PULSE is our electronic publication emailed weekly to keep physicians' practices up to date with time sensitive information.
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The KCMS office has moved and our long time employee Kathy Hughes has retired. KCMS has entered into an agreement with Pacific Workplaces to utilize space in the Bank of America building on Truxtun Avenue. Our mailing address stays the same, information is as follows: |
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Mailing address:
P.O. Box 13516
Bakersfield, CA 93309
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Location address:
(by appointment only)
1430 Truxtun Avenue, 5th Floor
Bakersfield, CA 93301
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Phone & Fax remain the same:
O: 661-325-9025
F: 661-328-9372
For questions or additional information, contact our Executive Director, Chrisy Muchow at cmuchow@kms.org or 661-325-9025.
We wish Kathy all the best on her retirement!
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Thursday, November 19, 2020
Online via Zoom
Virtual Wine Tasting & Social 7:00PM
Annual Meeting, Installation and Awards 7:30PM
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REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED BY NOVEMBER 11!
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CMA holds first ever virtual House of Delegates |
Due to the ongoing public health emergency, the California Medical Association’s (CMA's) annual House of Delegates (HOD) held its first ever virtual meeting Saturday, October 24, 2020. The delegates received critical updates and provided feedback on important issues affecting members, the association and the practice of medicine. This year’s major issues were the Future of Medical Practice Post-COVID-19 and Pandemic Response and Preparedness.
The meeting included educational webinars, online discussion forums, a virtual townhall and a live four-hour broadcast from the command center in Sacramento, with hundreds of physician delegates and staff logging in from across the state. Take a peek behind the curtains and see what it took to pull off a virtual meeting of this scope and scale.
The CMA HOD consists of nearly 500 delegates elected by members of component medical societies, specialty societies, and CMA sections and forums, representing virtually every mode of practice and region of the state.
Delegates and Alternates representing KCMS include:
- Jasmeet Bains, MD, KCMS Delegate
- Chang Na, MD, KCMS Delegate
- Steven Wang, MD, KCMS Delegate
- Joice Rhee, MD, KCMS Alternate Delegate
- Raymond Tsai, MD, KCMS Alternate Delegate
- Joan Ying, MD, KCMS Alternate Delegate
See the links below for additional coverage from this year’s HOD:
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FMMS Invites KCMS to their E/M Changes for 2021 Event! |
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Wednesday November 18, 2020
11:30am - 12:30pm
Mary Jean Sage, CMA-AC
Zoom Webinar
E/M Changes for 20201
Will Your Practice Be Ready?
Good news for physicians tired of counting bullet points to assign an evaluation and management level for outpatient office visits. Per new AMA guidelines, it’s going to be a whole lot simpler. As of January 1, 2021, physicians will select an E/M code based on total time spent on the date of the encounter or medical decision making (MDM)–which is most advantageous to the physician. This means streamlined documentation. Join us for a discussion of:
- Which E/M services will have changes in 2021?
- CPT’s new Table of Medical Decision Making – what does each element mean?
- Documenting the Elements of MDM – determining how many problems/diagnosis; determining how many tests.
- Documenting Time for New and Established Patients – what counts, what doesn’t count?
CMA Members are FREE (All KCMS Members are CMA Members)
Non-Members: $20.00
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Update your billing info by Nov. 10 to receive your 2018 APM bonus |
Physicians who participated in a Medicare Advanced Alternative Payment Model (APM) during 2018 who believe they qualified for the 5% incentive payment but have not received it must provide their missing billing information to CMS no later than Nov. 10, 2020. More...
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DMHC fines Anthem $1.2M for failing to authorize medically necessary services |
The California Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC) has fined Anthem Blue Cross in the amount of $1.2 million for its failure to implement two Independent Medical Review (IMR) determinations that required the payor to authorize coverage for medically necessary services. More...
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FBI warns of imminent cyber crime threat to U.S. health care providers |
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and two federal agencies are warning of an "imminent cybercrime threat" to United States hospitals and health care providers, noting that several hospitals across the country have already been hit. More...
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CDI publishes clear guidance on COVID-19 testing |
On October 2, 2020, the California Department of Insurance (CDI) published an FAQ on COVID-19 testing and coverage. The FAQ incentivizes COVID-19 testing and screening and clarifies that for CDI regulated insurance products, insurers are: More...
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New report on California ACEs prevalence shines light on racism and disparities |
Racism is among the root causes of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), according to a newly released report on the prevalence of ACEs in California. More...
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CMS delays mandatory payment model that would reduce access for critically ill cancer patients |
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has delayed implementation of the mandatory Radiation Oncology Alternative Payment Model (APM) until July 1, 2021. According to CMS, the decision to delay the policy was based on feedback it received from the California Medical Association (CMA) and other stakeholders about the challenges of implementing a complex new model during a pandemic. More...
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Free Training to Fulfill California’s Harassment Avoidance Requirements |
Did you know that California employers with five or more employees are required to provide sexual harassment avoidance training for all employees by January 1, 2021?
Through the end of 2020, the Cooperative of American Physicians, Inc. (CAP) is pleased to offer you and your staff complimentary access to both a two-hour supervisory course and one-hour non-supervisory course to help your practice meet the fast-approaching deadline.
Until now, CAP has offered this free on-demand course, which can cost hundreds of dollars elsewhere, exclusively to its physician members. As part of our commitment to helping all physicians succeed in their practices, CAP is waiving the membership requirement and recommends that your practice train your employees now and not wait until the end of 2020.
Once you sign up to take the course, you will receive specific instructions for you and your staff to enroll. Upon completion of the program, you will be able to save the certificate of completion as a PDF that can be printed or saved to prove compliance.
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CAP, a leading provider of medical malpractice coverage for California physicians, offers a wide array of risk and practice management benefits, such as these free programs, to its members.
If you are a CAP member and have questions about the training or general HR matters, please call Nancy Brusegaard Johnson at 213-473-8664.
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Upcoming FREE CMA Webinars |
Virtual Grand Rounds: COVID-19 Vaccine Update *CME Available
November 10, 2020 | 12:00PM - 1:30PM
Diabetes and COVID-19 in the Outpatient Setting: What Clinicians Need to Know *CME Available
November 10, 2020 | 4:00PM - 5:00PM
Telehealth Series for Small and Medium Sized Practices: (Pt. 7) Lessons from the Field: Post-Telehealth Implementation
November 12, 2020 | 12:15PM - 1:15PM
Medicare 2021 Updates from Noridian
November 13, 2020 | 12:15PM - 1:15PM
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