Welcome
The Santa Clara County Medical Association (SCCMA) and Monterey County Medical Society (MCMS) are professional associations representing physicians and their patients in all modes of practice and specialties, including medical students and residents. We are dedicated to improving the quality of and accessibility to our health care system. The SCCMA and MCMS support physicians and patients in numerous ways. We invite you to explore our website and learn how we can help you. If you are not already a member, and you are an MD or DO, please consider joining today. Our strength and influence grows with our increasing membership, so please help do your part for organized medicine today.
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SCCMA Award Nominations
Due by February 17, 2012
At the 2012 Medical Association’s annual banquet, the association will honor several individuals with appreciation of our membership. The recipients are selected from among our outstanding members who have distinguished themselves with extraordinary service to medicine in general, to the association, to the community, or to medical education....
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CMA Urges Legalization and Reg of Med Cannabis
To Allow For Wider Clinical Research
The California Medical Association (CMA) has adopted official policy recommending legalization and regulation of cannabis. The decision was based on a CMA white paper that concludes physicians should have access to better research, which is not possible under current drug policy....
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CMA Publishes EHR Desk Reference
The California Medical Association (CMA) and the CMA Foundation recently published the “Electronic Health Records Desk Reference. ” The guide, which was funded by a grant from the Physicians Foundation, brings together tools and resources to help physicians make a successful transition to electronic health records (EHR) in their practices....
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CMS Adds New Exemptions
For 2012 E-Prescribing Penalty
The Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a proposed rule that makes significant changes to the e-prescribing penalty program by adding more exemptions categories so that physicians are not unfairly penalized.
The previous rules required physicians in individual practices to submit at least 10 Medicare Part B claims with the electronic measure code eRx G8553 and an eligible encounter code by June 30, 2011, or face a claims payment reduction of 1% in 2012....
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Free iPhone App Connects You To Society Members
Would you like to communicate with your colleagues instantly? Exchange critical information such as pictures of x-rays or wounds? Quickly find a local specialist or pharmacy?
Thanks to the generous sponsorship of NORCAL Mutual, the Santa Clara County Medical Association and Monterey County Medical Society are offering members seven months of free service with DocBookMD, a HIPAA-compliant iPhone app that lets you connect, communicate, and collaborate with your local medical community. A version for the Android operating system will be available in mid-July....
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CMA Creates Governance Guidance
For New Physician Organizations, Including ACOs and IPAs
Are you being asked to join an accountable care organization (ACO), independent practice association (IPA), or other new organization? If so, governance will be a critical issue for you to consider as a fair and efficient governance structure is essential to the success of any organization.
CMA has produced a new medical-legal document that discusses the numerous, complex challenges that owners face in governing “physician organizations....
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HIPAA Transaction 5010
Are You Ready?
A new version of Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) transaction and code set standards become effective on Januray 2, 2012. On that date, all covered electronic health care transactions will have to comply with the new 5010 standards....
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health reform implementation timeline
Click below for a brief summary that outlines the implementation timeline and effective dates of the major provisions in the health care reform legislation of interest to physicians.
Model Policy On Health Care Decisions
for Incapacitated Patients Without Surrogates
In 2001, a task force of the Santa Clara County Medical Association (SCCMA) Bioethics Committee completed a Model Policy on Health Care Decisions for Incapacitated Patients Without Surrogates. The impetus was to develop mechanisms for medical decision-making on behalf of patients who lack decision-making capacity ("incapacitated") and also lack surrogate decision-makers ("unrepresented") in accordance with patients' best interests, while incorporating patients wishes and values (to the extent known)....
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