CMA'S Key Contact Program

Critical issues affecting today's physicians are being decided in the legislative arena at an ever-increasing, fast and furious pace. Managed care reform, emergency and trauma system repair, access to peer review records, and issues facing physicians today. The most important, potent, political weapon is personal communication from YOU-- the CMA Alliance members--contacting a legislator one-on-one as a Legislative Key Contact.

CMA's Government Relations office in Sacramento develops and maintains an active network of physicians and their spouses as Legislative Key Contacts in each legislative and congressional district (see below).

At crucial times during the legislative process, Legislative Key Contacts communicate with their respective elected officials on major issues.As particular bills of greatest interest to physicians are identifed, CMA provides Legislative Key Contacts with analyses of these bills, CMA's official position, supporting arguments, timing of legislative action, and all pertinent information needed to prevent an educated viewpoint before a crucial vote is cast.

Spending only a few minutes a month to share the physician's perspective on legislation can make a BIG difference when your elected representative vasts an important vote on a vital bill.

Contact can be as simple as a basic phone call, fax, letter, or e-mail, or as involved as arranging a meeting or lunch with a legislator, hosting or attending a small gathering with your friends featuring an elected official, or volunteering on an election campaign.

As a Legislative Key Contact, you simply agree to be on our Legislative Alert mailing list. If an issue is important to you, and you gave a few minutes, you can easily select main points from our one-page fact sheet, and telephone, fax, e-mail, or write your legislator-- whenever you have the time.

Whether you already have personal relationships with elected officials in your local area or elsewhere, or you would like to get to know your local representatives, we encourage you to become politically active.

For further information about the Legislative Key Contact Program, call Rachel Doherty Smith in CMA's Center for Government Relations. Telephone: (916) 444-5532- Fax: (916) 444-5689. E-mail: rsmith@cmanet.org