PULSE is our electronic publication emailed weekly to keep physicians' practices up to date with time sensitive information.
|
|
Congressmen Ami Bera, M.D., (D-CA) and Larry Bucshon, M.D., (R-IN) have introduced a bill to stop the looming Medicare payment cuts while protecting the primary care payment increases of the forthcoming Medicare physician payment rule. The bill – H.R. 8702, the “Holding Providers Harmless from Medicare Cuts During COVID-19 Act of 2020” – was drafted in response to the anticipated impact of the 2021 Medicare physician payment rule, scheduled to be released around Dec. 1, which will cause substantial payment cuts to some physicians. The California Medical Association (CMA) is urging physicians to contact their Members of Congress to cosponsor H.R. 8702. More...
|
|
Recap of the KCMS Annual Meeting, Installation and Awards |
|
We had the first ever Virtual KCMS Annual Meeting, Installation and Awards on Thursday, November 19. It was a great event starting with a virtual wine tasting hosted by San Rucci Winery, followed by our program.
|
|
Dr. Steven Wang was installed as your 2021 KCMS President and Dr. Chang Na was thanked for her year of service as President in 2020. The Board of Directors was thanked for their guidance throughout 2020 and Dr. Soham Shaw was welcomed to the Board of Directors. Dr. Shah will be replacing Dr. Claudia Jonah who is leaving the Board due to retirement, and she was thanked for her service as well. |
|
Chrisy Muchow, KCMS Executive Director gave an update on the Medical Society during 2020, highlighting the COVID-19 resources and PPE distribution that were the most important aspects of the activities of the Medical Society in 2020. |
|
We had two 2020 Outstanding Physician Awardees, both of which are very deserving of the honor and both of which are retiring, Dr. Claudia Jonah and Dr. Edward "Bill" Taylor. |
|
We also honored long-time employee Kathy Hughes for her 34 years of service to the Medical Society and heard from Dr. Peter Bretan, CMA President, Rudy Salas, our Assemblymember for District 32 and our 2020 KCMS Business Partners.
KCMS would like to extend a special thank you to:
-
Dr. Peter Bretan, CMA President for providing an update on CMA's 2020 COVID-19 response and their vision for 2021.
-
Assemblymember Rudy Salas for providing a video and participating in the virtual event.
-
Dignity Health Bakersfield Memorial Hospital for their business partnership.
-
LeBeau Thelen for their business partnership.
-
Cooperative of American Physicians for their business partnership.
Thank you all. The event would not have been a success without you!
|
|
Peer coaches offer tips to feel more empowered and create resiliency within the health care workforce |
|
Few have escaped feelings of grief, burnout and exhaustion this year, and as community healers, physicians shoulder the double responsibility of caring for the health of their own minds, bodies and spirits, so they can provide the best patient care.
To that end, the California Medical Association’s (CMA) wellness initiative (CMA Wellness) offers free and confidential peer coaching – with trained physicians and nurses – to build empowerment around the unique challenges health care workers are facing in the global pandemic. More...
|
|
How ACE Training Helps My Patients Through the COVID-19 Pandemic |
I am a primary care pediatrician. My usual day consists of seeing a few dozen kids in my office. Most of them are healthy and happy. We discuss growth and development, give some immunizations, and answer parental questions. Then COVID-19 hit, and everything changed.
My role has dramatically shifted in the last seven months. Now I spend a great deal of time each day helping families deal with the psychological impacts of COVID-19 and the unintended consequences of our response to the coronavirus. More...
|
|
Anthem provides clarification on scope of CVS specialty medication policy |
In September 2020, Anthem Blue Cross sent notices to affected physicians and hospitals advising that it would begin requiring them to obtain certain specialty medications administered in the office or outpatient hospital setting for commercial PPO and EPO patients through CVS Specialty pharmacy. The notice indicated the policy will be effective for dates of service on or after December 1, 2020. More...
|
|
DHCS announces delay in Medi-Cal Rx transition |
In an effort to ensure a smooth transition amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) announced its decision to delay the transition to Medi-Cal Rx by three months, until April 1, 2021. In the interim, all current prescription drug service processes and protocols, both effectuated by DHCS and Medi-Cal managed care plans, will remain unchanged and in place until Medi-Cal Rx launches. More...
|
|
CMA joins coalition urging payors to reimburse for new CPT code 99072 |
On November 10, 2020, the California Medical Association (CMA) signed onto several coalition letters, spearheaded by the American Medical Association (AMA), urging payors across the nation to immediately adopt and pay for the new Current Procedural Terminology (CPT®) code, 99072. By signing the letter, CMA joined more than 100 organizations that cumulatively represent the hundreds of thousands of physicians who provide care for our nation’s patients every day. More...
|
|
Reminder: HHS funds available to cover COVID-19 treatment for uninsured patients |
In April, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced a process for allocating approximately $10 billion of the $100 billion Public Health and Emergency Fund enacted as part of the CARES Act to cover treatment of uninsured patients diagnosed with COVID-19. In addition, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act appropriated $1 billion to reimburse providers for conducting coronavirus testing for the uninsured. More...
|
|
AMA announces vaccine-specific CPT codes for coronavirus immunizations |
The American Medical Association (AMA) Nov. 10, published an update to the Current Procedural Terminology (CPT®) code set that includes new vaccine-specific codes to report immunizations for the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). More...
|
|
Medical Board of California Elects New Board President |
(Sacramento, California) – The Medical Board of California (Board) elected Kristina Daniel Lawson as Board President during its quarterly meeting held November 12-13 via WebEx teleconference. Lawson succeeds outgoing Board President Denise Pines, who has served in that position since July 2018. More...
|
|
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.
|
|
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.
|
|
Upcoming FREE CMA Webinars |
Diabetes and COVID-19 in the Outpatient Setting: What Clinicians Need to Know *CME Available
December 2, 2020 | 10:00AM - 11:00AM
Virtual Grand Rounds: The National COVID-19 Surge and Hope for 2021 *CME Available
December 8, 2020 | 12:00PM - 1:30PM
Telemedicine in Asthma Management: What Clinicians Need to Know
December 9, 2020 | 4:00PM - 5:00PM
December 15, 2020 | 10:00AM - 11:00AM
Telehealth Series for Small and Medium Sized Practices: (Pt. 8) Telehealth Office Workflow
December 10, 2020 | 12:15PM - 1:15PM
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
