NYCU October 28, 2025 October 28, 2025 Advocacy, Bird Flu, CAHAN Alerts, Champions for Health, CMA, HOD, SDCMS, Transgender Healthcare 0 TUESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2025 PHYSICIANS: Over 1,000 physicians from across California gathered in Los Angeles for California Medical Association’s annual House of Delegates (HOD) recently. This year much of the time was spent with major changes to how CMA handles policy development process, a reform of changes adopted 10 years ago. These proposals seek to improve member engagement in policy development, including expanding the voice of the House on issues of prioritization. These proposed changes are grounded in principles of good governance and respond directly to member feedback while keeping governance expenses flat. Regarding policy development, this year the HOD focused primarily on Responding to Federal Funding Cuts and Other Attacks on Health Care, Public Health and Medicine. Some examples of policies considered include: CMA opposes burdensome administrative and financial policies in Medicaid that make it more difficult for physician practices to operate and provide timely care to patients. CMA opposes federal and state policies that lead to increased uncompensated care for hospitals, clinics and physicians’ offices. CMA opposes premiums, copayments, and other cost–sharing methods for Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program. CMA reaffirms its strong commitment to access to reproductive health care and abortion for all patients and the need for Medicaid to cover these services. Further, CMA strongly opposes federal action to defund Planned Parenthood that reduces access to care and may lead to worse health care outcomes for patients. CMA supports protections for physicians who provide evidence–based gender–affirming care in California and opposes criminal, civil, or licensure actions against them. During the meeting we also received updates on CMA’s activities during the year, including CMA’s foundation Physicians for a Healthy California and their Physician Service Organization. Our own San Diego physician Dr. Toluwalasé Ajayi, Chair–Elect of the American Medical Association, gave a rousing speech about the need for physicians to unite in order to push back against the many attacks on health care from our Federal Government. You can read more about the House of Delegates meeting in the next issue of our San Diego Physician Magazine. SAN DIEGO SHINES AS CMA’S CALPAC SHATTERS FUNDRAISING RECORD Almost ten days ago, the California Medical Association Political Action Committee (CALPAC) once again set a new fundraising record collecting $300,320 as it launched its 2025–26 membership year at CMA’s 154th House of Delegates. This marks the sixth record–breaking year in the past seven, representing a 22% increase over 2024’s total. The total raised this year reflects a doubling of CALPAC’s fundraising at this event in less than a decade — demonstrating the success of its sustained outreach and engagement strategies. San Diego shined as one of four delegations to receive 100% participation from all delegates and alternatives. In addition, San Diego played a key role in CALPAC having a record number of Diamond Level ($6,500) donors with our own Robert E. Wailes, MD, and Balboa Nephrology Medical Group reaching this status. Funds donated to CALPAC directly support its political advocacy work and efforts to elect more physicians to public office, including Dr. Sion Roy MD, who is currently running for the State Senate. If you have not yet renewed your CALPAC membership visit calpac.org/donate today. SHARP HOLDING 26TH ANNUAL ALOHA PRIMARY CARE CONFERENCE ON BIG ISLAND OF HAWAII FROM DECEMBER 2ND THROUGH 6TH I have been asked to share an invitation from Sharp HealthCare’s Primary Care Conference occurring at the Fairmont Orchid on the Big Island of Hawaii from Tuesday, December 2nd until Saturday, December 6th. This year’s conference will focus on the educational needs of primary care physicians, including family physicians, internists and any others interested in learning about the latest developments in the field of primary care medicine. There is extensive CME, PA, NP and Nurse credits. Highlights include interactive sessions, with topics including obesity, infectious disease, genetic disease, sports medicine, and lifestyle medicine. For more information, and to register CLICK HERE. ENJOY A ‘DAY AT THE RACES’ ON NOVEMBER 21ST AT THE DEL MAR THOROUGHBRED CLUB TO SUPPORT CHAMPIONS FOR HEALTH Join us for Champions for Health’s ‘Day at the Races’ at the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in the Crosby Celebrity Suite. Enjoy an exclusive afternoon of exciting horse racing, delicious food, and refreshing drinks while supporting vital healthcare programs for San Diego’s underserved communities. It’s from 12:00 to 4:00 pm on Friday, November 21st at the Del Mar Fairgrounds. The first race is at 12:30 pm. Come and have fun while doing good to help provide health care access to our County’s most needy patients. You can buy tickets HERE. For sponsorship information, please contact Gabriela Stichler at gabriela.stichler@championsfh.org or at (858) 300–2789. As always, let me know if you have any questions! Paul Hegyi, CEO WHAT TO KNOW … CAHAN ALERT Health Advisory Update: Community Spread of Clade I Mpox in Southern California CLICK HERE Why New Mpox Cases in California are Raising Concerns CLICK HERE Fewer San Diego Kindergarteners are Getting Vaccinated Each Year. Here’s What the Data Shows for Every School CLICK HERE Bird Flu’s Comeback Raises Fears About Readiness CLICK HERE Less Paperwork, More Patients, with David Ford, CEO of CMA Physician Services CLICK HERE Study Finds mRNA Coronavirus Vaccines Prolonged Life of Cancer Patients CLICK HERE A Sweeping Study Found Thousands of Stillbirths Occur Without Clear Warning Signs CLICK HERE California Gives Planned Parenthood $140 Million Boost to Keep Clinics Open CLICK HERE Contaminated Meat from the Grocery Store May Be Causing Your UTIs CLICK HERE WHAT TO DO … NOV 13, 2025: 12:15-1:15pm, FREE Webinar for Members and their Staff, $99 for Non–Members, sponsored by CMA, ‘2026 ICD–10 Coding Updates’. Learn about 2026 changes to ICD–10 guidelines and codes, including 487 new codes, 28 deletions and 38 revisions. The chapters that will see the most new codes are Pain Management, Signs and Symptoms, Neurodevelopment Disorders, Financial Insecurity (SDOH), plus Chapters 12 and 19. For free CMA member staff registration, email events@cmadocs.org with your physician’s CA Medical License number to receive a promo code CLICK HERE NOV 18, 2025: 6-7pm, FREE Webinar for Members and Non–Members, sponsored by TDC and SDCMS, ‘Understanding the Anatomy of a Lawsuit’. This webinar outlines and discusses the course that a medical malpractice lawsuit takes when filed against a physician in California. Walk through the physician’s receipt of a Notice of Intent to Sue and explore the litigation process, looking at what elements a Plaintiff must prove in order to prevail and how a defense would be built for the Defendant physician. We’ll also provide several proactive steps physicians can take in their own practice to be prepared if ever involved in a suit. CME credit available CLICK HERE NOV 20, 2025: 12:15-1:15pm, FREE Webinar for Members and their Staff, sponsored by CMA, ‘Navigating the MultiPlan Litigation — What Physician Practices and Facilities Need to Know’. A sweeping federal antitrust lawsuit is moving forward against MultiPlan, Inc. and several major insurers including Aetna, Cigna, UnitedHealth and Blue Cross Blue Shield, alleging a price–fixing conspiracy that artificially suppressed out–of–network payment rates and cost providers billions of dollars. Following a key court ruling in June the case is headed into discovery, with potential damages tripled under federal law for successful claims. Matt Lavin, AGG Healthcare Litigation partner and member of the Executive Committee for direct–action plaintiffs will walk through the litigation’s origins, key legal developments and strategies for affected providers to consider, plus why now is a critical time to evaluate participation in the case to protect your rights and support industry reform. An open and confidential discussion will be encouraged during Q&A. For free CMA member staff registration, email events@cmadocs.org with your physician’s CA Medical License number to receive a promo code CLICK HERE NOV 21, 2025: 12-4:30pm, Del Mar Racing, Jimmy Durante Blvd, Del Mar. Join Champions for Health at the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club for ‘A Day at the Races’. Enjoy an exclusive afternoon of exciting horse racing, delicious food and refreshing drinks while supporting vital healthcare programs for San Diego’s underserved communities CLICK HERE DEC 2-6, 2025: Fairmont Orchid Big Island, Waimea, Hawai‘i, Sponsored by Sharp HealthCare, ‘26th Annual Aloha Primary Care Conference’, focusing on the educational needs of primary care physicians, including family physicians, internists and others interested in learning about the latest developments in primary care medicine. Highlights include interactive sessions with topics including obesity, infectious disease, genetic disease, sports medicine, and lifestyle medicine. CME, PA, NP, and Nurse Credits available CLICK HERE APR 6, 2026: 8am, State Capitol Building, Sacramento, hosted by CMA, ‘52nd Annual Legislative Advocacy Day’. California Medical Association consistently brings together more than 400 physician and medical student leaders from all specialties and modes of practice. Attendees will have the opportunity to meet with legislators on priority health care issues. Gain hands–on experience while learning the nuts and bolts of advocating for both your patients and your profession CLICK HERE WHAT TO READ, LISTEN & WATCH … Podcast ‘What the Health?’ Nutrition Programs Start to Feel Their Own Shutdown LISTEN HERE Alzheimer’s Project Clinical Roundtable Free On–Demand CME Webinar Series on Dementia WATCH HERE Champions for Health & TDC’s Free On–Demand CME Webinar Series ‘Innovations and Smart Approaches in Safe Prescibing’ to Help Fulfill DEA Training Requirements (Modules 1–5) WATCH HERE SDCMS Video Archive: View our FREE digital catalog of videos & webinars WATCH HERE SDCMS Webinar: Are You Aware and Prepared for New California Laws? WATCH HERE SDCMS Webinar: Managing the Noncompliant and Nonadherent Patient WATCH HERE SDCMS Webinar: Physician Financial Wellness (Part 1) WATCH HERE SDCMS Webinar: Physician Financial Wellness (Part 2) WATCH HERE SDCMS Webinar: Will Your Documentation Defend You? WATCH HERE Please Consider Supporting Our Advertisers … Thank You! This Email Was Sent to [[FIRSTNAME]] [[LASTNAME]] at [[EMAIL]] From the San Diego County Medical Society (SDCMS) Comments are closed.