Inland Empire Care Transitions Collaborative Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP) along with several organizations, including the Health Services Advisory Group and the Hospital Association of Southern California, have formed the Inland Empire Care Transitions Collaborative, which hopes to raise awareness in the medical community about the need for community wide Solutions for high readmission rates. The collaborative is inviting physicians, hospitals, nursing homes, home health agencies, health plans, community based organizations, and other healthcare providers to their upcoming "Supporting Transitions in Patient Care Across the Provider Continuum-Reducing Readmissions in the Inland Empire" event scheduled ... March 18, 2013 General readmission reduction, Inland Empire Care Transitions Collaborative, reducing readmissions 0 0 Comment Read More »
Medi-Cal extends 2012 EHR attestation deadline to April 30, 2013 Xerox, the vendor in charge of the Medi-Cal electronic health record (EHR) incentive payments has resolved the technical difficulties that were complicating some providers' ability to complete their 2012 attestations. Specifically, the Medi-Cal State Level Registry was not properly allowing some providers who have been designated as members of groups to inherit and utilize the group’s information. As of Friday, March 15, the system is fully functional. Because of the difficulties and resulting attestation delays, the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) has received federal authorization to extend the ... March 18, 2013 Medi-Cal Health Care Reform, Insurance/Reimbursement, Medi-Cal 0 0 Comment Read More »
CMA Webinar: Act now to avoid Medicare penalties in 2015 Over the past six years, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has launched a number of initiatives that offer physicians the opportunity to increase their net revenue by participating in quality reporting programs. Until now, these programs have been voluntary and physicians have received bonuses for participating. That's about to change. Failure to participate now means physicians could face significant penalties. The American Academy of Family Physicians estimates that participating in these initiatives in 2013, rather than waiting until 2014, could save a physician $19,000 in avoided penalties. To ... March 18, 2013 Medicare Bonuses, Penalties, Medicare 0 0 Comment Read More »
Department of Justice to decide Medicare MAC contract protest The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced in September 2012 that Noridian has been named the new Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC) for Medicare Parts A and B in Jurisdiction E (previously called Jurisdiction 1). Two protests were filed, challenging the award. On January 18, 2013, the Government Accountability Office denied the two protests. As permitted by law, both protestors (Palmetto GBA and CGS) subsequently filed complaints with the U.S. Court of Federal Claims challenging the Jurisdiction E MAC contract award. The protests were filed on February 1, 2013. ... March 18, 2013 Medicare Noridian, Palmetto, Medicare 0 0 Comment Read More »
Inland Empire Provider Positioning for Growth in Reform Monday, March 11, 2013 Inland Empire Provider Positioning for Growth in Reform by Lauren McSherry, California Healthline Regional Correspondent SAN BERNARDINO -- Marking yet another step in the steady expansion of its reach in the Inland Empire, Loma Linda University Health is planning to construct a medical and educational complex in San Bernardino that could serve up to 250,000 patients each year. Experts said the expansion is likely part of the health system's strategy to better position itself for changes to health care reimbursement and hospital patient volume expected as a ... March 13, 2013 General ACA, Affordable Care Act, Loma Linda University Health, Health care reform 0 0 Comment Read More »
Nominating Committee Report 2013 The Nominating Committee held a conference call on January 16, 2013. Members participating in the call included: Drs. Rodney Borger, Victor Ching, Leroy Ounanian, Clifford Walters, Danny Wongworawat, Mohan Mallam and Jim Peterson, Executive Director. Presented January 28, 2013 are the following slate of proposed officers, board members and CMA Delegation: Nomination of Officers One-year term, 7/1/2013-6/30/2014 President: Raman Poola, MD President-Elect: Montri Wongworawat, MD Vice President: Marti Baum, MD Secretary: Michael Sequeira, MD Treasurer: Eric Hansen, DO Past President: Leroy Ounanian, MD Nominations for the Board of Directors Two-year term, 7/1/2013-6/30/2015 District 1: Damodara Rajasekhar, MD, first term, replacing ... March 12, 2013 General CMA Delegation, SBCMS Board of Directors, SBCMS Officers 0 0 Comment Read More »
South Coast AQMD Seeking Hearing Board Candidates South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD), located in Diamond Bar, performs work critical to the health and well-being of over 17 million people living in four Southern California counties. We are seeking two candidates for appointment to our Hearing Board for three-year terms, from July 1, 2013 through June 30, 2016. The appointments are: One Medical Member and one alternate Medical Member. (Both appointments require a licensed physician with two or more years of practical experience). Since these posts are unusual and traditional advertising is not likely to ... March 7, 2013 General SCAQMD, South Coast Air Quality Management District 0 0 Comment Read More »
Health Benefit Exchange Toolkit Now Available In 2010, Congress passed historic sweeping health care legislation, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), which reformed the for-profit health insurance industry and beginning in 2014 will provide health insurance to most of the nation’s uninsured. Under the ACA, two thirds of California’s uninsured will be covered by private insurance through a health insurance exchange purchasing pool. The exchange’s goal is to start pre-enrollment in October 2013. CMA has developed a new toolkit titled, CMA’s Got You Covered: A physician’s guide to Covered California, the state’s health benefit ... March 6, 2013 CMA Affordable Care Act (ACA), Covered CA, health benefit exchange 0 0 Comment Read More »
DHCS selects health plans for rural expansion of Medi-Cal managed care The Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) announced last week that it has selected four health plans to provide managed care services to approximately 410,000 Medi-Cal beneficiaries in 28 rural counties. The selections are contingent upon each plan meeting stringent readiness criteria. The California Legislature authorized, as part of last year's budget, the expansion of Medi-Cal managed care into rural fee-for-service counties, expanding Medi-Cal managed care program into all of California’s 58 counties. This expansion is part of the governor's plan to reduce costs in the Medi-Cal program. Under the expansion ... March 5, 2013 Medi-Cal California State Budget, Department of Health Care Services, Managed Care, Rural Health, Medi-Cal 0 0 Comment Read More »
2013 Outstanding Awards Do you know of someone who has made a significant contribution to the healthcare field; displayed extraordinary professional competence; been active within SBCMS; been active in health promotion and disease through public speaking presentations and/or involvement with community organizations; or made charitable, benevolent and humane gifts or participated in acts demonstrating a desire to help mankind? If you answered yes, then this is your chance to nominate that colleague or citizen! Complete the official nomination form and return by fax to 951-787-8795; email lmyers@sbcms.org; or mail to SBCMS, Attn Outstanding Awards, 3993 ... March 4, 2013 Awards Outstanding Awards 0 0 Comment Read More »
