| |
|
FEBRUARY 10, 2026
News and Resources for Physicians and their staff in Kern County
| | | |  | |
|
Executive Director's recap of the MEC Retreat
As the Executive Director for KCMS, I had the opportunity to attend the Medical Executives Conference Retreat this past week, which provided valuable updates and strategic insights relevant to both CMA and county medical societies.
Key sessions included the CMA Priorities Report presented by CMA CEO Dustin Corcoran, discussions on building a sustainable future for CMA and county medical societies, and a review of the Board of Trustees' fiduciary responsibilities. We also received an overview of the upcoming Clear Vantage migration to a new, more user-friendly system, along with a current membership update.
Additional highlights included an update from Dr. Rene Bravo, CMA President, and Dr. George Fouras, who shared an AMA Delegate update. Best practices and colleague discussions covered timely topics such as the KCMS Perks Program, affordable housing for medical professionals, regional workforce summits, and an upcoming private equity education series.
The retreat offered meaningful opportunities to exchange ideas, learn from peer societies, and bring back actionable insights that will support our ongoing work and strategic priorities.
| | |
Celebrating Excellence: Highlights from the Evening of Distinction
A magical time was had by all who attended the Evening of Distinction, which was a wonderful celebration of excellence, service, and leadership within our medical community. We were honored to gather with physicians, guests, and community partners to recognize those whose dedication and impact continue to elevate healthcare in Kern County.
Thank you to everyone who joined us for this special evening and helped make it such a meaningful success. We are also sincerely grateful to our event sponsors—CNS, Around the Clock, and CAP—for their generous support and continued partnership.
A highlight of the evening was the presentation of the 2025 Outstanding Physician Award to Dr. Sarabjit K, Singh, in recognition of his exceptional commitment to patient care, leadership, and service to our community. Other notable moments were the CMA priorities update shared by Dr. Jack Chou, CMA President-Elect, and the installation of our distinguished 2026 Board of Directors.
Enjoy a few highlights below, and click the link to view the full photo gallery, where you can also download high-resolution photos or web-friendly photos from the evening.
| | |
View the full photo gallery and download by clicking the links!
Use the web-friendly to easily share on social! Tag us @kcmsdoctors!
Photos by: AprilMcGill
Instagram @aprilmcgill_aprilco
Facebook @aprilcophoto
| |
| |
| |
CMA endorses Congressman Eric Swalwell for Governor
The California Medical Association (CMA), representing more than 50,000 physicians across the state, today announced its endorsement of Congressman Eric Swalwell for Governor of California, citing his demonstrated commitment to strengthening the health care system, expanding access to care, fighting to restore the devastating federal funding cuts and supporting physicians on the front lines.
“Congressman Eric Swalwell is the clear choice for California physicians because he understands that a strong health care system is the backbone of a strong economy and healthy communities,” said CMA President René Bravo, M.D. “At a moment when our health care system is under enormous strain, we need proven, decisive leadership, and Eric Swalwell has shown he is ready to lead.” More...
| | |
| |
Introducing CMA Audio News: A new way to stay informed
To help physicians stay current on fast-moving policy and practice issues, the California Medical Association (CMA) is launching CMA Audio News, a new members-only feature available exclusively in the CMADocs app.
More...
| | |
| |
Speaker pro tem Monique Limón to address CMA Legislative Advocacy Day
For the first time, the California State Senate is being led by a woman of color. In November, Democratic State Senator Monique Limón of Santa Barbara was formally sworn in as Senate President Pro Tempore, becoming the first Latina to hold the position.
Now, she’s bringing her perspective on leadership, policy and the future of California to physicians at the 52nd Annual Legislative Advocacy Day, hosted by the California Medical Association. More...
| | |
| |
Covered California sees big shifts in enrollments: Why verifying eligibility is critical in 2026
With the expiration of the enhanced Affordable Care Act (ACA) premium tax credits, Covered California is seeing a marked increase in enrollee-generated plan cancellations and enrollees moving toward lower-premium Bronze plans, which carry higher deductibles and cost-sharing responsibilities.
Given these developments, the California Medical Association (CMA) is advising physician practices to exercise diligence in verifying patient eligibility and benefits prior to visits. More...
| | |
| |
House narrowly passes revised spending package, delays long-term DHS funding
The U.S. House of Representatives narrowly approved a revised version of H.R. 7148, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026, by a 217-214 vote, and the bill was signed into law on Feb. 3, ending a partial federal government shutdown. The final law funds multiple agencies for fiscal year 2026, including Labor, Health and Human Services (HHS), and Education, and advances key health care policies supported by organized medicine.
Lawmakers removed long-term funding for the Department of Homeland Security from the consolidated bill amid sharp disagreement in Congress over immigration enforcement policies tied to recent deaths during ICE operations. Rather than hold up the entire appropriations package, the enacted law includes a short-term continuing resolution to keep DHS operating for two weeks while members continue negotiating conditions and oversight before approving a longer-term funding plan. More...
| | |
| |
AMA accepting applications for Medical Justice in Advocacy Fellowship
The American Medical Association (AMA) is now accepting applications for the next cohort of its Medical Justice in Advocacy Fellowship, a leadership development program designed to help physicians build skills in policy advocacy and advance more equitable health outcomes.
The fellowship, offered in collaboration with the Satcher Health Leadership Institute at Morehouse School of Medicine, focuses on preparing physicians to address social and structural drivers of health through advocacy, community engagement and systems-level change. The program is designed for physicians who want to strengthen their ability to influence policy and lead efforts that improve health in historically underserved communities. More...
| | |
8 wins for doctors, patients in latest federal budget deal
The newly passed federal government funding package includes a bipartisan package of health care proposals that includes important parts of the AMA’s policy agenda, from telehealth to burnout and prescription-drug pricing. Specifically, the budget deal—which helped to avoid a protracted federal government shutdown as seen in the fall—includes these eight big wins for patients and physicians. More...
| | |
Drug shortages affect 88% of primary care physicians
In the first-ever survey to look at the drug shortage problem through the lens of physicians, AMA researchers found that drug shortages affect nearly 90% of primary care physicians, leading to treatment delays or the need for an alternative drug. In rare instances, severe adverse outcomes were reported.
At their highest level in a decade, drug shortages are driven by numerous factors such as supply chain disruptions, few manufacturers, regulatory hurdles, natural disasters and demand surges. More...
| | | | |
Looking for Upcoming Events & Webinars
Due to the number of upcoming events & webinars available, we send information for them in a separate email. See our last email:
Upcoming Events & Webinars
| | | | |
