Governor Gavin Newsom’s very public budget focus on healthcare will gain statutory support in 2020 following a slate of healthcare funding bills passed by the Legislature. This article highlights many of the laws effective January 1, 2020, that will affect physicians, from the business operations of their medical office to actual patient care.

This past spring, the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) reported that the United States will see a shortage of up to nearly 122,000 physicians by 2032. Projected shortages include primary care (between 22,100 and 55,200) and specialty care (between 24,800 and 65,800).

The federal government’s stated intent to ease healthcare delivery through simplified regulations will address a long-time irritant of physicians: the Stark Law.

California state Senator and pediatrician Dr. Richard Pan (D-Sacramento) has introduced multiple vaccination-related legislation during his tenure as Chair of the Senate Health Committee.

In the latest released set of a 1,200+ page rule on July 29, CMS included proposed changes, as suggested by the American Medical Association (AMA), to payments for E/M visits starting in CY 2021.