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1. Medical Board Votes to Eliminate Diversion Program
The Medical Board of California last week decided it was not capable of effectively running the Physician Diversion Program, which for the past 27 years has been monitoring and providing guidance to physicians with substance abuse problems. The medical board voted unanimously at its quarterly meeting last week in South San Francisco to eliminate the program, pointing to operating flaws identified in recent audits.
The medical board’s decision to close the program was made despite concerns voiced by CMA and others in the medical community that closing the program would seriously impact patient safety. CMA strongly believes that the program is vital to not only protect public safety but also to preserve the rights of medically disabled physicians.
“We are profoundly disturbed and disappointed that the medical board has abandoned diversion, which is an enlightened and effective approach to public protection,” says CMA Speaker of the House James, Hay, MD, who testified on behalf of CMA at the meeting. “Closing the program leaves patients at significantly greater risk because discipline is now the only option.” Oftentimes the process of formally disciplining a physician can take a year or more. The diversion program, on the other hand, has the power to require impaired physicians to immediately cease practice.
Diversion has been the target of criticism periodically over the years due to widely held public prejudice and misunderstanding about the disease of addiction, especially when it occurs in high-risk professionals.
CMA and the California Society for Addiction Medicine urged the medical board not to abandon its responsibilities, but rather to take the necessary steps to strengthen and properly oversee this important program.
CMA has been asked by the medical board to participate in a summit with other stakeholders to identify a viable alternative to a medical-board-run diversion program.
Additional information will be published in CMA Alert as it becomes available.
Click here for more information.
Contact: Sandra Bressler, 415/882-5171 or sbressler@cmanet.org.
2. U.S. House of Representatives Passes
Medicare-Health Families Legislation
The U.S. House of Representatives late last night passed the Medicare-Healthy Families legislation (HR 3162) by a largely partisan vote of 225 to 204. This legislation is critical to preserving access to care in California.
The bill (known as the Children’s Health and Medicare Protection Act of 2007) would stop the 15% percent physician pay cut and institute .5 percent payment increases for the next two years. It would also update California’s geographic payment localities, and prevent any geographic payment reductions for three years. It would also and reauthorize the Healthy Families program. Although this bill is not a long term fix, it will allow CMA three years to work with Congress to craft viable alternatives to Medicare’s flawed payment formulas.
These reforms would be paid for by increasing the tobacco tax, which would raise $20 billion, and gradually equalizing Medicare Advantage health plan rates with fee-for-service rates. Currently, Medicare Advantage plans are paid on average 12 percent more than fee-for-service physicians. Bringing plan rates in line with fee-for-service physician rates could save as much as $50 billion.
All California Democrats voted for the bill. Please be sure to call and thank them for their support.
The bill now moves to a House-Senate conference committee.
Click here for more information.
Contact: Elizabeth McNeil, 415/882-5176 or emcneil@cmanet.org.
3.Solo Incorporated Practitioners May Have to Reenroll in Medicare
Changes in the Medicare enrollment process over the years have caused some differences between the NPI and Medicare identification number assignment process. This may require some physicians to complete a new Medicare enrollment form so that their NPI and Medicare “provider types” match.
Particularly affected are solo incorporated practices. Solo incorporated practices are required to obtain both an organizational NPI and an individual NPI. If you have two NPIs but only one Medicare provider number, a new CMS 855 application may be necessary.
Click here for more information, including a memo from Medicare on this issue.
Contact: Frank Navarro, 916/ 551-2046 or gfonseca@cmanet.org.
4. Promoting Health through the Food Stamp Program
The CMA Foundation's Obesity Prevention Project has published a brochure to help health care providers get their Medi-Cal patients involved in the Food Stamp Program to promote healthy eating and living. The brochure describes the link between a well-rounded diet and health, and provides information on local food stamp nutrition education programs for patients.
This brochure was produced in partnership with the California Department of Public Health and the United States Department of Agriculture's Food Stamp Program.
Click here for more information.
Contact: Christine Maulhardt, 916/551-2874 or cmaulhardt@cmanet.org.
5. CMA/UCSD Pain Management CME Program Available on DVD
CMA and University of California-San Diego have collaborated on a unique case-based CME program on DVD that physicians can use to receive their state-mandated 12 hours of Category I CME in pain medicine and end-of-life care. The program, Pain Management: A Case-Based CME Program for Physicians, provides specific information on the most common pain syndromes.
The price, including CME testing and credits, is $150 for members, $200 for nonmembers.
For more information, visit http://www.ab487.com.
6. Young Physicians Invited to Attend
YPS Assembly, August 18 in Sacramento
CMA’s Young Physicians Section (YPS) will hold its Annual Assembly and Education Conference Saturday, August 18, in Sacramento.
This year's assembly features presentations from many of CMA's physician leaders and staff experts. The keynote address, Physician Renewal: Taking Charge in Times of Chaos, will be delivered by Peter Moskowitz, M.D., executive director of the Center for Personal and Professional Renewal in Palo Alto.
Attendees will also learn tangible skills that will help them be more successful in their practices.
The meeting will be 10 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. at the Grand, on J Street next door to CMA headquarters in Sacramento.
Registration is free, but space is limited. RSVP to Lynn Godward no later than August 13, 916/551-2078 or lgodward@cmanet.org.
Click here for more information.
7. Save the Dates
September 28: Conducting and Reporting Substance Abuse Evaluations of Licensed Professionals CMA has endorsed the California Society for Addiction Medicine's Core Competencies: Conducting and Reporting Substance Abuse Evaluations of Licensed Professionals. This one-day course will be Friday, September 28 at Camino Medical Group in Mountain View. Registration is $100 for CMA or CSAM members, $150 for nonmembers.
September 29: Third Annual South Bay Conference on Physicians Well-Being
CMA has also endorsed the Santa Clara County Medical Association's Third Annual South Bay Conference on Physicians Well-Being. This one day conference, which immediately follows the CSAM event (see above), will be Saturday September 29, also at Camino Medical Group in Mountain View. Registration is free, but space is limited.
For more information or to register for either of these events, click here.
8. Member Benefit of the Week: 5% Off Long Term Care Insurance
CMA members receive a 5 percent discount on long-term care insurance purchased through Marsh. The CMA member discount is also available to your staff, spouse, parents, parents-in-law, and grandparents. Group carve out plans are also available for physicians and their spouses.
Marsh can arrange to have a long term Care specialist call you or meet with you to discuss your needs. If you have any questions, please contact Marsh at 800/842-3761 or e-mail CMACounty.Insurance@marsh.com..
Click here for more information on your membership benefits.
Contact: CMA's membership hotline, 888/233-2937 or lgodward@cmanet.org.
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