All CMA-sponsored bills survive key committee deadline All of the bills sponsored by the California Medical Association (CMA) this year have survived a key deadline, passing out of policy committees so that they can continue through the legislative process. Measures that did not receive committee approval were shelved for the year. More details about CMA's sponsored bill package are below: AB 2121 (Gonzalez) – Responsible Beverage Service Training This bill seeks to help reduce alcohol service to intoxicated individuals and to reduce drunk driving by requiring establishments that serve alcohol to employ servers and managers who have received responsible ... April 28, 2016 CMA, General Emergency Services, State Legislative Advocacy, Alcohol, Physician Wellness 0 0 Comment Read More »
Tragic deaths of two medical students at the hands of drunk driver inspires sponsored legislation for 2016 session The California Medical Association (CMA) has announced its sponsored bill package for the 2016 legislative session. Among them is a bill inspired by the tragic deaths last year of two medical students from the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), at the hands of a drunk driver. In May 2015, two UCSD medical students were killed by a drunk driver going the wrong way, causing a collision that killed two medical students and injured three others. In the wake of the accident, classmates of the victims worked with Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez ... March 31, 2016 General Advocacy, Emergency Services, Physician Wellness, State Legislation, Alcohol 0 0 Comment Read More »
Anthem Blue Cross to review level 5 emergency room claims Anthem Blue Cross announced in its December Professional Network Update that, beginning January 1, 2016, it will initiate a pre-payment review of level 5 emergency department visits billed with CPT 99285 or G0384. Anthem has advised CMA that it will focus on level 5 emergency department visits that are billed in combination with diagnosis codes that “are an unlikely combination for high level visits.” The payor will exclude claims billed with critical care, observation or inpatient admissions. Claims with CPT codes 99285 and G0384 that are selected by Anthem for pre-payment ... February 3, 2016 General Emergency Departments, Emergency Rooms, Emergency Services, Anthem Blue Cross 0 0 Comment Read More »
Gov. Brown signs Maddy bill to extend ER funding for the uninsured California Governor Jerry Brown signed SB 191, a bill that extends funding for Maddy Emergency Medical Services (EMS). This fund is used to offset the costs incurred for care provided to uninsured patients in hospital emergency rooms. The California Medical Association (CMA) and the American College of Emergency Physicians cosponsored the bill. The law that authorizes the Maddy Fund was set to expire on January 1, 2014. Without this bill providers of emergency medical care throughout the state would have lost $50 million per year that is currently used to ... October 8, 2013 General Advocacy, EMS, Maddy Funds, Emergency Services 0 0 Comment Read More »
