After years of last-minute, short-term, band-aid fixes to the badly broken Medicare Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR), Congress may be poised to finally repeal the SGR and put in place new methodologies that incentivize quality outcomes and cost effectiveness in the delivery of health care services. Key players in the long and difficult effort to reform the Medicare physician payment system will provide attendees of the Western Health Care Leadership Academy, April 11-14 in San Diego, with an overview of progress made and of new care delivery and reimbursement models either under consideration or already being implemented.

Presenters include:

The Honorable Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (R-TX), member of the U.S. House of Representatives and sponsor of the Medicare reform legislation currently before the House. Dr. Burgess currently serves as vice-chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee. Before being elected to Congress, Dr. Burgess practiced medicine for three decades in North Texas.

Gail Wilensky, Ph.D., former head of the Health Care Financing Administration (now known as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) and former chair of MedPAC. Dr. Wilensky also served as senior health and welfare advisor to President George HW Bush.

The Honorable Raul Ruiz, M.D. (D-CA), member of the U.S. House of Representatives and a former emergency room physician from Southern California.

Elizabeth McNeil, Vice President, Federal Government Relations, California Medical Association

Don't miss your chance to register for West Coast’s premier health policy, leadership development and practice management conference.

For more details about this year's agenda and dynamic lineup of speakers, visit www.westernleadershipacademy.com.

Continuing Medical Education

The California Medical Association (CMA) is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

The California Medical Association designates this live program for a maximum of 15.25 AMA PRA Category 1 credit(s)^TM. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

This credit may also be applied to the CMA Certification in Continuing Medical Education.