The Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC) promulgated emergency regulations that went into effect on July 17, 2020, seeking to clarify when California health care service plans must cover COVID-19 diagnostic testing. These regulations are of concern in that instead of broadening access and creating patient protections like the federal law has done, DMHC’s emergency […]
San Diego Academy of Family Physicians [SDAFP] will be hosting their 63rd Annual Symposium ‘Family Medicine Update 2020’ on October 2–4, 2020. At the conclusion, participants should be able to: -Determine patients at risk for a particular medical condition in order to control or prevent further complications -Detect and provide treatment for a variety of disease states typically […]
DHCS continues to make significant progress towards a successful transition of pharmacy services on January 1, 2021 to Medi-Cal Rx. Medi-Cal Rx transitioning pharmacy services from Medi-Cal managed care to fee-for-service will, among other things: · Standardize the Medi-Cal pharmacy benefit statewide, under one delivery system. · Improve access to pharmacy services with a pharmacy network that includes the […]
Evaluation and management (E/M) codes are at the core of most family physician practices. Family physicians and other qualified health professionals can maximize payment and reduce the stress associated with audits by understanding how to properly document and code for E/M services. CMS has revised the E/M documentation and coding guidelines, with changes beginning January 1, 2021. These fundamental changes (www.ama-assn.org) are intended to reduce administrative burden and increase the amount of time physicians […]
Medicine has a troubling history around reproductive health issues, including coercion and deception that has led to abuse of women and particularly women of color. Recent headlines have shown a light on this issue, but it is not new for our nation, or for California. Even before recent headlines, CAFP members recognized the importance of reproductive health access […]
This week, Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 890 (Wood), which creates a pathway for nurse practitioners (NPs) to practice without physician supervision. Despite an outstanding effort by CAFP’s Government Relations team and family physicians throughout the state, the Legislature passed the bill in the final minutes of session. CAFP remains concerned that the new law […]
Navigating the Parent-Physician Journey in a Pandemic By Tipu Khan, MD, FAAFP, FASAM We discuss work-life balance all the time, but the conversation often ends as a cursory discussion about finding that sweet spot. For years, I have been trying to find balance in my life and it has been hard. Other than those in shift […]
The National Academy of Medicine (NAM) has selected Rita Hamad, MD, PhD as the 2020 James C. Puffer, MD/American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM) Fellow. Dr. Hamad serves as associate professor and as Director of Social Policies for the Health Equity Research (SPHERE) program in the Department of Family and Community Medicine and the Philip […]
By Shannon Connolly, MD, FAAFPCAFP President-Elect I had the tremendous honor of meeting Ruth Bader Ginsburg as an undergraduate. My college was presenting her with an honorary degree at commencement, and by some stroke of pure dumb luck, I was selected as one of a handful of students to attend a reception with her the […]
