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SDCMS "News You Can Use" (2012.09.14)

by: San Diego County Medical Society
Published September 14, 2012

SDCMS “News You Can Use”
— September 14, 2012

Click Here (if you're at a computer) or Click Here (if you're on your smartphone / tablet) for a 9-minute Video Update on National and State Issues Affecting Physicians From SDCMS' CEO

SDCMS’ 2012 Medical Office Salary Survey & Physician Salary Survey
Member physicians may obtain the results of these two comprehensive surveys by contacting Marisol at MGonzalez@SDCMS.org.

SDCMS “Physician Leader’s Toolbox” Workshop on Saturday, November 10 and Sunday, November 11 (1/2 day!)
An exceptional opportunity for SDCMS members to build your leadership skills and your network. To register, email me at Gehring@SDCMS.org. Click here for further details.

SDCMS Media Training on Saturday, September 29, 8:30am (sharp) to 11:30am
Practice your newspaper, radio, standup TV interview, and TV panel media skills. Email me at Gehring@SDCMS.org if you wish to attend.

CONTENTS …

  • Hepatitis Free San Diego Call to Action
  • Coxsackievirus A6 Quicksheet and Photo Library
  • Flesh-Eating Bacteria Kills Vacationing Texas Boy
  • Workers’ Compensation Reform Bill on Governor’s Desk
  • Trial Lawyers Crushed in Move to Modify MICRA
  • CMA Advocacy Resulted in Three Important Health Bills on the Governor’s Desk
  • Aetna Terminating Physician Contracts for Referring PPO Patients to Out-of-network Facilities – CMA Sues!
  • Important Information on Blue Shield Recontracting Effort
  • Effective October, Blue Shield of California Will No Longer Provide Coverage for Over 31,000 Healthy Families Patients in California
  • CMA Member Named Chair of the California Assembly Health Committee
  • Resident and Fellows Participation Opportunities
  • 2013 Medicare Physician Payment Proposed Rule and AMA Comments
  • Doctors Can’t Challenge Medicare Audits, Appeals Court Rules
  • GME Funding Showdown Looms in Washington
  • HHS Delays ICD-10 Implementation to October 1st, 2014
  • Medicare to Require Prior Authorization of Power Mobility Devices
  • CMS Releases Stage 2 Requirements for Meaningful Use
  • Honor a Mentor in the November Issue of San Diego Physician Magazine!
  • Nominate Your Office Manager for SDCMS' 4th Annual "Outstanding Medical Office Manager" Contest Today!
  • Healing the Scars of the Wounded: Breakthrough Multidisciplinary Care for the Wounded Soldier
  • FAQ: What Is an NPI Number and How Do I Get One?
  • Boost Your Referral Marketing by Advertising in San Diego Physician Magazine
  • SDCMS Office Manager / Practice Administrator Online Forum!
  • Are You Checking SDCMS’ Twitter Feed?
  • EHR Vendor Demo Series: NextGen Healthcare and Mitochon Systems • Sept. 19, 25
  • Receive EHR Implementation Assistance at No Charge
  • SDCMS-CMA SEMINARS / WEBINARS /EVENTS
  • SAN DIEGO COUNTY HEALTHCARE EVENTS

MEDICAL …

Hepatitis Free San Diego — Call to Action
The Hepatitis Free San Diego Project is aimed at building a successful strategy to screen at-risk individuals for both hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) with an overall goal to assess the treatment needed and link the ones screened to an optimal care solution. Click here for further information, including how you can increase awareness of viral hepatitis and how it has affected our communities.

Coxsackievirus A6 (CVA6) Quicksheet and Photo Library
Because of the recent coxsackievirus A6 (CVA6) atypical hand, foot, and mouth disease activity in California, CDPH has developed a CVA6 quicksheet along with a collection of photos from patients with CVA6 infection.

Flesh-Eating Bacteria Kills Vacationing Texas Boy • Click Here

STATE …

Workers’ Compensation Reform Bill on Governor’s Desk
On August 31 (the last possible day) the California Legislature sent SB 863 to the governor’s desk. CMA first received the 300-page-long draft workers' compensation reform bill exactly three weeks prior to adjournment. CMA was directly and heavily engaged in the negotiations surrounding the bill. There was tremendous momentum behind moving this bill through in short order. In the early morning hours of the final day of session, Governor Brown called stakeholders — including CMA — into his office to express his strong desire to see SB 863 move through the Legislature before adjournment. At this point both the California Labor Federation – AFL-CIO and the Chamber of Commerce were actively supporting the measure. CMA obtained a number of crucial amendments. Click here for further details.

Trial Lawyers Crushed in Move to Modify MICRA
In the last days of the 2012 legislative session, a move by trial lawyers to undermine California’s Medical Injury Compensation Reform Act (MICRA) was overwhemlmly defeated because of the short-term CMA advocacy and the long-term pro-MICRA relationships created by SDCMS dues dollars and effort. Click here for details.

CMA Advocacy Resulted in Three Important Health Bills on the Governor’s Desk
In the waning hours of the 2011–12 legislative session, CMA advocacy resulted in successful passage of three sponsored bills — SB 1318: Healthcare Worker Vaccination; AB 2109: School Vaccinations; and AB 589: Medical School Scholarships.

Aetna Terminating Physician Contracts for Referring PPO Patients to Out-of-network Facilities – CMA Sues!
California doctors have received notices from Aetna purporting to terminate their provider contracts, claiming that the physician breached the provider contract by referring PPO beneficiaries to out-of-network facilities for covered medical services. CMA sued Aetna over this practice. The lawsuit alleges that, while Aetna is marketing and selling PPO products featuring out-of-network benefits, Aetna is unlawfully retaliating against patients who attempt to use their out-of-network benefits and contracted physicians who refer their patients to out-of-network providers and facilities. Member physicians can contact SDCMS’ physician advocate for assistance at (858) 300-2783 or at MGonzalez@SDCMS.org. Click here for additional information.

Important Information on Blue Shield Recontracting Effort • Click Here for Details

Effective October, Blue Shield of California Will No Longer Provide Coverage for Over 31,000 Healthy Families Patients in California • Click Here

CMA Member Named Chair of the California Assembly Health Committee
Assemblymember Richard Pan, MD, has been appointed chair of the California Assembly Health Committee — the first time in state history that a practicing pediatrician has held the post. Click here for details.

Resident and Fellows Participation Opportunities
If you are a CMA resident or fellow who would be interested in participating at this year’s House of Delegates meeting as a district delegate or alternate please, please email Gehring@SDCMS.org as soon as possible. The RFS schedule is as follows:

  • Friday, Oct. 12, 7pm: Future of Medicine Reception (Optional)
  • Saturday, Oct. 13, 6am–8am, 12pm–2pm: RFS Meeting
  • Sunday, Oct. 14, 8am–12pm: RFS Meeting
  • Monday, Oct. 15, 7am8am: RFS Meeting

FEDERAL …

2013 Medicare Physician Payment Proposed Rule and AMA Comments
Click here for further details. The final 2013 payment rule is expected to be issued by Nov. 1. To read AMA's comment letter, click here.

Doctors Can’t Challenge Medicare Audits, Appeals Court Rules
The decision prevents physicians from fighting recovery audit contractors over the reopening of old Medicare claims. Click here to read more.

GME Funding Showdown Looms in Washington
Many in organized medicine want more residency positions, but government officials have recommended reducing federal GME spending. Click here to read more.

HHS Delays ICD-10 Implementation to October 1, 2014 • Click Here for Details

Medicare to Require Prior Authorization of Power Mobility Devices • Click Here for Details

CMS Releases Stage 2 Requirements for Meaningful Use

  • Click here for a CMS fact sheet.
  • Click here for the final rule.
  • Click here for more information from CMA.
  • Click here for a stages 1 and 2 requirements chart from AMA.
  • Click here for AMA highlights of CMS' stage 2 requirements.
  • Click here for a detailed fact sheet on ONC’s standards and certification criteria final rule.
  • Click here for the Office of the Federal Register.
  • Click here for more information from CMS.

LOCAL …

Honor a Mentor in the November Issue of San Diego Physician Magazine!
SDCMS will be paying homage to those individuals who, either recently or in decades past, have inspired San Diego County's physicians in ways professional or personal to strive to achieve something beyond themselves. SDCMS members who would like to share their stories about their mentors are encouraged to submit those stories to Editor@SDCMS.org (anywhere from a paragraph to several hundred words) by October 1, 2012.

Nominate Your Office Manager for SDCMS' 4th Annual "Outstanding Medical Office Manager" Contest Today!
SDCMS member physicians can nominate their office manager by explaining in writing (up to 600 words) why their office manager is the best in San Diego County. Send nominations (and questions) to Kyle Lewis at SDCMS at KLewis@SDCMS.org. Nominations deadline is October 31, 2012.

Healing the Scars of the Wounded: Breakthrough Multidisciplinary Care for the Wounded Soldier • Click Here
Sept.19-21, 2012 • Hilton Mission Valley • Presented by the Naval Medical Center San Diego • An unsurpassed opportunity to gain insight into innovative advances in medical science that can dramatically increase the quality of life for the catastrophically injured.

MEMBER BENEFITS …

FAQ: What Is an NPI Number and How Do I Get One? Click Here

Boost Your Referral Marketing by Advertising in San Diego Physician Magazine
Special incentives and packages are available for SDCMS member physicians. Email Kyle Lewis — KLewis@SDCMS.org — at SDCMS for details.

Office Manager / Practice Administrator Online Forum! Click Here
SDCMS has created a private, invitation-only e-forum for office managers and practice administrators of SDCMS member physicians so that they can help each other and build a community of mutual support.

Are You Checking SDCMS’ Twitter Feed Daily From Your Browser / Smartphone? Click Here

EHR Vendor Demo Series: NextGen Healthcare and Mitochon Systems • Sept. 19, 25
Learn how you can obtain your EHR meaningful use incentives on Wednesday, September 19 and Tuesday, September 25! Demos start at 1pm, 3pm, 5pm, and 7pm, and take place at the Council of Community Clinics, 7535 Metropolitan Drive, San Diego, CA 92108 (Mission Valley area). No cost to attend. Lot parking available. Refreshments provided. If you have questions, or to RSVP, call Rob Yeates at (619) 542-4357 or email him at ryeates@ccc-sd.org. Hosted by CalHIPSO, the SDCMS Foundation, and Community Clinics Health Network.

Receive EHR Implementation Assistance at No Charge
Primary care practices of 10 or fewer practitioners can receive assistance in EHR implementation (internal medicine, family, adolescent, pediatrics, OB/GYN, or general practice all qualify through ARRA funding). contact Rob Yeates at Rob.Yeates@SDCMS.org or at (858) 300-2791.

SDCMS-CMA SEMINARS / WEBINARS /EVENTS …
For further information or to register for any of the following SDCMS seminars, webinars, or events, visit http://SDCMS.org/event or call SDCMS at (858) 565-8888.

SAN DIEGO COUNTY HEALTHCARE EVENTS …
To submit a community healthcare event for possible publication, email KLewis@SDCMS.org. Events should be physician-focused and should take place in or near San Diego County.

"Things won are done, joy's soul lies in the doing."
— William Shakespeare

Read more about: Health Policy, Managing Your Practice, News You Can Use, News You Can Use

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