The conversation took place at the California Medical Association’s (CMA) annual Medical Group Symposium, where Dr. Flores and Director Baass offered perspectives from the physician and policymaking sides of a challenge familiar to California’s medical community: maintaining access to care amid a rapidly changing federal health policy landscape and significant pressure on Medi-Cal.

CARE Court was established to help adults living with untreated schizophrenia spectrum disorders or certain psychotic disorders who are experiencing significant functional decline and are unlikely to engage in treatment voluntarily.

Major federal student loan changes took effect July 1, reshaping how many future physicians will finance their education. While most provisions are now in effect, litigation continues over which healthcare and graduate degree programs qualify for higher “professional student” borrowing limits. For medical students subject to the new rules, federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan borrowing is generally limited to $50,000 annually and $200,000 in total for professional education. A new $257,500...

Measure ER will enact a temporary half-cent countywide sales tax for five years, beginning October 1, 2026. The measure is expected to generate approximately $1 billion annually to help stabilize essential health services amid steep federal and state funding reductions affecting Medi-Cal, Medicaid, public hospitals, community clinics, and county health programs.

the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health offers a 1.25-hour online training with free continuing medical education credit for physicians and other health professionals. The training will help strengthen physicians’ ability to provide accurate information about abortion, correct misinformation, distinguish abortion and contraceptive options, and improve confidence in referring patients to appropriate care and resources.

The FutureMedLA Foundation, in proud partnership with the Los Angeles County Medical Association (LACMA), is now accepting nominations for the 13th Annual Los Angeles Healthcare Awards, taking place on Friday, November 13, 2026, at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel.

The FutureMedLA Foundation , the charitable arm of the Los Angeles County Medical Association (LACMA), is now accepting applications for the 2026 FutureMedLA Medical Student Scholarships , supporting the next generation of physician leaders committed to improving healthcare access and equity in Los Angeles County. The scholarship program recognizes medical students who demonstrate a commitment to serving underserved communities, advancing innovative healthcare solutions, and shaping the...

The goal is not simply to exchange frustrations. It is to identify specific problems, understand where change is possible and pursue practical solutions that support physicians, health plans and the patients both serve.

Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science (CDU) reached a major milestone on July 11, 2026, with the ribbon-cutting for its new Health Professions Education Building, a state-of-the-art facility designed to train the next generation of physicians and healthcare professionals while strengthening the healthcare workforce in South Los Angeles.

Dr. Horowitz was a member of LACMA for 41 years, offering his leadership, expertise, and voice in service to physicians, patients, and the Los Angeles community.

Dear LACMA Members and Partners: As I reflect on the past ten years serving as your CEO, I am filled with a profound sense of gratitude for the journey we’ve shared. When I first joined LACMA a decade ago, I saw an organization with a storied past but a future that needed a new spark. Together, we didn’t just find that spark—we ignited a "Renaissance" for organized medicine in Los Angeles. My mission from day one was simple: "If it matters to our LACMA members, it matters to me." I wanted...

Through LACMA+CMA, the Business of Medicine Conference is more than a series of presentations. It is a forum for shared insight, candid conversation, and practical problem solving—grounded in the strength of a physician community that shows up for one another.

Healthcare billing is no longer where it was even a few years ago. Bills are more digital, easier to read and more likely to reach patients through their preferred channels. Cedar’s 2026 Healthcare Financial Experience Study reports that 90% of patients receive bills through preferred channels, 78% review bills within 24 hours, and 76% say they have convenient access to payment options. But convenience is no longer the central problem. The deeper challenge, according to Cedar , is that...

In June, Los Angeles County voters will decide whether to approve the Essential Services Restoration Act, a temporary half-cent sales tax measure intended to stabilize the region’s healthcare safety net amid sweeping federal Medicaid reductions. For physicians, this is not a theoretical tax debate. It is an operational question with direct implications for access to care, emergency department volume, workforce stability, and reimbursement across every mode of practice in Los Angeles County....

The 2026 honorees are Martha Santana-Chin, Healthcare Visionary of the Year; Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda L. Solis, Health Advocacy Champion; Jim Mangia, Community Impact Award; Homeboy Industries, Innovation in Healthcare Solutions Award; and the LAist Health Coverage Team, Shine the Light Media Award. Dr. Kenneth Sim will receive the inaugural LACMA Legacy Award, a special honor selected by the FutureMedLA Board of Directors.

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (DPH) and OpenEvidence, an AI-powered clinical decision support platform, today announced a collaboration to help physicians quickly find official LA County Public Health resources when searching for clinical information. Under this new partnership, when physicians in LA County search the platform for selected public health topics, OpenEvidence will display related LA-specific messages from Public Health. The messages connect clinicians to...

Why the future of CME and CE is bright: adult learning, lifelong growth, and reflective practice Scott Hershman, MD, FACEHP, CHCP | Vice President of Education and Professional Development, California Academy of Family Physicians (CAFP) and Advisor to Vinea Physicians have not always loved continuing education, and the requirements can feel like paperwork. But step back, and the picture is genuinely hopeful. Education remains the foundation on which better patient outcomes are built, and the...

“Xavier Becerra has demonstrated a long-standing commitment to protecting access to care, strengthening public health and supporting the physicians who serve California’s patients every day. LACMA is proud to endorse his campaign for Governor.”

The Los Angeles County Medical Association (LACMA) Board of Directors has approved a $50,000 contribution to support Yes on ER, the Essential Healthcare Restoration Act of Los Angeles County , set to appear on the June 2, 2026 ballot. Measure ER is a temporary half-cent funding measure to help stabilize Los Angeles County’s healthcare safety net following significant federal funding reductions tied to H.R. 1. If approved by voters, the measure is expected to offset billions in projected...

The national debate over Medicaid cuts is no longer an abstract policy fight. For hospitals, clinics, physicians and patients, it is increasingly a question of financial survival, access to care and how much strain the healthcare safety net can absorb before services begin to disappear. A new report from Public Citizen argues that the federal budget law signed on July 4, 2025, could put 446 hospitals nationwide at heightened risk of closing, reducing services or laying off workers because of...