State pharmacy board issues proposed rules for drug take-back programs The California State Board of Pharmacy recently released draft rules for prescription drug take-back programs. The proposed regulations are part of statewide efforts to combat prescription drug misuse by making it easier for patients to safely dispose of old and unwanted drugs. The California Medical Association (CMA) submitted comments on the proposed rules and congratulated the board for providing needed clarity and guidance to pharmacies that elect to participate in drug take-back programs. A significant component of the prescription drug abuse and diversion problem stems from misuse of unused drugs. According ... April 14, 2016 General Pharmacists, Prescription Drugs 0 0 Comment Read More »
Song-Brown residency program grant cycle begins April 26 The Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD) will soon be accepting the next round of applications from California residency programs seeking grant funding for new or existing resident positions. The 2015-2016 California State Budget allocated $6 million to expand OSHPD's Song-Brown Program to create more residency slots in the state and to open the program to all primary care specialties (family medicine, internal medicine, obstetrics-gynecology and pediatrics). The next application cycle will open on April 26, 2016. All accredited residency programs interested in applying for primary care residency funding, ... April 12, 2016 General Residents and Fellows, Physician Workforce 0 0 Comment Read More »
CMA Capitol Insight: April 11, 2016 CMA Capitol Insight is a biweekly column by veteran journalist Anthony York, reporting on the inner workings of the state Legislature. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ A Higher Wage (and Higher Tobacco Tax?) Gov. Jerry Brown continued to make history when he signed a $15/hour minimum wage into law. The governor, whose administration had publicly opposed calls for a higher wage, couched the increase in moral terms at a Los Angeles signing ceremony. What’s notable is that the higher wage will take effect statewide. Others had thought that more economically depressed areas of the state ... April 12, 2016 General CMA Capitol Insight, State Legislative Advocacy, Anthony York 0 0 Comment Read More »
Reminder: Practices should be wary of virtual credit card fees Is your practice accepting virtual credit card (VCC) payments from payors? If so, you risk losing a significant amount of your contractual reimbursement to high interchange fees. When paying claims, some payors have shifted from paper checks to electronic payment methods, including payor-issued VCCs. With this method, when issuing payment a payor sends credit card payment information and instructions to physicians, who process the payments using standard credit card technology. This method is beneficial to payors, but costly for physicians. Health plans often receive cash-back incentives from credit card companies for ... April 12, 2016 General Practice Resources, Payment 0 0 Comment Read More »
CMA's chief strategy officer appointed to California's Health Financing Authority The California Medical Association’s (CMA) chief strategy officer, Jay Hansen, has been re-appointed to the California Health Facilities Financing Authority (CHFFA). He has been a member of the CHFFA board since 2012. This position requires Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. CHFFA provides financial assistance to public and non-profit health care providers in California through loans funded by the issuance of tax-exempt bonds. The board authorizes several billion dollars a year in tax exempt financing and as well as providing low interest loans and grants. From rural community-based organizations ... April 12, 2016 General California Health Facilities Financing Authority, Jay Hansen 0 0 Comment Read More »
Last chance to appeal payments under ACA primary care physician rate increase The California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) announced that it would provide a 90-day appeal window for physicians who believe they were not paid, or paid incorrectly, under the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) primary care rate increase. In late February 2016, DHCS announced a streamlined appeal process, which opened on March 1. The appeal window is only available under the following conditions: The provider successfully attested for the ACA incentive by December 31, 2014 For previously paid Medi-Cal claims For ... April 12, 2016 General Affordable Care Act, Department of Health Care Services, DHCS, ACA 0 0 Comment Read More »
CMA physician honored in state assembly for selfless organ donation Last week, California Medical Association member, Ester C. Kwok, M.D., an internist in Los Gatos, was honored in the California State Assembly for a selfless kidney in a 12-person organ donation chain that saved the life of her elderly patient’s son. "A wife and the mother of four children," the resolution reads. "Dr. Kwok realized when first considering kidney donation that such an act defied her deeply held religious and cultural beliefs; yet in a remarkable testament to her personal fortitude and selflessness, through prayer-guided reflection and her innate generosity ... April 12, 2016 General Organ Donation, CMA Foundation (CMAF) 0 0 Comment Read More »
CMA congratulates Dr. Joaquin Arambula on 31st Assembly District win Joaquin Arambula, M.D., a Fresno emergency room physician and member of the California Medical Association (CMA), won a special election on Tuesday to fill a seat vacated by Henry T. Perea in the 31st district in the state Assembly. Dr. Arambula, a Democrat, received 52 percent of the 29,000 votes counted, besting Republican Clint Olivier's 42 percent. “Today, we congratulate Dr. Joaquin Arambula on a well run campaign and a well deserved victory,” said Steve Larson, M.D., president of the CMA. "CMA diligently advocates on behalf of providers and patients to ... April 12, 2016 General Election, Fresno-Madera Medical Society, State Legislature, CALPAC 0 0 Comment Read More »
United Healthcare to post patient satisfaction ratings in provider directory United Healthcare (UHC) announced in its March 2016 Network Bulletin that it has incorporated Healthgrades patient satisfaction ratings into its provider directory search tool on its myUHC.com website. Healthgrades is an independent company that allows patients to rate their satisfaction with their health care providers. UHC reports it is incorporating the patient satisfaction ratings into its provider directory to increase patient awareness and education regarding patient satisfaction and quality of care standards. Patients will rate providers – including physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants – on their satisfaction level for each ... April 12, 2016 General United Healthcare 0 0 Comment Read More »
American Lung Association seeks Spanish-speaking physicians If you speak Spanish and are interested in joining the American Lung Association (ALA) as a California lung health spokesperson, they would love to talk to you. The ALA receives a lot requests from Spanish media for Spanish speaking physicians or health care professionals who can speak about lung health issues and news. Additionally, the ALA is also looking for Spanish speaking physicians to speak about the California Doctors for Climate Health campaign. This ALA campaign highlights the medical and health community's strong support for California's leadership on clean air ... April 12, 2016 General Environmental Health, Ethnic Diversity, American Lung Assocation, Public Health 0 0 Comment Read More »
