U.S. Supreme Court to hear ACA subsidy case on March 4 The U.S. Supreme Court has scheduled oral arguments for March 4, 2015, in King v. Burwell; a case that questions whether premium subsidies can be provided under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to individuals purchasing health insurance coverage on exchanges run by the federal government. The lawsuit has the potential to affect 36 states that use the federal health care exchange, but would not change the subsidies in states like California that run their own exchanges. If the subsidies are struck down, some 5.4 million Americans who signed up for ... January 6, 2015 General Affordable Care Act, Health Insurance Exchange, ACA, U.S. Supreme Court 0 0 Comment Read More »
California ACEP publishes safe prescribing handout for patients The California Medical Association has joined with the California Chapter of the American College of Emergency Physicians to promote a statewide safe prescribing program for patients seen in emergency departments or urgent care facilities. The hope is that this program – motivated by the desire to reduce prescription drug abuse and drug diversion – will lead to better patient care, safer prescribing and fewer unmet expectations. A key portion of this program is a handout that explains safe prescribing to patients, available in both English and Spanish: Also provided ... January 6, 2015 General Drug prescribing, Public Health, American College of Emergency Physicians 0 0 Comment Read More »
CMA creates new resource summarizing Medicare incentive and penalty programs Over the past few years, Congress has created a number of programs that call for payment incentives and reductions (referred to as “adjustments” by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) that impact physicians and their practices. At their inception, most of these programs offered an incentive to participate. However, most of the programs are entering their penalty phases, with complex and potentially conflicting requirements and implementation processes. To help physicians understand how these programs will affect their practices, the California Medical Association (CMA) has created a new resource, “Medicare ... December 18, 2014 Medicare Medicare, Incentive Programs 0 0 Comment Read More »
Congress passes a number of health care provisions in the current budget Congress narrowly passed a $1.1 trillion federal budget that will fund most of the federal government through September 2015. Below is a summary of key health care provisions in the bill. Within the bill, Congress expressed concern that there had not been adequate opportunity for public comment on bundling of surgical codes in the final rule of the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule. The budget bill says that the appropriate methodology has not been tested to ensure that patient care and patient access are not negatively impacted ... December 16, 2014 General, Medicare Advocacy, Federal Legislation, Medicare, Prescription Drugs, CDC, Ebola, Recovery Audit Contractor 0 0 Comment Read More »
CMA elects new chair and vice chair of its board of trustees On Sunday, December 7, 2014, the California Medical Association (CMA) Board of Trustees elected David H. Aizuss, M.D., as the new chair and Robert E. Wailes, M.D., as vice chair. Dr. Aizuss is a board certified ophthalmologist practicing in Los Angeles. Through the David H. Aizuss, M.D., Medical Corporation, and the Ophthalmology Associates of the Valley Medical Surgical Group, a partnership of medical corporations, Dr. Aizuss focuses exclusively on direct patient care. He also serves as an assistant clinical professor of Ophthalmology at the UCLA Geffen School of Medicine. Dr. Aizuss ... December 16, 2014 CMA House of Delegates, Physician Leadership, Board of Trustees 0 0 Comment Read More »
Lame duck session of Congress adjourns, leaving SGR reform until 2015 In the final hours of the lame duck session, Congress passed a $1.01 trillion spending bill that will keep most of the federal government funded through next September, but it failed to pass a fix for the Medicare sustainable growth rate (SGR). Congress will leave it to be addressed before the April 1 deadline next year, when physicians will be faced with a 21 percent payment cut. Unfortunately, Congress will begin anew with many new members who have not been a part of the bipartisan, bicameral SGR Repeal and Medicare ... December 16, 2014 Medicare SGR, Sustainable Growth Rate, Medicare, U.S. Congress 0 0 Comment Read More »
Potential Medicare pay cuts coming in 2015; participation selections due Dec. 31 It's that time of year again – time for physicians to decide about their participation in Medicare. Physicians have until Dec. 31, 2014, to make changes to their status for 2015. In addition to the annual threat of steep payment cuts as a result of the sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula, another factor for physicians to consider is that 2015 will be the first year that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will impose penalties under the value-based modifier (VBM) program for large medical groups of 100 ... December 16, 2014 Medicare , SGR, Sustainable Growth Rate, Medicare, Value-Based Payment Modifier 0 0 Comment Read More »
New prescription drug prior authorization form required on Jan. 1 for DMHC regulated products On January 1, 2015, a new law will fully take effect that streamlines and standardizes the prior authorization process for prescription drugs. The law (SB 866) requires all insurers, health plans (and their contracting medical groups/IPAs) and providers to use a standardized two-page form for prior authorizations of prescription medications. The law also requires plans and insurers to make a determination on prescription drug prior authorization requests within two days of receipt, and if they fail to do so the requests will be deemed authorized. The new law does not ... December 16, 2014 General, Managed Care Prescription Drugs, Preauthorization 0 0 Comment Read More »
Be prepared for Covered California changes in 2015 In 2014, Covered California, California's health benefit exchange, enrolled approximately 1.4 million individuals statewide in new health plans. With Covered California aiming to enroll an additional 500,000 during the 2015 open enrollment period, it is critical that physician practices understand their participation status, which products are being offered and what changes to expect in 2015. To help physicians understand the changes taking place and how they will affect their practice, the California Medical Association (CMA) has published a new tip sheet titled, “Surviving Covered California: Preparing for 2015.” December 16, 2014 Managed Care Health Insurance Exchange, Surviving Covered California, Covered California 0 0 Comment Read More »
CMS announces new rules to curb Medicare fraud The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced new rules will improve CMS’ ability to deny or revoke the enrollment of entities and individuals that pose a program integrity risk to Medicare. According to a press release, the “new safeguards are designed to prevent physicians and other providers with unpaid debt from re-entering Medicare and remove providers with patterns or practices of abusive billing." These changes are expected to save more than $327 million annually. CMS announced it has already removed nearly 25,000 providers from Medicare. Its strategy for ... December 16, 2014 Medicare CMS, Fraud and Abuse, Medicare, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services 0 0 Comment Read More »
