ACCMA President’s Column: Empowering and Organizing Physicians to Lead
By Irene J. Lo, MD, ACCMA President
Itis my honor to serve as your ACCMA
President for the coming year. When I joined the ACCMA in 2014 as a newly trained general surgeon, my practice kindly covered my membership dues, and I wasn’t sure what to expect. What I discovered, however, was far beyond what I imagined. The ACCMA offered me knowledge, a strong sense of community and unwavering support. Today, I remain a proud ACCMA member, not because my practice still covers my dues, but because of the immense value the ACCMA continues to offer its members.
During these times of uncertainty, I am reminded of why the ACCMA exists and what purpose it continues to serve for our membership: empowering and organizing physicians to lead and improve the practice of medicine to better patients' lives and the community's health.
As physicians, we are deeply skilled in the science and art of medicine, but the complex and constantly evolving landscape of healthcare presents ongoing challenges that increasingly influence how we deliver patient care. As physicians, we must adapt, and more importantly, we must lead.
Organized medicine is essential because it gives us a collective voice to advocate for our profession, our patients, and our communities. With policies and legislation increasingly working against us, now is the time for action. We must raise our voices, push for meaningful change, and ensure that the future of medicine reflects the needs of both our profession and the communities we serve.
Over the past year, under the leadership of my predecessor, Doctor Albert Brooks, the ACCMA accomplished a lot, including relocating our headquarters to Lafayette; continuing our Physician Leadership Program and developing a new health equity-focused
leadership course; providing more opportunities for members to connect and build community through social events. We continued to advocate on a wide range of issues impacting our profession and our patients, and we succeeded in passing Proposition 35, bringing in billions of new dollars into the Medi-Cal program.
This is the power of physicians coming together through the medical association. If we continue to stick together and advocate for what is best for our patients and our profession, we will accomplish so much more.
ACCMA/CMA MEMBERSHIP RENEWALS
Friendly reminder that payment for the ACCMA/CMA membership renewal for 2025 must be made by December 31st to capture the 5% early bird discount. Please reach out to Christine Maki at cmaki@accma.org if you did not receive your renewal invoice. We appreciate and thank you for your continued membership and participation.
ALAMEDA & CONTRA COSTA COUNTIES LAUNCH NEW D-SNP PLAN
Beginning January 1, 2026, the two Managed Care Plans (MCPs) in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties, Alameda Alliance for Health and Contra Costa Health Plan, will launch a new Medicare Advantage Dual Eligible Special Needs Plan (D-SNP). Your current patients who chose to join this new plan will become out of network unless you choose to contract with the Alliance or Contra Costa Health Plan.
MEDI-CAL RX TO REINSTATE PRIOR AUTH REQUIREMENTS FOR PEDIATRIC CLAIMS
Effective January 31, Medi-Cal Rx will reinstate claim edits and prior authorization requirements for patients 21 years of age and younger as part of a planned "pediatric integration."
ACCMA URGES OAKLAND CITY COUNCIL TO PASS SMOKING AND VAPING BAN
Oakland City Councilmember Dan Kalb has introduced an ordinance that would ban smoking and vaping on bar patios, as well as in multi-unit housing. However, the multi-using housing piece included an exemption for cannabis smoking/vaping. ACCMA strongly supports efforts to mitigate secondhand and thirdhand smoke, and ACCMA staff provided public comment at both the Oakland City Council Community and Economic Development Committee hearing on October 23rd and the first reading of the Ordinance at the November 12th full City Council meeting. ACCMA also sent a letter to all Councilmembers urging them to pass the ordinance and amend it to remove the cannabis exemption. The Council voted to pass the ordinance, however they decided to keep the cannabis exemption. The Ordinance is required to have two readings before the City Council before final passage. The City Council is scheduled to consider the item again on December 3rd.
FUNDING TO SUPPORT MEMBER-LED COMMUNITY-BUIDLING EVENTS
To promote physician wellness and prevent burnout, the ACCMA continues to offer up to $500 to ACCMA members to help fund self-organized events and activities around shared interests that would be open to other ACCMA members. Applications for funding consideration are accepted on a rolling basis. Please review the criteria for selection and apply here. If you haven't heard back from the ACCMA on your application within two weeks of submittal, please contact Christine Maki at cmaki@accma.org.
ACCMA/CMA MEMBERSHIP RENEWALS
Friendly reminder that payment for the ACCMA/CMA membership renewal for 2025 must be made by December 31st to capture the 5% early bird discount. Please reach out to Christine Maki at cmaki@accma.org if you did not receive your renewal invoice. We appreciate and thank you for your continued membership and participation.
MEDICARE PATIENT ACCESS & PRACTICE STABILIZATION ACT OF 2024 INTRODUCED
Several California Representatives introduced the Medicare Patient Access and Practice Stabilization Act of 2024. Supported by CMA, the bill would stop the impending 2.8% cut in Medicare payment for physicians in 2025 and provide a partial inflation update for 2025.
DID YOU KNOW A FELLOW ACCMA MEMBER IS SELLING A PEDIATRIC PRACTICE IN SAN RAMON? FIND THIS AND OTHER MEMBER CLASSIFIED ADS AT ACCMA.ORG, AND PLACE YOUR OWN AD FREE OF CHARGE!
VOTERS APPROVE PROPOSITION 35 IN RESOUNDING VOTE
Voters have overwhelmingly approved Prop 35, a historic investment in Medi-Cal which serves 15 million Californians. Prop 35 will protect and expand access to primary and specialty care physicians, community health clinics, hospitals, emergency rooms, family planning, and mental health providers. ACCMA provided campaign financial support and bolstered grassroots efforts in the East Bay, and we could not have succeeded without you.
CMA-BACKED CANDIDATES ELECTED TO OFFICE
Preliminary results from the 2024 General Election are in and several candidates endorsed by ACCMA’s and CMA’s Political Action Committees (ACCPAC and CALPAC) are in strong positions to win. These include: John Bauters, Alameda County Board of Supervisors District 5, Jesse Arreguín, Senate District 7, Jerry McNerney, Senate District 5, Anamarie Avila Farias, Assembly District 15 and Tim Grayson, Senate District 9.
GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM SIGNS ALL CMA PRIORITY BILLS
Four CMA priority bills were signed into law in September. AB2164 helps reduce stigma around mental health support for physicians. SB 1120 ensures physician oversight and patient safety are core components for the use of AI in health care. AB 977 adds parity in the penalty for violence committed against emergency department health care workers. SB 963 supports victims of domestic violence and human trafficking by providing new channels for assistance and resources.
ST. ROSE BECOMES AN AFFILIATE OF ALAMEDA HEALTH SYSTEM
As of November 1st, St. Rose Hospital is now an affiliate of Alameda Health System (AHS). This will allow St. Rose to stay open and continue providing care to approximately 400,000 mostly lowincome Medi-Cal and Medicare patients in Southern Alameda County. Earlier this year, Governor Newsom vetoed AB2271 which would have forgiven over $17 million in state loans for St. Rose Hospital. ACCMA sent a letter to Governor Newsom urging him to sign the bill. ACCMA members include physicians who practice at St. Rose Hospital and understand the need to keep the only safety-net healthcare provider with emergency and maternity care services in southern Alameda County.
UNITED HEALTHCARE LAUNCHES GOLD CARD PROGRAM
UHC announced approximately 500 CPT codes eligible for its Gold Card Program which exempts qualified practices from some prior authorization requirements. CMA is evaluating the program and its impact on physician practices.
Physicians and healthcare leaders from Alameda and Contra Costa counties gathered at the Chabot Space & Science Center on November 15th for ACCMA’s 156th Annual Meeting, honoring excellence in our medical community and charting the future of medicine in our region. During the program, we recognized outgoing ACCMA President Albert L. Brooks, MD for his impactful leadership and years of dedicated service to our association, and warmly
A SPECIAL THANKS
welcomed incoming President Irene J. Lo, MD, whose vision and experience promise to lead ACCMA into an exciting new chapter. A highlight of the evening was recognizing our 2024 Medical Student Scholarship recipients, Bryson Orion Gomez and Marlo Noon. Selected for their forward-thinking community health research proposals, these promising future physicians embody ACCMA's commitment to supporting the next generation of medical leaders.
We extend our gratitude to our sponsors, whose generous support not only made this memorable evening possible but also enabled us to expand our Medical Student Scholarship Program for 2025. Their commitment to investing in the future of medicine in our community is truly appreciated.
Galactic Sponsors – Financial Contributions of $20,000+
Alameda-Contra Costa Medical Association
Comet Sponsors – Financial Contributions of $10,000
Alameda Alliance for Health
Medical Insurance Exchange of California
Luna Sponsors – Financial Contributions of $5,000
Alameda Health System - Medical Staff
Cooperative of American Physicians
First Citizens Bank
Hill Physicians Medical Group
John Muir Health Foundation
John Muir Medical Center - Walnut Creek Campus and Concord Campus Medical Staffs
St. Rose Hospital - Medical Staff
Sutter Health - Eden Medical Center Medical Staff
Sutter Health - Palo Alto Foundation Medical Group Staff
PROPOSED RULES TO EXPAND COVERAGE OF BIRTH CONTROL & OTHER PREVENTIVE SERVICES
Under proposed new rules by CMS, most group health plans and health insurance issuers would be required to cover overthe-counter contraceptives without cost sharing or requiring a prescription. Plans and issuers would also have to provide more choices of covered contraceptives.
The Permanente Medical Group - Greater Southern Alameda Area Medical Staff
Washington Hospital Healthcare System - Medical Staff
Cluster Sponsors – Financial Contributions of $2,500
Accenture
Alameda County Health
Alameda Hospital - Medical Staff
Epic Care - Partners in Comprehensive Care
LifeLong Medical Care
Physicians Medical Forum
Sinkler Miller Medical Association
Sutter Health – Alta Bates Summit Medical Center
Sutter East Bay Medical Group
The Permanente Medical Group - East Bay Region Medical Staff
The Permanente Medical Group – Diablo Region Medical Staff
TSG Wealth Management
Washington Township Medical Foundation
To find more information or to view full articles on any of these topics, scan the QR code, visit accma.org/Bulletin, or contact us at accma@accma.org or (510) 654-5383.
