Update on Growing Healthcare Affordability Crisis in California In this special edition of the Tuesday message to members, I wanted to share some quick updates on issues impacting the state, new offerings for members and a survey to gauge what kinds of vacations members like taking. Recently, the Legislature held a …

Lower Reimbursement Rates Impacting Patient Access to Mental Health Providers  I begin by focusing on a couple of important areas often overlooked in the healthcare space. First, recent studies showing lower reimbursement rates for mental health services may be impacting local providers and patients. Commercial and Medicare Advantage plans pay …

LACMA’s First Physician-Only Marketplace LACMA is developing our first physician-only marketplace that will be unveiled this Spring. The fundamental goal of the LACMA Marketplace is to provide members with a wide array of practice-specific items and lower practice expenses. Through our partnership with Sterling Healthcare Logistics (SHL), the marketplace will …

Celebrating a New Partnership Another week to share some promising news. For some time, LACMA has been in productive discussions with physician leaders from Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Hospital. The facility has gone through a massive transformation and now is a state-of-the-art medical campus serving the South Central Los …

Governor Newsom’s First Budget Puts Health Care Access, Costs Front and Center The start of a new year means resolutions for some, yet it also signals the beginning of a new era in Sacramento with Governor Gavin Newsom taking over reigns of leadership. Gov. Gavin Newsom released his first state …

A new year is here. To start 2019, I wanted to share progress on planning as well as important news on the advocacy (specifically AB 1753) and member benefits fronts. Looking Ahead for 2019 LACMA now has a playbook to use throughout the year regarding organizational priorities, measuring outcomes and …

As we enter the final throes of the year there is much to be optimistic about while we remain focused on issues that could impact providers and patients alike. Blue Shield Collaboration  LACMA President Dr. C. Freeman, board member Dr. Hector Flores, LACMA member Dr. Toni Johnson Chavis, Dr. Efrain …

Helping Members with Financial Literacy As LACMA continues to explore ways to help providers thrive in their respective practice models, financial assistance, from low-interest loans to student debt help, is a top priority, particularly for those providers serving vulnerable populations in diverse communities. In order to properly assess your needs, …

The past two weeks I’ve shared information related to gun violence as a public health issue in the U.S., specifically in the Los Angeles region and most recently in Thousand Oaks. The NRA told doctors to stay in their lanes. I asked membership to weigh in and below are some …

Season’s Greetings! I hope you found time to rest, share and connect with friends and family, especially after two profound tragedies struck our community. As most physicians know, there is a dispute between the National Rifle Association and the medical community.  Physicians released an editorial recently saying they disagree with the …