1. Highlights from CMA’s 150th Anniversary House of Delegates
Resolutions on physician-assisted suicide, direct-to-consumer advertising, and physicians right to bill for services rendered were among the resolutions passed by CMA’s House of Delegates at its annual meeting October 28-30 in Sacramento. The following are summaries of some of the resolutions that the House adopted as policy.
Security Prescriptions (Res. 104a-06): The delegates voted that CMA continue to pursue repeal of the requirement to use security prescriptions for schedule II-V drugs and that CMA work to make the Controlled Substance Utilization Review and Evaluation System (CURES) database available to physicians in real time.
Verbal Orders for Prescription Drugs (Res. 115-06): The delegates adopted a resolution directing CMA to continue advocating for the elimination of California’s Title-22 requirement that verbal orders for prescription drugs be authenticated with the prescribing physician’s signature within 48 hours.
Federal Matching Formula (Res. 201-06): The delegates directed CMA to seek congressional legislation that would alter the federal matching assistance formula for Medicaid to make it more equitable for states like California that have a higher percentage of population below the federal poverty level than the average state.
Resolution of Billing Disputes (Res. 406a-06): The delegates passed a resolution directing CMA to vigorously oppose the Department of Managed Health Care’s proposed regulations that would prohibit physicians from billing for services rendered and that CMA take all action necessary, including legal or legislative action, to oppose any and all efforts to prevent physicians from billing for services rendered.
Medical Necessity (Res. 413a-06): The delegates voted that medical-necessity denials or modifications to a physician’s request for authorization should only be made by California-licensed physicians who are competent, by means of similar certification or training as the treating physician, to evaluate the specific clinical issues involved.
Physician Aid in Dying (Res. 517a-06): The delegates reaffirmed CMA’s opposition to the legalization of physician-assisted suicide and recognized the need for appropriate end-of-life care, including the aggressive treatment of physical pain and compassionate care for physical and spiritual suffering.
Reduced Licensing Fees for Residents (Res. 610a-06): The delegates directed CMA to support further reduction in both license and application fees for resident physicians and fellows enrolled in or accepted into California training programs and to encourage California training programs to pay the license and application fees for their trainees.
Medicinal Marijuana (Res. 712a-06): The delegates voted that CMA continue to support scientifically rigorous research into the therapeutic role of cannabinoid-based pharmaceuticals and defend the ability of physicians to discuss and make recommendations to their patients about the benefits and risks of smoked herbal cannabis.
Advertisement of Controlled Drugs (Res. 103a-06): The delegates voted that CMA oppose direct-to-consumer advertising of controlled drugs and support legislation to ban such advertising in California.
Click here for more information, including a complete list of resolutions passed by the house.
2. Dr. Anmol S. Mahal Inaugurated as 139th CMA President
Anmol Singh Mahal, M.D., was inaugurated this week as CMA’s 139th president at the association’s annual House of Delegates in Sacramento.
In his address to the 750 delegates, Dr. Mahal said that during his tenure he expects CMA to build membership and confront the challenge posed by rising health care costs. He told his colleagues that CMA would defeat regulations proposed by the Department of Managed Health Care that would allow health insurance companies to escape their responsibility to provide and pay for emergency care for all their customers. He also drew attention to the need to provide access to health care to all Californians and to train more physicians.
“In California, we train half as many physicians per capita as does the rest of the U.S. We train a third as many physicians as do Pennsylvania and New York,” he said. “The only states that train fewer physicians per capita are the states that do not have a medical school. California needs to make a substantive investment in the health care infrastructure and that is a message I will carry.”
Dr. Mahal is the first physician of Indian origin to head CMA. Since coming to the United States 33 years ago, Dr. Mahal has held numerous local, state, and national positions in organized medicine. He is a founding member and past president of the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin of Northern California, and serves on its board. He serves on AMA’s Commission on Eliminating Health Disparities. He has been a CMA trustee for nine years and a member of CMA’s Executive Committee for four years.
Dr. Mahal, 56, who is board certified in internal medicine and gastroenterology, is currently on staff at Washington Hospital in Fremont and previously served as chief of staff of Washington Hospital Healthcare System.
He serves as a Commissioner for the Emergency Medical Services Commission of the State of California. He was recently appointed by Governor Schwarzenegger to the Board of Trustees of the Health Professions Educational Foundation.
Click here for more information.
3. Garden Grove Physician Becomes CMA President-Elect
Richard S. Frankenstein, M.D., was elected CMA president-elect during the association’s annual meeting, which concluded this week in Sacramento.
Dr. Frankenstein, 57, is a specialist in pulmonary medicine who has practiced in Garden Grove since 1980. The president-elect is a member of the seven-doctor executive committee of the CMA Board of Trustees.
A native of Brooklyn, N.Y., Dr. Frankenstein is on the staff of Garden Grove Hospital, where he was chief of staff from 1989-92. He is a member of the board of commissioners of the Joint Committee on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations.
Dr. Frankenstein has held numerous local, state and national positions in organized medicine. He is a member of the board of the CMA Foundation, the charitable arm of CMA. He is past president of the Orange County Medical Association, the California Society of Internal Medicine, a current and founding board member of CalOptima (the Medi-Cal managed care provider in Orange County), and is vice chair of CMA’s delegation to AMA. He has served on the CMA Board of Trustees since 1999.
Click here for more information.
4. Humboldt Physician Receives CMA’s 2006 Plessner Award
Ann D. Lindsay, M.D., of Humboldt County received CMA’s 2006 Frederick K.M. Plessner Memorial Award at the association’s annual House of Delegates meeting. The award is given annually to a physician who “best exemplifies the practice and ethics of rural practitioners.”
Dr. Lindsay has committed her professional career to promoting public health and energetically caring for her patients in Humboldt County. She has raised both her community’s and her government representatives’ awareness on major health issues, and has diligently served her community as Public Health Officer for the past 12 years.
Click here for more information.
5. Senator Joe Dunn Named CMA CEO
The CMA Board of Trustees Friday appointed Joe Dunn, a state senator from Orange County, the new chief executive officer of CMA.
Dunn was selected following a national search from a “field of outstanding candidates as the right leader at the right time for the CMA,” says CMA President Michael Sexton, M.D.
“Joe Dunn brings extraordinary talents and a wealth of knowledge about California and politics in Sacramento to CMA at a crucial moment in our 150-year history,” says Sexton. “Joe has vision, intellect and passion. He will greatly enhance our ability to advocate for quality care for our patients, protect the profession, improve the public health, expand access to care for all, and maintain practice viability for the physicians of California.”
Click here for more information.
6. CMA Member Benefit of the Week: 30-50% Off Epocrates
Epocrates provides physicians with point-of-care access (via PDA desktop computer, or the Internet) to up-to-date information on drugs, diseases, and diagnostics.
CMA members receive 30 percent off one-year subscriptions and 35 percent off two-year subscriptions to any Epocrates product. Students and residents receive 50 percent off. If you do not currently own a PDA, you can purchase hardware/software bundles at a reduced price. (Group discounts are also available.)
Click here for more information.
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No. 2069
