CMA receives Profile of Excellence award for Prop 46 campaign The American Association of Medical Society Executives (AAMSE) honored the California Medical Association (CMA) with a Profile of Excellence award for its advocacy in the No on Proposition 46 campaign. The Profiles of Excellence Awards recognize organizations for efforts that advance the field of organized medicine and improve the lives of physicians and the patients they serve. CMA and its county medical societies were also recognized with the AAMSE President's Award for their collaborative efforts in the campaign. Proposition 46, the trial lawyers' attempt to overturn California's Medical Injury Compensation ... August 17, 2015 Awards, CMA MICRA, Awards 0 0 Comment Read More »
Court rules against constitutional attack on MICRA On June 9, the California Court of Appeal based in San Francisco issued its precedential opinion in Chan v. Curran, fully upholding various provisions of California's landmark Medical Injury Compensation Reform Act (MICRA) against constitutional attacks by California’s trial attorneys. The California Medical Association (CMA), together with a broad coalition of health care providers, including the American Medical Association, the California Hospital Association and the California Dental Association, had filed an amicus brief last year supporting the constitutionality of the non-economic damages cap of MICRA. This appeal was the latest in ... June 26, 2015 General Legal Advocacy, MICRA, Amicus Briefs 0 0 Comment Read More »
Election day is just two weeks away - Vote NO on Prop. 46! In just two weeks, California voters will be weighing in on Proposition 46, the trial lawyer's ballot initiative that would quadruple the state’s Medical Injury Compensation Reform Act (MICRA) cap on non-economic damages. If lawyers get their way, medical lawsuits and jury awards will skyrocket – leading to a big increase in health care costs. It is critical that every single physician in California votes NO on Prop. 46 on Election Day. Vote-by-mail ballots were mailed out by the state last week. If you vote by mail (also known as ... October 21, 2014 General MICRA, Medical Liability Insurance 0 0 Comment Read More »
No on Proposition 46 campaign releases first video online Today, the “No On 46” campaign released its first campaign video on multiple online platforms. Titled “The Truth about Proposition 46,” the two-minute video features real practicing physicians and medical students from across the state discussing the flaws, costs and potential harmful consequences to patients and California’s health care system, if Prop. 46 were to pass. The video highlighted many of Prop. 46’s major flaws including, but not limited to, the fact that the initiative is written and paid for almost exclusively by trial lawyers who will personally profit from the ... August 8, 2014 General Professional Liability, MICRA 0 0 Comment Read More »
CMA files brief with CA Supreme Court in case that could undermine MICRA's longstanding definition of professional negligence The California Medical Association (CMA), together with other amici, has filed a brief with the California Supreme Court, urging reversal of an appellate court opinion that thwarts the long-standing definition of "professional negligence" in California's Medical Injury Compensation Reform Act (MICRA). The ruling, if allowed to stand as precedent for future cases, could be misused to undermine the goals of MICRA and adversely affect the entirety of the health care system and safety net in California. In this case, Flores vs. Presbyterian Intercommunity Hospital, a hospital inpatient sued for injuries ... July 18, 2014 General Legal Advocacy, MICRA, Professional Liability, Amicus Briefs 0 0 Comment Read More »
California Democratic Party to remain neutral on Prop. 46 Backers of Proposition 46, the MICRA lawsuit measure, were dealt another severe blow this weekend when, despite their intense lobbying, the Executive Board of the California Democratic Party rejected their efforts to gain an endorsement, instead voting to remain neutral. Over the course of the three-day meeting, Democratic Party leaders and activists who reviewed Prop. 46 found that, if the initiative were to pass, health care costs would go up, access to care would go down, community clinics would be harmed and personal privacy will be put at risk. Understanding its ... July 15, 2014 General Access to Care, Professional Liability, MICRA 0 0 Comment Read More »
CMA files brief with California Supreme Court in MICRA constitutionality case The California Medical Association (CMA), along with the California Dental Association and the California Hospital Association filed an amicus brief with the California Supreme Court urging the common sense application of our state’s landmark Medical Injury Compensation Reform Act (MICRA), which allows non-economic damage awards up to $250,000 and unlimited economic damage awards for all past and future medical costs, lost wages and earning capacity. This case is just the latest in many legal challenges to MICRA that have been funded by trial lawyer groups from across the country. In ... July 15, 2014 General Legal Advocacy, MICRA, Professional Liability, Amicus Briefs 0 0 Comment Read More »
MICRA lawsuit measure assigned proposition number The unprecedentedly broad and diverse coalition working to defeat the trial lawyers’ MICRA lawsuit measure is now officially the “No On 46” campaign, following the assignment of proposition numbers to qualified ballot measures by the Secretary of State’s Office on Monday. If approved by voters, Proposition 46 would increase health costs, reduce access to care and threaten patient privacy, all to make it easier and more profitable for lawyers to sue doctors and hospitals. In addition to increasing the overall number of medical lawsuits and the cost of health care ... July 3, 2014 General Professional Liability, MICRA 0 0 Comment Read More »
California Teachers Association joins campaign to defeat MICRA lawsuit measure The California Teachers Association (CTA), the nation’s largest statewide teacher organization and one of the state’s leading voices for public education, has announced its opposition to the MICRA lawsuit initiative. This addition makes CTA the latest major organization to join the historically-broad and bipartisan coalition of California organizations lining up to oppose the measure. CTA joins a growing list of California public and private organizations – including physicians, health providers, community clinics, civil liberties advocates, school boards, labor unions and business groups – that have expressed concerns about the ballot ... June 18, 2014 General MICRA 0 0 Comment Read More »
CMA files brief in case challenging the constitutionality of MICRA The California Medical Association (CMA), together with the American Medical Association (AMA), has filed an amicus brief supporting the constitutionality of the non-economic damages cap of California's landmark Medical Injury Compensation Reform Act (MICRA). This appeal is the latest in a protracted line of cases challenging MICRA's constitutionality since the Legislature enacted the statute in 1975. The California Supreme Court has previously upheld the constitutionality of MICRA's cost saving provisions, including MICRA's $250,000 cap on non-economic damages. Despite Supreme Court precedent, after a trial court reduced the non-economic damages awarded ... June 18, 2014 General MICRA, Professional Liability, CMA Legal Case List, Legal Advocacy 0 0 Comment Read More »
