Posted on 08.09.10 by Executive Vice President Susan Hogeland, CAE

Legislative Activity Still Front and Center

The closing weeks of the legislative session have been incredibly hectic for CAFP's lobbying staff - with at least one new brush fire cropping up related to legislation that could be cumbersome for physicians who wish to provide patients with drug samples.  We're on it. ...

On the better news front, AB 2093 (M. Pérez), sponsored by CAFP, the California Medical Association, California Association of Physician Groups and the American Academy of Pediatrics), passed out of the Senate Appropriations Committee on a 7-1 vote last Monday.  The bill would require a health care service plan or health insurer providing coverage for childhood and adolescent immunizations to adequately pay a physician or physician group for the cost of administering a vaccine.  In addition, health plan contracts and insurance policies would be prohibited from imposing a deductible, co-payment, co-insurance or other cost-sharing mechanism for administering a childhood immunization.

The bill addresses a problem brought to CAFP's attention by members:  the payment physicians receive from health plans often fails to cover the cost to acquire vaccines for their patients.  The dilemma faced by many - subsidize each immunization given or turn away patients for this critical preventive care - is especially critical now, as California endures a pertussis epidemic.  The bill will now be voted on by the State Senate.

CAFP's legislation to define the Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH), AB 1542 (Jones) faces additional hurdles in the Senate as well, but we are hopeful it will achieve passage.

Residency Program Directors Dine and Learn

CAFP hosted a dinner for nearly 30 family medicine residency program directors or their representatives on Tuesday, August 4 in Sacramento on the eve of the annual Song-Brown funding meeting (at which funds are distributed to programs based on service to the underserved).  Walt Mills, MD and Hector Flores, MD were instrumental in planning the meeting, along with Callie Langton, MPA, CAFP Associate Director of Health Care Workforce Policy.  Featured speakers included Lucien Wulsin, Peter Harbage and CAFP's own Tom Riley - all addressed health care reform's impact on the workforce.

CAFP Preparing for Long-Acting Opioids REMS

CAFP is spending a good deal of time trying to anticipate what the Food and Drug Administration will require with regard to its Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy findings on long-acting opioids.  CAFP took the lead in putting a survey in the field in eight state academies, including California, to get a handle on family physician needs.  The results of the survey have been extremely helpful in providing guidance to the Academy and other organizations with which it has been collaborating on this issue.  CAFP Senior Vice President Cynthia Kear testified at an FDA hearing in Washington, DC two weeks ago and emphasized the importance of access to care and minimizing hassle for physicians who care for patients with chronic pain.

Dr. Grundy to Return to California

At CAFP's request, Paul Grundy, MD, IBM Global Director for Health Care Transformation and President of the Patient Centered Primary Care Collaborative, will return to California November 10-12 for select meetings with family physicians and others interested in becoming Patient Centered Medical Homes (PCMHs).  CAFP is working to set up meetings on the 10^th, but on the 11^th, Dr. Grundy will travel to San Diego for a meeting with the Sharp Rees Steely Medical Group, at CAFP board member Steve Green, MD's request.  A meeting with TRICARE and the Veterans Administration is also in the works. 

CAFP continues its work to encourage a PCMH pilot project in Fresno through the Fresno Unified School District's Joint Health Management Board. 

It was announced on Friday that IBM and ActiveHealth Management have teamed up to devise a new software system to help doctors manage patient care on a number of fronts:  Collaborative Care Solution is the name of the new management solution, which purports to help doctors track patient care, evaluate performance against quality standards and even indicate whether a patient has filled a prescription.  (http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9HDHT1G0.htm) It was further announced that Sharp Community Medical Group in San Diego is the system's first customer.

One of the most gratifying things about CAFP's work with Dr. Grundy has been learning just how many family physicians are in the midst of transforming their practices to PCMHs.  If YOU are doing such work, would you kindly let me know by email?  Simply say:  "Susan, I'm transforming my practice to PCMH."  It's likely I'll get in touch with you to learn more!

Swimming to Catalina

CAFP has some remarkable members - remarkable not only for their skills as family physicians (well, ALL our members are remarkable for that) - but also for the other activities they undertake. For example, on August 5, Vice Speaker Steve Green, MD swam the Catalina Channel in 11 hours and 31 minutes - a remarkable achievement!  Congratulations, Steve.  Are there any other crazy people out there who'd like to tell us about their exploits??