Medical journal retracts study linking autism to vaccine
By Madison Park, CNN
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
Lancet retracted discredited study linking measles, mumps and rubella vaccine to autism

Panel: Lead author found to have acted unethically in conducting research
Parents who haven't vaccinated children have cited study
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California seniors need Congress to act on Medicare cuts formula: Choice of physicians at risk
  California residents face several issues with choice of physicians and access to care:  9.0% of the state's residents live in a designated primary care shortage area; 13.3% report that they could not see a doctor in the last 12 months due to cost; there are 274 emergency department visits per 1,000 population in the state; and 31% of the state's Medicare beneficiaries age 65 and over live below 150% of the federal poverty level, among the nation's highest.
  On March 1, 2010, California physicians face an across-the-board cut of 21.2%, with more cuts likely to follow over the next few years due to a flawed payment update formula, the Sustainable Growth Rate or SGR.
  By repealing the SGR formula, Congress can avert these cuts.  SGR repeal would prevent a loss of $1.2 billion in 2010 for the care of elderly and disabled patients in California.  On average, legislation to repeal the SGR would prevent cuts of $13,000 to each California physician next year.
  301,276 employees, 3,972,571 Medicare patients and 870,724 TRICARE patients in California will be helped by the legislation that averts these cuts.
  Compared to the rest of the country, California has more Medicare beneficiaries than any other state and, at 242 practicing physicians per 100,000 population, the state has a below-average physician-to-population ratio, even before the cuts take effect.
  48 percent of California's practicing physicians are over 50, an age at which surveys have shown many physicians consider reducing their patient care activities.

Information courtesy of American Medical Association

or Immediate Release      Contact: (916) 551-2881
January 14, 2010         Andrew LaMar

Sacramento - As part of a campaign launched this week to protect patients' access to care, the California Medical Association joined a broad coalition of physician, provider and patient groups opposing a plan to delegate congressional authority over Medicare to a non-elected board that could make deep cuts to the program with little input or consequences.
The coalition of 74 groups sent congressional leaders a letter asking them to drop the plan from health care reform. (The letter and signatories are attached.)
Legislation approved by the U.S. Senate calls for the creation of the Medicare Independent Payment Advisory Board, which would be appointed by the president and could order sweeping changes in care for senior citizens to reduce government spending. The proposal is not part of health care reform passed by the House. Currently, congressional leaders are negotiating how to merge the House and Senate bills.
The danger is that the board could slash payments to physicians or services to patients with little or no public input or political accountability. The board could mandate cuts in areas, such as Los Angeles, that have high per-capita spending due simply to the challenges of treating their diverse populations.  
 "The bottom line is health care reform must be in the best interests of patients and the doctors who serve them," said Brennan Cassidy, M.D., CMA president.
The advisory board would greatly limit the ability of Medicare beneficiaries, advocates and providers to work with Congress to improve the program, making it especially difficult to include coverage of new and better treatments, procedures and technologies, the letter says. The board would stifle creative solutions.
The proposal is "an ill-advised provision" that "usurps congressional authority over the Medicare program," the letter says.
In addition to co-signing the letter, CMA has sent a delegation of physicians to Washington, D.C. to meet with congressional leaders. California's physicians want to make sure the final bill includes the funding and framework necessary to give patients access to doctors and real health care coverage, not a false promise.
Eliminating the plan for the Medicare Independent Payment Advisory Board is one of six important improvements to health care reform legislation CMA is calling for. The others are:
 Repealing Medicare's flawed funding formula known as the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR). That formula would cut funding by 40 percent in future years if left in place and would hurt senior citizens' ability to find a doctor to treat them. The viability of Medicare is crucial as millions of baby boomers retire and enter the program. The House bill provides a funding fix, but the Senate bill does not.
 Increasing Medicaid's low reimbursement rates. As it is, patients covered by Medicaid in California, known as Medi-Cal, often struggle to find a doctor because rates are so low that only about one third of the state's physicians participate in the program. Both bills dramatically expand eligibility, meaning up to 2 million more patients could enter Medi-Cal, further complicating access. The House bill substantially increases rates, but the Senate bill does not.
 Boosting Medicare payments in 14 high-cost California counties where many physicians are opting out of the program and seniors are having trouble accessing doctors. The House bill provides $300 million to California to update payments in those counties, which are currently classified for rural rates under the federal government's Geographic Practice Cost Index (GPCI). The Senate does not provide the adjustment.
 Improving quality reporting requirements to track Medicare treatment so they don't mislead patients. It's crucial that those standards provide accurate and meaningful reporting.
 Giving patients the ability to privately contract with doctors, as they have in most other countries.
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The California Medical Association represents more than 35,000 physicians in all modes of practice and specialties. CMA is dedicated to the health of all patients in California.

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For Immediate Release      Contact: (916) 551-2881
January 11, 2010        Andrew LaMar

Sacramento - The California Medical Association launched a campaign today urging members of Congress to make important improvements in federal health reform legislation to ensure patients have the access to care they need. 
Physicians across the state are contacting California's congressional leaders and asking them to increase Medicaid's low reimbursement rates. As it is, patients covered by Medicaid in California, known as Medi-Cal, often struggle to find a doctor because rates are so low that only about one third of the state's physicians participate in the program.
Health care legislation passed by the House and Senate dramatically expands eligibility for the program, meaning up to 2 million more patients could enter Medi-Cal, further hampering patient access. The program currently serves 6.5 million poor Californians.
"Increasing eligibility for Medi-Cal without increasing reimbursement rates would be catastrophic," said Brennan Cassidy, M.D., CMA president. "Congress must fix what's broken with Medicaid if health care reform is to succeed. Medi-Cal patients must have access to a doctor if we want to rein in health care costs and relieve overburdened emergency rooms."
Congressional leaders are currently negotiating how to merge separate health reform bills passed by the House and Senate. California's physicians want to make sure the final bill includes the funding and framework necessary to give patients access to doctors and real health care coverage, not a false promise.
CMA is sending a delegation of physician leaders to Washington D.C. on Tuesday to meet with members of Congress.
Boosting Medicaid rates is one of six important improvements to health care reform legislation that CMA is lobbying for. The others are:
 Repealing Medicare's flawed funding formula known as the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR). That formula would cut funding by 40 percent in future years if left in place and would hurt senior citizens' ability to find a doctor to treat them. The viability of Medicare is crucial as millions of baby boomers retire and enter the program. The House bill provides a funding fix, but the Senate bill does not.
 Keeping full congressional authority over Medicare instead of delegating to a committee. The Senate proposed a Medicare Independent Payment Advisory Board, which could slash spending and coverage options for senior citizens with little input from others. The House bill does not include such a board.
 Boosting Medicare payments in 14 high-cost California counties where many physicians are opting out of the program and seniors are having trouble accessing doctors. The House bill provides $300 million to California to update payments in those counties, which are currently classified for rural rates under the federal government's Geographic Practice Cost Index (GPCI). The Senate does not provide the adjustment.
 Improving quality reporting requirements to track Medicare treatment so they don't mislead patients. It's crucial that those standards provide accurate and meaningful reporting.
 Giving patients the ability to privately contract with doctors, as they have in most other countries.
***
The California Medical Association represents more than 35,000 physicians in all modes of practice and specialties. CMA is dedicated to the health of all patients in California.