Santa Cruz family physician Larry DeGhetaldi, M.D., was honored today with the California Medical Association’s (CMA) 2024 Gary F. Krieger Speaker’s Recognition Award. The recipient of this award is selected by the current CMA Speaker of the House for remarkable contributions to CMA and its House of Delegates.

Dr. DeGhetaldi is a rare combination of medical economist, scientific know-it-all and charming advocate who is known for educating colleagues and policymakers alike on complex issues. He is a self-proclaimed numbers nerd who uses data to create uniquely compelling narratives in support of CMA advocacy.

Dr. DeGhetaldi has been a CMA member for 38 years and is a former CMA trustee and chair of CMA’s Medicare Reform Technical Advisory Committee. He led CMA to significant victories that improved the practice of medicine, the financial stability of physician practices and patient access to care.

Dr. DeGhetaldi is one of the nation’s leading experts in promoting Medicare geographic payment accuracy, and is one of the architects of the famed Medicare geographic “GPCI” fix that brings millions of additional payments to California physicians every year. He is also responsible for stopping multiple Medicare payment proposals that would have disproportionately harmed California physicians and patients. 

CMA is proud to present Dr. DeGhetaldi with this year’s Gary F. Krieger Speaker’s Recognition Award for his many accomplishments and contributions to the House of Medicine.