Top Stories

MMA Meets with Legislative Leaders on Population Research

On Feb. 10, the MMA met with key legislators to discuss needed changes to the state's All Payer Claims Database and urged them to replace Provider Peer Grouping.

MMA Discusses Costs with Legislative Work Group

The MMA testified Feb. 11 before a newly formed Health Care Costs Legislative Working Group, urging the committee to be sensitive to the external forces that can drive up the cost of care, such as administrative burdens, regulatory compliance, and quality measurement and reporting.

Panelists Announced for Medical Marijuana Policy Forum

The MMA's March 4 Medical Marijuana Policy Forum will feature two psychiatrists, an addiction medicine physician, a pediatrician in palliative care and a specialist in internal medicine and homeopathy.

MMA 2014 Annual Meeting Moving Forward

A new, updated MMA Annual Meeting will replace the suspended House of Delegates this year. The MMA is planning a completely revamped event for Friday and Saturday, Sept. 19 and 20, at Madden's On Gull Lake in Brainerd. It will feature nationally known speakers, a gubernatorial debate, CME educational programs that are relevant to your practice, activities for young physicians, students, residents and fellows, policy discussions and a meeting of the new Policy Council. Mark your calendar and watch for more details. It's an event you won't want to miss. For more information, visit the MMA website.

Specialty Leaders and MMA Meet for Third Time

In their ongoing efforts to collaborate more closely on advocacy efforts, representatives from the MMA and presidents of Minnesota-based specialty societies met again on Feb. 10 at the MMA office.

MMA Signs on to AMA SGR Letter

The MMA and 110 other state medical societies and national specialty organizations signed on to an AMA letter to U.S. House and Senate leaders urging them to keep moving forward on a repeal of the Medicare Sustainable Growth Rate formula.

U of M Student Receives Medical Student Award

Fourth-year medical student Mark Bergstrand received the 2013 Medical Student Leadership Award at the Feb. 8 meeting of the MMA's Medical Student Section.

Governance Change Bylaws Adopted by HOD

At the 2013 Annual Meeting, the House of Delegates approved several changes to how it will operate in the future including: suspending its activities until 2016 while the MMA pilots new models; creating electronic elections for MMA leadership; and creating a 40-member Policy Council to consider emerging issues and recommend policy positions to the board of trustees.

MMA Adds Grassroots Staff Member

The MMA has hired Evelyn Clark as its manager of grassroots and political engagement. She will be responsible for overseeing the association's grassroots efforts including engaging more physician members in legislative and advocacy activities. She will also serve as staff director of MEDPAC, the MMA's political action committee. Previously, Clark worked with the Medical Association of Georgia and the American Academy of Ophthalmology, as well as other advocacy groups, in the area of health care policy.

E-Cigarettes Forum Set for Feb. 18 at U of M

Medical students at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, will host a lunch-and-learn on e-cigarettes from 12:10 to 1:10 p.m. on Feb. 18 in Mayo 3-125 (located in the Mayo Memorial Building) 420 Delaware Street S.E., Minneapolis. Speakers will include Kola Okuyemi, M.D., MPH, director of the program in health disparities research and professor in the department of family medicine and community health, and Betsy Brock, director of research for the Association for Non-Smokers. The lunch-and-learn, which is co-sponsored by the Twin Cities Medical Society and the MMA's Medical Student Section, is open to all medical students. To RSVP email Brian Strub or call 612-362-3745.

How does MMA affect your practice?

By providing strong advocacy

What happens at the Capitol affects what you can do in the exam room -- and that's why the MMA provides strong advocacy at the state Legislature to help make Minnesota the best place to practice. Our experienced lobbying and policy team evaluates as many as 3,000 bills during each legislative session and takes action on those that most affect your practice and your patients. Their work has improved community health through higher tobacco taxes and expanded health coverage. In 2014, we will lobby for physician-led, collaborative care and oppose independent practice for advance practice registered nurses, among other issues.

Being an MMA member is part of being a physician.

Read about MMA's successful 2013 lobbying efforts and MMA's 2014 legislative agenda.

The MMA Podcast

Marijuana has been approved for medical use in 21 states and the District of Columbia. Is Minnesota next? Dave Renner, MMA's director of state and federal legislation, discusses the topic and the March 4 policy forum being hosted by the MMA in the latest edition of The MMA Podcast.

Minnesota Medicine

Plumbers, pipefitters and preventive medicine
A local labor organization takes a novel approach to improving the well-being of its members.

On the go?

Bring the latest edition of Minnesota Medicine with you: Digital Edition.

Other MMA News

Headlines & Links

Events

March 4 - Medical Marijuana Policy Forum
March 13 - Day at the Capitol
Sept 19 -20 - MMA Annual Meeting (Brainerd)