PULSE is our electronic publication emailed weekly to keep physicians' practices up to date with time sensitive information.
July 9, 2020
FREE PPE available for Kern County physician practices!
The State of California is making millions of pieces of medical-grade personal protective equipment (PPE) – including N95 masks, surgical masks, shields, gowns and gloves – available FREE to physician practices. The California Office of Emergency Services is partnering with the Kern County Medical Society (KCMS) and the California Medical Association (CMA) to distribute this equipment to qualifying small and medium sized medical practices.

Over the last several months, many physicians have had to limit hours or close their doors completely because they cannot find the PPE they need to safely keep their offices open. This PPE will help fortify California’s health care infrastructure as we continue to wrestle with the COVID-19 pandemic and issues with the PPE supply chain. PPE Relief kits will include up to a two-month supply (exact amount may vary by practice size and specialty).

This equipment is available to all qualifying physician practices, whether or not they are members. Reserve your PPE by going to  cmadocs.org/PPE no later than July 21 . PPE will be available for local pickup on Thursday, August 6. Details regarding the pickup event will be provided as the date nears.

Financial support for the distribution of this PPE was provided by Altais, a new health care services company that helps physicians maximize the health and well-being of their patients in a way that is sustainably affordable and maintains professional satisfaction.

Congress gives small businesses more time to apply for PPP loans - Deadline Aug. 8
The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) on July 6, 2020, resumed accepting applications following the passage of the Paycheck Protection Program Extension Act. The new deadline to apply for a PPP loan is August 8, 2020 . More...
Reminder: Deadline to apply for relief from Medicaid Targeted Distribution is July 20
On Wednesday, June 10, 2020, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) opened a new  “Medicaid Targeted Distribution” portal  through which Medicaid-dependent physicians can apply to receive a portion of the $15 billion “targeted distribution” for Medicaid providers. Physicians must apply for the funding before July 20, 2020. The funding does not need to be repaid. More...
Upcoming July Webinars: State of COVID, Diversifying Revenue, and ACEs Screening and Response
Virtual Grand Rounds: State of COVID-19 with California Public Health Leaders *CME Available

July 14, 2020 | 12:00PM - 1:30PM


Diversifying Revenue Through Value-Based Care, a Physician's Experience

July 28, 2020 | 12:15PM - 1:15PM


Fundamentals of ACE Screening and Response in Adult Medicine

July 29, 2020 | 12:00PM - 1:00PM

CMA opposes new federal rule that would revoke thousands of student visas
This week, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced changes to student visa programs that would revoke student visas for thousands of international students. More...
A conversation with CA Surgeon General Nadine Burke Harris, M.D., about ACEs and toxic stress
Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) represent a public health crisis that has been, until recently, largely unrecognized by our health care system and society. ACEs affect everyone — they cross ethnic, social-economic, gender and geographic lines. More...
CMA urges state to convene advisory group to address COVID-19 outbreak in state prisons
On Monday, the California Medical Association (CMA)  urged the Newsom Administration  to immediately convene an advisory group to address the COVID-19 outbreak at San Quentin State Prison and proactively work to prevent similar outbreaks at other state prisons. Such an advisory group, CMA said, should include individuals with infectious disease expertise, individuals with expertise in correctional administration and the appropriate representatives from the impacted bargaining units, especially those that provide medical care within the facilities. More...
The Physicians Foundation invites physicians to participate COVID-19 survey
The Physicians Foundation—a national, not-for-profit seeking to advance the work of practicing physicians and facilitate the delivery of high-quality health care to patients—is surveying physicians nationwide to learn how COVID-19 is affecting their practices and their perspectives. More...
Learn more about KCMS at our website!