CMA works to address problems posed by CURES 2.0 launch on July 1 The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced last week that an update to the Controlled Substance Utilization Review and Evaluation System (CURES) database would go live July 1, but with browser requirements that could potentially cut off access for thousands of prescribers and dispensers. According to the DOJ, CURES 2.0 would require users to have Internet Explorer version 11, Safari, Firefox or Chrome Internet browsers installed on their systems in order to access the database. In response to member concerns, the California Medical Association (CMA) met with DOJ to discuss the browser ... July 6, 2015 General Drug Prescribing, EHR, Prescription Drugs, CURES 0 0 Comment Read More »
CMA works to address problems posed by CURES 2.0 launch on June 30 The Department of Justice (DOJ) recently announced that an update to the Controlled Substance Utilization Review and Evaluation System (CURES 2.0) database would go live June 30, but with browser requirements that could potentially cut off access for thousands of prescribers and dispensers. According to the DOJ, CURES 2.0 would require users to have Internet Explorer version 11, Firefox or Chrome Internet browsers installed on their systems in order to access the database. While it is possible for some users to simply update or switch to one of the supported ... June 26, 2015 General Drug Prescribing, EHR, Prescritpion Drugs, CURES 0 0 Comment Read More »
CMA urges court to protect patient privacy The California Medical Association (CMA), joined by the Litigation Center of the American Medical Association (AMA) and state medical societies, has filed a letter in support of a petition before the California Supreme Court to review a Court of Appeal opinion finding that patients have no reasonable expectation of privacy in their prescription data. In Lewis v. Superior Court (Medical Board of California), the Court of Appeal held that a law allowing law enforcement and other government agencies broad access to the state’s electronic prescription drug monitoring program’s database did ... September 4, 2014 General CURES, Legal Advocacy, Physician-Patient Relationship 0 0 Comment Read More »
Report says CURES database provisions in MICRA ballot measure cannot be implemented Today, the Patients, Providers and Healthcare Insurers to Protect Access & Contain Health Costs campaign released a report that raises serious doubts about whether a key provision of the trial lawyers' proposed anti-MICRA ballot measure can be feasibly implemented. Even worse, according to the report, the ballot measure would put physicians and pharmacists in the impossible position of choosing between denying or delaying needed prescription medication to legitimately suffering patients and violating the law. In addition to more than quadrupling MICRA's cap on non-economic damages, the trial attorneys' proposed initiative would ... March 17, 2014 General CURES, MICRA, Professional Liability 0 0 Comment Read More »
Medical board will collect CURES fees beginning April 1 The Medical Board of California announced it will soon begin collecting an additional $6 per year on physician license applications and renewals to fund the Controlled Substance Utilization Review and Evaluation System (CURES). The fees, authorized by SB 809, provide funding for ongoing maintenance and staffing of CURES. Physicians can expect to see an additional $12 ($6 per year) added to their licensing fees beginning April 1, 2014. CURES is an online database that allows authorized users, including physicians, pharmacists, law enforcement and regulatory boards, to access information about a ... January 14, 2014 General CURES, Medical Board of California, Quality of Care 0 0 Comment Read More »
CMA fights to protect patient privacy in CURES prescription database The California Medical Association (CMA) has filed an amicus brief with the California Court of Appeal in Alwin Lewis, M.D. v. Superior Court of the State of California, asking the court to give meaningful privacy protection to patient data collected in the Controlled Substance and Utilization Review and Evaluation Systems (CURES) database. In this case, a Medical Board of California investigator testified that the board routinely obtains confidential prescribing records from CURES for all patients of physicians subject to medical board investigations, even where the complaint is unrelated to the ... January 14, 2014 General CURES, Legal Advocacy, Privacy, Advocacy, Amicus Briefs 0 0 Comment Read More »
Governor Brown signs CURES bill On Friday, Gov. Brown signed into law a bill that will provide funding for ongoing maintenance and staffing of the Controlled Substances and Utilization Review and Evaluation System (CURES). CURES is an online database that allows authorized users, including physicians, pharmacists, law enforcement and regulatory boards, to access information about a patient’s controlled substance prescription history. The new law will provide $9 million annually to maintain the database. The bill builds on funding provided through the 2013 budget to upgrade the system. The mission of CURES is to prevent pharmaceuticals ... October 1, 2013 General CURES, Public Health, Advocacy 0 0 Comment Read More »
Legislature passes CURES bill The California Assembly has unanimously passed a bill (SB 809) that will provide $9 million annually to upgrade and maintain the Controlled Substances and Utilization Review and Evaluation System (CURES). CURES is an online database that allows authorized users, including physicians, pharmacists, law enforcement and regulatory boards, to access information about a patient’s controlled substance prescription history. The bill now heads to the governor’s desk. The California Medical Association (CMA) changed its position on the bill from neutral to support after negotiating significant amendments to the bill that will make ... September 11, 2013 General Advocacy, CURES, Drug Prescribing, Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP), Public Health 0 0 Comment Read More »
