Big Provisions in $1.7 Trillion Omnibus: What Doctors Should Know In enacting the 4,000-plus page, end-of-the-year spending package, Washington politicians failed to stop the entirety of scheduled Medicare pay cuts, which will come at a financially precarious time for physician practices left reeling in the COVID-19 pandemic’s third year. Because of that, physicians will face a 2% cut in Medicare payment in 2023, and 2024 will bring at least a 1.25% cut. Nevertheless, the $1.7 trillion bill signed by President Joe Biden does include a number of important AMA-supported provisions that physicians should know about. Among other things, the omnibus bill ... January 27, 2023 Advocacy, AMA, Health Net, Healthcare, legislation, Physician Workforce 0 0 Comment Read More »
Save the Date for CMA’s Legislative Advocacy Day, April 19 in Sacramento Event: CMA Legislative Advocacy Day Date: April 19 Registration: Free The California Medical Association (CMA) will host its 49th annual Legislative Advocacy Day in Sacramento on Wednesday, April 19, 2023. Attendees will have the opportunity to meet with legislators on priority healthcare issues. The meetings will be scheduled and coordinated by local county medical societies. Santa Clara County Medical Association (SCCMA) members can contact Emily at emily@sccma.org or (408) 998 - 8850 x3011 for inquiries. This unique event is free of charge to all CMA physician members, residents and medical students. Plan to join your colleagues as they prepare ... January 23, 2023 Advocacy, CMA, Healthcare, Leadership, legislation Leg Day, Legislative Advocacy 0 0 Comment Read More »
New California Health Laws for 2023 While the legislature passed various new laws impacting health care in California, significant focus was placed on legislation intended to protect physicians and patients in response to the United States Supreme Court decision in Dobbs. The California Medical Association (CMA) published a summary of new laws of interest to physicians that cover reproductive rights, emergency services, healthcare facilities, and more. You can view the PDF HERE. December 12, 2022 Advocacy, CMA, Drug Prescribing/Dispensing, General, Healthcare, Insurance, Medi-Cal, Medicare, Mental Health, Patient Care, Physician Workforce 0 0 Comment Read More »
COVID-19 Medications Are Available for You to Prescribe to Your Patients: Update from the County of Santa Clara Public Health Department Prescribe the Oral Antiviral Paxlovid to Your Patients · When given early in the course of infection, medications like Paxlovid can reduce the likelihood of severe symptoms, hospitalization, and death. · The National Institute of Health COVID-19 Treatment Guidelines recommends Paxlovid, an oral antiviral, and Remdesivir, an intravenous antiviral, as preferential therapeutics based on their efficacy and convenience of use. · If neither Paxlovid nor Remdesivir are available or clinically appropriate, the NIH recommends providers use the following alternative therapies: Molnupiravir, an oral antiviral, or Bebtelovimab, a monoclonal antibody treatment. Prescribe Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis ... May 6, 2022 COVID19, Healthcare, Patient Care COVID-19, Paxlovid, Public Health Department, Santa Clara County 0 0 Comment Read More »
COVID-19 Health Workers Suffer Combat-type Moral Trauma A Duke University study shows that, amid COVID-19, US healthcare workers (HCWs) had similar rates of potential moral injury (PMI)—a type of trauma-induced wound to the psyche—as military combat veterans. The study, published yesterday in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, surveyed 2,099 HCWs in 2020 and 2021 and 618 military veterans deployed to a combat zone after the Sep 11, 2001, US terrorist attacks about PMIs they may have experienced. PMI is a distressing reaction to exposure to traumatic events that may have psychological, behavioral, social, and spiritual effects. Depression, lower quality of life Of ... April 7, 2022 COVID19, Healthcare, Mental Health, Physician Wellness, Physician Workforce, Trauma Informed Care COIVD-19, Health Care Workers, Trauma 0 0 Comment Read More »