2013 SBCMS Installation of Officers The San Bernardino County Medical Society’s (SBCMS) Installation of Officers dinner was held on June 11th at the Sierra Lakes Golf Club in Fontana. Nearly 200 people were in attendance to pay tribute to a number of physicians being recognized and honored at the annual event. SBCMS President Leroy Ounanian, MD, served as Master of Ceremony for the evening at which the new board officers were introduced including Raman Poola, MD, who will serve as the Society’s 121st president during 2013-14. Dr. Poola is a Gastroenterologist who practices in Apple ... June 13, 2013 Awards, General Bangasser Medical Student Scholarship, SBCMS Presidential Award, Installation of Officers, Outstanding Awards 0 0 Comment Read More »
Noridian Transition Date Set Transition of the Medicare Administrative Contract from Palmetto GBA to Noridian is scheduled for September 16, 2013 (Part B). To help physicians understand what is changing, Noridian is offering a series of Implementation 101 and EDI Support Services web-based workshops. Noridian is also holding in person “Meet and Greet” workshops at the following locations: June 11-13 Doubletree by Hilton Sacramento 2001 Point West Way Sacramento, CA 95815 June 18-20 Embassy Suites San Francisco Airport South 250 Gateway Boulevard South San Francisco, CA 94080 July 9-11 Embassy Suites Anaheim South 11767 Harbor Boulevard Garden Grove, CA ... June 6, 2013 Medicare Noridian, Palmetto GBA, Medicare 0 0 Comment Read More »
Concierge services added with Marsh's tem life insurance Want more than $1,000,000? Travel assistance** and funeral planning and concierge services*** included at no additional charge to you When San Bernardino County Medical Society/CMA members apply for up to $1,000,000 of 10 or 20-year Term Life insurance coverage underwritten by ReliaStar Life Insurance Company, a member of the ING family of companies, they get a few things non-members don’t. Access to special member only rates Premium savings since rates remain level for the first 10 or 20 years of coverage* ... June 3, 2013 General Marsh, Concierge services, Term Life Insurange 0 0 Comment Read More »
Congress Making Progress on SGR Repeal Two influential committees in the U.S. House of Representatives continue to work on a framework for eliminating the Medicare sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula. With the cost of eliminating the SGR at its lowest point in a decade, the congressional committees have been making progress on draft legislative language to fix the badly broken Medicare payment system. The SGR formula has been threatening severe payment cuts to physician reimbursement for more than a decade. Over the years, moves to repeal the SGR have failed, due in large part to the ... June 3, 2013 Medicare Medicare sustainable growth rate, SGR 0 0 Comment Read More »
Health Care Reform 2014 Health Care Reform*: 2014 Marks a New Era Health care reform is in full-swing with the heftiest legislation set for 2014 — when health insurance will become available to millions of Americans who were previously uninsured. Starting January 1, 2014, most Americans will be required to have health insurance and many businesses will be required to offer coverage to their employees. In addition, health insurance exchanges (Covered California) will be available to facilitate access to coverage. Starting in 2014, Americans must have minimum essential coverage or pay a tax penalty. Options ... May 20, 2013 General Health insurance, Health Care Reform, Marsh 0 0 Comment Read More »
Save on your workers' compensation program See What You Could be Saving! “When I found out how much money I could save ($1,650) on the sponsored workers’ compensation program, I joined CMA. The savings paid for my membership and then some. Now I have access to everything CMA offers” – Nicholas Thanos, M.D. CMA Member Did you know that CMA/Society members can save 5% on their workers’ compensation insurance? And, they may save up to 15%, depending upon where they place their group medical insurance. It’s true. CMA/SBCMS members receive a discount on workers’ compensation insurance policies provided through ... May 17, 2013 General Marsh, Workers' Compensation 0 0 Comment Read More »
Medi-Cal Duals Project Delayed The Department of Health Care Services announced yesterday that the start of the Duals demonstration will be delayed. Instead of their previously announced October 2013 start date, they just announced the project will not begin until January 2014 at the earliest. Please see below for the full announcement. We will provide you with up-to-date information as it becomes available. Please contact Lishaun Francis for more information or with questions: Lishaun Francis, Associate Director, Center for Medical & Regulatory Policy, California Medical Association; lfrancis@cmanet.org or 916.551.2554. ... May 7, 2013 Medi-Cal Duals demonstration, Medi-Cal 0 0 Comment Read More »
Health Reform Heats Up More than three years have passed since the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was into law, setting into motion some of the most dynamic and volatile years the nation’s health care industry has ever seen. Since its inception, the law has been a subject of controversy, inspiring hotly contested debates in Washington, D.C., Sacramento and across the entire nation. For some, this dramatic overhaul of the nation’s health care system represents our national leaders finally making good on the long-overdue promise of “health care for all.” Others claim that the law ... May 6, 2013 General health care reform 0 0 Comment Read More »
New sunscreen labels: How to read the fine print Story Highlights Sunscreen labels must follow new FDA rules Claims must be backed by testing Sunscreen alone won't save your skin At first glance, the sunscreen bottles, tubes and canisters on store shelves this spring may not look much different from what consumers have seen in the past. But look closer. Gone are misleading terms such as "waterproof" and "sunblock." Added are warnings that some products don't protect against wrinkles and skin cancer and that others do so only as part of a larger sun-protection plan. These changes and others are the result of new ... April 29, 2013 General SPF, Sunblock, Waterproof, Sunscreen 0 0 Comment Read More »
ACA: Medicaid Primary Care Rate Increase FAQ Under the provisions of the Federal Affordable Care Act (ACA), state Medicaid programs (Medi-Cal in California) are required to pay primary care physicians at Medicare rates for primary care services for two years. The increase is fully funded by the federal government. The requirement began January 1, 2013 and ends December 31, 2014. The California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) submitted their state plan amendment (SPA) to implement the rate increase on March 29, 2013. Approval of the SPA is required by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services ... April 19, 2013 Managed Care, Medi-Cal, Medicare ACA, Affordable Care Act, Medicare, Medi-Cal 0 0 Comment Read More »
