April 1,2003 - Senate Bill 228 to be amended to adopt MediCare and Medi-Cal fee schedules for Workers Compensation, lowering acupuncture services by up to 78%!

Rumors have been flying about for the past two months regarding Senator Alarcon's intentions to significantly reduce the Workers Compensation fees schedule by adopting the MediCare fee schedule. As it exists, SB 228 does very little. However, CAOMA had obtained an early copy of proposed amendment and contacted the Senator's office to verify its authenticiy. Staff denied that copies of the proposed amendments were put forth by the Senator's office, but verified that the bill would be amended by the end of this week, just in time for a Senate Labor & Industrial Relations Committee vote on April 9. The timing of the amendments minimizes the opportunity for opponents of the bill to be listed in the analysis.

Based upon the version of the amendments being floated about, CAOMA has begun to alert the various professional organizations in the California, and will be organizing a "Coalition for Fairness in SB 228." CAOMA has also contacted representatives of other professional organizations, including the California Society of Industrial Medicine and the California Orthopedics Association, both of which are also going to be opposing the bill.

CAOMA Forms Coalition for Fairness in SB 228

CAOMA Opposes Reduced Workers Compensation Fees

SB 228 Impact on Fees for Acupuncture Services

Coalition for Fairness in SB 228 Meets with Senator Alarcon

SB 582 Text & Status