April 2018
Wesley G. Bradford, MD, MPH
Family Medicine continues to gain in popularity nationally, with 3,535 medical student graduates matching to family medicine residency programs in 2018, the most in family medicine’s history as a specialty, and 298 more than in 2017. AAFP has published a brief analysis that dives into the trend and considers the challenges ahead. CAFP anticipates receiving California-specific data sometime next month. AAFP and CAFP continue to pursue measures to greatly increase these numbers. By 2030, the goal is to have 25 percent of US medical graduates choosing family medicine. The current rate of student choice in family medicine must more than double in the coming years to meet this goal, and the number of residency positions offered in family medicine must significantly grow as well. For more on this goal, photos from Match day and details on some of the current shifts underway in the medical education landscape, read AAFP’s news story on the Match.
CAFP has launched SPARK, a members’ only online social media platform to share discussions on current topics of interest to Family Physicians (https://spark.familydocs.org/). To join, click “Sign In” and then “Can’t Access Your Account” and enter your email address, and it will send you an email with a link to log in. Then create your password and join the group. A current hot topic of discussion is how to address the increasing movement of patient vaccine-resistance.
CAFP-sponsored AB 2895 would require health plans to report the proportion of medical expenditures they invest in primary care, and create a Primary Care Payment Reform Collaborative. Improving spending transparency would help efforts to strengthen the primary care sector and improve healthcare quality. It will be heard in the Assembly Health Committee on April 17,
CAFP and CMA have surveyed physicians to help identify health plans with unfair payment patterns, including the types of violations and any efforts to resolve them. These results are important for CAFP-supported AB 2674, which would increase penalties for unfair payment patterns to at least the amount of the underpayment plus interest.
CAFP is supporting AB 2203 to increase the Medi-Cal payment rate for primary care services to 100 percent of the Medicare rate in both fee-for-service and Medi-Cal managed care.
Full-scope dental coverage has been restored for Medi-Cal adult enrollees (which was sacrificed in budget-cutting in 2009 during the State’s massive budget deficit).
California’s Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) Expansion Project is focused on improving access to buprenorphine for treating opioid abuse in populations with limited access. It expands the network of local opioid-treatment coalitions and is developing culturally-adapted education materials.
The Family Physicians Political Action Committee (FP-PAC) makes it a priority to recognize individuals who go above and beyond when advocating for family medicine. Each FP-PAC Donor of the Month has shown continued support for our efforts by making contributions and being active at local FP-PAC events. You may recognize April’s outstanding FP-PAC Donor of the Month. Learn how he has helped in our efforts and why he believes FP-PAC is so vital to family medicine.
