October 21, 2022

Last Chance to Apply: Public Service Loan Forgiveness Waiver

Until Oct. 31, 2022, federal student loan borrowers can get credit for payments that previously didn’t qualify for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) or Temporary Expanded Public Service Loan Forgiveness (TEPSLF). Under the limited PSLF waiver, you can get credit for past payments even if you didn’t make the payment on time, didn’t pay the full amount due, or weren’t on the right repayment plan. Apply before the deadline! 

Physicians No Longer Required to Report All COVID Cases



CDPH revised COVID-19 reporting requirements for health care providers. As of October 4, physicians are no longer required to report every confirmed or suspected case of COVID and are only required to report patient hospitalizations and deaths. Health care providers conducting point of care testing must still report test results consistent with the requirements for laboratories. Read more here. 

U.S. Surgeon General Releases New Framework for Mental Health & Wellbeing in the Workplace



United States Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy released a new Surgeon General’s Framework for Mental Health & Well-Being in the Workplace outlining the foundational role that workplaces should play in promoting the health and well-being of workers and our communities. Dr. Murthy outlines Five Essentials for Workplace Mental Health and Well-Being to help organizations develop, institutionalize, and update policies, processes, and practices that best support the mental health and well-being of all workers: 1) protection from harm, 2) connection and community, 3) work-life harmony, 4) mattering at work, and 5) opportunities for growth. This framework is a call to put mental health at the forefront of the conversation and understand how work-life balance plays a role in the wellbeing of our communities. 

CDC Votes to Keep COVID Vaccines Free to Uninsured Children



On Wednesday, the CDC voted unanimously to include COVID-19 vaccines in the Vaccines for Children program after the federal government shifts COVID immunizations to the commercial market. Uninsured and underinsured children, those who qualify for Medicaid and Native American children all qualify for the Vaccines for Children program.

A Path Forward to Advancing Physician Wellbeing

The National Academy of Medicine (NAM) Action Collaborative on Clinician Well-Being and Resilience recently launched the National Plan for Health Workforce Well-Being. The National Plan demonstrates that investment in health worker well-being must come from multiple levels. Health leaders and other key decision-makers across sectors – with support from frontline workers and the public – must collectively support a new social contract that begins with a coordinated national movement and system of evaluation and accountability. The National Plan identifies specific actions to achieve the following priorities: 

• Create and sustain positive work and learning environments and culture 
• Invest in measurement, assessment, strategies, and research 
• Support mental health and reduce stigma 
• Address compliance, regulatory, and policy barriers for daily work 
• Engage effective technology tools 
• Institutionalize well-being as a long-term value 
• Recruit and retain a diverse and inclusive health workforce 

CMA House of Delegates Convenes this Weekend

This weekend, physician delegates from across California are gathering in LA for the 151st Annual Session of CMA House of Delegates. Three major issues will be discussed: physician workforce, health care reform, and mental health. Check out the HOD webpage for live updates or follow CMA on Twitter. 

Alameda County Public Health Alert: Be Alert for Ebola Virus Symptoms



There are no suspected or confirmed cases of Ebola virus reported in the U.S., but our local physicians are requested to be alert for symptoms of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD). CDPH and the CDC are closely monitoring the outbreak in Uganda and providing guidance and notification to local health jurisdictions receiving travelers from Uganda. Click here for the full health alert from Alameda County Health Care Services Agency. 

ACCMA 154th Annual Meeting is Two Weeks Away



Join us back in person for the 154th ACCMA Annual Meeting this November! Enjoy a lively reception, formal dinner, and presentation featuring our 2023 ACCMA President, Edmon Soliman, MD, and a very special guest speaker. Keena Turner, Legendary #58 and 4-time super bowl champion for the SF 49ers, will join us to discuss sportsmanship, teamwork, the championship mindset, and what it took to win and sustain dominance during his eleven-year professional football career. Now, Vice President and Senior Advisor to the General Manager, Keena will highlight his "Team of the Decade", the future of today's Niners, and successful leadership tools and qualities. Reserve your spot here. 

Harm Reduction and Treatment Strategies for People Who Use Fentanyl

Wednesday, October 26 | 10:00 to 11:00 am 

Hosted by the National Overdose Prevention Network 

Many people use fentanyl, whether by choice or by accident. With overdose-related deaths continuing to rise, how do we keep people safe? This first session in our webinar series on fentanyl will focus on harm reduction strategies and treatment options for people who use fentanyl. We will hear from a harm reduction expert and a clinician on key strategies and opportunities to center people who use drugs and save lives. 

Register here. 

Climate and Health Advocacy Bootcamp

Thursday, October 27 | 12:00 to 1:30 pm 

Hosted by the Medical Society Consortium on Climate and Health 

Health professionals are the most trusted voices in society and our collective voices are needed to prepare communities to effectively respond to the climate crisis. Through this 5-week bootcamp, you will grow your network by joining colleagues around the country to learn strategies to effectively channel your voice and action as a health professional to address the “greatest health threat” of the 21st Century. 

Register here.

The Future of Primary Care in California 

Tuesday, November 1 | 12:15 to 1:15 pm 

FREE | Hosted by CMA 

Recently, six California payors signed a Memorandum of Understanding committing to work together on a shared set of goals designed to improve the provision of primary care in California over the next three years. The goals include expanded transparency, value-based payment reform, increased investment and practice transformation support for person-centered care. In this webinar, physicians will learn about this new initiative and how it will help them provide higher quality patient care. In addition, physicians will hear a description of how one payor – Blue Shield of California – is implementing Advanced Primary Care in their network. With this knowledge, primary care physicians will be able to prepare their practices to meet the goals of the program, improving the experience of their patients. 

Register here. 

ACCMA's 154th Annual Meeting

Friday, November 4 | 6:00 pm

The Claremont Hotel, Berkeley

Join us back in person for the 154th ACCMA Annual Meeting this November! Enjoy a lively reception, formal dinner, and presentation featuring our 2023 ACCMA President, Edmon Soliman, MD, and a very special guest speaker. Keena Turner, Legendary #58 and 4-time super bowl champion for the SF 49ers, will join us to discuss sportsmanship, teamwork, the championship mindset, and what it took to win and sustain dominance during his eleven-year professional football career. Now, Vice President and Senior Advisor to the General Manager, Keena will highlight his "Team of the Decade", the future of today's Niners, and successful leadership tools and qualities. 

Reserve your spot here.

Virtual Grand Rounds: COVID-19 Updates and the Health Implications of Wildfire Smoke 

Tuesday, November 8 | 12:00 to 1:00 pm 

FREE | Hosted by CMA 

Wildfires seem to have become a yearly norm in California. Many public health experts have wondered what the short -and long-term health impacts of this frequent particulate exposure are for California communities. In the past two wildfire seasons, scientists have also looked at the impact of wildfire smoke exposure on patients with COVID-19 infections. In this webinar, Erica Pan, M.D., MPH, and John Balmes, M.D., will discuss the evolution of COVID-19 in California, as well the impacts of wildfire activity on the state of our health. 

Register here. 

CMS Medicare Updates 2023 

Tuesday, November 8 | 12:15 to 1:15 pm 

FREE | Hosted by CMA 

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Regional Chief Medical Officer Ashby Wolfe, M.D., will provide an update on CMS policy for the 2023 calendar year. Information presented will be relevant to practicing clinicians, including an overview of the updates to the 2023 Physician Fee Schedule. 

Register here.

Bay Area Physician Wellness Collaborative 

Tuesday, November 15 | 6:00 to 8:00 pm 

FREE | CME Available | Online 

Join a roundtable of your colleagues – leaders from medical groups, hospital medical staffs, residency programs and other physician organizations – to learn and share how to apply the organizational culture and practice changes that can reduce physician burnout and drive professional fulfillment. Learn more here. 

The next meeting of the collaborative will focus on creating a center or committee for physician wellbeing within your organization. Learn about self-care support systems, peer support resources, mental health referrals and consultation services, life-needs support mechanisms, and other comprehensive wellbeing resources. This collaborative is by invitation only; please click here to indicate your interest in joining the collaborative.