Medi-Cal primary care physicians will receive a two-year, $11 billion pay increase, under a proposal released last week by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The proposal, which implements a provision of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), would on average result in a 50 to 60 percent increase in Medi-Cal rates for primary care physicians, including family medicine, pediatrics and internists, plus related subspecialties. The ACA calls for Medicaid payments to primary care physicians to be raised to Medicare levels for 2013 and 2014.

The deadline to apply for an e-prescribing exemption for 2013 is June 30, 2012. Individual physicians can apply for an exemption from the 2012 e-prescribing penalty via an online web portal. Exemption requests from individual physicians must be submitted online. They will not be accepted via mail, email or fax.

The San Bernardino County Medical Society (SBCMS) is proud to announce the 2012 SBCMS Annual Outstanding Award Recipients. The awards will be presented at the 134th Annual Installation Dinner on June 21st at the Mission Inn in Riverside. Leroy Ounanian, MD, Medical Director of Beaver Medical Group, will be installed as the 120th President of the organization.

On Sunday, May 6th, more than 120 visitors attended the Southern California Medical Museum's open house held at the San Bernardino County Medical Society's facility in Riverside.