If your practice is administering COVID-19 vaccines, or would like to, there is still time to take advantage of the CalVax Grant program. The application deadline has been pushed to Dec. 17, 2021.

The COVID-19 booster vaccines are appropriate for almost everyone 18 and older and six months following the last Pfizer or Moderna vaccination, or two months following Johnson & Johnson. Those who are eligible, and parents/guardians can visit the county websites shown below to sign up for an appointment or find a drop-in location. 

Save these links in your browser for quick reference. The county websites contain frequently updated information for COVID-19 testing locations and vaccine events that you can share with patients.

UnitedHealthcare has said it will reprocess claims for COVID-19 vaccine administration after federal investigators found the insurer had underpaid “millions” of providers—paying 40% less than the Medicare rate for administering the COVID-19 vaccine. Such low payments for vaccine administration could threaten patient access to these services and worsen the public health crisis.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently announced that it will again this year be granting automatic exceptions from reporting requirements for clinicians and providers participating in Medicare quality reporting programs due to the ongoing disruptions the COVID-19 public health emergency is having on physician practices.

Effective Jan. 1, 2022, the Sonoma County Medical Association and the Mendocino-Lake County Medical Society will merge to become the Sonoma-Mendocino-Lake Medical Association. The volunteer board is the strategic heart of our organization, and we welcome the 2022 leadership team and HOD representatives with gratitude for their service.

Several positions remain open; please apply so that we may fully represent the communities we serve. It's going to be an exciting time as we combine forces and begin serving our new tri-county region. Join us!

• President: Patricia Hiserote, DO • Kaiser Santa Rosa

• President-Elect: James O'Dorisio, MD • Solo/Small Practice

• Treasurer/Secretary: Shawn Daly, MD • Redwood Radiology

• Immediate Past President: James O'Dorisio, MD • Solo/Small Practice

• North County: OPEN

• Ukiah District (2): James O’Dorisio, MD • Solo/Small Practice

• Mendocino District (1): OPEN

• Lake County District: Jean Maria (Jeanie) Muller, MD • Solo/Small Practice

• Petaluma District: Nicola Lozanov, MD • Solo/Small Practice

• West County: Roger Pitzen, MD • Solo/Small Practice

• Sonoma Valley: OPEN

• Santa Rosa Directors (4):

• TPMG Santa Rosa: Indranushi Chaliha, MD • Kaiser Santa Rosa

• Adventist Health: Georgina Calderon, MD • Adventist Health [Mendocino]

• Partnership Health: Marshall Kubota, MD • Partnership Health

• Public Health Officer: Sundari Mase, MD • Sonoma County Health Services

• Resident Faculty: Patricia Hiserote, DO • Kaiser Santa Rosa

• Resident Physician: [OPEN to Kaiser, Adventist Health or Sutter Resident]

• FQHC Clinics: OPEN

• Young Physicians (40 and under): OPEN

• Sonoma Council Chair: Warren Chin, MD • Solo/Small Practice

• Mendocino Council Chair: Georgina Calderon, MD • Adventist Health

• Ukiah Council Chair: James O'Dorisio, MD • Solo/Small Practice

• Lake Council Chair: Jean Maria (Jeanie) Muller, MD • Solo/Small Practice

See complete list for details and our District X representatives to the 2022 CMA House of Delegates.

We've arranged a full measure of recognition with local media and the medical community. Watch for ads later this month in Sonoma Health magazine, the Press Democrat and North Bay Business Journal, and Sonoma Magazine in January. The awards will be presented by the SCMA leadership team at a small, outdoor gathering (attendance is limited due to COVID-19 considerations).

Awardees are listed below. See awards flier for details. Please download and share the good news with colleagues and friends! And please extend your appreciation to our 2021 sponsors, media partners and SCMA business partners. Without their support, this program would not be possible.

Assembly Bill (AB) 2789 of 2018 created a state-level mandate that all prescriptions must be transmitted electronically by Jan. 1, 2022. The law applies to all physicians and almost all prescriptions, with very few exceptions. For physicians who have an electronic health record (EHR) system, implementing electronic prescribing may be as simple as turning on an embedded electronic prescribing module. For paper-based practices, selecting a stand-alone electronic prescribing system will likely be less costly and easier to implement than a complete EHR system.

On Jan. 1, 2022, the California Department of Health Care Services will transition all Medi-Cal pharmacy services from managed care to fee-for-service (FFS). The Medi-Cal pharmacy benefits and services administered by DHCS in the FFS delivery system is collectively referred to as “Medi-Cal Rx.” The goal of Medi-Cal Rx is to standardize the pharmacy benefit under one delivery system and improve access to pharmacy services with a network that includes a large majority of the state’s pharmacies.

t’s that time of year again—time for physicians to decide if they want to make changes to their Medicare participation status. Physicians have until Dec. 31, 2021, to make changes for the 2022 participation year. The effective date for any changes made will be Jan. 1, 2022. CMS recently released the final fee schedule and policies for next year.

California Medical Association

Update from California’s State Epidemiologist Erica Pan, MD, on the status of COVID-19 in California. We will also hear from other experts on the role of testing at this phase of the pandemic, how the U.S. differs from many countries in the availability and cost of rapid tests, and how investment from the federal government may improve our ability to test rapidly and frequently. REGISTER HERE

Carrington Coast Ranch Preview Hike [NEW SONOMA COUNTY PARK!]

Saturday, Jan. 22, 2022. 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.  

Enjoy a January outing sponsored by the SCMA Physician Wellness Committee and Sonoma County Parks Foundation.Take in sweeping views of the Sonoma Coast from these 335 rolling acres recently transferred to Regional Parks from Sonoma County Ag + Open Space. The Carrington Coast Ranch will eventually open to the public as a regional park and open space preserve just north of Bodega Bay and Salmon Creek.

Due to limited parking, a passenger shuttle will transport registered hikers from the Bodega Bay Community Center at scheduled departure times. Registration is required for this event. The cost is $5 per person in Sonoma County and $7 out of county. REGISTER HERE

Sutter Health

The Sutter Health Virtual Grand Rounds is a Continuing Education (CE) webinar series hosted by Sutter Health Network providers for all medical professionals across Northern California. Interactive Q&A session takes place with each live event. Learn about the entire series here.

Presented by Ronald Hsu, MD, FACG, FACP, AGAF, FASGE, FRCP | REGISTER HERE

Presented by pediatric anesthesiologist Sampaguita Tafoya, MD | REGISTER HERE

Presented by CAP risk management experts | REGISTER HERE

Don't miss FINANCIAL THERAPY, a new series of videos created specifically for physicians, nurses and PAs. SCMA Business Partner Russell Van Sistine, CFP^® provides tips and insights that could help medical professionals reach their financial goals more quickly and tax-efficiently. The monthly series launched with a look at 403(b) plans, and continues with a presentation about disability insurance.

Contact: Russell Van Sistine, CFP^® at 707-708-3453 or russell@sonomawealthadvisors.com

Medical liability coverage from the Cooperative of American Physicians (CAP) not only provides excellent protection from malpractice lawsuits, but also provides immediate eligibility for new members to purchase $10,000 per month of disability insurance and up to $500,000 of life insurance — all guaranteed with no health exam required and at favorable rates. Plus you receive additional coverages, such as cyber risk liability insurance, employment practices and administrative defense insurance, and more, at no additional cost to you!

Contact: Dorine Leong | 650-543-2183 DLeong@CAPphysicians.com

When you join the California Medical Association and the Sonoma County Medical Association or the Mendocino-Lake County Medical Society, you join nearly 50,000 members statewide who are actively protecting the practice of medicine and defending public health.

CMA/SCMA/MLCMS membership is an investment in your practice—with exceptional member benefits that include help with reimbursements, COVID-19, telehealth, physician well-being, and expert guidance for medical practice operations. See flier for more about CMA tools and resources or call CMA's live-person call center at 800-786-4262 Monday through Friday during business hours.

2021 was another unprecedented year with the continuing COVID-19 pandemic, social unrest, and drought throughout the West Coast. Sonoma County’s medical community was stretched thin battling the pandemic. Once again SCMA stepped up to support the practice of medicine and community in new ways. See flier for details.

 

Providence Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital has been named one of America’s Best Comprehensive Breast Centers by the Women’s Choice Award^®, a trusted referral source for the best in healthcare. The Comprehensive Breast Center award signifies that Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital is in the top nine percent of 4,728 U.S. hospitals offering breast care services. “At Providence, we’re committed to providing the highest quality of care to our patients,” said Elizabeth Tito, MD, medical director for the Breast Center at Providence Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital. To learn more visit the Providence Santa Rosa website.

Gail Dubinsky, MD, has added new content to her YouTube channel featuring yoga, breath practices, meditations and more. Check the site for updated playlists of Kundalini Core Pearls and Kriya Strands and subscribe to the channel for notifications as new sequences become available. Contact Dr. Dubinsky with questions or video requests at 707-829-7596 or dubinsky@rxyoga.com.

Ready for a change? The 12-week life-coaching CME program for community-minded physicians offered by Emily Shaw, MD (Santa Rosa family physician and certified life coach) starts again in January 2022. 12.5 hours of live, Category 1 CME credit. Email Dr. Shaw to learn more: emilyshawmdlifecoaching@gmail.com.

The County of Lake seeks a Public Health Officer with passion, experience, talent and dedication to serving our community. Salary range $186,492–$226,680 DOE/DOQ. Must be a licensed physician in the State of California or other state with ability to obtain a California license. For more information and link to apply, please see the complete recruitment brochure. Questions? Call Wendi at 541-664-0376 or email her at wendi@wbcpinc.com.

Sebastopol medical office space (1,232 sq. ft.) for lease in a prime location. Please call 707-823-3210.