Tuesday Rx | March 26, 2019 | Gov. Gavin Newsom Passes AB 149 to Fix Security Prescription Law March 27, 2019 Tag 1013 Ending the Chaos I've been sharing regular updates on the prescription pad debacle. Pleased to update members that, thanks to the work of CMA, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill on Monday that will end the confusion caused by flawed implementation of the state's new prescription pad law. AB 149 will delay implementation of the new law until January 1, 2021, ensuring that patients will continue to have access to the medicine they need while the state creates a system to better track prescriptions across the state. Physicians will be required to order a new set of prescription pads by that date, and the Department of Justice (DOJ) will determine the specs of those new pads sometime next year. In the meantime, physicians will be able to use pads obtained before or after January 1, 2019. Both sets of pads will be accepted until DOJ can come up with guidelines are requirements for the new pads. "When AB 1753 went into effect, a timeline for implementation was not established, which caused confusion and frustration for medical professionals and consumers alike," Newsom added, "AB 149 is needed to ensure patients throughout the state continue to receive their prescriptions quickly and easily while meeting the state's need to aggressively address the opioid crisis." "The governor's action will ensure that patients can access the medicine they need and will erase the confusion between pharmacies, patients and law enforcement that stemmed from the flawed implementation of last year's law," said CMA President David H. Aizuss, M.D. "We want to thank lawmakers for acting quickly to address the concerns raised by patients and physicians, and we look forward to continuing to work with state lawmakers to address the state's opioid crisis while ensuring patients who need medicine have the access." Two Major LA Institutions Form Joint Venture By now, you may have heard of the joint venture involving Providence St. Joseph Health and Cedars Sinai to own and operate Providence Tarzana Medical Center. The medical center's new name will be Providence Cedars-Sinai Tarzana Medical Center. Providence will retain controlling interest in the medical center, which will retain its Catholic identity while embracing the diversity of all faiths. Providence and Cedars-Sinai will jointly continue the build-out and redevelopment of the Tarzana campus, including a new patient care tower with all private rooms, an expanded Emergency Department, new diagnostic and treatment services, and enhanced outpatient and ambulatory services already under development. When complete in 2022, the new hospital will be a destination medical center for the area. 2019 LACMA Elections The Los Angeles County Medical Association is holding its 148th Annual Election this coming June. Active members of LACMA and CMA have the privilege of nominating and voting for their preferred candidates for any vacant position. Call for Nominations This is an exciting time of year as members who are interested in holding a leadership position or who would like to become more involved in shaping healthcare policy at the local and state level should review current vacancies and submit nominations for themselves or other members to Lisa Le. Members are also invited to attend the Annual Spring General Meeting. This meeting is the last chance for members to make nominations for the 2019 Election. Can't attend? Members may be nominated for any elective office by petition signed by at least five (5) members eligible to vote and sent to the LACMA offices prior to the start of the General Meeting. WHEN: Thursday, April 4, 2019 Dinner: 6:00pm, Meeting: 6:30pm-7:00pm WHERE: LACMA Headquarters 1055 West 7th Street, Suite 2290 Los Angeles, CA 90017 RSVP: 213-226-0304 At the end of May, members can expect to receive a voting ballot via email. Please be sure to keep an eye out for your ballot and submit your vote! Paragon and ACap News Paragon Private Health, a LACMA partner since 2018, is a full-service management company, providing physicians with comprehensive solutions to convert their practices to a sustainable concierge medicine practice. The premise of Paragon Private Health is to work with compassionate physicians, provide best-in-class services and enable each doctor to offer every membership patient "wellness-centered" care. The goal of Paragon Private Health is to see each partner physician thrive while each of their patients achieves optimal health, vitality, and longevity. If you would like to learn more, let me know! For some time we've been searching for the right CPA partner who understands physicians and their unique needs. ACap Advisors & Accountants is an independent boutique Fee-Only wealth management and CPA firm that works exclusively with healthcare professionals: over 95% of their clients are in healthcare. ACap does not sell any products nor work on commissions, hence there are no conflicts of interest. ACap is both a full-service CPA firm offering tax preparation, payroll, bookkeeping, and business planning, as well as a wealth management firm offering financial planning and investment management for individuals and businesses. I am impressed with years of medical industry knowledge which allows ACap to provide exceptional service and consultative advice. Welcome, ACap Advisors & Accountants! Take Advantage of Member Deals With Spring Break here and Summer closer than you think, don't forget to take advantage of LACMA's new Member Deals and get up to 50% off on theme parks, hotels, concerts, sporting events, and much more! The LACMA Marketplace goes live in early April as well which means LACMA members will see substantial savings on: Vaccine costs Medical supplies Costs of processing credit and debit cards Medical liability protection Members increase their annual loyalty payments by choosing more vendors And, the LACMA Insurance Solutions Program, powered by Mercer, will also be unveiled in early April. 2019 LACMA Membership Survey A significant percentage of respondents to our recent survey said they are not fully aware of the 20+ benefits available to them through membership. We'd love to hear back from more of you. If you have yet to fill out the survey, please do so to help us improve the member experience. Complete the survey and be entered to win one of four $100 Target gift cards! Once you've completed the survey, please email Chinaza Osisioma with your name and phone number to enter the drawing. Drawing will be held no later than April 12th, 2019. Gustavo Friederichsen Chief Executive Officer Los Angeles County Medical Association "If it matters to our LACMA members, it matters to me." EVENTS AND COMMUNITY Visit The Polar Regions with Town & Country Travel Town & Country Travel is planning two trips: the Arctic for Northern Lights & Polar Bears, or Antarctica for Glaciers & Penguins. Learn more about these two adventures at the next informational meeting where a Quark rep and an expedition leader will be presenting. QUARK EXPEDITIONS, THE LEADER IN POLAR TRAVEL WHEN: Thursday, March 21, 2019, from 5:30p - 7p. (Refreshments will be served.) WHERE: Town & Country Travel 195 E Hillcrest Dr. Thousand Oaks, CA 91360 (Space is limited to 20 guests so please contact me if interested!) See the polar bears, penguins, and glaciers before it's too late. Quark offers highly specialized programs that feature unique itineraries and experiences, and also off a Fly-Over-the-Drake-Passage program. Discussions on the Suicide Epidemic While the media and our field is focused on the Suicide Epidemic, there is a lesser discussed epidemic occurring involving physician suicide. It is estimated from various sources that hundreds of physicians die by suicide annually. Join as an amazing panel of doctors discuss this public health epidemic and its impact on the healthcare industry. SUICIDE - PERSPECTIVES ON A CONTEMPORARY CRISIS WHEN: Saturday, April 6, 2019, from 8:30a - 12:45p. WHERE: Cedars Sinai Harvey Morse Auditorium 8700 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90048 Click here for full details. Untreated mental health conditions are one of the largest causes of suicide among physicians and patients. Join as a panel of doctors discusses what every physician needs to know in order to assist a colleague, themselves and a patient.