NYCU September 17, 2024 October 14, 2024 Advocacy, Artificial Intelligence, CAHAN Alerts, Champions for Health, CMA, CMA Benefits, Medi-Cal, Medicare, Physician Workforce, Proposition 35, SDCMS 0 TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2024 PHYSICIANS: It’s important that you contact your Member of Congress as soon as possible! For the fifth straight year, physicians are facing a Medicare payment cut unless Congress intervenes. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released the 2025 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule, which includes yet another 2.8% cut to physician Medicare payments on January 1, 2025. This cut is mostly due to an expiring 2.93% temporary increase that Congress had previously authorized. Failure to stop these cuts threatens seniors access to physicians and other health care providers treating patients in the outpatient setting. Representatives Mariannette Miller–Meeks, MD (R–IA) and Jimmy Panetta (D–CA), along with a bipartisan group of physician members of Congress, including California physician Representatives Ami Bera, MD, and Raul Ruiz, MD, are circulating a ‘Dear Colleague’ letter urging House leadership to take immediate action to not only stop the 2.8% cut, but also provide physicians with a much–needed payment update that reflects the inflationary pressure they’re facing running a medical practice. Contact your members of Congress and urge them to sign the Miller–Meeks/Panetta ‘Dear Colleague’ letter today (sample email provided). JOIN CHAMPIONS FOR HEALTH ON SEPTEMBER 28TH FOR ‘VIVA LAS VEGAS’ CASINO NIGHT! Please join SDCMS’ philanthropic 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization Champions for Health in celebration as they raise funds to help serve all the uninsured, and those in need of vaccinations by attending their annual ‘Viva Las Vegas’ Casino Night. It’s happening in less than two weeks on Saturday, September 28, 2024 at 5:00 PM inside the infamous Vault at Veloce Motors. This year’s event is being generously presented by Grossmont Healthcare District. By supporting Champions for Health, you will be directly benefiting programs which address the needs of medically underserved residents within San Diego County, including Project Access San Diego (PASD) and Immunize San Diego. Since 2008, PASD has facilitated over $27 million in pro bono specialty care, procedures and surgeries in collaboration with a network of physicians, hospitals and clinics across the region. For every $1 spent on program expenses, they provide $10 in contributed healthcare services — a return on investment of 1,000%. Hope to see you there. You can REGISTER HERE. DON’T MISS THE PROPOSITION 35 TOWN HALL WEBINAR ON OCTOBER 2ND FROM 6:00–7:00PM San Diego County Medical Society is hosting a Town Hall webinar on Proposition 35 on Wednesday, October 2nd from 6pm to 7pm. Sergio Flores, MD, former SDCMS President and current Chair of the California Medical Association Board of Trustees will provide a detailed presentation to help understand the impact of Proposition 35, including dramatic improvements to physician rates, increases in GME funding and a host of other critically needed areas. Campaign activities and how you can effectively share information will also be covered. There will be an opportunity to ask questions. Passage of Proposition 35 is the top political/policy priority for SDCMS and CMA. We hope you’ll join us for this important opportunity to learn more and even help pass this milestone ballot measure. You can REGISTER HERE. As always, let me know if you have any questions! Paul Hegyi, CEO WHAT TO KNOW … CAHAN ALERT Health Advisory: Cross–Border Pollution in the Tijuana River Valley and Potential Health Effects CLICK HERE CAHAN ALERT Health Advisory: Detection of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) A(H5N1) in California Dairy Cattle CLICK HERE California May Regulate and Restrict Pharmaceutical Brokers CLICK HERE Bad News for Physician Reimbursements CLICK HERE What Could Make Physicians Stay: Survey CLICK HERE Decades of National Suicide Prevention Policies Haven’t Slowed the Deaths CLICK HERE Hospital Numbers Game Leads to Partial Closures CLICK HERE Dr. Chatbot Will See You Now ? CLICK HERE AHA: Hospitals Improve Patient Safety Measures Above Pre–Pandemic Levels CLICK HERE California’s Maternity Care Crisis is Worsening as Newsom Decides on Bills to Slow Closures CLICK HERE WHAT TO DO … OCT 1, 2024: 12:15-1:15pm, FREE Webinar for Members and Non–Members, sponsored by The Doctors Company, ‘Patient Dismissal: The Last Resort’. Dismissing a patient, while sometimes necessary, is accompanied by risks physicians should be aware of. We will provide information and guidance on best practices when dismissing a patient from your medical practice, and provide guidance to avoid risking patient abandonment plus how to appropriately document the patient dismissal process CLICK HERE OCT 5, 2024: 7:30am-1:10pm, Westin Carlsbad Resort & Spa, California Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (CACE) educational program ‘Hot Topics in Diabetes and Endocrinology’ for primary care providers. FREE registration includes 3.25hrs CME, breakfast and lunch. Nationally renowned local experts will be giving the latest updates on diabetes, thyroid, obesity, lipids and osteoporosis. The program is designed to be practical for busy clinicians in primary care. Physicians and Advanced Practice Providers welcome CLICK HERE OCT 10, 2024: 12-1pm, FREE Webinar for Members, Non–Members, NPs, and PAs, sponsored by CMA and CDPH, ‘Virtual Grand Rounds: Caring for Youth at Risk for Suicide’. 13% of young people and 39% of LGBTQ+ youth have suicidal thoughts, yet many of the health care settings where they seek care have little or no capacity to treat youth in crisis. We will hear from Sharonne Herbert, PhD, MSW, and Abigail Ross, PhD, MSW about their work to bring family–based crisis intervention (FBCI) to an emergency department in CA and adapting FBCI for primary care so young people can begin stabilization and treatment early. We’ll also hear from CA State Epidemiologist Erica Pan, MD, MPH about the status of COVID–19 and influenza, as well as other emerging public health initiatives. CME credit available CLICK HERE NOV 12, 2024: 12-1pm, FREE Webinar for Members, Non–Members, NPs, and PAs, sponsored by CMA and CDPH, ‘Virtual Grand Rounds: From Avian Flu to COVID–19 — How the “One Health” Approach Improves Human, Animal & Environmental Health’. While traditional medical education has focused only on the human patient, over time we’ve recognized the profound influence environment and animals have on human health. By looking at the whole picture rather than individual pieces, an approach called “One Health,” we can be more effective not only at preventing human disease, but also at creating a sustainable planet for all life. Our guests will discuss examples of “One Health” challenges and describe how bringing this mindset into our clinics, societal actions and policy is vital as we face challenges from COVID–19 to avian influenza. CME credit available CLICK HERE WHAT TO READ, LISTEN & WATCH … CMA in the Courts READ HERE Podcast ‘What the Health?’ Trump–Harris Debate Showcases Health Policy Differences LISTEN HERE Alzheimer’s Project Clinical Roundtable Free On–Demand CME Webinar Series on Dementia WATCH HERE Champions for Health & TDC’s Free On–Demand CME Webinar Series ‘Innovations and Smart Approaches in Safe Prescibing’ to Help Fulfill DEA Training Requirements (Modules 1–5) WATCH HERE SDCMS Video Archive: View our FREE digital catalog of videos & webinars WATCH HERE SDCMS Webinar: Are You Aware and Prepared for New California Laws? WATCH HERE SDCMS Webinar: Managing the Noncompliant and Nonadherent Patient WATCH HERE SDCMS Webinar: Physician Financial Wellness (Part 1) WATCH HERE SDCMS Webinar: Physician Financial Wellness (Part 2) WATCH HERE SDCMS Webinar: Top Five Risks for Your Practice WATCH HERE SDCMS Webinar: Will Your Documentation Defend You? 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