NYCU September 25, 2018 September 26, 2018 Budget, CMA, CMA Benefits, General, Medi-Cal, Physician Workforce, Prop. 56, Public Health, Regulations, SDCMS 0 TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2018 PHYSICIANS: I'm gratified to be able to share some excellent news. The California Department of Health Services (DHCS) recently received federal approval on its plan to increase Medi-Cal fee-for-service physician payments for the 2018-19 fiscal year. According to DHCS, the prospective fee-for-service supplemental payments are anticipated to begin as soon as this week. The supplemental payments are made possible by the Proposition 56 tobacco tax funding and will raise payments for a total of 23 CPT codes, including 10 new preventive CPT codes. The California Medical Association has been working closely with DHCS to move Prop. 56 tobacco tax funds to Medi-Cal providers, resulting in reimbursement rates now at roughly 100% of Medicare rates for preventive services and 85% of Medicare for office visits – an amazing $1 billion increase. This has been a top priority for CMA and SDCMS and it represents a major victory for CMA and its members. There is no better example of the difference that your support and engagement with CMA and SDCMS makes than this dramatic change in Medi-Cal rates. I look forward to working with you to achieve other significant victories in the next year for our members and their patients. As always, let me know if you have any questions! Paul Hegyi, CEO WHAT TO KNOW … EHRs Make it Harder for Surgeons to Spend Time with Patients • CLICK HERE Fatigue, Scheduling, Data all Contributors to Physician Burnout Epidemic • CLICK HERE Florida Inventor Pledges $25M to UCSD to Create School of Public Health • CLICK HERE California Doctors Must Tell Patients if Put on Probation for Sexual Misconduct Under New Law • CLICK HERE AMA Urges Congress Not to Loosen Restrictions on Privacy for Patients with Addiction History • CLICK HERE Doctors Should Send Obese Patients to Diet Counseling, Panel Says. But Many Don't. • CLICK HERE Denied 'Life-Extending Opportunities.' Black Patients are Being Left Out of Clinical Trials Amid Wave of New Cancer Therapies • CLICK HERE Half as Many People Trying Heroin, but Marijuana Use Grows • CLICK HERE New Medicare Advantage Tool to Control Drug Prices Could Narrow Choices • CLICK HERE Infant Mortality Rate Flat in San Diego County but Disparities Remain for Some • CLICK HERE Medical Exemptions Up as Vaccination Rates for Kindergartners Decline in State, San Diego County • CLICK HERE Alzheimer's Cases to Nearly Triple by 2060, CDC Says • CLICK HERE Soaring Fentanyl-Related Overdoses Prompt New San Diego Response Team • CLICK HERE WHAT TO DO … SEPT 22-26: Academy of Integrative Health and Medicine Annual Conference. Sheraton Hotel and Marina, San Diego. • CLICK HERE OCT 11-12: CSU Institute for Palliative Care National Symposium. At Hyatt Mission Bay. • CLICK HERE OCT 12-14: UCSD School of Medicine Marks Its 50th Anniversary With Alumni Reunion Weekend. Information and Registration • CLICK HERE OCT 19: Top Doctors Gala at Farmer and the Seahorse CLICK HERE OCT 25: SDCMS Physician Networking Opportunity and Social Mixer, 5:30-8:00 pm, Rock Bottom Brewery in La Jolla. To register CLICK HERE NOV 2: Shriners Western Regional Burn Conference. Shriners Hospital in Sacramento. CME Credit Approved. • CLICK HERE NOV 8-10: Cardiovascular, Allergy & Respiratory Summit (CARPS) at Wyndham San Diego Bayside. Optional workshops Nov 7 • CLICK HERE NOV 9: Women in Medicine 2018 Conference in Irvine, CA. • CLICK HERE NOV 10: Champions for Health Annual 5K Solana Beach Walk/Run • CLICK HERE NOV 16-17: Pain Care for Primary Care (PCPC) with Dr. Bazzo at Wyndham San Diego Bayside. Optional Addiction workshop Nov 15. • CLICK HERE WHAT TO READ, LISTEN & WATCH … CMA in the Courts • READ HERE Podcast "What the Health" Health on the Hill • LISTEN HERE Please Consider Supporting Our Advertisers … Thank You! Comments are closed.