Legislative Update CAFP Looks Back on 2021 All Member Advocacy Meeting Catrina Reyes, Esq

legislative update

Catrina Reyes, Esq. Vice President of Advocacy and Policy

CAFP Looks Back on 2021 All Member Advocacy Meeting

In mid-May, nearly 200 family physicians, residents, and medical students from across the state met virtually for CAFP’s All Member Advocacy Meeting (AMAM). AMAM gives members the opportunity to bring policy issues of urgent concern to the Academy for its consideration. This year, attendees provided testimony on 25 resolutions submitted to the Board of Directors for consideration. Also, during AMAM, the Academy’s leaders for the coming year were elected and celebrated for the efforts and achievements of those who worked to advance issues important to family physicians. Jerry Abraham, MD, was awarded the Hero of Family Medicine award for his relentless advocacy for patients, colleagues, and the family medicine specialty. State Senator Melissa Hurtado was named CAFP’s 2021 Champion of Family Medicine for her work in expanding access to care. Particularly, her work in authoring CAFP’s sponsored bill, Senate Bill 402, which seeks to transform the way primary care is paid for and delivered in areas hardest hit by COVID-19. AMAM develops successive waves of family physicians trained and dedicated to being the most effective advocates possible for their patients and specialty – whether in their own communities, in Sacramento, or even Washington, D.C. Through advocacy training and education on priority issues, AMAM ensures our family physician advocates are conversant and comfortable with the key issues confronting family medicine and health care. This year, CAFP’s sponsored bill SB 402, focuses on the shift from fee-for-service to value-based payment models, the education and discussion at AMAM centered around primary care payment reform. Ashby Wolfe, MD, Co-Chief Medical Officer for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for the Western States and the Pacific Territories, presented on CMS primary care practice transformation models, including Primary Care First. Lance Lang, MD, a long-time CAFP member and former Chief Medical Officer for Covered California, presented on primary care initiatives in California. Finally, Farzad Mostashari, MD, CEO of Aledade, discussed how primary care physicians can transform their practices to transition to value-based payment models. After the presentations, attendees shared barriers to transitioning to value-based payments. The Family Physicians Political Action Committee (FP-PAC) received huge support for a virtual meeting, which will allow for early action in the upcoming election. FP-PAC is the only political action committee in California that has the sole mission of promoting family physicians and family medicine. At the end of AMAM, FP-PAC contributors attended a virtual donor reception with legislative guests State Senator Melissa Hurtado and State Assembly Member Dr. Joaquin Arambula. The week following AMAM, members advocated for their patients and specialty during CAFP’s Lobby Week. CAFP family physician advocates asked legislators to support CAFP’s sponsored bill, SB 402, and to urge the Senate Appropriations Committee to pass it out of the Committee, because SB 402 would reduce costs, improve patient outcomes and experience, improve access to care, and reduce administrative burdens. After a week of advocacy by CAFP members, SB 402 made it off the Senate Appropriations Committee Suspense File with unanimous bipartisan support. CAFP family physicians also advocated for the continued support of the Song-Brown Health Care Workforce Training Program, when the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development transitions to the Department of Health Care Access and Information. CAFP members asked that the rigorous criteria for evaluating workforce programs remains in statute, and that the new California Health Workforce Education and Training Council that will oversee the programs has appropriate primary care representation. Finally, CAFP family physician advocates expressed support for the one-time $50 million augmentation to the Song-Brown Primary Care Physician Training Program, for new primary care residency programs. The 2022 All Member Advocacy Meeting is scheduled for March 12-14, 2022. Save the date! If you are interested in getting involved in CAFP advocacy efforts, contact Catrina Reyes at creyes@familydocs.org.