Medi-Cal Primary Care Rates to Increase to Medicare Levels in 2013 Medi-Cal primary care physicians will receive a two-year, $11 billion pay increase, under a proposal released last week by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The proposal, which implements a provision of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), would on average result in a 50 to 60 percent increase in Medi-Cal rates for primary care physicians, including family medicine, pediatrics and internists, plus related subspecialties. The ACA calls for Medicaid payments to primary care physicians to be raised to Medicare levels for 2013 and 2014. May 21, 2012 CMA, Medi Cal, News, Payment, Primary Care Affordable Care Act, Medicaid, ACA, Medi-Cal 0 0 Comment Read More »
CDC to Baby Boomers: Get Tested for Hepatitis C The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) wants all Americans born between 1945 and 1965—the baby boom generation—tested for hepatitis C. The great majority of people—75 percent—of the 3.2 million Americans living with hepatitis C are in the so-called baby boom generation. May 21, 2012 News, Public Health baby boomers , CDC, hepatitis C, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 0 0 Comment Read More »
Taxing Tobacco: Clearing the Smoke California now ranks thirty-third among states in taxing tobacco. Clearing the tobacco-funded smoke to get California voters to see the wisdom of Proposition 29 will not be easy. But we agree with the Sacramento Bee, which recently editorialized that, despite some reluctance about the initiative process in general, “the potential benefits of raising the tobacco tax outweigh the uncertainties posed by Prop. 29 governance. May 17, 2012 Advocacy, CMA, SFMS Member California Cancer Research Act, Prop 29, CCRA 0 0 Comment Read More »
Blue Shield of California Fee Schedule Changes Effective June 2012 SFMS/CMA has learned that Blue Shield has notified physicians of changes to its physician fee schedule that will go into effect June 1, 2012. In the notice, Blue Shield informed physicians that it would be increasing payment for some Evaluation and Management (E/M) services. SFMS/CMA has developed an action guide for physicians on contract amendments to help our members understand their rights when a health plan has sent notice of a material change to a contract. May 14, 2012 Payment, Practice Management payor contract, Blue Shield, insurance/reimbursement 0 0 Comment Read More »
SFMS Member a Candidate in June DCCC Election Justin Morgan, a SFMS member and family physician with the San Francisco Department of Health’s outpatient clinics, is a candidate running for one of 24 seats on the San Francisco Democratic County Central Committee (DCCC) in the June 5th statewide primary election. May 11, 2012 SFMS Member DCCC, Justin Morgan, San Francisco Democratic County Central Committee 0 0 Comment Read More »
