AUGUST EDITION, VOLUME 2015, NO. 8
SOVEREIGN IMMUNITY RE-CONTRACTING ROLL-OUT BEGINS By Pam Wilson, CMS Executive Director
Volunteer providers are the backbone of the We Care Network. Without your willingness to donate your services, many in Leon, Gadsden, Jefferson, and Wakulla Counties would have no way to secure the treatment they need. We applaud your compassion, your skill, and your selfless efforts to improve access to care and reduce unnecessary emergency room and inpatient care. We also understand that your continued sovereign immunity protection through the Volunteer Health Care Provider Program with the Florida Department of Health is critical to your participation in We Care Network.
are provided sovereign immunity while acting within the scope of duties pursuant to this contract and the requirements of the applicable health care practitioner laws and administrative rules.” The deadline to complete the re-contracting process is December 31, 2015. Anyone with an active contract now will continue to be covered under their existing Volunteer Health Care Provider Program contract until the renewal period closes. However, your current contract will only provide
coverage after December 31, 2015 for treatment of patients under active, documented referrals received prior to December 31, 2015. Therefore, we encourage you all to complete your new applications and contracts prior to that date. If you completed a Volunteer Health Care Provider Program contract prior to June 25, 2015, you will still need to renew your contract to continue to be protected under the Volunteer Health Care Provider Program for new referrals after December 31, 2015. CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
Capital Medical Society is beginning the process of assisting all current We Care Network volunteer providers in completing applications and Volunteer Health Care Provider Program Sovereign Immunity contracts (DH1039) pursuant to section 768.28, Florida Statutes and the changes that were implemented effective June 25, 2015. These contracts “ensure that health care professionals who provide such services as agents of the state CAPITAL MEDICAL SOCIETY 2015 MEETINGS CALENDAR September 15, 2015 CMS Membership & CME Meeting “Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) – What We Need to Know” Less Shrestha, M.D. 6:00 pm Maguire Center for Lifelong Learning at Westminster Oaks
October 20, 2015 CMS Membership & CME Meeting “Prevention of Medical Errors” – 2 Hour CME Scott Sellinger, M.D. and Jesse Suber, Esq. 6:00 pm Maguire Center for Lifelong Learning at Westminster Oaks
November 10, 2015 December 3, 2015 CMS Membership & CME Meeting CMS Foundation Holiday Auction “Advanced Cardiac Imaging 6:30 pm – Cardiac MRI” University Center Club at FSU Greg Hartlage, M.D. and Ernesto Umaña, M.D. 6:00 pm Maguire Center for Lifelong Learning CAP SCAN - A CAPITAL 1 at Westminster Oaks MEDICAL SOCIETY PUBLICATION