statewide. Wages and Benefits: Each physician supported an average of $1.03 million in total wages and benefits and contributed to a total of $88.071 billion in wages and benefits statewide. Tax Revenues: Each physician supported $90,814 in local and state tax revenues and contributed to a total of $7.81 billion in local and state tax revenues statewide. The AMA study looked at physicians who engage in patient care activities, as opposed to those who focus on research or teaching. To view the full report and an interactive map of the United States, please visit www.ama-assn.org/go/eis. April 23, 2014 General Patient Care Activities 0 0 Comment Read More »
Pledge your commitment to protect MICRA With less than 200 days left until the 2014 general election, the California Medical Association (CMA) is working hard to educate every physician in California about the efforts underway to defeat the trial lawyer-backed anti-MICRA ballot measure. Ensuring that each and every California physician understands the importance of our state's landmark Medical Injury Compensation Reform Act (MICRA) remains one of CMA's top priorities. The ballot measure being pushed by trial lawyers would increase health care costs for everyone in California and decrease access to care – which is why such a broad coalition of doctors, community clinics, health centers, hospitals and other health care providers are opposed to the initiative. The effect on our health care system would be devastating, limiting access to care for those who need it most, at a time when millions of newly insured patients are entering the health care system. CMA and the campaign to defeat the anti-MICRA measure needs each and every one of you to help spread the word and educate your colleagues about the critical importance of MICRA. To that end, CMA has developed a MICRA Commitment Card. In addition to asking physicians to pledge their “no” vote on the anti-MICRA measure, the cards also provide physicians with the opportunity to volunteer as “Hospital Coordinator,” a position which will prove instrumental to the campaign by helping organize and educate fellow physicians about the ballot measure. The commitment card can be completed online at www.cmanet.org/micra. You may also request hard copies of the cards to distribute to your colleagues, by contacting CMA at (916) 551-2567 or yshimabukuro@cmanet.org. With less than 200 days until the election, every day must be viewed as a new opportunity to defeat this dangerous, costly ballot measure. We already know that our opponents will spend these next 200 days attempting to further deceive the public about their measure’s true intentions. We must continue to inform voters that this initiative would be costly to taxpayers and hugely detrimental to health care in California. For more information about MICRA and what you can do to help in the fight, visit www.cmanet.org/micra. April 21, 2014 General Professional Liability, MICRA 0 0 Comment Read More »
CMA's annual "lobby day" is April 22 The 40th annual California Medical Association (CMA) Legislative Leadership Conference is just around the corner! The conference will take place Tuesday, April 22, at the Sheraton Grand Hotel in Sacramento, just three blocks from the State Capitol and across the street from CMA headquarters. It's not too late to rsvp! This is a unique event for California physicians and is free of charge to all CMA members. Plan to join more than 400 physicians, medical students and CMA Alliance members who will be coming to Sacramento to lobby their legislative leaders as champions for medicine and their patients. For more information, see the agenda or download the full event packet. Contact: Yna Shimabukuro, (916) 444-5532 or yshimabukuro@cmanet.org. April 16, 2014 General Legislative Leadership Day, Grassroots Advocacy 0 0 Comment Read More »
Soda warning label bill clears committee A California Medical Association-sponsored bill that would place safety warning labels on sodas and other sugary beverages sold in California has cleared California’s Senate Health Committee on a 5-2 vote. The first-in-the-nation legislation (SB 1000) was introduced by State Senator Bill Monning (D-Carmel) and would ensure that all Californians are aware of the critical scientific information linking sugary drink consumption to exploding rates of diabetes and obesity. The bill would place a simple warning on the front of all beverage containers with added sweeteners that have 75 or more calories per 12 ounces. The label, developed by a national panel of nutrition and public health experts, would read: STATE OF CALIFORNIA SAFETY WARNING: Drinking beverages with added sugar(s) contributes to obesity, diabetes, and tooth decay. Supported by overwhelming research linking soda and sugary drink consumption to skyrocketing rates of diabetes, obesity and tooth decay, the bill now moves forward to the Senate Committee on Appropriations, before being referred for a full Senate floor vote. According to a recent field poll, 74 percent of California voters support warning labels on sugary drinks. Sugary drinks are also the single largest contributor of added calories in the American diet, responsible for 43 percent of the additional calories consumed over the last 30 years. Drinking just one soda a day increases an adult’s likelihood of being overweight by 27 percent and a child’s by 55 percent. Research has also shown that a soda or two a day increases the risk of diabetes by 26 percent. “I see more and more patients losing limbs or going blind every year, and many of them drink a soda a day, unaware of just how hazardous the habit is to their health,” said Ashby Wolfe, M.D., of the California Medical Association. “Diabetes rates have skyrocketed by over 600 percent over the past generation, and liquid sugar is uniquely responsible for this epidemic. Warning labels are a vital step toward preventing a lot of trouble down the road.” These health implications are felt most acutely by California’s communities of color, which are the largest consumers of sugary drinks. In addition to CMA, the legislation is co-sponsored by the California Black Health Network, California Center for Public Health Advocacy and the Latino Coalition for a Healthy California. Complete information on SB 1000, including fact sheets on the science linking sugary beverages to diabetes, obesity and cavities, is available at www.sodawarninglabel.org. April 16, 2014 General Pediatrics, Public Health, State Legislation, Obesity 0 0 Comment Read More »
Anthem mistakenly lists almost 1,000 physicians as participating in individual/exchange network Anthem Blue Cross recently notified 965 physicians that they were erroneously listed as participating in the payor’s individual/exchange network. The April 9 notice states that affected physicians were “inadvertently” listed for “a certain period of time” during open enrollment. After receiving a number of complaints from physicians who believed they were listed inaccurately as participating in the Anthem Blue Cross individual/exchange network provider directory, the California Medical Association (CMA) contacted Anthem to discuss the matter. At that time, Anthem acknowledged the error and said that affected patients had already been notified. At CMA’s urging, Anthem agreed to also notify affected physicians. According to Anthem, affected physicians were paid at 100 percent of Prudent Buyer PPO rates for affected dates of service between January 1 and March 31, 2014. However, claims for dates of service on or after April 1, 2014, will be reimbursed as out-of-network. Anthem notified affected patients who had seen an out-of-network physician that they would need by March 31 to either select a new in-network physician or change to a different plan in which that physician participates or face higher out of pocket costs. The patient notice also advised them of their right to request continuity of care with the out-of-network physician. Questions about the error can be directed to Anthem’s Network Relations Department at (855) 238-0095 or networkrelations@wellpoint.com. April 16, 2014 General Covered California, Health Insurance Exchange, Anthem Blue Cross 0 0 Comment Read More »
Medicare Advantage plans to see a modest increase in payments The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced this week that Medicare Advantage plans would see a 0.4 percent boost in payment rates for 2015. This small payment boost is a change from CMS's February proposal that would have reduced Medicare Advantage plans payment rates by 1.9 percent. This announcement comes on the heels of new data that predicts falling Medicare costs due to healthier baby boomers aging into the system. Healthier beneficiaries in Medicare have led to a downward drop in risk adjustment for the program. CMS has also proposed an improved risk adjustment methodology to account for patient’s health status (severity of illness) and demographics. Plan bids will be based on these criteria. Along with this modest payment increase for Medicare Advantage plans, CMS announced that it plans to discontinue a three-year quality bonus demonstration project that shielded some plans from cuts required by the Affordable Care Act. CMS also said it will limit how much Medicare Advantage plans are allowed to increase beneficiaries’ premiums in 2015. This proposal limits these increases to the equivalent of $32 per month annually in 2015, down from $34 in 2014. With Congress’s recent passage of a bill that will update California's outdated Medicare localities, the Medicare Advantage rates in the 14 affected counties will see an even greater increase because the rates are partially built on the Medicare fee-for-service rates. Contact: Elizabeth McNeil, (800) 786-4262 or emcneil@cmanet.org. April 16, 2014 Medicare Medicare, Medicare Advantage, GPCI 0 0 Comment Read More »
CMA supports medical board efforts to address prescription opioid misuse In an effort to support the Medical Board of California’s current review and update of the board’s Guidelines for Prescribing Controlled Substances for Pain, the California Medical Association (CMA) Council on Scientific and Clinical Affairs recently completed an extensive review of existing opioid prescribing guidelines and has published a white paper that summarizes their findings, titled Prescribing Opioids: Care amid Controversy. The paper was produced by a panel of physician experts, who conducted a review of current literature, existing clinical guidelines and expert opinion in order to present an up-to-date, clinically relevant overview of opioid prescribing practice. The paper is written by physicians for prescribers to provide a balanced clinical perspective and updated guidance, as the medical board considers revisions to its guidelines. The paper addresses a variety of topics related to pain management, but is focused on the use of opioid analgesics to treat chronic pain. It is intended neither as an exhaustive review nor a standard of care, but rather summarizes established methods for appropriately prescribing opioid analgesics. “The California Medical Association appreciates the Medical Board of California’s recent efforts to address issues related to prescription drug misuse. We agree that now is an important time to review the board’s Guidelines for Prescribing Controlled Substances for Pain and have been involved in the discussion led by the board’s Prescribing Task Force,” said Richard Thorp, M.D., CMA president. “We hope that the board and the Prescribing Task Force will find Prescribing Opioids: Care amid Controversy to be a useful resource, as we believe the information will help ensure appropriate controlled substance prescribing in California.” Prescribing Opioids: Care amid Controversy complements the June 2013 CMA report, Opioid Analgesics in California: Relieving Pain, Preventing Abuse, Finding Balance, which focused on legislative and policy aspects of opioid prescribing. Both resources are available in CMA's online resource library at no charge. Contact: Scott Clark, (916) 551-2887 or sclark@cmanet.org. April 16, 2014 General Medical Board of California, Drug Prescribing 0 0 Comment Read More »
Labor unions announce opposition to MICRA lawsuit initiative This week, two major labor unions announced their strong opposition to the trial attorneys' anti-MICRA ballot initiative. The unions – AFSCME California PEOPLE, the statewide political and legislative arm of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, AFL-CIO, representing 179,000 members across California, and the Union of American Physicians and Dentists (UAPD), AFSCME Local 206, the largest union representing working doctors in the nation – announced their opposition in a press release. Both groups said it was clear that the initiative served the interests of lawyers, not consumers. “Labor traditionally stands on the side of consumer protection,” said Stuart Bussey, M.D., UAPD president. “However, the protections in this measure are weighted toward trial attorneys, not consumers. The initiative will hurt California's most vulnerable people – low income families and children – by making it harder for them to find health care providers close to where they live.” Dr. Bussey noted that the measure would limit access to medical care in low-income and rural communities by driving up malpractice insurance premiums, therefore making it economically prohibitive for doctors to work. According to California’s independent Legislative Analyst, the proposed measure could increase state and local government health costs by “hundreds of millions of dollars annually.” A study by Bill Hamm, the former Legislative Analyst, concluded the measure could increase health care costs across all sectors by $9.9 billion per year – or roughly $1,000 for an average family of four. AFSCME California PEOPLE and UAPD joins the growing list of California public entities and private organizations who have announced their formal opposition and expressed concerns about its impact on costs, patient access and California’s overall health delivery system, including: California Medical Association California Dental Association California Hospital Association California Pharmacists Association American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists American College of Emergency Physicians, California Chapter California Association of Physician Groups California Association for Nurse Practitioners Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California La Clínica de La Raza California Association of Rural Health Clinics Central Valley Health Network California Chamber of Commerce California Black Chamber of Commerce California Hispanic Chamber of Commerce City of Long Beach American Civil Liberties Union, Northern California American Civil Liberties Union, San Diego and Imperial Counties To learn much more about the hidden costs, consequences and flaws in the trial-lawyer-supported MICRA lawsuit initiative, and how you can help in the fight, visit www.cmanet.org/micra. April 16, 2014 General MICRA 0 0 Comment Read More »
