MSDC works to protect state oversight of medicine, signs on to letter supporting repeal of HHS 's ability to interfere in a physician's practice of medicine

     On August 2, 2012,  Congressman Phil Gingrey, MD (R-GA) introduced HR6320, "To amend the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act so as to eliminate the authority of the Secretary of Health and Human Services to limit the ability of medical providers to conduct lawful business, and for other purposes." The bill primarily seeks to Section 1311(h) of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 which allows the Secretary of HHS to define quality healthcare and bar insurance companies in the exchanges from doing business with any hospital or medical provider that is not practicing to that standard. MSDC views this power as a distinct violation of a state's ability to regulate insurance markets and  health care within their own jurisdictions.  Additionally, this rule may profoundly disrupt the relationship between a physician and their patient, and further burden a physician's practice.

     MSDC will continue to push for repeal of Section 1311(h), and support Congressman Gingrey in working to pass HR6320 through Congress and into law.

     To view more information on HR6320, please click here.

DC Accountable Care Organization begins physician recruitment

     The DC ACO would like to invite you to an exclusive opportunity to participate in a physician-led Accountable Care Organization (ACO). DC ACO is designed to foster physician leadership and provide a method for upfront payment to practices. The key features of this program are:
* No financial commitment or risk for participating physicians 

* Participation is voluntary and the participant can withdraw anytime 

* Participants continue billing Medicare fee-for-service and receive payment as usual 

* Receive an average of additional $22,500 per 3 years ($7,500 per year) 

* Eligibility for additional bonus payments each year through shared savings 

* Preferential opportunity to participate in other incentive programs 

     For more information on this opportunity, please view the invitation here. 

  You may view the provider agreement here.

Recommendations sought for Health Benefit Exchange Advisory Board  

     As physicians working in Washington, DC, we all have the opportunity to impact our profession in our Nation's Capital.  However, we are also in the position to expand our influence on medicine beyond our District through the many government agencies, medical schools and NGOs.  Throughout my career, I've made an effort to do that, and am currently focusing much of my time on improving quality of care in Africa through USAID programs.

     Africa has 25% of the world's diseases and 3% of the health workers.  Over 400,000 women die every year from obstructed labor when access to C-sections is not available. Additionally, the problem of newly trained physicians and nurses leaving for higher incomes in developed countries means other methods must be used to treat the millions needing medical care in many countries of the world.  In Malawi and a number of African countries, non-physician clinicians have had a dramatic effect.  Clinical Officer Programs have spread to many countries in Africa.  I have spent the last two months traveling around district hospitals in Malawi to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of their orthopaedic clinical officer program (OCO''s).  The program started 25 years ago and now all of the 26 districts have one or two OCO's as well a general clinical officers handling 95% of the medical, surgical, and obstetric problems.  The clinical officers stay in the districts rather than migrating to the larger cities and abroad. 

     I found that the OCO's are motivated by high job satisfaction to stay in the rural areas.  OCOs are very cost-effectiveness when compared to other programs when measuring averted disability adjusted life years (DALY's).  We will be writing up the results soon to encourage more international funding to clinical officer programs by international agencies and other funding sources.  

James C. Cobey, President of MSDC

 Interactive Voice Response Unit (IVR) Enhancements

     The Medical Society of the District of Columbia presents our annual awards to individuals and organizations for outstanding service to the profession and the community. We have been presenting awards since 1941 and are very proud of the continued and distinguished history of these awards. We invite all MSDC members to submit nominations.

Entry Requirements

     Any member of the Medical Society may submit a nomination for one or more categories. Each nomination must have a separate submission. No past winners are eligible for nomination in their previous category. Click here to receive a Nomination Form.

Deadline

     All entries must be at the Medical Society by 5:00 PM on Friday, September 14, 2012. Mail entries to:

Special Awards Nominations

c/o Medical Society of DC

1250 23rd Street, NW, Suite 270

Washington, DC 20037.

Judges

     The Medical Society's Board of Directors will review all nominations submitted by the deadline. The decisions of the Board will be final.

Presentation

     The awards will be presented at MSDC's Annual Meeting on October 24, 2012.

Four Awards

• Certificate of Meritorious Service - Presented to a physician in recognition of distinguished service to the medical profession.
• Charles H. Epps, III Community Service Award - Presented to a physician for outstanding public service to the community.
• Distinguished Service Award - Presented to a physician member for outstanding service to the Medical Society of the District of Columbia.
• John Benjamin Nichols Award - Presented to a lay person, organization, or both, in recognition of outstanding contributions toward improving the health of the community.

Questions

     Contact Ed Shanbacker at shanbacker@msdc.org for any questions you may have.

    To receive the registration discount, active MSDC members must use the promotion code "MSDC" when they register to get the discount price. Members who register by August 15 will receive the MSDC discount in addition to the early registration discount.

     Among the featured speakers is Russell C. Libby, M.D., F.A.A.P., president-elect of the Medical Society of Virginia. He will join Ronald C. Sroka, M.D., former president of the Maryland State Medical Society, in a session titled, "A Call to Action for Independent Physicians and Small Group Practitioners." In a separate session, Dr. Libby will discuss "Adopting Change and Developing Small and Large Group Physician Alignment."

     For the full agenda, speakers' bios, and registration information, visit www.PhysicianPracticeSurvival.com or call 1-800-431-7571.

     AMPAC will conduct its annual Campaign School April 17-21, 2013, also in Pentagon City, for AMA members who wish to become involved in the political process as advocates and volunteers for medicine-friendly candidates. The School is organized around a simulated congressional campaign, where participants are put on campaign "staff" teams and attend daily lectures on campaign strategy, media advertising and political fundraising. Each team participates in nightly exercises such as creating a campaign strategy, taping a radio commercial, writing a political fundraising letter and holding a press conference.

     For both programs, all costs for AMA members and/or their spouses, except transportation to the Washington, DC metro area, are borne by AMPAC, a significant benefit of AMA membership. For more information on these programs or an application, please see AMPAC's online registration form at http://www.ampaconline.org/apply or contact me at jim.wilson@ama-assn.org