MEMBERSHIP MATTERS SFMMS/CMA Distributes Over $500k to Local Practices for Vaccinatons We are delighted to announce that 40 practices in San Francisco and Marin County that have now received $500,000 in #CalVaxGrant funds! Funding supports physician practices in becoming vaccination sites. Physicians for a Healthy California > Programs > CalVaxGrant (phcdocs.org). DEADLINE: December 17, 2021, at 11:59 p.m. (PT)
San Francisco and Marin Public Health Alerts: Health issues and conditions are evolving so rapidly in these times that publication in our quarterly journal is simply not timely enough. Physicians are encouraged – sometimes required – to check regular alerts from the health departments. Most recent important alerts include COVID boosters and influenza vaccination. To see and subscribe to such alerts, see: San Francisco: Health Alerts - Disease Prevention and Control, San Francisco Department of Public Health (sfcdcp.org) Marin: Information for Healthcare Providers (https://www.marinhhs.org/content/public-health-updates)
CMA-sponsored law requires payors to cover cost of COVID-19 testing and vaccine admin
Ensuring physicians can administer tests and vaccines is critical to putting the COVID-19 pandemic behind us. This is why the California Medical Association (CMA) sponsored legislation (SB 510) that requires health plans and insurers to cover COVID-19 testing and vaccinations during the pandemic without barriers like patient cost-sharing or prior authorizations.
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Last day to change your Medicare participation status for 2022 is December 31 It’s that time of year again—time for physicians to decide if they want to make changes to their Medicare participation status. Physicians have until December 31, 2021, to make changes for the 2022 participation year. The effective date for any changes made will be January 1, 2022. CMS recently released the final fee schedule and policies for next year.
SFMMS Offers Free PPE Masks
A supply of quality N95 and KN95 masks are available from the SFMMS, courtesy of funding from the California Health Care Foundation. Dozens of local physicians have availed themselves of this free resource, picked up in central San Francisco. For info: Steve Heilig at Heilig@sfmms.org
COVER ART "Leelanau County Road” oil on canvas, 2016 Courtesy of Catherine Dunn dunnc@sidwell.edu 240/925-2515
SAN FRANCISCO MARIN MEDICINE OCTOBER/NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021
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