CMA comments on proposed protections for conscience rights and religious freedom In January, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released a proposed rule that would expand protections for physicians and other health care providers who object to performing certain procedures. The proposal covers a wide array of existing federal laws that provide “conscience” protections, including those related to abortion, sterilization, assisted suicide and the performance of advance directives. While the California Medical Association (CMA) is a strong advocate for the conscience rights of physicians, we do not believe this proposed rule accomplishes its purported aims. We are concerned ... April 5, 2018 CMA Regulatory Advocacy 0 0 Comment Read More »
HHS issues "provider conscience" regulations Last week, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced it would form a new division within the HHS Office of Civil Rights to focus on provider conscience and religious freedom exemptions. Following this announcement, HHS released a proposed rule that would expand existing protections for physicians and other providers who object to performing certain health care procedures. The proposed rule covers a wide array of existing federal laws that provide conscience protections, including those related to abortion, sterilization, assisted suicide and the performance of advance directives. The California ... January 30, 2018 General Abortion, Regulatory Advocacy, Reproductive issues, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 0 0 Comment Read More »
Join CMA to learn how to challenge the interim payment for out-of-network services at in-network facilities On July 1, 2017, a new law (AB 72) took effect that changes the billing practices of non-participating physicians providing covered, non-emergent care at in-network facilities including hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers and laboratories. The law was designed to reduce unexpected medical bills when patients go to an in-network facility but receive care from an out-of-network doctor. The new law requires fully insured commercial plans and insurers to make “interim payments” to non-contracted physicians for non-emergent services performed at in-network health facilities, and places limitations on the ability of physicians in ... August 8, 2017 CMA AB72, Out of Network Care, Regulatory Advocacy, Webinars 0 0 Comment Read More »
CMS releases proposed Medicare physician fee schedule for 2018 The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released the proposed 2018 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule. The California Medical Association (CMA) is pleased to note that there are a number of positive proposed changes that would help physicians improve patient care. CMS is also soliciting ideas from physicians to reduce Medicare and Medicaid regulatory hassles. Highlights of the proposed rule include: Request for information on regulatory relief: CMA applauds CMS’ invitation for physicians to submit ideas for regulatory, policy, practice and procedural changes to improve the health care system to ... July 24, 2017 Medicare CMS, Fee Schedule, Medicare, Regulatory Advocacy 0 0 Comment Read More »
CMA urges strong regulatory system for medical cannabis In 2015, the legislature passed and the governor signed into law a series of bills to create a licensing and regulatory framework for medical cannabis. The Bureau of Medical Cannabis Regulation and California Department of Public Health (CDPH) have issued proposed regulations as they begin to construct the medical cannabis regulatory system. The California Medical Association (CMA) submitted written comments on the proposed medical cannabis regulations, which will affect medical cannabis dispensaries, manufacturers, distributors and transporters. While California became the first state to decriminalize the cultivation and use of medical cannabis ... July 21, 2017 General Medical Marijuana, Regulatory Advocacy, Adult Use of Maijuana 0 0 Comment Read More »
Significant improvements in 2018 MACRA rule The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued a proposed rule that would make changes in the second year of the Quality Payment Program as required by the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA). Though not perfect, the California Medical Association (CMA) is pleased that CMS has listened to physician feedback and has made changes that will significantly reduce the administrative burdens on physicians, particularly for small and rural practices. Under the proposed rule, 2018 will be another transition year like 2017. This means that physicians ... July 21, 2017 Managed Care, Medicare CMA, MACRA, Medicare, Regulatory Advocacy 0 0 Comment Read More »
CMS delays reporting deadline for physician labs The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced that it will delay the deadline for physician office-based laboratories to meet new reporting requirements. Qualified laboratories now have until May 30, 2017, to complete reporting of private payor payment data for clinical testing services, as required by the Protecting Access to Medicare Act (PAMA). Under PAMA, laboratories that meet revenue thresholds are required to report private payor payment rates and associated volumes for tests they perform that are paid on the Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule (CLFS). CMS said it ... April 19, 2017 General Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Clinical Laboratories, CMS, Medicare, Regulatory Advocacy 0 0 Comment Read More »
California Medical Association responds to final MACRA implementation rule The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) today released the final implementation rule for the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA), which aims to reform the Medicare physician payment system. The California Medical Association (CMA), American Medical Association (AMA) and nearly every other physician organization supported the bipartisan legislation because it was intended to provide stable payment updates, significantly reduce the quality reporting program burdens, reinstate bonus payments and allow innovative, physician-led alternative payment models. “Physicians, particularly small and rural practices, need a modernized, flexible and ... October 27, 2016 Medicare MACRA, Medicare, Regulatory Advocacy 0 0 Comment Read More »
CMA fights federal bill that would allow VA to preempt state telemedicine laws The California Medical Association (CMA) and the American Medical Association (AMA) are fighting a provision in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal year 2017 that would preempt state telemedicine laws and dismantle accountability mechanisms needed to ensure patient protection. The NDAA is an annual piece of legislation that primarily authorizes the federal government to spend money for war operations and military base operations. The two houses of Congress passed their own versions of this annual legislation over the summer. The version passed by the U.S. Senate includes language ... September 22, 2016 CMA, General Telemedicine, Veterans, Regulatory Advocacy 0 0 Comment Read More »
CMA urges CMS to recalculate practice expense data to reflect California's higher practice costs As required by law, at least every three years the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) adjusts payments under the Medicare physician fee schedule to reflect local differences in practice costs. In the proposed 2017 Medicare physician fee schedule, CMS made nationwide updates to the geographic practice cost indices (GPCI) based on new wage, rent and malpractice expense data. Unfortunately, according to CMS, the malpractice and practice expense GPCIs went down in nearly every region of California, which would result in a 0.48 percent GPCI payment reduction in all ... September 22, 2016 Managed Care, Medicare Fee Schedule, Geographic Practice Cost Index, GPCI, Medicare, Regulatory Advocacy, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services 0 0 Comment Read More »
