PULSE is our electronic publication emailed weekly to keep physicians' practices up to date with time sensitive information.
June 25, 2020
Legislature reaches agreement with Gov. Newsom on budget that protects vital health care programs
The California Legislature and Governor Gavin Newsom have reached an agreement on a balanced budget for fiscal year 2020-2021 that protects vital health care programs.

The California Medical Association (CMA) is grateful that the budget preserves essential health care safety net programs at a time when Medi-Cal caseload is expected to grow by more than 2 million cases in the coming year. The budget also protects investments in California's health care workforce, which will help ensure all Californians, regardless of economic status, will have access to care when they need it. More...
Take Action: Urge Senate to reject NP scope expansion
The California Senate is currently considering a bill that would grant full practice authority to nurse practitioners (NPs). This bill (AB 890, Wood) would remove critical patient protections by allowing NPs to practice without physician supervision.

AB 890 is merely an outline of a major policy change, which lacks critical details related to nurse practitioner competency requirements, scope limitations and many other details. As it stands, it is dangerous to move forward with this bill, which will do nothing to improve access to health care in California. More...

Webinar Next Week - FREE FOR ALL
Diversifying Revenue Through Value-Based Care with Aledade
 
CMA Physician Services has partnered with Aledade, to help independent primary care physicians and health centers successfully pursue value-based care. Adelade does this by working with independent primary care physicians and health centers to build and lead Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) that allow them to remain independent and thrive financially by keeping people healthy.
 
June 29, 2020 - 12:00pm to 1:00pm
 
Physicians can opt out of MIPS for 2020 and be held harmless from payment adjustments
This week the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)  announced  that physicians will have the option to opt out completely or partially from Medicare’s 2020 Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) program. More...
USMLE opens regional testing center at UCSF
Prometric, which administers the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE), has resumed limited testing at  select centers . Prometric had previously suspended all testing due to the COVID-19 pandemic. More...
Anthem to require use of CVS Specialty for HMO specialty medications
On April 1, 2020, Anthem  notified physicians  that it will soon require that specialty pharmacy medications administered in the office or outpatient hospital setting be obtained exclusively through CVS Specialty pharmacy. The notice states that the requirement applies to Anthem’s commercial HMO effective with July 1, 2020 , dates of service. However, the California Medical Association (CMA) has learned that this requirement will also extend to Anthem’s Medi-Cal Managed Care product. More...
OptumRx to reinstate policy requiring e-prescribing for controlled substances July 1
OptumRx—the pharmacy benefit provider for UnitedHealthcare—will reinstate its mandatory e-prescribing policy for controlled substances effective July 1, 2020. During the COVID-19 national emergency, OptumRx home delivery pharmacy had suspended its policy to temporarily allow prescriptions for controlled substances received by hard copy, fax or phone to be filled as long as the prescription meets federal and state regulatory requirements. More...
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