MSV news
President’s message: A seat at the table I
’ve had the honor of serving with the Virginia delegation to the AMA since 2011. As I’ve mentioned in a previous message, it is important to be involved in several different organizations to capture the entire scope of our profession. While MSV focuses on state issues, the AMA deals with issues that have national implications. Our Virginia delegation to the AMA is highly regarded and respected both locally and nationally. The AMA House of Delegates is comprised of representatives from all fifty states, numerous specialty societies, and other constituents. This month, our delegation traveled to Chicago for the AMA annual meeting. We will convene in Atlanta for the Interim Meeting this November. The Virginia Delegation members include: Chair Carol S. Shapiro, M.D., M.B.A. Vice Chair Randolph J. Gould, M.D. Delegates Claudette E. Dalton, M.D. Edward G. Koch, M.D. Hazle S. Konerding, M.D. Mitchell B. Miller, M.D. Lawrence K. Monahan, M.D. Alternate Delegates David A. Ellington, M.D. Thomas W. Eppes Jr., M.D. 12 www.msv.org
Russell C. Libby, M.D. Bhushan H. Pandya, M.D. Sterling N. Ransone Jr., M.D. William C. Reha, M.D., M.B.A. Cynthia C. Romero, M.D., FAAFP The AMA’s House of Delegates, reference committees and resolution processes are very similar to MSV’s. Just like at our Annual Meeting, the AMA uses reference committee reports, consent calendars, caucus meetings, etc. at their meetings. The democratic principles of parliamentary procedure allow the House to give direction to the Board and leadership of the AMA, which is analogous to how we function at MSV—allowing physicians a significant voice into their professional organization. Often at our Annual Meeting, members request that resolutions be forwarded to the AMA for national consideration. Our Virginia Delegation brings these forward as our voice in this House of Medicine. Additionally, ideas conceived by the Virginia delegation and the AMA benefit not only Virginia physicians, but those nationwide. For example, recently the Virginia delegation authored some notable resolutions that positively impact how we practice, including: • EHR STARK exemption for EHR adoption, 2013 interim meeting. The federal government extended the deadline from 2013 to 2021 for physician subsidies for EHR adoption. • E-prescribing and meaningful use, 2014 annual meeting. Military pharmacies started to accept e-prescribing instead of requiring handwritten prescriptions.
• Physician credit card payments by health insurance companies, 2014 interim meeting. To stop charging physician fees when insurers issue virtual credit card payments, the adopted resolution wants insurers to pay these fees, not the physicians. Model state legislation was created by the AMA and this was the first issue discussed at our recent Legislative Summit for possible action in the 2016 General Assembly. • Student debt reduction, 2014 Annual Meeting. The AMA adopted our resolution, which advised the development of an affinity program, if feasible, which would grant access for student, resident, and fellow members of the AMA to reduced loan rates (below existing government sponsored rates) through private financial institutions willing to partner with the AMA. This would apply to new loans as well as the consolidation of existing loans. Such a program would potentially grant relief to some of the crushing educational debt incurred by physicians in training. • Tricare Reimbursement Reform, 2014 Annual Meeting, This asked the AMA to work with Tricare on improving reimbursement issues in several areas and was adopted by the AMA. These discussions are now underway. Also, this year, our Virginia Delegation submitted two resolutions for discussion at this year’s AMA annual meeting. One resolution deals with Physician determination for appropriate medication refills, while the other concerns studying the development of Model state legislation eliminating restrictive covenants in physician contracts.