Legislative Advocacy

Hot Legislative Issues

During the legislative process bills are frequently amended. As a result, a bill that warrants a "support" position one day may be so altered that it would best be "opposed" the next. For this reason, it is vital that legislative information be as current as possible. The CMA Hot List is updated weekly to give you the latest information on important bills, including a summary of the bill's content, CMA's position on the bill, and the bill's current location in the legislative process.

Contact Your Representative

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As physicians, your views on current issues affecting health care are extremely valuable to your legislative representatives. It is particularly critical that legislators hear from you during certain periods of the legislative session. A convenient and effective way to receive information on hot legislative issues and reach your representatives at the right moment is by joining CMA's Legislative Key Contact Program. As a Key Contact, you will receive strategically timed "Alerts" so that you are able to write, call or fax your representative with the most timely information.

A complete listing of the California Assembly and Senate is available from the CMA Government Relations Office by calling (916) 444-5532.

CalPAC

The political action committee of the California Medical Association exists to support candidates running for political offices who are sensitve to physician concerns and who understand our issues. Simply put, paying CALPAC dues translates into campaign dollars for pro-medicine candidates. CALPAC makes it possible for physicians to be effectively involved in the state legislature and Congress where public policy decisions are made that affect how health care is administered and regulated in California. By combining our financial resources we gain a louder voice and we speak with a clearer message. To join CALPAC call 1-800-CALPAC-9 with your Visa or MasterCard number, or send a check to 1201 K Street, Sacramento, CA 95814. D.

Links

California

www.leginfo.ca.gov-information on current bills, California law, Legislative publications, and the California Legislature

www.calregs.com-California Code of Regulations

www.cmanet.org -California Medical Association

Federal

www.ama-assn.org- American Medical Association

http://thomas.loc.gov/home/thomas.html -Federal legislative information.
Links to members of Congress, and the Executive and Judicial branches of government.

Government Regulatory Agencies

www.fedworld.gov/locator.htm-Index of Federal Agencies

www.cdc.gov-Federal Centers for Disease Control

www.hcfa.gov-Federal Health Care Financing Administration
Medicare and Medicaid publications, forms, regulations

www.hhs.gov-U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Access to Agency for Health Care Policy and Research, Centers for Disease Control, and National Institutes of Health

www.npdb.com-Federal National Practitioner's Data Bank

www.fda.gov/cdhr-U.S. Food and Drug Administration

www.osha.gov-Federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration

www.pueblo.gsa.gov-Federal Consumer Information Center

www.access.gpo.gov/index-U.S. Government Printing Office .

www.ca.gov-California Homepage
Provides links to all state agencies

www.medbd.ca.gov-Medical Board of California
Lists important MBC phone numbers, information on all licensed California physicians

www.dir.ca.gov-California Department of Industrial Relations
Access to information on Cal-OSHA regulations on office safety, labor laws and the Workers'Compensation program

www.dmhc.ca.gov-California Department of Managed Care
Regulatory agency for health plans

www.oshpd.state.ca.us/index.htm-California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development
Source of statewide health information and statistics