Board of Pharmacy approves regulations allowing pharmacists to furnish naloxone The California State Board of Pharmacy has approved emergency regulations allowing pharmacists to furnish naloxone hydrochloride without a prescription. The regulations went into effect on April 10, 2015. Naloxone is a medication used to counter the effects of opioid overdose by reversing central nervous system and respiratory system depression and hypotension. In 2014, AB 1535 (Bloom) authorized the furnishing of naloxone hydrochloride by pharmacists and required the Board of Pharmacy to develop these regulations and the Medical Board of California to approve them. Under the new regulations, naloxone hydrochloride is available ... April 23, 2015 General Pharmacists, Prescription Drugs, Drug Prescribing 0 0 Comment Read More »
Congress passes Medicare payment reform and eliminates SGR Last week, the U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passed H.R. 2 with a 92-to-8 vote, which will completely overhaul the Medicare payment program. This move, which follows the U.S. House of Representatives’ near-unanimous vote two weeks ago, is a monumental, bipartisan action taken by Congress that negates the Medicare sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula and extends the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). President Obama signed it into law on April 16. The California Medical Association (CMA), along with the American Medical Association (AMA) and other health care organizations, have been fighting to ... April 23, 2015 Medicare Advocacy, CPLH, Medicare, SGR, Sustainable Growth Rate, California Physician's Legal Handbook 0 0 Comment Read More »
United Healthcare automatically opts physicians into Core narrow network product United Healthcare (UHC) recently issued notifications to 19,000 practices included in its commercially contracted provider network, advising of their inclusion in the UHC Core product. The new UHC Core plan will access a significantly narrowed network and will be marketed to employer groups seeking lower premiums for their employees. Additionally, indications are that UHC will also utilize the narrowed Core network for its potential future exchange products in 2016. UHC advised the California Medical Association (CMA) that reimbursement for the Core product line will be at the commercial fee ... April 23, 2015 General, Managed Care Health Insurance Exchange, United Healthcare, Exchange Plans 0 0 Comment Read More »
Former CMA president throws hat in ring for AMA vice speaker James T. Hay, M.D., 2012 California Medical Association (CMA) president, last week officially began his campaign for the position of vice speaker of the American Medical Association (AMA) House of Delegates (HOD). The San Diego family physician began his long association with the AMA in 1986 as a delegate to the association’s Hospital Medical Staff Section. For more than a decade, he has been a delegate to the AMA HOD, while also serving as vice speaker, speaker, president-elect and, ultimately, president at CMA. In 2012, Dr. Hay was selected to serve ... April 23, 2015 General American Medical Association, Physician Leadership, AMA 0 0 Comment Read More »
Share your feedback by taking this brief electronic payment survey As many payors are shifting from traditional paper checks to alternative electronic methods of payment, provider organizations are growing increasingly concerned that some entities are charging excessive fees for these payments or are using “virtual” credit cards (VCCs), instead of Automated Clearing House Electronic Funds Transfer (ACH EFT). VCCs require the physician to pay a merchant fee ranging from 2-5 percent, typically, to access the funds. This payment methodology, which is often implemented without physician notification or choice, results in lost revenue and increased administrative burden for practices. The ... April 23, 2015 General Electronic Payment Survey 0 0 Comment Read More »
NEPO to host Building Healthy Communities Summit Sept. 18-20 The California Medical Association Foundation’s Network of Ethnic Physician Organizations (NEPO) will host the Building Healthy Communities (BHC) Summit on September 18-20, 2015, at the Riverside Conference Center. The Summit is an opportunity for physicians, public health professionals and community leaders who work with underserved communities to learn about emerging health care policy issues and share best practices on how to reduce health disparities and increase access to health care services for the populations they serve. NEPO Summit attendees will: Learn about key health policy issues ... April 23, 2015 General Network of Ethnic Physician Organizations, NEPO 0 0 Comment Read More »
CMA Foundation grant applications for medical students due May 29 The California Medical Association (CMA) Foundation has released its bi-annual request for proposals for the Medical Student Community Leadership Grant Program. Through this program, the CMA Foundation provides grants to California medical student organizations to support innovative health-related programs. Grants for a one-year project range in amounts from $250-$1,000 and are awarded to programs that focus on education, advocacy, community service and other outreach efforts to creatively enhance the wellbeing of California communities. Applications must be submitted by May 29, 2015, to Veronica Ramirez. For more information about the Medical Student ... April 23, 2015 General Medical School Grants, CMA Foundation, Medical Students 0 0 Comment Read More »
Political panel speaks on Medi-Cal, physician workforce at CMA Legislative Advocacy Day The importance of ensuring access to care for Californians and possible policy solutions, including increasing the physician workforce and expanding health care technology, were key topics during a panel discussion at the California Medical Association’s (CMA) annual Legislative Advocacy Day on April 14. The panel, composed of Assembly Health Committee Chair Rob Bonta, Assembly Business and Professions Committee Chair Susan Bonilla and moderator CMA Senior Vice President Janus Norman, delved first into California’s ongoing implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). “Providing accessible high-quality health care to as many Californians as ... April 23, 2015 Medi-Cal State Legislative Advocacy, Legislative Advocacy Day 0 0 Comment Read More »
Bill that would increase Medi-Cal rates wins unanimous committee vote A California Assembly bill that would raise California’s Medicaid (Medi-Cal) reimbursement rates for providers took its first step through the state legislature on April 14, receiving unanimous approval from the Assembly Health Committee. Under AB 366, authored by Assemblymember Rob Bonta (D-Oakland), dramatic improvements would be made in the Medi-Cal system by restoring cuts made to Medi-Cal reimbursement rates, then raising them to Medicare levels. California is currently 47th in the country’s Medicaid reimbursement rates. Luther F. Cobb, M.D., president of the California Medical Association, testified in support of the bill, ... April 23, 2015 Medi-Cal State Legislation, State Legislative Advocacy, Medi-Cal 0 0 Comment Read More »
How will SGR reform affect Medicare reimbursement? On April 14, Congress passed the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015. The law eliminates the 21 percent physician fee cut that was scheduled to take effect on April 1 as part of the Medicare sustainable growth rate (SGR). The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that it will immediately begin work to implement the new provisions of the law. In preparation for the possibility that Congress might not act before the April 15 deadline, CMS had instituted a 10-business day processing hold for all impacted ... April 23, 2015 Medicare Legislative Advocacy, Medicare, SGR, Sustanable Growth Rate, Federal Legislation 0 0 Comment Read More »
