MICRA Alert and Prop 46 Resources for Physicians August 7, 2014 Alert Health Legislation, MICRA, No on 46, Prop 46, Prop 46 Resources 0 In less than 100 days, voters will be asked to weigh in on the MICRA health care lawsuit measure known as Prop. 46, which will hugely jeopardize the privacy of patients' personal prescription medical information. The initiative will force doctors and pharmacists to use a massive statewide database known as the Controlled Substance Utilization Review Evaluation System (CURES), which is filled with patients' personal prescription drug information. Though the database already exists, it is underfunded, understaffed and technologically incapable of handling the massively increased demands that this ballot measure will place on it. Most concerning, the massive ramp up of this database will significantly put patients' private medical information at risk and the ballot measure doesn't contain any provisions or funding to help upgrade the system or increase the database's security standards. As many of you know, the CURES database contains highly sensitive patient information including personal and potentially stigmatizing details about their health. Prescription information including medication used to treat obesity, narcolepsy, conditions related to cancer and AIDS, asthma and other sensitive information are all contained within the CURES database. In recent weeks and months, the coalition to oppose the MICRA health care lawsuit initiative continues to grow. Teachers, health care workers, local community groups and hundreds of others have pledged to vote NO in November because they too understand the implications this measure would have on patients, taxpayers and consumers across the state. We know that if this measure passes, it won't just be putting patients' personal medical information at risk, but malpractice lawsuits and payouts will also skyrocket, adding "hundreds of millions of dollars" in new costs to state and local governments, according to an impartial analysis conducted by the state's Legislative Analyst. State and local governments face higher costs in two ways: They provide health care for current and retired employees; They provide health care for low-income residents through Medi-Cal and other locally run health care programs like community clinics and hospitals. Someone will have to pay for these increased costs, and that someone is you (physicians), taxpayers and consumers/patients. The campaign opposed to the initiative - "Patients and Providers to Protect Access and Contain Health Costs" - is a diverse and growing coalition of trusted doctors, community health clinics, hospitals, family-planning organizations, local leaders, public safety officials, businesses, and working men and women formed to oppose this costly, dangerous ballot proposition that would make it easier and more profitable for lawyers to sue doctors and hospitals. A full and updated list of groups opposing the campaign can be found here. United as one voice, advocating for patients across the state, we can defeat this ballot measure in November, but we need everyone to commit and become engaged along the way. Thank you in advance for all that you do and all that you'll continue to do. Join the Fight CMA and the campaign to defeat Prop. 46 need each and every one of you to help spread the word and educate your colleagues about the critical importance of MICRA. To that end, CMA has developed a MICRA Commitment Card. We ask that you fill out one of these cards and pledge that you will vote no on the anti-MICRA measure known as Prop. 46. Campaign Materials The CMA can provide your office with campaign materials such as patient brochures, posters, buttons, campaign stickers and more. Just fill out the No on 46 order form. More information Visit these websites in order to learn more about MICRA so that you can educate your colleagues, friends, peers and family: - The CMA website - No on 46 campaign website - Californians Allied for Patient Protection (CAPP) Website What else can you do to support MICRA? - "Like" the No on 46 Facebook page - Follow the No on 46 Twitter page - Visit the offical campaign website at www.noon46.com Comments are closed.