SFMS and CMA have joined an unprecedented coalition of physicians, dentists, health care workers and hospitals working to stop the 10% Medi-Cal reimbursement rate cut.

The We Care for California coalition was borne of an effort to build a strong coalition of diverse organizations fighting to ensure that California’s health care system doesn’t continue to get short changed. So often in the past, health care advocates have become divided in their efforts, so focused on individual organizational interests, that the collective strength is weakened. We Care for California intends to stand undivided in using the coalition’s collective influence in defense of health care.

The coalition’s first major effort is to ensure that two CMA-sponsored bills—SB 640 (Lara) and AB 900 (Alejo)—are passed by the Legislature and signed by Governor Brown. Both bills, sponsored by CMA, would stop the 10 percent Medi-Cal rate cut.

Join “We Care for California” in Sacramento on Tuesday, June 4 from 11 am to 4 pm

to call on State Legislators and the Governor to stop the $1 billion reduction in provider rates in the Medi-Cal program. SFMS/CMA physicians will stand with nurses, dentists, and other health care providers as well as patient and consumer groups to advocate for the support of SB 640 and AB 900.

This will be the largest health care gathering ever at the state Capitol, and will send a powerful message that we expect our elected leaders to stand up for quality care in California.

The goal is to bring 10,000 health care providers together from across the state participate.

Buses will be available to transport anyone who wants to participate from hospitals around the state to the Capitol building in Sacramento at no charge to the participant. If you are interested in attending the event, please register at www.wecareforca.org to reserve a seat on the bus nearest you.

Click here for detailed event and RSVP information.

More than 160 physicians, physicians-in-training, and supporters/partners of the SFMS celebrated 145 years of physician advocacy and camaraderie with the SFMS at our Annual Dinner.

 

Event highlights include the installation of Shannon Udovic-Constant, MD, a pediatrician at Kaiser Permanente San Francisco, as the 2013 SFMS President and the featured presentation from Catherine R. Lucey, MD, Professor of Medicine and Vice Dean for Education at the UCSF School of Medicine, on the Choosing Wisely Campaign.

 

SFMS would like to thank our members, sponsors, and special guests Senator Mark Leno, Assemblymember Phil Ting, Supervisor David Chiu, Supervisor Eric Mar, CMA President Paul Phinney, and Dr. Catherine Lucey for their support of this event and the medical society.

Click here to view more photos from the Annual Dinner.

The California Department of Health Services (DHCS) and the SFMS/CMA are sponsoring a free webinar on the state’s new Coordinated Care Initiative (CCI) for dual eligibles—Californians eligible for both Medi-Cal and Medicare. The webinar takes place on December 19, 2012, from 12:15pm to 1:15 pm and is free for all physicians.

The Coordinated Care Initiative (CCI) was authorized by the Assembly in July 2012 in an effort to save money and better coordinate care for the state’s low-income seniors and persons with disabilities. The program begins with a three-year demonstration project that would see more than 75% of California’s dual eligible beneficiaries transition to managed care plans.

Although the project is still pending federal approval, DHCS plans to begin passively enrolling dual eligible patients residing in eight of California's largest counties beginning in 2013. Under the pilot program, patients will be enrolled in a managed care plan unless they actively opt out.

SFMS/CMA remains concerned over the breadth of this so-called pilot project and has urged CMS to require the state to scale it back. Any transition that involves 75% of all dual eligibles cannot be considered a pilot. In October, the CMA’s annual House of Delegates authored a resolution that calls on CMA to collect data from its membership regarding difficulties with the duals transition and, if difficulties are found to be widespread, report them to DHCS, the California Department of Managed Health Care and CMS.

Click here to register for the December 19 free webinar.

Members of Congress have returned to Washington, DC for a Lame Duck Session to address the so-called “fiscal cliff” issues as well as the Medicare physician payment cuts. There is also a movement to cut the Medi-Cal physician payment rates to fund the fiscal cliff issues.

Given the enormity of the issues and the number of competing interests in Washington, it is imperative that Congress hear from physicians. 

Before January 12, 2013, Congress must stop the Medicare payment cut of 26.5%, the Medicare Sequestration Budget Cut of 2%, and the proposed Medicaid cuts. SFMS/CMA is also asking Congress to include an update of the California Medicare geographic payment regions in the package. 

Talking Points:

1. Stop the Medicare Physician Cuts of Nearly 30%
2. Do Not Cut Medi-Cal to fund the “fiscal cliff”
3. Update the Medicare payment regions
4. Protect access to Doctors

Click here to view a detailed talking point list, which can be shared with your Congress representative.

Click here to view a sample letter to members of Congress. 

Please contact Senators Feinstein and Boxer and your Member of Congress today!

Call the AMA Grassroots Hotline (800) 833-6354. Enter your zip code to be automatically be connected to your Representative.

 

 

http://writerep.house.gov
www.boxer.senate.gov
www.feinstein.senate.gov. 

 

The California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) will soon be notifying physicians that they must re-enroll in Medi-Cal as one of the provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The ACA requires every state Medicaid program (Medi-Cal in California) to revalidate provider enrollment information at least every five years beginning January 2, 2013.

DHCS is currently working to identify an initial list of all physicians and other providers who will be required to revalidate. Notices of revalidation will be mailed beginning the second week of January 2013. Notices will be sent to business location on file with DHCS. Each notice will include information on which application(s) must be completed. Anyone receiving a notice must complete and return the requested form(s) and required attachments within 35 working days of the date of the notice. Failure to do so may result in payment delays.

Physicians, who have revalidated, updated, or submitted new applications to the Medicare program within the last 12 months (January 1 through December 31, 2012) will not be required to revalidate at this time. However, your Medicare enrollment information must match the information on file with the Medi-Cal program. If the information does not match, you will receive notice from DHCS requiring you to revalidate.

SFMS/CMA will be hosting two live webinar training courses with representatives from DHCS to walk attendees through the Medi-Cal enrollment process for both individual providers and groups. Also to be discussed will be program requirements and how to avoid common mistakes that can lead to delays, denials and exclusion from the Medi-Cal program. These extended-length webinars are free to members, and will be held November 15, 2012, and January 16, 2013, from 12:15 to 1:45 pm.

Click here for more information or to register for the complimentary webinar(s).