State Chapters
CAL/AAEM Update

CAL/AAEM President and AAEM Board of Directors

by Antoine Kazzi, MD, FAAEM

Scientific Assembly Update:
For the second year in a row, CAL/AAEM, CAL/ACEP and AAEM renewed their landmark decision in the domain of education. Adding to our momentum to maintain and promote EM unity whenever possible, national AAEM, CAL/AAEM and CAL/ACEP renewed the 2001 educational arrangements that benefit all their members. With an overwhelming majority, CAL/AAEM and CAL/ACEP voted to join together in inviting all AAEM members (nationally) to attend the June 2002 CAL/ACEP 4-day Annual Scientific Assembly for a nominal fee of $150 (in lieu of the standard $300). For AAEM members who maintain an ACEP membership, the fee is further reduced to $100.

In return, AAEM and CAL/AAEM are inviting all CAL/ACEP members to the 4-day March 14-17 2002 AAEM Scientific Assembly for the same discounted $150 rate. Certainly, EPs with AAEM-CAL/ACEP dual memberships retain their baseline free registration with their own organizations. Non-members would ordinarily be charged $300 for the CAL/ACEP Assembly, and $375 for the AAEM Scientific Assembly. This year, the AAEM Scientific Assembly will be held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in San Francisco, California, and will include among its speakers at least eight of the CAL/ACEP and CAL/AAEM leadership.

Note that last year AAEM also invited all CAL/ACEP members to its September 2001, EuSEM-AAEM First Mediterranean EM Congress in Stresa, Italy, for the same discounted registration ($250) fee required from AAEM members. Over 25 CAL/ACEP members took advantage of this offer.

In addition, and for the second year in a row, CAL/AAEM and CAL/ACEP will hold together the "California Business Forum." This will be held during the CAL/ACEP Scientific Assembly June 13, 2002. A CAL/AAEM Board of Directors meeting will again be held following the forum and will be open as usual to all members and interested EPs. As we last reported, the 2001 forum in Santa Clara was organized and moderated by the CAL/AAEM President and included many EM leaders from CAL/AAEM, AAEM and CAL/ACEP. It addressed controversial practice issues and was met with the greatest feedback by members of all EM organizations.

The CAL/ACEP Scientific Assembly will be held on June 13-15, 2002, at the Westin Hotel in Long Beach, California. AAEM members who wish to take advantage of the discounted rates or of the fee courses should pre-register with Mr. Ray Williams by calling 1-800-735-2237 or by emailing him at calacep@worldnet.att.net

Such a strategy is a win-win for all our members, providing them with additional benefits and educational opportunities of the highest quality. Join us in all these annual events and let us celebrate - united when we can - our specialty.

Legislative Update
For a second year, CAL/AAEM continued its legislative activity through its official invited participation on the CAL/ACEP Governmental Affairs committee (GAC). The CAL/AAEM legislative affairs committee chair, Paul Windham, MD FAAEM, continues his scheduled periodic representation and his detailed reports on the statewide activity. The most important update we need to report is the regrettable veto of the CMA-CAL/ACEP-sponsored SB-117, by Governor Gray Davis. SB-117 would have allowed direct billing of HMOs by emergency physicians when medical groups refused or failed to pay claims. The Governor justified the veto by stating he wished not to interfere with contractual relationships between HMOs and subcontracting medical groups and IPAs. He wished to leave it up to his department of Managed Health Care to require and monitor payment of EP claims by HMOs and medical groups. The responsiveness of the Department has been traditionally subject to criticism, in particular due to the well-documented traditional financial debacles, delays and shortcomings of IPAs and medical groups.

In addition, the Governor also vetoed AB-900, sponsored by Assembly member Lou Papan. The measure would have required any county that establishes an EMS fund - which is legally designated to reimburse providers who provide emergency services to those who do not pay - to "notify physicians of the availability of the fund" and how they can "submit a claim against the fund" (AB-900 text).

CAL/AAEM, CAL/ACEP and the CMA are very disappointed and will continue to pursue regulatory measures to secure proper HMO and county managers' accountability.

Earlier in the summer, another disappointment occurred. SB-254 (sponsored by Senator Joe Dunn) was placed on hold during the legislative committee process. Sponsored by the CMA and CAL/ACEP, the bill would have officially designated Emergency Services an "essential public service" which would have secured legislative and fiscal guarantees similar to the ones that the Fire Department and the Police have. Legislators deliberating the bill at the committee level were concerned that this would carry a financial burden ($300 million $ year) that the State of California could not afford at this point. The committee was dealing at the time with the "power outages" and "energy crisis" as well as the looming recession and budget deficit that were being predicted at the time.

CAL/AAEM and CAL/ACEP are pleased to report on the other hand, that the Governor renewed for the 2 year in a row his allocation of $24.8 million in Proposition 99 funds to reimburse emergency physicians for non-paying patients. This was in addition to the 40% increase in Medi-Cal reimbursement to EPs that he approved two years ago. CAL/AAEM wishes to reaffirm its commitment, deep appreciation and call to you - our members - to participate through letter writing and the Key Contact Legislative California network. Dr. Windham continues to run this network and can be reached via email at pcwindham@elite.net

CAL/AAEM is the California State Chapter of the American Academy of Emergency Medicine, 26500 West Agoura Road, Suite 680, Calabasas, CA 91302, Toll Free: (877) 422-2236, Fax (414) 276-3349. Their president, Dr. Antoine Kazzi, can be reached by e-mail at akazzi@attglobal.net.