DHCS releases concept paper on Medicaid Waiver The California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) has released a proposal to modify provider payments to save money in the Medicaid system. The state is seeking to waive existing laws and regulations in order to implement new projects for the state’s next 1115 Section Medicaid Waiver. California is currently in the final year of its current Section 1115 Waiver, which was approved by the federal government so California could expand Medi-Cal coverage in accordance with the Affordable Care Act in 2010 and implement a variety of delivery reform projects ... April 1, 2015 Medi-Cal DHCS, Medi-Cal, Department of Health Care Services 0 0 Comment Read More »
CMA Capitol Insight: March 30, 2015 CMA Capitol insight is a biweekly column by veteran journalist Anthony York, reporting on the inner workings of the state Legislature. From drought to political firestorm and more If you’ve passed California Medical Association (CMA) headquarters at 12th and J St. recently, you may have noticed some new artwork. Courtesy of the California Department of Public Health, posters warning of the dangers of e-cigarettes, or “vaping,” adorn the building’s brick walls. The poster, however, is just one component of CMA’s recent resurgence in campaigning against tobacco. CMA is sponsoring and supporting ... April 1, 2015 General CMA Capitol Insight, Anthony York 0 0 Comment Read More »
Senate delays vote on SGR until April, CMS to delay 21% cuts until mid-month The U.S. Senate failed to take a vote to permanently fix the Medicare sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula and extend the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) last night and will take the measure up when it returns from a break on April 13. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said shortly after the budget debate at 3 a.m. on the Senate floor, “It’s encouraging this passed the House with such a large bipartisan majority, and I want to assure we’ll move to it very quickly when we get back…I think ... April 1, 2015 Medicare Medicare, SGR, Sustainable Growth Rate, Federal Legislative Advocacy 0 0 Comment Read More »
New study finds thousands may be eligible for health insurance in California under DACA Between 360,000 and 500,000 immigrants living in California could become eligible for Medi-Cal if they receive temporary protection from deportation through President Obama’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, according to a study by UC Berkeley’s Center for Labor Research and Education and the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research. Under the President’s executive actions on immigration, those people living in the U.S. without permission can't enroll in Covered California, but the state does allow those granted temporary relief from deportation to sign up for Medi-Cal. That means up ... April 1, 2015 Medi-Cal Medi-Cal 0 0 Comment Read More »
CMA applauds U.S. House of Representatives for passing monumental Medicare-CHIP reform in landslide vote, urges U.S. Senate to act swiftly Sacramento – Today, the California Medical Association (CMA) congratulates the U.S. House of Representatives for passing monumental Medicare reform and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) extension, and urgently asks their colleagues in the Senate to do the same before spring recess. The 392-37 vote clearly shows that now is the time to make Medicare reform a reality. The legislation, H.R. 2, known as the “The Medicare and CHIP Reauthorization Act,” will reform the broken Medicare sustainable growth rate (SGR) physician payment system and extend the expiring Children’s Health Insurance ... March 26, 2015 Medicare Federal Legislative Advocacy, Medicare, SGR, Sustainable Growth Rate, Federal Legislation 0 0 Comment Read More »
CMS prepares to make 21% Medicare rate cut should Congress fail to act before April 1 With an April 1 deadline looming, Congress has a week left to stop the 21 percent sustainable growth rate (SGR) cuts to the Medicare reimbursement rate. While Congress works to pass bills H.R. 2 and S. 810 to permanently end the SGR and implement new Medicare funding models, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced that without Congressional action, the 2015 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule is scheduled to take effect on April 1, 2015. House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) have negotiated ... March 26, 2015 Medicare CMS, Legislative Advoacy, SGR, Sustainable Growth Rate, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services 0 0 Comment Read More »
CDPH mounts television ad campaign highlighting the dangers of vaping Twenty-five years after launching the first anti-smoking advertisements in the state, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) launched a new series this week of television, digital and outdoor ads, all highlighting the dangers of e-cigarettes, a practice commonly known as “vaping.” With one of the lowest smoking rates in the nation, California has been a leader with its aggressive anti-smoking campaigns, but the aggressive marketing and escalating use of e-cigarettes threatens to erode this progress. CDPH recently released a report and a health advisory highlighting areas of concern regarding e-cigarettes, ... March 24, 2015 General Public Health, Deparftment of Public Health, Electronic Cigarettes 0 0 Comment Read More »
CMA takes on public health, Medi-Cal with 2015 sponsored legislation California Medical Association (CMA) sponsored bills for 2015 include a $2 per pack tax on cigarettes, increasing provider rates for Medi-Cal and establishing a Graduate Medical Education Trust Fund in light of inadequate funding levels from the federal government. SB 591 (Pan) – Cigarette and tobacco products taxes: California Tobacco Tax Act of 2015 This bill is the CMA-led Save Lives Coalition’s legislative strategy to increase the state’s tobacco tax by $2 per pack. The bill would allocate funds raised by the tax to tobacco prevention and education, programs provided by ... March 24, 2015 General Medi-Cal, POLST, State Legislative Advocacy, Tobacco Tax, Workers' Compensation, Graduate Medical Education 0 0 Comment Read More »
Match Day keeps some new doctors in California, sends others out-of-state Friday, March 20, on National Match Day, California’s graduating medical students learned whether they can begin practicing medicine here – or if they must leave the state to begin their careers. The National Resident Matching Program matches graduating medical students with residency programs using a mathematical algorithm that pairs the rank-ordered preferences of applicants and program directors to produce a “best fit” for filling available training positions. However, this year, more than 41,000 medical school seniors and graduates applied for only 30,000 available residency positions. “Match Day is a pivotal point ... March 23, 2015 General Advocacy, Match Day, Residents and Fellows, Graduate Medical Education, Physician Workforce 0 0 Comment Read More »
IMQ's Certification Services make tracking CME credits easy The Institute for Medical Quality (IMQ) offers a continuing medical education (CME) certification service to make it easier for physicians to track their CME credits. Subscribers can now view and print their transcripts online. They can submit the required documents as email attachments directly to IMQ and enter their data on a submission form that can be downloaded from the IMQ website. The Medical Board of California requires physicians to participate in a minimum of 50 credits from board-recognized CME providers every two years. Thousands of California physicians rely on ... March 23, 2015 General IMQ, Institute for Medical Quality, CME Tracking 0 0 Comment Read More »
