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Here's what is happening in and around Western North Carolina:
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Save the Date- Annual Celebration
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HeartStrings- Like us on Facebook
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Charlotte AHEC Obesity Conference
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Charlotte AHEC & Carolinas Education Institute present Obesity Conference 2012: Defining Best Practices for Obesity and Comorbidity Management March 2, 2012. Find out more. |
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WCMS Visits President Pro Tem of the Senate
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On 1/10/12, Dr. Scott Langford (WCMS President Elect) and Donna Wiedrich (WCMS Membership Director) made a trip to Greensboro on behalf of WCMS members to attend the Phil Berger (President Pro Tempore of the Senate) fundraiser. It was well attended by physicians from the mid-state. Dr. Langford took the opportunity to thank Senator Berger for staunchly supporting the passage of NC medical malpractice legislation. Senator Berger was very appreciative that WCMS representatives traveled so many miles after a long day at work to meet with him.
Already efforts to overturn the tort reform bill have begun, so it is critical that physicians stay engaged. Dr. Langford observes, "Politicians will walk the halls in Raleigh listening to many voices. Those voices need to be informed, educated and reasonable. They MUST be our voices. The NCMS and the WCMS have always been a strong voice on our behalf, but they're pleading for support. I am too. If you can't travel to meetings across the state and if you can't walk the halls in Raleigh and physically respond to the questions legislators ask of us, do this: Join the North Carolina Medical Society. Join the Western Carolina Medical Society. At the very least, fund the organizations that are keeping us alive. These organizations spend thousands of man-hours researching, traveling, attending and informing on our behalf. Write a check and pay your dues. Ask your partners to pay their dues."
As well, Dr. Langford notes, "As important as medical malpractice reform has been and continues to be, there are many other issues that the North Carolina Medical Society and Western Carolina Medical Society battle on your behalf daily. Policies and plans that threaten, in a very real way, to derail the way we all practice medicine." These issues include declining Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement, mid-level provider practice expansion without physician supervision, the lack of mental health funding, and legislation that regulates how physician care is delivered in the exam room.
For information on how you can get involved in these important efforts contact Donna Wiedrich at donna@mywcms.org.
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From the AMA: Important Update on 2012 Medicare Physician Payment Rates
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The payroll tax extension legislation that was passed by Congress and signed by the President on Dec. 23, 2011 (Public Law 112-078) delayed the 27.4% Medicare pay cut due to the SGR formula for two months. It also extended the floor on the work geographic practice cost index (GPCI) and certain other policies. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has confirmed to the AMA, however, that all of the other changes that were included in the Medicare physician payment final rule for 2012 will still take effect.
Physicians should not expect that payment rates will remain unchanged. As detailed in a memo sent to the Federation on Nov. 4, 2011 following release of the final rule, numerous changes are being made in the relative value units, GPCIs, electronic prescribing and quality reporting programs, and multiple procedure payment rules for 2012. All of these changes will take effect as scheduled for dates of service beginning Jan. 1, 2012. Read more here.
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Medical Malpractice Costs Continue to Climb
| The cost of defending a medical malpractice lawsuit continues to climb, as does the cost of liability insurance premiums for some specialties, according to two medical liability reform reports released in December by the American Medical Association (AMA).
Read the full article.
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We Need a Permanent Fix to SGR
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Take Action!
Congress just approved a mere 2 month patch to the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) formula. Please take a moment to send another e-mail to your Senators and Congressman to let them know that it is time to stop kicking this can down the road.
https://www.mywcms.org/News-and-Events/Announcements/NCMS--We-Need-A-Permanent-Fix
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BCMS Alliance Holiday Card Thanks
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Job Board
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Teacher Assistant- AB-Tech
Instructor (Dental Assisting/Hygiene)- AB-Tech
Medical Billing Manager- Blue Ridge Community Health Services (BRCHS)
RN/LPN- Community Family Practice
Accounts Receivable Rep- Summit Billing
Testimonial from Mountain Kidney and Hypertension Assoc:
"The WCMS Job Board has proven to be a very successful endeavor for our practice. The ad was posted on the webside two weeks ago and we have just hired a new employee with experience which is perfectly matched to the job description. Thank you again for taking the search out of our hands and for the positive outcome."
Becky Slaughter
Office Manager
Mountain Kidney & Hypertension Assoc., P.A
Click here for the complete list of job postings on our website.
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Classified Ads
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Click here for the complete list of classified ads on our website.
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Why Join the Western Carolina Medical Society?
WCMS is a thriving 900-plus member professional association of the physicians of western North Carolina and a chartered component medical society of the NC Medical Society and the AMA. The WCMS is an organization run by physicians for physicians.
Our Mission
The WCMS is the physicians' voice advocating for the health of the medical profession, the health of the patient, and the health of the community.
Our Vision
To be a dynamic physician community dedicated to a healthy, vibrant Western North Carolina.
About WCMS
The purpose of WCMS is:
- To strengthen the voice of WNC physicians in advocating for the health of the medical profession, the health of the patient, and the health of our region
- To inform, educate and prepare physicians for rapidly occurring changes in health care at national, state, and local levels
- To share legislative and policy information and advocate on behalf of physicians in areas of mutual interest
- To share available resources in areas of mutual interest
- To promote physician-to-physician communication and dialogue in an open, honest and safe environment
Click here for a complete listing of membership benefits.
The Foundation is WCMS' non-profit, charitable arm. The Foundation is well-respected and nationally recognized for its leadership and innovation in addressing issues of access to quality health care, disparities in health, and wellness and prevention for people in WNC. We are committed to involving both community AND physicians in this work.
Our flagship program is Project Access, a comprehensive, volunteer primary and specialty physician network providing access to healthcare at no charge for low-income, uninsured residents. Another key program is the WNC Interpreter Network, which addresses disparities in health due to linguistic barriers.
The archive of WCMS e-newsletters is available from the publications menu on our website at http://www.mywcms.org/News-and-Events/Weekly-E-Newsletter Thank you for your interest in WCMS. If you have any questions, comments or concerns, please feel free to contact me or any one of our courteous, professional staff.
Sincerely, Miriam Schwarz, MPA
WCMS CEO/Executive Director
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