Call for nominations: CMA Diversity and Inclusion TAC The California Medical Association (CMA) is currently seeking physician members to serve on the newly formed Diversity and Inclusion Technical Advisory Committee (TAC). CMA's committees and councils provide key input to the Board of Trustees to guide the association as it sets new policies. The deadline to submit an application or nomination for the Diversity and Inclusion TAC is Monday December 12, 2016. The purpose of this TAC is to assist CMA in implementing the 2016-2017 CMA Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan, developed in response to House of Delegates resolution 302-14. ... November 22, 2016 CMA CMA Nominations 0 0 Comment Read More »
Anthem-Cigna mega-merger compromises health care access, quality and affordability Today, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and a bipartisan group of state attorneys started court proceedings to block the $48 million mega-merger between Anthem and Cigna (U.S. v. Anthem Inc., 16-cv-1493). “The California Medical Association has opposed the Anthem-Cigna mega-merger since day one because it will hurt patients and increase health care costs,” said California Medical Association (CMA) President Ruth E. Haskins, M.D. “Limiting market competition would compel insurers to contract with fewer physicians, resulting in higher premiums and longer wait times for referrals – not to mention forcing ... November 22, 2016 Managed Care Anthem Blue Cross, Cigna, Insurance, Legal Advocacy 0 0 Comment Read More »
CDC releases core elements for prescribing outpatient antibiotics The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued new recommendations for antibiotic prescribing in outpatient settings in an effort to help reduce the spread of drug-resistant infections, improve patient safety and lower the cost of health care. According to the CDC, at least 2 million people each year in the U.S. acquire serious infections with bacteria that are resistant to one or more of the antibiotics designed to treat those infections. At least 23,000 people die each year as a direct result of these antibiotic-resistant infections. The CDC recommendations, "Core ... November 22, 2016 General Antibiotic Resistance, AWARE, CDC, CMA Foundation (CMAF), Public Health 0 0 Comment Read More »
AMA strengthens anti-tobacco policies The American Medical Association (AMA) adopted policies at its interim meeting reaffirming the commitment of our nation's physicians to preventing tobacco use. The policies ask the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to require tobacco companies to add graphic warning labels depicting the negative health consequences of smoking to all cigarette packages and call for raising the minimum legal purchase age of all tobacco products to 21. California earlier this year passed a California Medical Association (CMA)-sponsored law that would raise California's smoking age to 21, as part of the most ... November 21, 2016 General AMA, Electronic Cigarettes, Prop. 56 (tobacco tax), Public Health, Smoking, Tobacco 0 0 Comment Read More »
Next CME Essentials Workshop is December 12 in San Mateo Join the Institute for Medical Quality (IMQ) on Friday, December 12, 2016, for the next CME Essentials Workshop, to be held at the San Mateo Medical Association (near SFO). This one-day workshop focuses on the fundamentals of planning and evaluating a continuing medical education (CME) activity. The CME Essentials Workshop is designed for individuals who are new to CME or who are seeking a refresher, including physicians (CME chairs, committee members, faculty or speakers), CME coordinators, nurses, and other medical staff and education professionals involved in planning CME activities. The workshop ... November 21, 2016 General CME, Continuing Medical Education, IMQ, Institute for Medical Quality 0 0 Comment Read More »
AMA delegates affirm commitment to health insurance coverage for all Americans At the interim meeting of the American Medical Association (AMA) House of Delegates this weekend in Florida, delegates from the California Medical Association and more than 170 state and specialty medical societies from across the country affirmed their commitment to health insurance coverage for all Americans. “Using a comprehensive policy framework that has been refined over the past two decades, AMA will actively engage the incoming Trump Administration and Congress in discussions on the future direction of health care," said Andrew W. Gurman, M.D., AMA president. "AMA remains committed to ... November 21, 2016 General American Medical Association, Health Care Reform 0 0 Comment Read More »
Save the date for 2017 California Immunization Summit in Riverside The California Immunization Coalition (CIC) annual California Immunization Summit will be returning to Riverside on April 3-4, 2017. The summit is an opportunity for physicians to learn about community-based programs that have increased vaccination rates, and how to adapt and apply key lessons from successful programs. The summit is presented by CIC, a public-private partnership dedicated to achieving and maintaining full immunization protection for all Californians to promote health and prevent serious illness. Check www.immunizeca.org/about/cic-summit for speaker and registration updates in 2017. November 21, 2016 General Immunization, Public Health, Vaccination 0 0 Comment Read More »
State's high court rules health plans cannot negligently delegate payment responsibility The California Supreme Court today ruled that health plans cannot absolve themselves of the responsibility to pay claims for emergency care by noncontracted providers by negligently delegating that responsibility to a risk-bearing organization that it knows—or should have known—to be financially insolvent. "Today's ruling is a huge victory for physicians," said Francisco Silva, Senior Vice President and General Counsel for the California Medical Association (CMA). "California's high court is unequivocally telling health plans they cannot get away with this morally blameworthy behavior. They cannot irresponsibly delegate risk and leave physicians ... November 21, 2016 Managed Care Amicus Briefs, California Supreme Court, Health Net, Legal Advocacy 0 0 Comment Read More »
Q1 resolutions now accepting testimony As part of its policy-making process, the California Medical Association (CMA) allows members to submit resolutions for debate and discussion throughout the year. These resolutions will be considered by the standing Councils and Subcommittees, and will be presented to the Board of Trustees for consideration to be adopted as policy for the association. There are now nine new resolutions online for consideration in the first quarter of 2017. They are posted at www.cmanet.org/hod and will be available for testimony until December 9, 2016. After testimony closes, the resolutions and all the ... November 21, 2016 CMA House of Delegates 0 0 Comment Read More »
New online Medi-Cal provider enrollment portal to launch Friday The California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) is ready to launch its new online Medi-Cal provider enrollment portal. The system, called the Provider Application and Validation for Enrollment (PAVE), will transform provider enrollment from a manual paper-based process to a web-based portal that providers can use to complete and submit their applications and verifications and to report changes. The new portal will go live this Friday, November 18, 2016. Initially, PAVE will be available for most physician and allied providers who enroll to serve fee-for-service beneficiaries directly through the ... November 16, 2016 Medi-Cal Medi-Cal, Medi-Cal Provider Enrollment, PAVE 0 0 Comment Read More »
