Weekly Roundup: In Case You Missed It

April 14, 2023

Updated Training Requirements for Prescribing Controlled Substances


The Medication Access and Training Expansion (MATE) Act eliminated the x-waiver requirement, and now requires all prescribers of schedule II-V controlled substances to complete a total of 8 hours of training on treating opioid use (OUD) and substance use disorders (SUD). After June 27th, 2023, physicians will be required to check a box on their DEA application or renewal to indicate they've completed the training. Currently, many physicians hold prior eligibility and do not need to complete an additional 8 hours of training. Read more here

Wind Down After Work at Retro Junkie


Join us on Wednesday, April 26th for a fun and relaxing evening at Retro Junkie in Walnut Creek. Hang out at the beer garden, play pinball and arcade games, and enjoy appetizers, courtesy of ACCMA. Members are welcome +1 guest. RSVP to rsvp@accma.org or call (510) 654-5383 no later than Friday, April 21. 

COVID Therapeutics Update


On April 17th, the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) will launch an updated version of the Health Partner Order Portal (HPoP). Current users will receive an email from noreply.hpop@hhs.gov on April 17th requiring them to reauthenticate their accounts along with the link to the new URL. HHS is NOT issuing these emails prior to April 17th. All existing users MUST reauthenticate in the new system in order to remain active.

Change in Reimbursement Rate for Mpox Vaccine


Effective for dates of service on or after February 1, 2023, DHCS will no longer reimburse the administration of mpox vaccines (JYNNEOS) based on the enhanced Medicare rate approved by the U.S. Federal Government since the mpox public health emergency has ended. 

Updated Payor Profiles for 2023



CMA’s Center for Economic Services has published updated profiles on each of the major payors in California including Aetna, Anthem Blue Cross, Blue Shield, Cigna, Health Net, UnitedHealthcare, Medi-Cal and Medicare (Noridian). Each profile includes key information on health plan market penetration; a description of the plan’s dispute resolution process; and the name and contact numbers for medical directors, provider relations, and other key contacts. Available for free to members

Podcasts: Managing Stress



April is National Stress Awareness Month, and Dr. Neha Sangwan, founder of Intuitive Intelligence, joins the AMA STEPS Forward® podcast for two episodes focused on how to navigate conflict and challenging emotions in How to Master Communicating with the Most Challenging Personalities in Your Life (Apple Podcasts | Spotify) and How to Handle Challenging Emotions—in Ourselves, Patients, and Those We Lead (Apple Podcasts | Spotify). 

Nominate a Deserving Colleague


The Dr. J Elliott Royer Award program provides recognition to persons who practice medicine in Alameda, Contra Costa, or San Francisco counties and have made significant contributions to the advancement of neurology. The award alternates each year between the specialties of Neurology and Psychiatry. This year, two recipients will be selected for this cash award of $30,000, one to an academic neurologist and the other to a community-based practitioner. The committee will accept no more than three letters - one nominating and two supporting. The nomination must be accompanied by a curriculum vitae. Please submit nominations electronically as one complete PDF to: stephanie.belger@ucsf.edu.

CMA Statement on Texas Judge Ruling to Ban Mifepristone


Donaldo Hernandez, M.D., CMA President, issued the following statement in response to the decision made by a judge in the Amarillo division of the Northern District of Texas in the lawsuit against the FDA over its approval of mifepristone: “The judge’s ruling today is yet another violation of patients’ right to evidence-based reproductive health services and represents a further erosion of the individual’s legitimate right to private health choices. It is a direct attack on the practice of medicine and the patient-physician relationship and signals that attacks on reproductive freedom will continue well into the foreseeable future...”. Click here to read the full statement.

WEBINARS & EVENTS

End of the X-Waiver: A New Frontier in Addiction Treatment 

Wednesday, April 19 | 10:00 to 11:00 am 

Hosted by the National Overdose Prevention Network 

 

The recent elimination of the X-Waiver, a burdensome requirement for clinicians to prescribe addiction treatment, is now gone ... what’s next? Dr. Roneet Lev, an emergency and addiction physician who served as the first Chief Medical Officer of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy joins us for a conversation breaking down the new legislative move, what it means for providers, and steps you can take to get more clinicians to prescribe addiction treatment in your community. 

 

Register here.

49th Annual CMA Legislative Day 

Wednesday, April 19  

 

Join us for an all-day event in Sacramento to lobby legislators on priority health care issues. Members who join us will be provided an agenda that highlights all legislative meetings and talking points, so this is a great opportunity for first-timers to experience the legislative process in action.  

 

Click here to RSVP. 

Introduction to Value-Based Care for Physicians 

Thursday, April 20 | 12:15 to 1:15 pm 

 

CMA’s PSO is proud to partner with Integrated Healthcare Association to provide this webinar and other resources to help physician practices, community health centers and other stakeholders improve encounter data quality.  

 

Click here to register. 

A System-Level Approach to EHR Inbox Reduction 

Tuesday, May 9 | 9:00 am 

Hosted by the American Medical Assocation 

 

Join Christine Sinsky, MD and Jane Fogg, MD, MPH for this live discussion about the benefits of taming the EHR inbox and how to take the first step. 

 

Registration required. 

Health IT: Powering Value-Based Care 

Monday, May 22 | 9:00 am to 4:00 pm 

Sacramento, CA | Free for CMA members 

 

Save the date for CMA’s first annual healt IT conference. The conference will bring together thought leaders from across California and the nation to explore the intersection of technology and payment reform. CMA expects a diverse set of attendees that will include physicians, medical groups and IPAs, health plans, health information organizations (HIOs) and others who will take the learnings from this conference to change how care is delivered in this state. 

 

Register here

ACCMA's On-Demand Library


To access all on-demand programs, go to https://www.pathlms.com/medical-society/courses 

 

QUESTIONS/CONCERNS?

Please contact ACCMA at 510-654-5383 or accma@accma.orgwith any questions or concerns you have.
  
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