The 2018-19 State Budget included major health care wins for family medicine:
- $233 million (on top of the more than $350 million increase in 2017) for increased payments to Medi-Cal providers. This payment increase is due to the passage of the CAFP-supported tobacco tax initiative of 2016 (Proposition 56), which allocates 80 percent of the tax revenue to Medi-Cal provider payment increases. When fully implemented, the funding should reach $800 million; when matched with federal funds, this will likely mean more than $1.5 billion in increased payments.
- $190 million in loan repayment funds for recently graduated physicians who serve Medi-Cal beneficiaries.
- The continuation of the three-year $100 million investment in the Song-Brown Primary Care Physician Training Program, with its second installment of $33 million in 2018.
- $60 million to create the “Health Care Payments Database” – an All Payer Claims Database.
- The release of $40 million/year in Proposition 56 funds to support primary care and emergency medicine residency programs in underserved areas..
- $500 million to help communities across California address homelessness.
- $50 million to health information exchanges for expansion to new providers.
CAFP’s bill protecting patients from unfair drug pricing (AB 315) has been signed into law. It requires pharmacy benefit managers to register with the state and notify purchasers of any conflicts of interest in drug benefits, and will prohibit barring providers and pharmacies from informing patients about less costly alternatives and whether the retail price of a drug is lower than the applicable cost-sharing amount.
17 other CAFP-supported bills have also been signed into law, including:
- Allowing prescribers to generate a list of their patients in the CURES database;
- Creating an endowment fund for a new UCSF medical school in the San Joaquin Valley;
- Authorizing the furnishing of opioid antagonists to law enforcement agencies;
- Analyzing feasibility of a public health insurance option to increase competition & choice;
- Allowing CME on opiate-dependence instead of pain management & terminal care CME;
- Requiring 85% of health plan spending on medical care if Fed requirement decreases;
- Annual review of provider complaints about health plans’ unfair payments;
- Prohibiting short-term limited “junk insurance” health plans after January 1, 2019;
- Requiring coverage of medically necessary drug treatments for HIV/AIDS;
CAFP had a great week at the 4-day AAFP Congress of Delegates meeting in New Orleans, and 3 CAFP resolutions were passed. CAFP was also well-represented at the recent California Medical Association’s House of Delegates meeting. Major state health care policy issues were discussed, including family medicine’s priorities in health service utilization, administrative burden, competition in the marketplace, and pharmaceutical costs.
The California Department of Justice’s CURES database (“Controlled Substance Utilization Review and Evaluation System”) became effective on October 2. Being registered with and Consulting the CURES database is now mandatory for prescribing or administering new Schedule II-IV controlled drugs, no more than 24 hours in advance, and at least once every 4 months if these drugs are continued in the treatment plan. Registered providers can log into their CURES account at https://cures.doj.ca.gov. More information for prescribers’ is available online at http://www.mbc.ca.gov/Licensees/Prescribing/CURES/Mandatory_Use.aspx.
The midterm elections on Nov 6, especially on the Federal level, may result in changes (or blocking of changes) in regulations & legislation relating to healthcare and provisions of the Affordable Care Act (https://www.healthcare.gov/). We can expect more partisan political conflict.
CAFP encourages involvement (http://www.familydocs.org/membership/get-involved). Access CAFP-related Tweets by @cafp_familydocs.
