Monday Rx: Mask 2.0, HOD, LACMA Elections and Upcoming Events June 21, 2021 2021 Election, Accountable Care Organizations, Aledade, California, California Medical Association, CDC, CME Provider Conference, COVID-19, District 3, House of Delegates, LAC DPH, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Medicare, Race Against Time, Vaccines, Variants 1258 Mask Wearing 2.0 Thanks to our partnership with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (LAC DPH) we are sharing the latest news on COVID-19 and specifically, mask-wearing as the state opens up. Following the June 17 vote, by the Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board to adopt the revised COVID-19 Prevention Emergency Temporary Standards, Governor Gavin Newsom signed an executive order to allow the revisions to immediately take effect on June 17. The revised regulations reflect the state’s latest COVID-19 public health guidance. The updates include changes to face coverings and physical distancing requirements. So, when should the public wear a mask? You can find answers on the LAC DPH website including the latest orders and answers to frequently asked questions: View Here. There is also information you can share with patients in Spanish: View Here. CMA to Tackle Two Major Issues at 150th House of Delegates The 150th Annual Session of the California Medical Association (CMA) House of Delegates (HOD) will tackle two major issues when it convenes October 23-24, 2021, in Los Angeles. CMA physician delegates meet annually to establish 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: Racism and Other Barriers to Health Equity Corporatization of Health Care These major issue topics are now available for comment. If you have any input on the direction of the topic, now is the time to offer your testimony. The testimony provided at this time will help guide the CMA councils in the development of their reports. Visit cmadocs.org to learn more. Vaccines vs 5 Variants: What the CDC Says We Need to Know Epsilon, first detected in California: Vaccines may be less effective against this variant, which is about 20 percent more transmissible than previously circulating strains, according to the CDC. The agency cited preliminary lab research published March 9 in the medical preprint server medRXiv, which found a two-fold decrease in neutralizing titers among vaccine recipients against this strain. The study was not peer-reviewed. Newer research proves more hopeful. A research letter published April 7 in The New England Journal of Medicine found only a modestly lower value in neutralization titers against the variant after analyzing virus samples from 49 people who received either Moderna or Novavax's vaccine. Based on their findings, researchers concluded vaccines are "likely to remain effective" against the variant. Outside of this lab research, little clinical data exists about the vaccine's protection against the epsilon variant in the real world. To learn more about the other four variants including: Alpha, first detected in the U.K, Beta, first detected in South Africa, Gamma, first detected in Brazil, Delta, first identified in India, click here. 2021 Election Results Thank you so much to all those who voted in the 150th LACMA Elections! Below are the election results. We’d like to thank all of the exceptional candidates for their leadership and extend our congratulations to those who were elected. We look forward to working with you this year! Councilor-at-Large Dr. Samuel Fink – Elected into new 3-year term. Dr. Richard Seidman – Elected into one-year term. District 14 Councilor Dr. Diego Caivano – Elected Dr. William Hale Resident/Fellow Councilor Dr. Joshua Cenido Dr. Cecilia Leggett – Elected Dr. Andrea Banuelos Mota Dr. Anna Yap – Elected (Alternate) What’s Next for California Physicians In the latest edition of Physician Today magazine, you will find articles addressing critical issues like 2021 laws impacting practices and employers, how to address LGBTQIA+ bias in healthcare, ways to optimize the virtual patient experience, and much more. This popular practice management publication created by the Cooperative of American Physicians (CAP) helps physicians stay informed of current practice-related issues. Download Now As the pandemic wanes, medical practices need to be well prepared for the challenges that lay ahead, many of which have been supplemented by a whole new set of COVID-19-related risks and concerns. In this issue, you will also find: Tips for avoiding dangerous cyberattacks How to manage Cal/OSHA complaints in the age of COVID-19 Strategies for disposing of unwanted medications A recent medical malpractice case study from CAP’s Case of the Month column And much more! We hope this issue of Physician Today provides valuable guidance and information to help your practice navigate the road ahead. CAP, a leading provider of medical malpractice coverage for California physicians, offers a wide array of risk management and practice management benefits, such as these free resources. 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. District 3 Webinar: Medicare Changes 2021 & Beyond presented by Cheryl Bradley Cheryl Bradley is an Associate Director in CMA’s Center for Economic Services. She has over 25 years of experience in the Medicare Program and has held a variety of responsibilities including Education and Training Specialist, Medical Review Analyst, and has worked with providers in virtually all specialties across all the CA Medicare contractors. Cheryl is a known educator speaking at conferences, state associations, and for numerous organizations. She provides problem-solving assistance to CMA member physicians on a number of Medicare issues. She is great at using humor to help providers navigate this difficult healthcare program. This 40-minute virtual (online) training provides your practice with updates on Policy, Payment and Quality Provisions for Medicare under the Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) for Calendar Year 2021 and beyond. Subjects highlighted in this workshop: Telehealth in Pandemic CMS E/M 2021 Guidelines The Quality Payment Program (MACRA) Year 5 Compliance with the current MAC Other Medicare Part B issues You will walk away with resources you can use to decrease denials and maximize your reimbursement. Date: Tuesday, June 22, 2021 Time: 7:00 p.m. PST Format: Zoom RSVP to vitelio@lacmanet.org. Value-Based Care Works: How Physician-Led ACOs are Leading the Charge One of the central challenges of value-based care has been proving that the model delivers lower costs and better outcomes for primary care practices - a challenge resolved by examining the savings of and utilization data for a cohort of Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) across five states. Join Aledade's CEO Farzad Mostashari for insights into the value-based care journey experienced by practices in these ACOs, an overview of their success and challenges, and how - when done right and with the support of an experienced partner - the results of value-based care grow over time and are replicable across geographies. Date: Wednesday, June 23, 2021 Time: 2:00 pm EST Format: Virtual Register Here Webinar: Return to Work Issues for California Physician Employers This webinar will answer some of the most common questions employers have about returning to work issues, including whether the employer can inquire if the employee is vaccinated; if vaccination is or can be required for returning employees; whether the employer is required to accommodate employees who want to continue telecommuting; what obligations, if any, will employers have to accommodate employees not vaccinated; and what issues should employers address once employees return to work. This one-hour webinar will address all these issues, as well as provide information on how employers may go about addressing and documenting them. Date: Wednesday, June 23, 2021 Time: 12:15 p.m. - 1:15 p.m. PST Format: Virtual Register Here CMA's 2021 CME Provider Conference Join the California Medical Association virtually for their 2021 Annual CME Provider Conference: Leading the Way to the Future of CME! This educational opportunity will provide valuable strategies and insight to improving your CME program, as well as provide an opportunity to connect with ACCME, CMA CME staff, and other CMA-accredited providers. Topics will include: *subject to change National Update, Collaborations and MOC - Graham McMahon, M.D., MMSc, CEO at the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education. Standards for Integrity and Independence State of the State of CME - Kristin Jensen, M.D., Chair of CMA CME Steering Committee Engaging your Leadership about the Importance of CME - Moderated Panel New CLC and IB Standards - Moderated Panel CA Legislation that Impacts CME Virtual Social Hour Date: Thursday, June 24, 2021 Time: 8:45 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. PST Format: Virtual Register Here Race Against Time: A Conversation with Tung Nguyen, MD Our guest will be Dr. Tung Nguyen, Endowed Chair in General Internal Medicine and Professor of Medicine at UCSF. He is also Director of the Asian American Research Center on Health or (ARCH) and previously Chair of the Presidential Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders under President Barack Obama. Dr. Nguyen will lead a conversation on the ongoing AAPI hate crimes and violence directed towards our community. Hosted by the LACMA Health Equity Council, the event will be on Wednesday, June 30th at 6:00 pm. Register below or email Lisa Le at lisa@lacmanet.org. Date: Wednesday, June 30, 2021 Time: 6:00 p.m. PST Format: Zoom Register Here #MondayMotivation "A problem is a chance for you to do your best." Gustavo Friederichsen Chief Executive Officer Los Angeles County Medical Association “If it matters to our LACMA members, it matters to me.”