SMCMA Physician

AMA National Advocacy Day

In February, the California Medical Association (CMA) sent a delegation of physician and medical student leaders to Washington, D.C. to participate in the American Medical Association’s (AMA) National Advocacy Conference. The delegation met with members of the California Congressional Delegation and leadership of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to advocate for several health care issues of critical importance to California Physicians, including:

Addressing Health Care Costs

The CMA leaders urged Members of Congress to make health care more affordable and accessible by allowing Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices with the pharmaceutical manufacturers, mandating Medicare site neutral payments for hospitals and physicians, and authorizing more physician-led, coordinated-care delivery models.

Universal Access to Care

Congress was informed that the CMA strongly supports universal coverage for all Americans and believes this can be done by making improvements to the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Specific improvements include expanding access to doctors, restoring the individual mandate, reinstating the ACA reinsurance program, and continuing the cost-sharing reduction program.

Unanticipated Medical Bills

The CMA supports a balanced approach to protecting patients from the financial burden of unanticipated medical expenses and inadequate coverage by incentivizing health insurance plans to contract with robust networks of physicians. As legislation is being considered in this area, CMA urges policymakers to hold Health Insurance Plans accountable for adequate networks and transparency, protecting patients against unexpected medical bills, and protecting physicians through adequate billed charges benchmark payments and a formal dispute resolution process. CMA is promoting the New York model in Congress.

Gun Violence Prevention

Firearm violence is a threat to public health and the CMA believes that physicians have a responsibility as trusted public health figures to respond to the harms associated with firearm violence, both as clinicians and community advocates. CMA also urges support for 2019 legislation authored by Californians, including the “Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2019” (Thompson D-CA, King R-NY), which expands the existing background check system to cover all firearm sales, and “The Assault Weapons Ban” (Senator Feinstein D-CA), which reinstates and strengthens the expired 1994 ban on assault weapons.

EHR Interoperability

CMA continues to urge CMS to enforce EHR interoperability, which will facilitate the electronic sharing of patient information and allow for more seamless transitions between health care providers.

The CMA, in partnership with your SMCMA, continues to represent your voice in shaping healthcare policy by advocating for physicians, patients, and access to care.

Tanya Spirtos, MD is an OB/GYN, the current Vice-Speaker of the CMA House of Delegates, and a member of the SMCMA