Covered California announces sharp rate hike Covered California has announced an average 13.2 percent hike in insurance premiums for 2017, a sharp increase that is likely to reverberate nationwide in an election year. The California Medical Association (CMA) is concerned the premium increases may hinder the ability of some patients to obtain insurance and access necessary medical treatment. The rise in Covered California premium rates was driven largely by its two biggest insurers, which account for about half of its enrollment. Blue Shield of California said its average rate hike is 19.9 percent, the biggest statewide ... August 5, 2016 Managed Care Covered California, Exchange Plans, Health Insurance Exchange, Affordable Care Act 0 0 Comment Read More »
CMA applauds U.S. Justice Department lawsuit against health insurance mega-mergers The California Medical Association (CMA) today applauded the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) for filing two lawsuits challenging the proposed merger of Anthem and Cigna and of Aetna and Humana — all of which are among the largest health insurance companies in the country. “We applaud the DOJ for protecting patients against mega-mergers that would drastically reduce competition in the health insurance market, leaving patients at a huge disadvantage in the pursuit of timely and affordable health care,” said CMA President Steven Larson, M.D., MPH. “We also commend California Insurance ... August 5, 2016 Managed Care Aetna, Anthem Blue Cross, Cigna, Department of Justice, DOJ, Advocacy, Humana 0 0 Comment Read More »
DOJ files lawsuit to block two health insurance mega-mergers The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) today filed two lawsuits to block health insurance mega-mergers that would compromise patients’ access to care, and negatively impact the quality and affordability of health care across the country. “If allowed to proceed, these mergers would fundamentally reshape the health insurance industry,” U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch said at a press conference. “They would leave much of the multi-trillion dollar health insurance industry in the hands of three mammoth insurance companies, restricting competition in key markets.” The California Medical Association (CMA) has long-held concerns over ... August 5, 2016 Managed Care Cigna, Department of Justice, DOJ, Aetna, Anthem Ble Cross, Humana 0 0 Comment Read More »
Registration Now Open for IMQ Medical Staff Conference Registration is now open for the 2016 Institute for Medical Quality (IMQ) Medical Staff Conference, set for October 27 at the Embassy Suites SFO (Gateway) Hotel in South San Francisco. This event will deliver the information, solutions and best practices that physicians need to successfully lead their medical staffs. The conference will tackle some of the difficult decisions that face medical staffs, such as credentialing, granting privileges and proctoring practitioners for remote technology (telemedicine), and privileging policies for the new technology. Through examples and discussion, faculty will demonstrate how medical ... July 25, 2016 General IMQ Medical Staff Conference, Institute for Medical Quality (IMQ) 0 0 Comment Read More »
CMS Releases Proposed 2017 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released the proposed 2017 Medicare physician payment rule. According to CMS, the new payment rule will transform how Medicare pays for primary care through a new focus on care management and behavioral health. The proposed rule also begins to implement the California Geographic Practice Cost Index (GPCI) fix, which will overhaul California’s outdated geographic payment localities. This long-overdue fix updating California’s Medicare physician payment regions will raise payment levels for 14 urban California counties misclassified as rural, while holding the remaining ... July 25, 2016 General, Medicare 2017 Medicare physician payment rule , Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) 0 0 Comment Read More »
County issues Heat Advisory, high heat temperatures expected this weekend County issues Heat Advisory, high heat temperatures expected this weekend - English Flyer Dr. Maxwell Ohikhuare Health Officer for San Bernardino County has issued another excessive heat warning for high temperatures today and through this coming weekend. Temperatures are expected to be above 105°F for the Inland Valley areas and up to 110°F for the high deserts. The mountain areas below 6000 feet will see temperatures up to 102°F. “As another heat wave hits our county, we need to remember to try and stay cool. Check on those most vulnerable, ... July 21, 2016 General Heat Advisory, Public Health 0 0 Comment Read More »
MACRA webinar now available on-demand A recording of the California Medical Association’s (CMA) recently held webinar – MACRA: What Is CMA Doing to Improve It? What Steps Can You Take to Prepare Now? – is now available to download in CMA’s online resource library. The webinar is available free to members; the cost is $99 for nonmembers. In this webinar, CMA Vice President of Federal Government Relations Elizabeth McNeil provides a brief overview of the new Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA) payment changes. She also discusses CMA’s advocacy efforts with the ... July 20, 2016 Medicare MACRA, Webinars, Medicare 0 0 Comment Read More »
Opioid bill passes in Congress, but remains unfunded Congress broke a months-long stalemate this past week with the Senate’s passage of the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA), which authorizes the federal government to award state grants for opioid-related initiatives around education, prevention, treatment and recovery efforts. However, the efforts will not be fully realized until there are resources applied to fund the bill. The legislation authorizes, but doesn't appropriate funding, for programs to combat opioid misuse, in addition to increasing the availability of naloxone, a drug to treat overdoses. The medical community and the American Medical Association (AMA) ... July 18, 2016 General Drug Prescribing, Federal Legislation, Opioids, Prescription Drugs, Drug Abuse 0 0 Comment Read More »
Learn about physician engagement in the advance care planning process on July 19 call As part of its Advance Care Planning Initiative, the Coalition for Compassionate Care of California (CCCC) hosts a monthly forum to discuss successful advance care planning efforts and share ideas about what is working to improve conversations and processes in both health care and community settings. The next call will take place on Tuesday, July 19, from noon to 1 p.m. Facilitated by Lael Duncan, M.D., CCCC medical director of consulting services, the topic is Engaging Physicians in Advance Care Planning. During the call, Dr. Duncan and other guest physicians ... July 14, 2016 General End of Life issues, Advanced Care Planning 0 0 Comment Read More »
A chat with the head of California's doctor lobby Written by Emily Bazar; Reprinted from California Healthline. The California Medical Association, which represents about 41,000 doctors, has been at the heart of health care deliberations in Sacramento for decades. This year, it has staked out strong and sometimes surprising positions on the legalization of marijuana, Medi-Cal provider rates and the role it believes nurse practitioners should play in patient care. California Healthline discussed these positions with current CMA president, Steven Larson, a primary care and infectious disease physician who practices in Riverside. Larson is also CEO of Riverside Medical Clinic, ... July 14, 2016 CMA CMA in the News 0 0 Comment Read More »
