California's physicians proudly endorse Gavin Newsom for Governor Today, the California Medical Association (CMA) formally endorsed Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom’s 2018 bid to become California’s next governor. “California’s physicians are proud to support Gavin Newsom for Governor,” said CMA President Theodore M. Mazer, M.D. “Gavin is a lifelong champion for health care in California, and we know he will continue to fight for pragmatic solutions to our most crucial health care challenges, including working to achieve universal access and tackling our state’s physician shortage.” As Mayor of the City and County of San Francisco, Newsom worked with health care ... April 24, 2018 CMA, General Election, Political Advocacy 0 0 Comment Read More »
CA Physicians Overwhelmingly Oppose Radical Health Care Price Fixing Bill FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 9, 2018 SOURCE: California Medical Association CONTACT: Charlie Lawlor, clawlor@cmanet.org CONTACT YOUR LEGISLATORS TODAY - CLICK HERE! Sacramento, CALIF. – Today, Assemblymember Ash Kalra (D-San Jose) released new details on a radical new legislative proposal that would increase patient out-of-pocket costs and result in a dangerous government intrusion into the health care market by creating state-sanctioned rationing of health care for all Californians. Assembly Bill 3087 would establish an undemocratic, government-run commission with nine political appointees who would unilaterally set the price for all medical services that are not already ... April 9, 2018 CMA, General, Press Releases Rate Regulation, State Legislative Advocacy 0 0 Comment Read More »
CMA survey finds rampant health plan payment abuses Despite a California law passed in 2000 to address widespread payment abuses by health care service plans, many payors continue to flout the law. A recent survey by the California Medical Association (CMA) confirms that health plans regularly engage in unfair payment practices, with two-thirds of physician practices reporting routine payment abuses in violation of state law. The Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC) has been slow to address provider complaints and has taken few enforcement actions against health plans that unlawfully underpay providers. When DMHC has acted, the penalty ... April 5, 2018 CMA, General, Managed Care Department of Managed Health Care, DMHC, Payors, State Legislation, State Legislative Advocacy, Unfair Payment Practices 0 0 Comment Read More »
CMA comments on proposed protections for conscience rights and religious freedom In January, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released a proposed rule that would expand protections for physicians and other health care providers who object to performing certain procedures. The proposal covers a wide array of existing federal laws that provide “conscience” protections, including those related to abortion, sterilization, assisted suicide and the performance of advance directives. While the California Medical Association (CMA) is a strong advocate for the conscience rights of physicians, we do not believe this proposed rule accomplishes its purported aims. We are concerned ... April 5, 2018 CMA Regulatory Advocacy 0 0 Comment Read More »
CMA physicians travel to D.C. to advocate on critical health care issues A California Medical Association (CMA) contingent of two dozen physician and medical student leaders recently traveled to Washington, D.C., to participate in the American Medical Association’s (AMA) National Advocacy Week. They met with 24 members of the California Congressional Delegation and top leadership of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to advocate for many health care issues critically important to California physicians. While in Washington, California physicians focused on promoting the bipartisan Affordable Care Act (ACA) market stabilization bill that would reinstate the cost-sharing reduction payments and ... April 5, 2018 CMA, General AMA, American Medical Association, Federal Legislative Advocacy 0 0 Comment Read More »
CMA advocacy results in DHCS revaluing two CPT codes The California Medical Association (CMA) received a call from a physician member with concerns that the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) had priced a CPT code for destruction of up to 14 benign skin lesions (CPT 17110) at a higher level than it priced a more complex procedure for the destruction of 15 or more lesions (CPT 17111). CMA escalated the issue to DHCS so it could investigate. Upon further inspection and months of discussions, DHCS announced in October that it was increasing reimbursement on both codes, resulting ... April 5, 2018 CMA, General, Medi-Cal Dermatology, DHCS, Economic Advoacy, Billing/Coding, CPT, Department of Health Care Services, Medi-Cal 0 0 Comment Read More »
State awards $30.5 million in primary care residency program funding The California Healthcare Workforce Policy Commission awarded upwards of $30.5 million to support more than 175 primary care residency slots for the 2017 cycle of the Song Brown Healthcare Workforce Training Program. A record number of applications were received this year, in large part due to the additional physician workforce funding secured by the California Medical Association (CMA) through the state budget. In 2016, the California legislature passed a budget that committed $100 million over three years ($33 million each year) in health care workforce funding. Although Governor Brown proposed ... February 5, 2018 CMA, General GME, Graduate Medical Education, Physician Workforce, Primary Care, Residents and Fellows, Song Brown Healthcare Workforce Training Program 0 0 Comment Read More »
On-Demand Webinar: Understanding Medicare Changes: An Impossible Dream? The California Medical Association (CMA) recently hosted a free webinar examining changes to the Medicare program for 2018 and providing tips for regulatory compliance, presented by the medical director of California’s Medicare contractor, Noridian Healthcare Solutions. The webinar is now available for on-demand viewing in the CMA resource library. This download is free for all. This review includes an overview of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) new Targeted Probe and Educate (TPE) program, a type of Medicare audit, and its review process; changes to Local Coverage Determinations ... February 5, 2018 CMA, Medicare Government Payors, Medicare, Noridian, Webinars 0 0 Comment Read More »
Call for nominations: California Delegation to the AMA The California Medical Association (CMA) is seeking nominations for physicians to serve as at-large delegates and alternates to the American Medical Association (AMA) House of Delegates. Current delegates who are eligible for reappointment must submit an application for the 2018 term. They will not be reappointed if a form is not submitted. We are seeking physicians who are active CMA members and able to serve as delegates or alternates twice a year during the annual (June) and interim (November) meetings of the AMA House of Delegates for a two-year term ... January 30, 2018 CMA, General AMA, American Medical Association, CMA Nominations 0 0 Comment Read More »
California Medical Association Endorses Eleni Kounalakis for California Lt. Governor Today, the California Medical Association (CMA) endorsed Eleni Kounalakis’ 2018 bid to become California’s next Lieutenant Governor. “The California Medical Association is proud to support Eleni Kounalakis for Lieutenant Governor,” said CMA President Theodore M. Mazer, M.D. “Today’s political environment demands leaders focused on pragmatic solutions to improve quality access to health care, address our looming physician shortage crisis and champion public health initiatives. We believe Eleni has the passion, temperament and experience to best represent California’s citizens and interests.” “I am so honored to receive the endorsement of the California ... January 30, 2018 CMA, General Election, Political Advocacy 0 0 Comment Read More »
