MSDC has raised concerns over the Mayor's proposed FY 2011 Budget for the Department of Health Care Finance (DHCF) to the DC Council, specifically, Councilmember David Catania, the Chair of the Committee on Health.  Included in the proposed DHCF budget is a 20% cut in Medicaid reimbursement rates.
     Such a regressive cut would decrease local funding of Medicaid beneficiaries by $2,450,000 and incur an additional loss in Federal matching funds of $8,177,000 - resulting in a total reduction of $10,627,000 in reimbursed medical care.
     In 2008, MSDC successfully lobbied to have the Medicaid rates increased to match Medicare rates to encourage expansion in the District's Medicaid program by physicians.  The rate increase went into effect just over one year ago, in April 2009.  Backtracking on the great improvements made in our District's Medicaid program is a serious blow to the health of patients in the District.

     The Medical Society of DC has joined with the American Medical Association and other national associations as a named plaintiff in a lawsuit against the Federal Trade Commission to enjoin the "Red Flag Rules" currently required for physicians' medical practices.  The suit will be filed in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia and prepared by the AMA's Litigation Center.
     In 2003, Congress amended the Consumer Credit Protection Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1681m(e), to require the FTC and five other federal agencies to issue joint regulations to detect, prevent, and mitigate identity theft with regard to the extension of "credit" by a "creditor."  The regulations require businesses to adopt written policies to detect and prevent identity theft  and then review those policies annually to make sure they are being followed. 
     According to the FTC, physicians, who do not receive full payment for their services at or before the time they perform those services, are creditors and must comply with the statutory and regulatory requirements.  This requirement is an example of one more pointless distraction from medical practice.  The FTC has continually delayed the deadline for compliance with its regulations, resulting in a June 1, 2010 deadline.  However, this habitual delay is not an acceptable outcome.
     On November 30, 2009, the American Bar Association secured a declaratory judgment and an injunction in the DC District Court to prevent enforcement of the FTC red flags regulations against attorneys.  The FTC has appealed the ABA suit, but an encouraging precedent is set for a favorable outcome for physicians.

     The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act - health system reform legislation signed into law by President Obama on March 23 - contains a number of key provisions for you and your patients. Some provisions may have an immediate impact on your practice and patients, while others will not take effect for some time.
     Given the new direction for the nation's health system, the AMA has developed Health System Reform Insight to help you understand the new law and how it will affect you, when certain provisions are scheduled to take effect, how you can be ready when the regulations go into effect and what your patients need to know.
     To view the most recent issue of Health System Reform Insight, please click here.
     To sign up for the Health System Reform Insight newsletter, please click here.

First AMA webinar on health system reform to broadcast live May 17
     Join AMA President J. James Rohack, MD, and the AMA's Cynthia Brown, vice president, government affairs, on Monday, May 17 from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. EDT for an informative webinar, "How health system reform will affect physician practices."
     Space is limited so please register today by clicking here.

     Registrations are being accepted.  Just contact Barbara Allen at (202) 355-9403 or allen@msdc.org to join the crew.  Registration is $60 for members, $105 for members and spouses, $50 for students/residents, and $80 for non-members.
     Hurry and register soon - if you don't make the Captain's Log before Sail Date, registration at the door will increase to $80 for members and $100 for non-members, with no member/spouse or student/resident ticket available.

Animals, Research and Alternatives Conference
A Continuing Medical Education event (Category 1, maximum 16.5 credits)
August 26-27, 2010 · Washington, D.C.
Join experts from around the world fifty years after the development of the key model for the refinement, reduction, and replacement of animals in research.
Register today at: www.researchalternatives.org.