SoFi doubling rate discount for CMA members Earlier this year, the California Medical Association (CMA) and SoFi launched a new member benefit that will help physicians save thousands on their student loans. Sofi offers CMA members student loan refinancing options that include low-variable and fixed rates with terms ranging from five to 20 years. For a limited time, SoFi is offering CMA members a special double rate discount for a limited time. From now until December 20, 2018, you’ll pay 0.5 percent less in interest when you refinance at SoFi.com/CMA. Market interest rates are on the rise, check to ... November 6, 2018 CMA Physician Workforce 0 0 Comment Read More »
Take action NOW to stop radical physician rate regulation bill Assemblymember Ash Kalra (D-San Jose) last week announced a radical proposal that would increase patient out-of-pocket costs and result in a dangerous government intrusion into the health care market by creating state-sanctioned rationing of health care for all Californians. Assembly Bill 3087 would establish an undemocratic, government-run commission with nine political appointees who would unilaterally set the price for all medical services that are not already controlled by the government, essentially eliminating commercial health care markets in California. None of the political appointees are required to be patient-focused or have ... April 24, 2018 General Grassroots Advocacy, Physician Workforce, Rate Regulation, State Legislation, State Legislative Advocacy 0 0 Comment Read More »
State awards $30.5 million in primary care residency program funding The California Healthcare Workforce Policy Commission awarded upwards of $30.5 million to support more than 175 primary care residency slots for the 2017 cycle of the Song Brown Healthcare Workforce Training Program. A record number of applications were received this year, in large part due to the additional physician workforce funding secured by the California Medical Association (CMA) through the state budget. In 2016, the California legislature passed a budget that committed $100 million over three years ($33 million each year) in health care workforce funding. Although Governor Brown proposed ... February 5, 2018 CMA, General GME, Graduate Medical Education, Physician Workforce, Primary Care, Residents and Fellows, Song Brown Healthcare Workforce Training Program 0 0 Comment Read More »
Report: California Physicians Boost the State's Economy Physicians add opportunity, growth and prosperity to the California economy by creating 1.2 million jobs and generating $232 billion in economic activity, according to a new report, The Economic Impact of Physicians in California, released today by the California Medical Association (CMA) and the American Medical Association (AMA). “California’s physicians do more than diagnose, cure or heal – they go beyond patient care by providing millions of good paying jobs and generate billions in tax revenues and economic activity,” said CMA President Theodore M. Mazer, M.D. “Today’s report illustrates why ... January 30, 2018 General Employment of Physicians, Physician Workforce 0 0 Comment Read More »
State sees marked increase in applications for primary care residency program funding The California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development received a record number of applications for family medicine and primary care residency funding through the Song Brown Healthcare Workforce Training Program. For the 2017 application cycle, 77 applications were received, representing 103 residency slots. The increase is due in part to additional physician workforce funding secured by the California Medical Association (CMA) through the state budget. In 2016, the California legislature passed a budget that committed $100 million over three years ($33 million each year) in health care workforce funding. Although ... November 14, 2017 CMA, General Graduate Medical Education, Physician Workforce, Residents and Fellows 0 0 Comment Read More »
CMA to tackle three major issues at annual meeting The 146th Annual Session of the California Medical Association (CMA) House of Delegates (HOD) will tackle three major issues—health care reform (on both the federal and state level), physician workforce and mental health care—when it convenes October 21-22, 2017, at the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim. CMA physician delegates meet annually to establish broad policy on current major issues that have been determined to be the most important issues affecting members, the association and the practice of medicine. Reports on these major issues are now available for comment. All members are ... September 27, 2017 CMA, General Affordable Care Act, Affordable Care Act (ACA) Repeal, CMA Policy, Health Care Reform, House of Delegates, Mental Health, Physician Workforce, Single Payor 0 0 Comment Read More »
California congressmen introduce bills to address physician shortage Two important bills have been introduced in Congress to address our state’s serious physician shortage and improve access to care in California. The first bill, the Training the Next Generation of Primary Care Doctors Act of 2017 (HR 3394), would reauthorize for an additional three years the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education (GME) program that was established by the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The Teaching Health Center program is a community-based primary care physician training program that has been extremely successful in expanding the physician workforce in underserved areas. ... August 9, 2017 General Federal Legislation, Federal Legislative Advocacy , Graduate Medical Education, Physician Workforce, Primary Care, Rural Health, Underserved Communities 0 0 Comment Read More »
California grapples with 'severe' doctor shortage, study shows California doesn't have enough doctors to handle its primary health care demands and the problem is getting worse. A new study by UCSF Healthforce Center finds that California doesn’t have enough primary care physicians in most regions of the state. According to the study, the shortage is becoming more acute because of an aging physician workforce, a growing patient population and expanded coverage through the Affordable Care Act. According to the study, only two regions of California (the Greater Bay Area and Sacramento) have ratios of primary care physicians per ... March 2, 2017 General California State Budget, Graduate Medical Education, Physician Workforce, Primary Care, State Legislative Advocacy, Underserved Communities 0 0 Comment Read More »
Subject matter experts needed for primary care residency grant program The Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD), is seeking subject matter experts to join application review panels for the Song Brown Primary Care Residency Program. The program, which provides grant funding for primary care residency programs, is looking for variety of health care professionals, including physicians, residents and students. The California Medical Association (CMA), as part of a coalition of healthcare stakeholders, was able to secure $100 million in the FY 2016-17 California State Budget to support and expand primary care residency training and programs in medically underserved ... September 12, 2016 General Primary Care, Residents and Fellows, Physician Workforce 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 »
