Update: Thanks to your efforts, this bill has been stopped, at least for the current session. It is likely to be back so stay tuned for future updates.
Dear AAPS Members and Friends,
Last week the California Assembly Committee on Health approved AB 3087 by an 11 to 4 vote. Its next stop looks to be the Appropriation Committee before likely heading to a full Assembly vote.
“This bill, introduced by Assemblymember Ash Kalra (D- San Jose), is the latest effort by special interests to unilaterally implement state control of physician practices and payments,” writes Linda B. Hertzberg, MD of the American Society of Anesthesiologists.
As Adam Summers of the Independent Institute warns: “Doctors, who already struggle with low and notoriously late and unpredictable government reimbursements, are already warning that the new law would force many of them to move to less restrictive states or leave the medical field, which would only worsen the shortage of doctors caused by previous government supply restrictions and further reduce patients’ access to and quality of care.”
Please take a moment TODAY and ask your Assemblymember to oppose AB 3087 if and when it comes up for a vote.
Quick links to contact Assemblymembers are available here:
http://assembly.ca.gov/assemblymembers
Here is a template for what you might say in your note:
Dear Assemblymember:
I am a physician/patient in your district asking you to oppose AB 3087. The price controls resulting from this bill will serve to restrict access to care. Californians would be better served by solutions that aim to re-empower patients to exert their true market clout. The legislature could look at the reference-based pricing program of the California Public Employees Retirement System, for instance. Empowering CalPERS members to be savvy consumers is lowering the cost of high-quality medical care. Please vote “NO” on AB 3087 if it comes up for a vote. Price controls will fail patients and drive physicians out of this state; better solutions exist and should be pursued.
Meanwhile AAPS continues to press forward with our lawsuit against AB 72, a precursor to AB 3087.
After a promising hearing in U.S. District Court late last year, the court has issued a ruling giving AAPS an opportunity to provide more evidence of harm arising from this flawed legislation.
On Monday we filed our latest brief with the Court, further outlining how the provisions in AB 72 violate constitutional rights and cause ongoing harm to out-of-network and opted-out AAPS members who practice in California.
If you have experienced underpayment resulting from the price fixing provisions in AB 72, please reach out to us and let us know.
Thank you for standing with AAPS, your colleagues, and your patients as we fight together to save independent medicine in California and across the United States.
~AAPS