Highlights from CMA’s 134th Annual House of Delegates
[Posted 03/24/05]

Resolutions to educate physicians about the appropriate use of hospice care and to make fixing the Medicare sustainable growth rate formula the association’s highest federal legislative priority were among the resolutions passed by CMA’s House of Delegates at its annual meeting March 19 to 21 in Anaheim. The following are summaries of some of the resolutions that the House adopted as policy.

Individual Health Insurance Mandate: The delegates adopted a resolution supporting an individual mandate that would require all Americans to have at a minimum catastrophic and preventive health care coverage. The resolution (212a-05) also backs refundable tax credits to support the purchase of health insurance for individuals with incomes between 200 and 400 percent of the federal poverty level (about $32,000 to $64,000 for a family of three).

Driver’s License Revocations for Medical Reasons: The delegates approved a CMA study of the feasibility of establishing a panel of independent physicians to make final medical determinations on a patient’s ability to hold a California driver’s license when the patient has been denied a license through the DMV screening/examination process (Resolution 109a-05).

Medical Board Diversion Program: The delegates endorsed the Medical Board of California’s Diversion Program, calling it “vital in the rehabilitation of impaired physicians.” The resolution (618a-05) directs CMA to ensure the future viability of the program and promote a collaborative relationship between the medical board and addiction medicine specialists to provide medical evaluation and ongoing medical supervision to program participants.

Nutritional Information on Menus: As part of CMA’s ongoing efforts to combat childhood obesity, the delegates voted (Resolution 712a-05) that school cafeterias and restaurants list nutritional information on their menus including, at a minimum, caloric information by serving size.

Congressional Interference in Medical Decisions: The delegates passed an emergency resolution (521-05) criticizing Congress for intervening in the Schiavo case. The resolution noted that Florida courts have found that Mrs. Schiavo is in a persistent vegetative state and that her husband is trying to carry out her wishes not to be kept alive by artificial means despite severe brain damage. The emergency resolution expressed the delegates’ “outrage at Congress’ interference with medical decisions.”

End-of-Life Care: The delegates adopted a resolution (506a-05) that calls on CMA to educate physicians about the appropriate use of hospice care and to support increased coverage by public and private payors for palliative and hospice care. The resolution also said that eligibility and payment for palliative care should not be denied just because a patient is receiving treatment that could be considered both palliative and curative.

Medicare Payment Formulas: The house approved report A-2-05, calling on CMA to make fixing the Medicare sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula the association’s highest federal legislative priority. The report directs CMA to sponsor legislation to change Medicare’s “budget neutrality” requirements to apply to the state as a whole, rather than to individual geographic payment localities, to facilitate pilot projects in GPCI reform. The delegates also voted that CMA continue to develop and advocate for a long-term solution to California’s Medicare geographic payment inequities.

Silent PPOs: The delegates voted that CMA oppose so-called “silent PPOs,” the practice of third party payors utilizing a physician’s discounted rate without that physician’s knowledge and consent. The resolution (410a-05) also calls on CMA to consider litigation to combat unfair discounting and other egregious business practices engaged in by health plans, PPOs and other organizations.

Prescription Portability: Resolution 117a-05 calls on CMA to support legislation requiring pharmacies to transfer current valid prescriptions to another pharmacy upon a patient’s request without requiring a new prescription from the prescribing physician and without conveying prescribing authority to pharmacists.

Security Prescriptions: The delegates adopted a resolution (105a-05) calling on CMA to support legislation to eliminate the security prescription requirement for Schedule II, III, IV, and V controlled substances. The resolution also calls on CMA to support implementation of a secure online system that would allow physicians and pharmacists to access the California Utilization, Review, and Evaluation System (CURES) database.

For a complete list of resolutions passed by the house, use the links below.

• ALL RESOLUTIONS
• Reference Committee A: Medical Practice Issues
• Reference Committee B: Health Care Financing/Health System Reform
• Reference Committee C: CMA Membership, Finance, and Governance
• Reference Committee D: Insurance and Physician Reimbursement
• Reference Committee E: Quality, Ethics, and Legal Issues
• Reference Committee F: Health Professions and Facilities
• Reference Committee G: Science and Public Health
• Emergency Resolution: Congressional Interference in Medical Decisions

Contact: Roger Purdy, 916/444-5532 or rpurdy@cmanet.org.