State Budget Makes Huge Investment in Health Care, Makes Prop. 56 Payments Permanent

On Thursday, July 15, 2021, the California Legislature passed the health omnibus trailer bill (AB 133), which finalizes components of the 2021–22 budget agreement with Gov. Gavin Newsom. The bill, among other things, makes permanent the supplemental Medi‑Cal reimbursements that apply to hundreds of primary care CPT codes and were scheduled to expire in July 2022. Making the reimbursements, which are funded by Proposition 56 (state tobacco tax) revenues, permanent will provide much needed stability for Medi‑Cal providers. The supplemental rates equal an increase of at least 40% over the base rates, and in some cases, reach 80% of the average commercial payment. For more information, click here.

CMA Files Brief in Case that Could Have Far-Reaching Implications for Managed Care Contracting

 

The California Medical Association (CMA) recently filed an amicus brief with the California Court of Appeal for the Fourth Appellate District in an important case involving Medi‑Cal managed care reimbursement for out-of-network, non-emergency anesthesia care. CMA explained in its amicus brief that Medi‑Cal managed care is designed to operate much like commercial managed care, where out-of-network physicians who are given prior authorization should be reimbursed a fair and reasonable payment, not the artificially low and unilaterally set Medi‑Cal fee-for-service rate. To find out more, please click here.

Develop Your Leadership with Nationally Recognized Experts

Registration is now open for the 2021–22 Physician Leadership Program. The Physician Leadership Program was developed in 2016 by physician leaders in collaboration with faculty from the UC Berkeley School of Public Health and Haas School of Business. Participants will enhance their leadership effectiveness, expand their network with local colleagues, and will gain practical skills and insights directly applicable to their practice opportunities and challenges. Participants can earn a Certificate of Completion and up to 24 hours of CME credit. Meet course director Hilary Worthen, MD, and the rest of the program’s distinguished faculty here. Discounts for medical society members and groups are available. Find out more and register here.

Join us next Tuesday, July 27, at 6:30 PM for a virtual presentation by David Ford, VP of Health Information Technology at the California Medical Association. Get up to date on current telemedicine legislation and the telemedicine landscape ahead. All ACCMA members are welcome to join this joint meeting of our Community Health Committee and Medical Services Committee for this informative presentation and discussion! If you would like to attend, email rsvp@accma.org.

Institutional Authority Has Vanished. Wikipedia Points to the Answer. The Atlantic, 7/21/21

Hospital ‘Trauma Centers’ Charge Enormous Fees to Treat Minor Injuries and Send People Home, California Healthline, 7/16/21

Coexisting with the Coronavirus, The New Yorker, 7/21/21

How One Medical Team is Bringing COVID‑19 Vaccines to Hard-To-Reach Hispanic Communities, Science News, 6/18/21

Physicians Suffering in Silence, Morning Consult, 7/14/21

Americans’ Medical Debts Are Bigger Than Was Known, Totaling $140 Billion, The New York Times, 7/20/21 

New Staff Onboarding Series

Now available! Current and new staff can receive on-demand training on HIPAA, OSHA, and customer service. Intended for all staff encountering patients in person or by telephone, this course covers customer service techniques, the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA), and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). For questions, contact Jenn Mullins, Education and Event Associate, at jmullins@accma.org.

Click here to register. 

The California Medical Association's (CMA) wellness program (CMA Wellness) is pleased to launch free, online wellness engagement groups for health care providers who conduct patient screenings for adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). Treating patients with multiple ACEs or toxic stress can potentially impact your personal wellness and increase feelings of burnout. CMA Wellness's engagement groups will support providers by offering subject matter experts, best practices, and an open forum to share experiences, facilitated by trained, volunteer physicians. Each monthly webinar is organized around a prevailing theme with a stakeholder co-host to provide a variety of perspectives with a general discussion and breakout rooms. Registration is required, and providers will be joining the Tuesday series for a 6‑month duration.

For more information and to register, click here.

Current Telemedicine Issues and Future Landscape

If you would like to attend, email rsvp@accma.org.

Mental Health First Aid 101

Mental Health First Aid certification is an evidence-based curriculum with certification conferred by the National Council of Wellbeing. During this overview, participants will be provided a high-level perspective of Mental Health First Aid, what it is, and how it is applied to provide support to adults who may be experiencing the signs and symptoms of mental illness. The workshop will look at current trends in its usage and what MHFA certification can do to support organizations and communities during COVID‑19. Please note: this workshop does not count towards MHFA Certification.

Speaker: Brooke Briggance, Program Director, Cypress Resilience Project

Click here for details and to register. 

Click here to register.

State of Reform, one of the most important statewide events in California health care, pulls together practitioners, thought leaders and policymakers — each working to improve our health care system in their own way — into a unified conversation in a single place. Choose to attend in person or virtually; registration fee varies. CMA members receive a 20% discount on registration with promo code CMA20.

 

For more information and to register, click here.