Coordinated Care Initiative (Duals Project) Update By the California Medical Association Background The 2012 budget authorized the Coordinated Care Initiative (CCI), which would allow persons eligible for both Medicare and Medi-Cal (dual eligibles) to receive medical, behavioral, long-term supports and services (LTSS), and home- and community-based services coordinated through a single health plan in eight counties (Alameda, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Mateo, and Santa Clara). CCI contains two main components: 1) Cal MediConnect-transitioning individuals who are eligible for both Medi-Cal and Medicare (duals) away from fee for service and into managed care; ... April 9, 2014 Cal MediConnect Cal MediConnect, Coordinated Care Initiative, Dual Eligibles 0 0 Comment Read More »
SDCMS Medical Student Members Travel to Sacramento Students Who Attended: Amy Alagh, Mir Amaan Ali, Jeremy Chang, Andrew Fithian, Spencer Fuller, Shannon Green, Matthew Haynie, Yuki Iizuka, Yash Khandwala, Thomas Kwong, Fred Liu, Ming Liu, Tiffany Loh, Vidya Mahadavi, Vishnu Manoranjan, Nicholas Mascarenhas, Leselle Norville, David Nykin, Ellyse Rengstorf, Kellie Satterfield, Eileen Shi, Rehan Syed, Devesh Vashishtha, Arvin Wali, Jeffrey Wyss, Sherry Zhang The First Group of Medical Students Went up on March 24, Along With Dr. Robert Hertzka and Dr. Sherry Franklin: The Second Group of Medical Students Went up on March 25, Along With Dr. Robert Hertzka and Dr. Sherry Franklin: Meeting With Senator Joel Anderson: Meeting With Assemblymember Toni Atkins: Meeting With Senator Marty Block: Meeting With Senator Ben Hueso: Meeting With Assemblymember Brian Jones: Meeting With Assemblymember Brian Maienschein: Meeting With Assemblymember Dr. Richard Pan: Meeting With Assemblymember Marie Waldron: Meeting With Assemblymember ... April 7, 2014 SDCMS Membership Legislators, Medical Students 0 0 Comment Read More »
Senate Votes to Stop the 24% Medicare SGR Payment Cut Tonight (Monday) the Senate voted 64–35 to adopt HR 4302, the 17th patch to stop the 24% Medicare SGR payment cut for one year until April 2015. The cut was scheduled to take effect tomorrow. The House approved the same bill last week. It will now move to the president’s desk where we expect a signature. Despite Congress’s failure to achieve long-term reform, there is a silver lining for California physicians. HR 4302 includes the following: Stops the Medicare SGR 24% payment cut for one year ... March 31, 2014 SGR SGR 0 0 Comment Read More »
MICRA Signatures Submitted, Physicians Must Rally to Oppose Trial Lawyers on All Fronts On Monday, March 24, Consumer Watchdog, a front group for the Consumer Attorneys of California, submitted roughly 830,000 signatures to qualify a measure for the November ballot that would scrap key provisions California’s Medical Injury Compensation Reform Act (MICRA). This deceptive measure will raise healthcare costs for all Californians by lifting MICRA’s cap on non-economic damages, thus increasing lawsuits against healthcare providers and decreasing access to care for patients across the state. California’s physician community must join together and oppose this dangerous measure. This same trial lawyer group is also ... March 25, 2014 MICRA MICRA 0 0 Comment Read More »
Members: Get Your Photo Taken for Free SDCMS is working with RCL Portrait Design to photograph our member physicians for our directory and website. Photographs will be taken at the locations and dates listed below (subject to change, please confirm appointment beforehand). There is no cost for you to participate. Additional portraits will be made available to those physicians wishing to purchase them; however, there is no obligation to do so. To schedule your appointment, call RCL Portrait Design at 1 (800) 951-8712 — you can make an appointment for any location. For professional quality and best presentation, ... March 25, 2014 Member Benefits Physician Photos 0 0 Comment Read More »
Healthcare Changes Are Coming for Dually Eligible Medi-Cal and Medicare Patients! Effective April 1, 2014, the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will be rolling out Cal MediConnect, a new program to coordinate care for some of San Diego’s most vulnerable patients. Cal MediConnect, a three-year demonstration project for patients dually eligible for Medicare and Medi-Cal, is part of the California Coordinated Care Initiative (CCI). This demonstration project will give participating health plans responsibility to coordinate Medi-Cal, Medicare, and long-term services and supports previously offered by the State and through the County ... March 25, 2014 Cal MediConnect Cal MediConnect, Dual Eligibles 0 0 Comment Read More »
Medicare EPs Must Attest by March 31, at 11:59pm ET to Receive 2013 Incentive Reminder: Medicare Eligible Professionals (EPs) Must Attest by March 31, 2014, at 11:59 pm ET to Receive 2013 Incentive! From the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Due to the large volume of providers attesting, please submit your data as soon as possible and during non-peak hours to avoid system delays. If you are an eligible professional, the last day you can register and attest to demonstrating meaningful use for the 2013 Medicare EHR Incentive Program is March 31, 2014. You must successfully attest by 11:59pm Eastern Daylight Time on March ... March 25, 2014 Meaningful Use, Medicare Meaningful Use, Medicare 0 0 Comment Read More »
Got Drugs? The National Prescription Drug Take Back Day — Saturday, April 26, 10:00am–2:00pm — aims to provide a safe, convenient, and responsible means of disposing of prescription drugs, while also educating the general public about the potential for abuse of medications. Click below to access various PDF flyers for your office: All San Diego County Locations: English • Spanish • Tagalog Central San Diego County Locations Northern San Diego County Locations Eastern San Diego County Locations ... March 25, 2014 Prescription Drug Abuse Prescription Drug Abuse, Prescription Drugs 0 0 Comment Read More »
Wound Botulism Associated With Drug Injection Date: March 21, 2014 Since March 1, 2014, two highly suspect cases of wound botulism associated with black tar heroin injection have been reported in San Diego County. The two hospitalized cases are apparently unknown to each other and presented with wound infections and a recent history of skin popping black tar heroin. Other symptoms included diplopia, bilateral ptosis, bilateral extraocular palsy, slurred speech, and generalized weakness. The patients were treated with botulism antitoxin released by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH). The sources of the black tar heroin ... March 21, 2014 Public Health Wound Botulism 0 0 Comment Read More »
New Measles Case Confirmed in San Diego Date: March 12, 2014 Another San Diego resident was confirmed to have measles after being exposed to an ill individual who returned from a recent trip to the Philippines. This new case is the third one linked to the original exposure. There have been 32 confirmed measles cases in California in 2014. This latest patient may have exposed persons at the following four locations during the dates and times specified below: Veterans Administration (VA) Chula Vista Clinic, 835 3rd Ave., Chula Vista, from March 3–7 and on ... March 14, 2014 Public Health, Vaccinations Measles 0 0 Comment Read More »