Encourage your patients to participate in 'National Prescription Drug Take Back Day' More than six million Americans abuse prescription drugs, this according to the 2011 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s National Survey on Drug Use and Health. The study also revealed more than 70 percent of people abusing prescription pain relievers got them through friends or relatives, a statistic that includes raiding the family medicine cabinet. The California Medical Association (CMA) has long recognized that a comprehensive approach is needed to address this serious issue. Successfully preventing drug abuse requires a public health focus, promotion of physician education and public ... April 8, 2013 General Prescription Drugs, Public Health 0 0 Comment Read More »
TRICARE Transition Guide On April 1, 2013, United Health Military & Veterans Services (UMVS) began providing managed care services to 2.9 million TRICARE beneficiaries in the 21 western states, including California. On that date, UMVS took over the contract previously held by TriWest. To help physicians understand the impact the transition will have on their practices, CMA has prepared a TRICARE Transition Guide. (members only; login required) April 2, 2013 General, Managed Care Managed Care Services, UMVS, TRICARE, United Health Military and Veterans Services 0 0 Comment Read More »
Inland Empire Care Transitions Collaborative Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP) along with several organizations, including the Health Services Advisory Group and the Hospital Association of Southern California, have formed the Inland Empire Care Transitions Collaborative, which hopes to raise awareness in the medical community about the need for community wide Solutions for high readmission rates. The collaborative is inviting physicians, hospitals, nursing homes, home health agencies, health plans, community based organizations, and other healthcare providers to their upcoming "Supporting Transitions in Patient Care Across the Provider Continuum-Reducing Readmissions in the Inland Empire" event scheduled ... March 18, 2013 General readmission reduction, Inland Empire Care Transitions Collaborative, reducing readmissions 0 0 Comment Read More »
Medi-Cal extends 2012 EHR attestation deadline to April 30, 2013 Xerox, the vendor in charge of the Medi-Cal electronic health record (EHR) incentive payments has resolved the technical difficulties that were complicating some providers' ability to complete their 2012 attestations. Specifically, the Medi-Cal State Level Registry was not properly allowing some providers who have been designated as members of groups to inherit and utilize the group’s information. As of Friday, March 15, the system is fully functional. Because of the difficulties and resulting attestation delays, the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) has received federal authorization to extend the ... March 18, 2013 Medi-Cal Health Care Reform, Insurance/Reimbursement, Medi-Cal 0 0 Comment Read More »
CMA Webinar: Act now to avoid Medicare penalties in 2015 Over the past six years, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has launched a number of initiatives that offer physicians the opportunity to increase their net revenue by participating in quality reporting programs. Until now, these programs have been voluntary and physicians have received bonuses for participating. That's about to change. Failure to participate now means physicians could face significant penalties. The American Academy of Family Physicians estimates that participating in these initiatives in 2013, rather than waiting until 2014, could save a physician $19,000 in avoided penalties. To ... March 18, 2013 Medicare Bonuses, Penalties, Medicare 0 0 Comment Read More »
Department of Justice to decide Medicare MAC contract protest The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced in September 2012 that Noridian has been named the new Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC) for Medicare Parts A and B in Jurisdiction E (previously called Jurisdiction 1). Two protests were filed, challenging the award. On January 18, 2013, the Government Accountability Office denied the two protests. As permitted by law, both protestors (Palmetto GBA and CGS) subsequently filed complaints with the U.S. Court of Federal Claims challenging the Jurisdiction E MAC contract award. The protests were filed on February 1, 2013. ... March 18, 2013 Medicare Noridian, Palmetto, Medicare 0 0 Comment Read More »
Inland Empire Provider Positioning for Growth in Reform Monday, March 11, 2013 Inland Empire Provider Positioning for Growth in Reform by Lauren McSherry, California Healthline Regional Correspondent SAN BERNARDINO -- Marking yet another step in the steady expansion of its reach in the Inland Empire, Loma Linda University Health is planning to construct a medical and educational complex in San Bernardino that could serve up to 250,000 patients each year. Experts said the expansion is likely part of the health system's strategy to better position itself for changes to health care reimbursement and hospital patient volume expected as a ... March 13, 2013 General ACA, Affordable Care Act, Loma Linda University Health, Health care reform 0 0 Comment Read More »
Nominating Committee Report 2013 The Nominating Committee held a conference call on January 16, 2013. Members participating in the call included: Drs. Rodney Borger, Victor Ching, Leroy Ounanian, Clifford Walters, Danny Wongworawat, Mohan Mallam and Jim Peterson, Executive Director. Presented January 28, 2013 are the following slate of proposed officers, board members and CMA Delegation: Nomination of Officers One-year term, 7/1/2013-6/30/2014 President: Raman Poola, MD President-Elect: Montri Wongworawat, MD Vice President: Marti Baum, MD Secretary: Michael Sequeira, MD Treasurer: Eric Hansen, DO Past President: Leroy Ounanian, MD Nominations for the Board of Directors Two-year term, 7/1/2013-6/30/2015 District 1: Damodara Rajasekhar, MD, first term, replacing ... March 12, 2013 General CMA Delegation, SBCMS Board of Directors, SBCMS Officers 0 0 Comment Read More »
South Coast AQMD Seeking Hearing Board Candidates South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD), located in Diamond Bar, performs work critical to the health and well-being of over 17 million people living in four Southern California counties. We are seeking two candidates for appointment to our Hearing Board for three-year terms, from July 1, 2013 through June 30, 2016. The appointments are: One Medical Member and one alternate Medical Member. (Both appointments require a licensed physician with two or more years of practical experience). Since these posts are unusual and traditional advertising is not likely to ... March 7, 2013 General SCAQMD, South Coast Air Quality Management District 0 0 Comment Read More »
Health Benefit Exchange Toolkit Now Available In 2010, Congress passed historic sweeping health care legislation, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), which reformed the for-profit health insurance industry and beginning in 2014 will provide health insurance to most of the nation’s uninsured. Under the ACA, two thirds of California’s uninsured will be covered by private insurance through a health insurance exchange purchasing pool. The exchange’s goal is to start pre-enrollment in October 2013. CMA has developed a new toolkit titled, CMA’s Got You Covered: A physician’s guide to Covered California, the state’s health benefit ... March 6, 2013 CMA Affordable Care Act (ACA), Covered CA, health benefit exchange 0 0 Comment Read More »