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1. CMA Prevents Erosion of Corporate Medicine
Bar in
California
With help from grassroots physician support at a
critical juncture, CMA stopped a bill (AB 1944)
that would have eroded the ban on the corporate
practice of medicine in
California
by allowing certain hospitals to hire
physicians.
2. Blue Cross Continues to Spend Less than
80% of Premiums on Patient Care
If
California’s
health plans spent at least 85 percent of
premiums on actual patient care, the state’s
health care system would see an infusion of over
$1 billion dollars, according to CMA’s 15th
annual Knox-Keene Health Plan Expenditures
Report, detailing the financial status of
California’s
HMOs.
3. House to Vote Tuesday on Critical Medicare
Bill
Call
Congress and Urge them to Act Before July 1
Deadline
With action
stalled in the Senate, the House of
Representatives is scheduled to vote Tuesday on
a bill to stop the Medicare cuts to physician
reimbursements scheduled to take effect July 1.
4. Legal Delay Tactics by State Undermine CMA
Chance to Stop the 10% Medi-Cal Cut before it
Takes Effect July 1
On May 5, CMA
and a coalition of health care providers filed a
class action lawsuit seeking to stop the state
from unlawfully slashing Medi-Cal payment rates
by 10 percent. The suit was filed in state court
and seeks injunctive relief to prevent the
implementation of the illegal rate cut.
5. CMA Urges DMHC to Stop Health Plan Attempts
to Circumvent Rescission Law
CMA has requested that the Department of Managed
Health Care (DMHC) protect physicians from
inappropriate and abusive payor practices that
have cropped up in an effort to circumvent a
state law that prevents insurers from taking
away a patient’s health insurance after
treatment has already been authorized.
6.AMA Sets Policy on Air Pollution, Pain
Management,
Internet Marketing to Children on Health, and
More
The
California
delegation to AMA’s House of Delegates presented
a number of important resolutions at the
association’s annual meeting in
Chicago
last week. The following are summaries of some
of the
California
resolutions that the AMA House adopted as
policy.
7. Member Benefit of the Week: Up to 25% Off
Avis Car Rental
CMA members
receive up to 25 percent off on car rentals from
Avis. To make a reservation, visit
http://www.avis.com or call
800/331-1212.
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