KCMS PULSE - Medicaid & CHIP Pmts, Webinar Tomorrow, Attacks on PHO's, USMLE Waiver, COVID-19 Updates and More...

PULSE is our electronic publication emailed weekly to keep physicians' practices up to date with time sensitive information.

June 10, 2020

HHS announces $15 billion in relief payments for Medicaid and CHIP providers

Yesterday, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), announced approximately $15 billion in COVID-19-related relief payments for physicians and hospitals that participate in state Medicaid programs and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). This funding will supply relief to Medicaid and CHIP providers experiencing lost revenues or increased expenses due to COVID-19. This round of targeted funding will only be available to those physicians who have not previously received money from the HHS Provider Relief fund general distribution. Providers will be able to apply for these funds starting today, Wednesday, June 10. More...

FACT SHEET (with a link to the provider relief portal)

BEST PRACTICES FOR REOPENING A MEDICAL PRACTICE

TEMPLATES FOR COMMUNICATING WITH PATIENTS

New Webinar TOMORROW - FREE FOR ALL

Strategies for Redefining Wellness and Resilience During and After COVID

What does physician wellness look like in light of the COVID-19 pandemic? Webinar participants will hear from experts in the field of physician wellness. Attendees will also learn how peer coaching has been demonstrated to provide several benefits, including relief from emotional exhaustion and reduced levels of self-reported burnout.

June 11, 2020 - 12:15pm to 1:15pm

Registration and Information

CMA urges Congress to provide aid to states and physicians

The California Medical Association (CMA) and six other large state medical associations signed a joint letter asking the U.S. Senate to prioritize the stability of our state-federal partnerships that form the foundation of our health care delivery system. The letter urged Congress to provide additional aid to states to protect the health care workforce and to prevent irreversible state health care cuts. More...

CMA deeply disturbed by unfair attacks on local health officers

The California Medical Association (CMA) is deeply disturbed and saddened by unfair attacks on California’s county and city health officers. Over the past three months, public health officials in cities and counties across California have been subject to unfair and uninformed attacks and have become political targets amid the coronavirus pandemic. Most recently, Orange County Public Health Office Nichole Quick, M.D., resigned on Monday night after being subject to threats and protests at her home related to a countywide mask order. More...

CMA seeks waiver to allow residents to obtain postgrad training license without clinical skills exam

On May 26, 2020, the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) program announced that due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the unique, human-to-human delivery mode of the Step 2 Clinical Skills examination, testing would be suspended for the next 12-18 months to protect the health of examinees. More...

New funding available for safety-net practices to implement virtual care

The California Health Care Foundation in partnership with the Center for Care Innovations is providing grants of up to $100,000 to help safety-net practices implement virtual care. Community health centers and independent physician practices that predominantly serve low-income communities are eligible to apply. The deadline to apply for funding is Friday, June 19, 2020, at 5 p.m. More...

DCA extends physician licensing waivers

On Monday, June 1, 2020, the Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) extended DCA Waiver DCA-20-13 that defers any CME or examination requirements for the renewal of licenses and allows up to six months after the state of emergency declaration is lifted for licensees to make up these requirements. More...

REMINDER: CMA Political Action Committee seeking nominations for Board of Directors

The California Medical Association Political Action Committee (CALPAC) is now accepting nominations for its Board of Directors. Operated by physicians for physicians, CALPAC supports hundreds of candidates for state and federal office who share CMA's philosophy and vision of the future of health care and medical practice. More...