March 2015 Download PDF Here MMS NEWS Nominations needed for MMS election ICD-10 training. Are you interested? Discuss legislative issues affecting health care with legislators April 14 We think we've earned your membership :LOCAL NEWS New HMO health plan: Sutter Health Plus REACH completes 100,000 patient transports CMA ALERT RESOURCES & CME April 2: PFMC grant proposals due CME April 25: HIV/AIDS review CME May 1: Innovation 2015, San Mateo CME online: Medical cannabis courses Cycling CME: July 21-25 (Vail) & Sept 22-27 (Grand Junction) CLASSIFIEDS ABOUT MMS MMS NEWS Nominations needed for MMS election In preparation for the upcoming MMS election in May, all members are urged to submit nominations for leadership positions by March 31. Nominees must be MMS members in good standing. Nominations are requested for the following positions: MMS executive team (2): president-elect and secretary/treasurer MMS board representatives (3) CMA delegates (2) CMA alternate delegates (3) All positions require a three-year commitment, beginning July 1. Nominations can be emailed to cmelody@scma.org, faxed to 415-924-2749, or mailed to MMS, PO Box 246, Corte Madera, CA 94976. Each nomination should include a brief statement about the nominee's qualifications. For more details, contact Cynthia Melody at cmelody@scma.org or 415-924-3891. Read the winter issue of Marin Medicine online! View PDF | View Text.. ICD-10 training. Are you interested? MMS, in partnership with CMA and the California Medical Group Management Association (MGMA), will offer a two-day ICD-10 code set seminar this summer in Santa Rosa if there is enough interest. Contact Rachel Pandolfi at rachel@marinmedicalsociety or 415-924-3891 if you are interested. The training is designed specifically for coding staff and intended to give attendees a comprehensive understanding of guidelines and conventions of ICD-10, as well as fundamental knowledge of how to decipher, understand and accurately apply codes in ICD-10. Usually $799, CMA negotiated $399 for MMS-CMA members, $499 for California MGMA members, and $599 for nonmembers. Training will be in a classroom setting conducted over two consecutive days, including 16 hours of intensive general ICD-10 code set training (16 CEUs) and hands-on coding exercises. Discuss legislative issues affecting health care with legislators April 14 MMS members are invited to CMA's annual Legislative Advocacy Day oon 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 or contact Cynthia Melody at 415-924-3891 or cmelody@scma.org. /p> WWe 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. 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. LOCAL NEWS New HMO health plan: Sutter Health Plus After receiving final approval from the Department of Managed Health, Sutter Health announced the availability of Sutter Health Plus, an HMO health plan that will provide individuals and employer groups with affordably priced health plans in Sonoma County. The Sutter Health network launched its own health plan as a way to partner directly with patients to manage their total health needs, including quality and cost of care. Sutter Health Plus' network includes the Novato Community Hospital in Marin County and the new $284 million state-of-the-art Sutter Santa Rosa Regional Hospital in Sonoma County. Also in Sonoma County are the Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation's care centers in Santa Rosa, Rohnert Park, Sebastopol and Healdsburg, and Sutter Medical Group of the Redwoods. For more information visit www.sutterhealth.org. RREACH completes 100,000 patient transports REACH Air Medical Services announced the completion of more than 100,000 successful patient transports. REACH has grown from one air ambulance base in Santa Rosa, California in 1987 to more than 20 bases of operation providing air and ground ambulance services in California, Oregon and Texas. According to Sean Russell, REACH president, "Based on our annual transport volume, if we were still a one-base company it would have taken us about 200 years to make 100,000 flights." CMA ALERT TOP STORY: "We Care for California" coalition introduces legislation to increase Medi-Cal rates to Medicare levels: Senate Health Committee Chair Ed Hernandez and Assembly Health Committee Chair Rob Bonta joined health care providers, medical students, patients and advocates on the steps of the Capitol last week to introduce AB 366 and SB 243, legislation that would not only restore a 10 percent cut to Medi-Cal reimbursement rates, but would also place reimbursement on par with Medicare, increasing payments rates for inpatient hospital services and most outpatient services. (Read more) Other stories: Best-selling author Dave Logan to speak at Western Health Care Leadership Academy Join us March 26 for Legislative Advocacy Day Lobbying 101 webinar CMA leaders converge on Capitol Hill to advocate for Medicare fix Physician groups urge CMS to create contingency plans for ICD-10 transition Bill to eliminate the use of tobacco products at California baseball venues introduced in Assembly We want to hear from you! Annual member phone survey began last week Gallup poll finds U.S. uninsured rate at lowest level in seven years CMS extends PQRS reporting deadline for some reporting methods MS extends meaningful use EHR attestation deadline to March 20 ICD-10 training seminars coming this summer Two physicians appointed by Governor to Medical Board of California Brown appoints Napa public health officer to head CDPH Online tool that gives consumers average costs for over 70 medical procedures now live CMA Foundation encourages use of recommended adult vaccine schedule CMA Alert is a biweekly newsletter for members of the California Medical Association. :RESOURCES & CME April 2: PFMC grant proposals due Nonprofit health organizations in Sonoma 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. CME 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. CME May 1: Innovation 2015, San Mateo "The Digital Doctor: Hope, Hype and Harm at the Dawn of Medicine's Computer Age" and "The Future of Health & Medicine: Where Can Technology Take Us?" will be featured at the Innovation Symposium 2015 on May 1 in San Mateo. Physicians, CFOs, COOs, nurses, HR executives, and pharmacists are invited. CMEs will be available. Download flier or register online today. CME online: Medical cannabis courses 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™). Click here for details. CLASSIFIEDS Medical condo for sale Located on South Eliseo Drive in Greenbrae. 415-435-8589. Shared medical suite available Lovely reception area, patient rooms and furnished office. Beautiful Novato location, plenty of parking, utilities included. Please inquire at 415-897-9800. 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 March 18, 2015 MMS News Briefs MMS News Briefs 0 0 Comment Read More »