Monday Rx: AB 2236, Medi-Medi Transition, LA Healthcare Awards, AB 35, HOD and Upcoming Events October 3, 2022 AB 2236, AB 35, Allied Pacific IPA, American Academy of Legal Medicine, California, California Medical Association, Climate Health Crisis, Cooperative of American Physicians, Dodger Night, Governor Gavin Newsom, House of Delegates, Los Angeles Healthcare Awards, Medical Malpractice Lawsuits, Medicare Medi-Cal, Medi-Medi Plans, Medtrainer, Optometrists, Patient Care Foundation, Webinar 957 Newsom Vetoes AB 2236 Governor Gavin Newsom last week vetoed a measure that would have allowed optometrists without the necessary training and education to perform complex procedures such as laser eye surgery and administering needle injections to the eye. “I am not convinced that the education and training required is sufficient to prepare optometrists to perform the surgical procedures identified,” Newsom wrote in his veto message. “This bill would allow optometrists to perform advanced surgical procedures with less than one year of training. In comparison, physicians who perform these procedures must complete at least a three-year residency program. For this reason, I cannot sign this bill.” CMA, LACMA, and other physician organizations urged Newsom to veto Assembly Bill 2236, passed by a one-vote margin in the state Assembly. This legislation crystallizes how the creeping expansion of the scope of practice can threaten patient safety. Update on the Medicare Medi-Cal Plans On January 1, 2023, Medicare Medi-Cal Plans (Medi-Medi Plans) will be available in seven California counties to replace Cal MediConnect plans. Medi-Medi Plans are a type of Medicare Advantage plan in California, only available to people with both Medicare and Medi-Cal. Benefits in both programs are coordinated by one managed care organization. Medi-Medi Plans provide members with: Integrated materials and services, such as a single health plan card and one number to call for both Medicare and Medi-Cal benefits Care coordination, including a person-centered care plan, a care manager, and an interdisciplinary care team ·Continuity of care, so members can continue seeing current providers In 2023, Medi-Medi Plans will be offered in seven counties – Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Mateo, and Santa Clara counties – by the health plans that currently offer Cal MediConnect. If a beneficiary is in Cal MediConnect today, they do NOT need to do anything to enroll in the Medi-Medi Plan. Instead, the beneficiary will be automatically transitioned from their Cal MediConnect plan into a Medi-Medi Plan with no gap in coverage. During the 2022 Medicare Annual Enrollment Period, beneficiaries not currently in Cal MediConnect will have the option to join a Medi-Medi Plan if they live in one of the seven counties. Enrollment in Medi-Medi Plans is voluntary. Beneficiaries will continue to have the option to enroll in the Medicare coverage of their choice. This includes Original (Fee-For-Service) Medicare, other Medicare Advantage plans, and the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE). To enroll in a Medi-Medi plan, patients can contact their preferred plan or call 1-800-MEDICARE. For more information and a list of the Medi-Medi Plans in each county, visit the California Department of Health Care Services website. Additional information is also available about the Future of Cal MediConnect. American Academy of Legal Medicine Event The American Academy of Legal Medicine is holding its annual meeting titled “Medical Legal Issues: COVID and Post COVID” on October 14th at the California Club. LACMA board member Dr. Robert Bitonte is sharing the information with LACMA members. Register Today LACMA Members Enjoy Night with Dodgers Nearly 70 LACMA members and families enjoyed a first-ever night with Division Champs Los Angeles Dodgers last Friday night! Kudos to staff members Noemi Corona and Stephanie Mares for organizing the event to honor the region’s healthcare workers. Allied Pacific IPA Building New Supercenter Congratulations to our newest members, Allied Pacific IPA and Garfield Medical Center, as Allied held a “beam signing” ceremony last Friday. The event brought together physicians, dignitaries, architects, and construction partners to celebrate the new Supercenter being built in Alhambra. The second of three supercenters, the campus will house urgent care, pharmacy, lab, imaging, and more to serve the San Gabriel Valley. Proud to join Dr. Omer Deen and Dr. Hector Flores as we will co-present at this week’s Allied Pacific IPA Annual Meeting in Las Vegas. 10th Annual Los Angeles Healthcare Awards Meet This Year’s Honorees! The Patient Care Foundation is pleased to announce this year’s honorees being honored at the 10th Annual Los Angeles Healthcare Awards on Friday, November 4th at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills. Learn more about the event here. HEART OF COURAGE AWARD John Cheng, MD (posthumous), South Coast Medical Group Steve Kerr, Head Coach, Golden State Warriors HEALTHCARE CHAMPION OF THE YEAR Pfizer INDEPENDENT PHYSICIAN LEADERSHIP AWARD Diana Londoño, MD Physician, Not a Provider INNOVATION AWARD - FACILITIES Hope Street Margolis Family Center, a program of Dignity Health - California Hospital Medical Center in partnership with UCLA INNOVATION AWARD - PUBLIC EDUCATION Ali Gholamrezanezhad, MD, FEBNM, DABR Director of Clinical Research, Department of Radiology Keck School of Medicine of USC INNOVATION AWARD - COMMUNITY SERVICE The Wall Las Memorias INNOVATION AWARD - TECHNOLOGY Heal.LA (Powered by Larta Institute) SHINE THE LIGHT MEDIA AWARD Mark Goulston, MD, FAPA Author, “Just Listen” Join Us as We Recognize the 2022 Honorees! Date: Friday, November 4, 2022 Time: 6:30 PM PDT Location: Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills 300 Doheny Dr. Los Angeles, CA 90048 Purchase Your Ticket The Impact of AB 35 on Medical Malpractice Lawsuits A likely surge in medical malpractice claims frequency and severity is expected to occur when Assembly Bill (AB 35) goes into effect on January 1, 2023. Register for CAP’s free webinar, AB 35: Truth and Impact, to learn more about how this legislation impacts your medical professional liability and what you can do to protect your practice. Register Now AB 35: Truth and Impact Date: Thursday, October 6 Time: 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. PDT This webinar will help physicians: Identify the most impactful changes to MICRA contained in AB 35 that increase physicians’ liabilities for claims of medical negligence Understand the increases in noneconomic damage caps and attorney’s fees Formulate specific steps to ensure patient safety Prepare for the medical professional liability landscape in 2023 and beyond The discussion will be followed by audience Q&A. All registrants will receive the recording and slides once they are available. To learn more about becoming a CAP member, please call 800-356-5672 or email MD@CAPphysicians.com. Request an Instant Quote today to see how much you can save on medical malpractice coverage through CAP. Professional liability coverage for CAP Members is provided by Mutual Protection Trust pursuant to Ins. Code section 1280.7 Impact and Knowledge About AB 35 At LACMA, we want to make sure we're providing the right resources to help you and your practice succeed. Please take a minute to answer a brief survey about your knowledge surrounding Assembly Bill 35. Take Survey House of Delegates The 151st Annual Session of the California Medical Association (CMA) House of Delegates (HOD) will convene on October 22-23, 2022, at the JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. LIVE. The HOD establishes broad policy on current major issues that have been determined to be the most important issues affecting members, the Association and the practice of medicine. This year’s major issues are: Physician Workforce, Health Care Reform and Mental Health. If you are interested in joining as a guest, please reach out to Lisa Le at lisa@lacmanet.org. Date: Thursday, October 6, 2022 Time: 5:30 PM - 6:00 PM Location: Online Register Defeat Burnout and Boost Retention Within Your Healthcare Facility This webinar will focus on how to make administrative work easier for staff by improving systems and processes to reduce their workload long term. What you can expect to learn: Why onboarding is crucial to success, and how to optimize it for staff retention How modernizing your administrative procedures can reduce stress and burnout Why “set-and-forget” systems improve work life for employees and help create a happier, more productive workplace And more! Date: Friday, October 21, 2022 Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Location: Marriott LA LIVE, Diamond Salon 10 Register Understanding the Climate Health Crisis & How Californian Physicians Can Make an Impact This will be an engaging two-part panel discussion that will explore the health impacts of climate change in California and the opportunities for California's physicians to advance policy-level climate solutions with enormous public health co-benefits. Sponsored by Climate Health Now and the California Foundation on the Environment and the Economy (CFEE) in coordination with CMA. Please note: This event is available to attend either in-person or virtually via Zoom. During registration, please choose the registration option for how you intend to view this discussion. #MondayMessage "Self-care is not an expense, it’s an investment. Be sure to take care of you." Gustavo Friederichsen Chief Executive Officer Los Angeles County Medical Association “If it matters to our LACMA members, it matters to me.”