February 2015 Download PDF Here MMS NEWS Renew your 2015 membership today "The Brain" is the theme of winter 2015 Marin Medicine Save the date: Legislative Advocacy Day April 14 Applicants CMA NEWS Top Stories from CMA ALERT RESOURCES & CME ICD-10 implementation deadline: Oct. 1, 2015 Covered California Feb. 23 and 25: Dementia Care conferences Feb. 28: Integrating Psychiatry & Primary Care March 6-7: Childhood Obesity Bay Area Annual Conference April 2: PFMC grant proposals due April 25: HIV/AIDS Review Online: Medical cannabis courses (12 CME) July and September: Cycling CME CLASSIFIEDS ABOUT MMS MMS NEWS Renew your 2015 membership today We think we've earned your membership! Prop. 46 was defeated (NO: 67% YES: 33%)! CMA-MMS spent $8 million of CMA reserves and raised $52 million to protect MICRA. Culminating an 11-year CMA-MMS effort, the GPCI inequity for Marin County has been permanently solved. CMA held off a 10% Medi-Cal cut for three years, ensuring the cut would not have to be repaid. Among many other examples, legislative advocacy kept optometrists from practicing ophthalmology. Call Rachel Pandolfi at 415-924-3891 if you need a copy of your dues invoice. She can answer your questions or handle payment over the phone. Click here to renew your 2015 membership online. "The Brain" is the theme of winter 2015 Marin Medicine Feature articles include: "Our Squiggly Blob;" bipolar disorder and cannabis use; exercise as a treatment for Parkinson's Disease; headache update. Departments include: Emotional support dogs; the boating life; the unsustainable SGR; Being Mortal book review; Kaiser Permanente San Rafael update; Peter Bretan AMA Award; MMS president's letter to Marin County physicians; 2015 new health laws. View the PDF online; read text-only articles online here. Save the date: Legislative Advocacy Day April 14 MMS members are invited to CMA's annual Legislative Advocacy Day on Tuesday, April 14, at the Sheraton Grand in Sacramento. Attended by several hundred physicians, this conference provides an opportunity to meet with local legislators regarding pressing health care issues after morning speeches by CMA's president, Dr. Luther Cobb, and Dustin Corcoran, CMA CEO. This year's keynote speaker is expected to be Governor Jerry Brown, followed by a political panel discussion and afternoon sessions with local legislators in their offices. For more information, visit www.cmanet.org/events, download flier, or contact Cynthia Melody at 707-525-4375 or cmelody@scma.org. Applicants Julia Haimowitz, MD, Dermatology*, 99 Montecillo Rd., San Rafael, 94903, Harvard Med Sch 1993 * = board certified CMA NEWS Top Stories from CMA ALERT CMA Alert is a biweekly newsletter for members of the California Medical Association. Read the current issue here. Articles include: Regulations requiring health insurers to have adequate networks and accurate directories go into effect CMA survey finds workers' comp reform has brought new challenges for physicians CMS announces it will work to reduce meaningful use reporting burden Register now for Western Health Care Leadership Academy! Fraud alert: Recognizing relationships that may trigger fraud and abuse concerns for physicians Legislation announced to ban personal belief exemptions for school vaccinations Poll shows people want Congress to act to make all states eligible for ACA subsidies CMA vice speaker receives award from the state workers' comp department United Healthcare introduces narrow network product ICD-10 transition guide now available; new resource webpage available United Healthcare to pursue EFT and ERA for all contracted physicians in 2015 $10 million reasons to be a CMA member Participate in the MGMA Compensation and Production Survey; receive free access to survey results RESOURCES & CME ICD-10 implementation deadline: Oct. 1, 2015 Is your office working on ICD-10 compliance? Click here to see a variety of resources for physicians including CMA's ICD-10 Transition Guide. :: Covered California Enrollment information and deadlines: Open enrollment for new coverage or change in plan runs Nov. 15, 2014, to Feb. 15, 2015. Current enrollees will be automatically re-enrolled in their plans (even if there has been a change in the premium rate) if they are making no changes (either tier level or plan). All changes must have been made by Feb. 15, 2015, for this enrollment period. Medi-Cal enrollees don't need to renew until they hear from Medi-Cal about next steps. Physician resources: Surviving Covered California: Preparing for Changes in 2015 Covered California Insurer Contacts Covered California Qualified Health Plan Insurance Carriers: Plan Year 2015 Office Placard Understanding the Grace Period Plan Names, ID Card, and Provider Directory Reference Guide Insurance Company Network Contacts Know Your Participation Status FAQs for Patients in English and Spanish Feb. 23 and 25: Dementia Care conferences The California Partnership to Improve Dementia Care is presenting a one-day conference, Dementia Care California: Sustaining Momentum and Success, in Sacramento on Feb. 23, and in Pasadena on Feb. 25. The program will look at where things are now and how to bridge the gap in transitional care for persons with dementia. Physicians, nurses, nursing home administrators and social workers are encouraged to attend. Continuing education credits will be available for nursing home administrators, nurses and social workers. The featured speaker will be G. Allen Power, MD, clinical associate professor of medicine at the University of Rochester, and author of Dementia Beyond Drugs and Dementia Beyond Disease. For more information or to register for the event, click here. Feb. 28: Integrating Psychiatry & Primary Care The Northern California Psychiatric Society presents Integrating Psychiatry & Primary Care, an informative panel discussion on the Affordable Health Care Act, and integrating psychiatry and primary care. The event will be Saturday, Feb. 28 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Delancey Street Screening Room, 600 Embarcadero, San Francisco. 5 CMEs available (AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™). Find out more at www.ncps.org. March 6-7: Childhood Obesity Bay Area Annual Conference This annual conference, to be held March 6 and 7 at UCSF Medical Center, brings together local stakeholders in childhood obesity prevention to promote innovation and provide insight into work being done on this critical issue. The program features keynote presentations, professional panels, breakout sessions, networking events and a garden tour, plus a locally-catered breakfast, lunch, and wine reception. To get your tickets visit: www.coba2015.eventbrite.com. April 2: PFMC grant proposals due Nonprofit health organizations in Marin County are encouraged to apply for Community Grants from the Pacific Foundation for Medical Care. The grants, generally in the $10,000 range, are awarded twice a year by the nonprofit foundation to support local projects that enhance health services. The application deadline for the next round of grants is April 2. For application materials, contact Kathy Pass at 707-525-4281 or kpass@rhs.org. For more information, visit www.pfmc.org. April 25: HIV/AIDS Review The 22nd Annual HIV/AIDS Review, an educational CME seminar and luncheon for physicians, mid-levels and pharmacists who provide care to people with HIV/AIDS will be held on Saturday, April 25, 2015, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., at the Finley Community Center, Santa Rosa. This year's program will include: an HIV and HCV Update; HIV Prevention; Substance Use and Harm Reduction; Interdisciplinary Case Management; and Medication Errors in HIV Care. Speakers include: Kirsten Balano, PharmD; Drs. Marshall Kubota, Ele Lozares-Lewis, and Danny Toub; and Meghan Murphy, MSW. For more information, call The North Coast Area AIDS Education & Training Center at 707-303-8904. Online: Medical cannabis courses (12 CME) This new online series of 12 courses, offered by the Medical Cannabis Institute, includes: the history of cannabis as medicine; the endocannabinoid system; cannabis-the plant; the pharmacology and its physiologic effects; delivery and dosage; clinical practice; and clinical case study reviews. 12 CMEs available (AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™). Find out more at www.TheMedicalCannabisInstitute.org. Cycling CME: July 21-25 (Vail) & Sept 22-27 (Grand Junction) Two CME conferences in Vail and Grand Junction, Colorado will emphasize exercise as medicine, common musculoskeletal problems, and nutrition. Conference groups are small, creating an atmosphere conducive to interactive "hands-on" learning, featuring challenging road bike rides daily. The event is sponsored by St. Mary's Hospital and Medical Center. 15 CMEs pending (AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™). Details here. CLASSIFIEDS Medical condo for sale Located on South Eliseo Drive in Greenbrae. 415-435-8589. MMS members get free classifieds! MMS members can place free classified ads in News Briefs or Marin Medicine. Cost for nonmember physicians and the general public is $1 per word. To place a classified ad, contact Susan Gumucio at susan@scma.org or 707-525-0102. ABOUT MMS The Marin Medical Society, a 501(c)(6) nonprofit association, supports local physicians and their efforts to enhance the health of the community. Founded in 1898, MMS is affiliated with the California Medical Association and the American Medical Association. Visit us at www.marinmedicalsociety.org. © 2015 MMS, 2901 Cleveland Ave. #202, Santa Rosa, CA 95403 February 19, 2015 MMS News Briefs MMS News Briefs 0 0 Comment Read More »