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CMA fights federal bill that would allow VA to preempt state telemedicine laws

The California Medical Association (CMA) and the American Medical Association (AMA) are fighting a provision in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal year 2017 that would preempt state telemedicine laws and dismantle accountability mechanisms needed to ensure patient protection. The NDAA is an annual piece of legislation that primarily authorizes the federal government to spend money for war operations and military base operations. The two houses of Congress passed their own versions of this annual legislation over the summer. The version passed by the U.S. Senate includes language ...

CMA joins 97 specialty and state medical societies in letter to VA about plan to allow advanced practice registered nurses to practice independently

The California Medical Association (CMA) joined 97 specialty and medical societies to send a letter to the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) expressing concerns with a proposed rule that would allow advanced practice registered nurses (APRN) to practice independently in the VA health system. CMA also submitted an additional letter opposing the proposed regulations. The agency announced at the end of May that it wants to expand the scope of practice for APRNs to allow them to order and read diagnostic tests, administer anesthesia, prescribe medications and manage acute and ...

Gov. Brown appoints CMA physician to California Department of Veterans Affairs

Vito Imbasciani, M.D., a member of the California Medical Association (CMA) Board of Trustees, has been appointed secretary at the California Department of Veterans Affairs (CalVet), Gov. Jerry Brown announced Friday. Dr. Imbasciani, a Los Angeles democrat, previously served as surgeon in the U.S. Army Medical Corps from 1986 to 2014 and as state surgeon for the California National Guard from 2006 to 2014. He is currently the director of government relations at the Southern California Kaiser Permanente Medical Group, where he has also worked as a urologic surgeon for ...

Congress allows veterans to seek care outside VA system

Congress yesterday sent a $17 billion landmark bill to President Obama that will help U.S. veterans avoid long waits for health care within the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). There was overwhelming support in both the Senate (91-3) and House (unanimous) for the bill, which will provide $10 billion in emergency spending over the next three years to allow veterans to seek care from private doctors and other health professionals due to delays in the VA system. Veterans would have access to private doctors if they could not get ...