IN THIS ISSUE

Features

Take action on Prop 35 now!


Medical practices subject to Corporate Transparency Act


Streamline prior authorization


Santa Rosa City Council amends tax proposal


Other highlights

NEW! Physicians Outside of the Office


NEW! 2025 SMLMA

Healthcare Conference

Hyatt Regency, Santa Rosa

SAVE THE DATE

Friday, Feb. 7, 2025

Conference info coming soon.

Wendy Davies, Executive Director

As we approach the 2024 election season, it is crucial to stay informed about developments that may impact our profession. Please keep an eye on SMLMA's new monthly New Briefs section titled "Legislative Recap" for important updates as we move toward the November elections.


Proposition 35 is a key ballot measure we will be closely monitoring in the coming months. Prop 35 will protect and enhance our healthcare system for all. The Proposition secures ongoing revenue by extending an existing tax on health insurance companies — without raising taxes on individuals — and dedicating these funds to protect and expand access to care for all Californians. (See Prop 35 new Action Center details below.)

Please join SMLMA and our Bay Area medical community colleagues for a virtual Town Hall hosted by SMCMA, featuring California Medical Association CEO Dustin Corcoran, who will explain the importance of Proposition 35 for physicians. A Q&A session moderated by SMCMA President Dr. Cindy Cooper will follow.


Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2024 • 6:30 p.m. 

Registered attendees will receive a Zoom link

REGISTER HERE

LEGISLATIVE RECAP

PROP 35 CAMPAIGN UNVEILS NEW ACTION CENTER

Physicians and practice leaders urged to take action now!

Prop 35, the November ballot initiative that will secure dedicated funding to keep hospitals, clinics and doctors’ offices open, has launched a new Action Center to activate supporters. Physicians are trusted messengers across regional and partisan lines and are important advocates to ensure California votes Yes on 35 to protect and expand access to healthcare. Visit the Prop 35 Action Center to:

Share your story

Post on social media

Order campaign schwag

Email a friend or colleague

• Download materials

MEDICAL PRACTICES SUBJECT TO NEW FEDERAL LAW

The Corporate Transparency Act

New federal legislation called the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) went into effect Jan. 1, 2024, and will impact your practice. The CTA requires compliance by Dec. 31, 2024, and failure to do so will result in the imposition of unnecessary penalties.


The CTA requires certain businesses, called “reporting companies," to provide a beneficial ownership information report containing detailed information about the reporting company and the people who own, control, or helped create it. Because medical practices are professional medical corporations in California, medical practices generally are considered reporting companies. Full details here.

Members may contact SMLMA business partner Thakur Law Firm (TLF) for assistance complying with CTA requirements: Email info@thakurlawfirm.com or call 844-394-6430 to set up an appointment regarding your situation. See additional information regarding TLF legal services and benefits for members on the SMLMA website.

Help CMA streamline prior authorization

SB 516 will reduce the number of prior authorization requirements and ensure your resources and time are invested in patient care, not unnecessary health plan bureaucracy.

 

The legislation requires health plans to submit a prior authorization report to the state with code approval rates and will remove prior authorization for all codes with a 90% or higher approval rate. The data reporting will spotlight how health plans are using prior authorization to deny care and gives the state authority to ban the use of prior authorization on a code-by-code-basis. Take action now and urge your legislator to vote yes on SB 516.

SMLMA LEADERSHIP TEAM REPRESENTS YOU AT CITY COUNCIL MEETING

Santa Rosa City Council amends tax proposal

Following several weeks of pressure from local business groups and organizations, a proposed ballot measure for increases in Santa Rosa's business license tax was downsized for voter consideration in November. SMLMA was among the healthcare organizations meeting with City Council members to express a high level of concern about the impact to local medical providers. Read full coverage in the North Bay Business Journal here, including comments from SMLMA President Dr. Warren Chin.

NEWS AND EVENTS

NEW! PHYSICIANS OUTSIDE THE OFFICE

Join your colleagues for socializing and fun

This is a new feature of News Briefs, spotlighting SMLMA physicians enjoying and sharing their interests outside of the office. If you have an event or activity to list, please contact Susan Gumucio at susan@smlma.org or 707-481-8995.

To kick off the new section, we're starting with Dr. Jesse Rael and the Dry Creek Station Band. Check the Station website for videos and venue details, and see below where you can catch the Band's vibrant, foot-stomping sounds in September. Let's dance!


SEPTEMBER VENUES: DRY CREEK STATION BAND

Sunday, Sept. 1: T-Up Golf, McCormicks Beer House, Ukiah, 7:00 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 7: Foothill HOA picnic, Windsor, 5:00 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 14: Kunde Winery, Sonoma Valley, 5:00 p.m.

Welcome new SMLMA members!

We look forward to supporting you and your practice.


THE PERMANENTE MEDICAL GROUP

Benakar Batista, MD

Obstetrics & Gynecology

Bruce Espenshade, MD

Family Medicine

Hoi Huang, MD

Radiology

Susan Taylor Peters, MD

Obstetrics & Gynecology

Timothy Peters, MD

Psychiatry

Shane Sobrio, MD

Emergency Medicine

COMMUNITY BULLETIN BOARD

IN THE NEWS

Providence announces the addition of a new endocrinologist to our Santa Rosa medical staff, Beatrice Brumley, MD. The recruitment of this specialist was made possible by the generous support of the Hansel family, who joined with other leading local philanthropists to launch Providence’s Destination Sonoma, a new philanthropy-supported program to address the physician shortage in Sonoma County. Read full press release here.


To learn more about philanthropy-supported physician recruitment and how your support can bring talented new physicians to our community, please contact Santa Rosa Memorial Foundation’s president and chief philanthropy officer Rebecca Kendall at 707-547-4680 or rebecca.kendall@providence.org.

DONATIONS NEEDED

National Preparedness Month highlights need for blood donors. Non-profit Vitalant urges eligible donors to give blood and help ensure the country’s blood supply can meet the needs of all patients. The need remains especially critical for type O blood. See press release and list of September locations for community blood drives in Sonoma, Mendocino, and Lake counties.

SEPTEMBER WEBINARS AND PRESENTATIONS

Adventist Health Ukiah Valley

Chronic Pain and Opioid Management, featuring Ariana Abid, MD

Join the Medical Staff Office for this CME presentation that counts toward the DEA Opioid Education requirement. Attend in person or virtually on TEAMS (link provided upon RSVP). See flier for details. To register and/or receive future CME invitations directly from Adventist Health, contact Nate Pardini at 707-972-3023 or pardinn@ah.org.

Friday, Sept. 6, 2024 • 8:00 - 9:00 a.m.

California Medical Association

Virtual Grand Rounds: Strong Start and Beyond

Attendees will hear from California Surgeon General Diana E. Ramos, MD, MPH, MBA, about the multistakeholder movement “Strong Start and Beyond," an imperative initiative dedicated to reducing maternal mortality and morbidity, with a particular emphasis on addressing disparities and a concentrated focus on cardiovascular disease across the lifespan.

Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024 • 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. | REGISTER HERE

Sutter Health

The Sutter Health Virtual Grand Rounds is a Continuing Education (CE) webinar series hosted by Sutter Health Network providers for all medical professionals across Northern California. Interactive Q&A session takes place with each live event. Learn about the series here.


Evaluation and Management of Adrenal Incidentaloma

Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2024 • 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. | REGISTER HERE


Machine Perfusion in Liver Transplantation

Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024 • 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. | REGISTER HERE


Prescription Drug Overuse

Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024 • 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. | REGISTER HERE

SHVGR on-demand library

MEMBERSHIP MATTERS

COOPERATIVE OF AMERICAN PHYSICIANS

Free guide for managing nurse practitioners

and physician assistants

 Download CAP’s recently published resource, The Physician’s Guide to Working With Advanced Practice Providers, and discover best practices for hiring and managing APPs to help you reduce your liability risk and optimize revenue. This guide provides essential support for any practice currently (or considering) employing APPs. Download your free guide here.

To learn about advantages of being a CAP member:

Contact Dorine Leong at 650-543-2183 or DLeong@CAPphysicians.com. 

Request an Instant Quote on medical malpractice coverage.