2016 ANNUAL
MEETING REVIEW
Virginia Medical News Nov. 2016 IN THIS ISSUE: Annual Meeting Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 SYNC Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Lynchburg Friends of Medicine. . . . . . . . . 8
Medical Studnet Update . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Healthcare Coverage Expansion . . . . . . . 10 2016 Election Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
MSV Leadership
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MSV News
Live Better. Practice Better. Feel Better. By Hedi Cho, Communications Manager
We thank you, the 250 participants who attended our 2016 Medical Society of Virginia (MSV) Annual Meeting at the Hotel Roanoke and Conference Center in Roanoke from Oct. 13 to 16. As we stand here in the midst of incredible change, we thank you for your support of our strengthened efforts to bring you together and position you to lead and delivery solutions to influence health care on behalf of Virginia’s patients. This year’s meeting, themed, “Live Better. Practice Better. Feel Better.” reflected MSV’s efforts and plans to have all of you engage in your membership and your opportunities at MSV. During the meeting, delegates elected new officers and directors, including President Bhushan Pandya, M.D. MSV reference committees successfully vetted resolutions and made recommendations to the House of Delegates (HOD) about issues surrounding MSV policy and efforts to support the practice of medicine in Virginia.
Actions of the 2016 HOD
The 2016 HOD was a resounding success! With more than twenty resolutions, delegates in attendance discussed important issues that impact the practice of medicine in Virginia. Some of the actions of the 2016 HOD include: » » » » » » »
Approving the proposed 2017 budget Increasing efforts to address the mental health of medical students, residents, and physicians Supporting the AMA’s policy calling for an end to re-certification examinations Addressing the problem of substance abuse among physicians and other healthcare providers Opposing special licensing pathways, such as the associate physician license Establishing a workgroup to evaluate the USMLE Step 2 Clinical Skills Exam, including relative value, cost, and accessibility Amending and expanding existing medical marijuana policy to include support for the expansion of medical cannabis research and for the medical use of cannabinoids
Another major action was updating the MSV bylaws to increase MSV member participation in the House of Delegates. The 2016 Bylaws Committee was appointed by then President Edward G. Koch, M.D., FACOG and comprised of: » » » » » »
Richard Szucs, M.D. (Chair) William Reha, M.D, M.B.A. Bhushan H. Pandya, M.D. Larry Monahan, M.D., FACP Michael Amster, M.D. Kurtis Elward, M.D., MPH, FAAFP (Guest)
The major changes to the bylaws include: » Streamlining the process for component societies to be recognized and nominate delegates; » Enabling components more options when naming delegates; » Creating opportunities for MSV members to serve as delegates on behalf of their district; and » Increasing the number of specialty societies’ delegates, relative to their MSV membership. The bylaws were unanimously passed in the second session of the HOD.
A complete report of the final annual meeting actions will be available on the MSV website at www.msv.org. If you have questions about your member username or password, call 800 | 746-6768, EXT 1050 or e-mail memberservice@msv.org.
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MSV News
Bhushan Pandya, M.D. installed as MSV President By Hedi Cho, Communications Manager On Oct. 15, Bhushan Pandya, M.D. was inaugurated as the new Medical Society of Virginia (MSV) President. He gave his remarks as President for the first time during the Sunday House of Delegates session. Below is Dr. Pandya’s speech: Mr. Speaker, Vice Speaker, fellow officers, delegates, members, staff and guests. I want to start by thanking this body of peers to give me the incredible honor and opportunity to serve our Medical Society of Virginia as your President. This is an amazing stop in my long journey in organized medicine that started in 1985. I look forward to serving you with full commitment and sincerity with the vision of making Virginia the best place to practice medicine and to receive care. The practice of medicine is changing. Technology, the delivery system, hospitalists versus non hospitalists, physicians employed by the health systems, independent physicians, the proliferation of specialties and their independent representation has all become complex. Social media has changed how we network and stay connected. With all of this, a common question that comes up is what is the value of being a member of an organization like the MSV? The fact remains that medicine continues to be regulated by the state, insurance companies that pay us remain regulated by the state, public health is state driven and tort is state driven. Scope of practice is state regulated. MSV is the only organization that represents us—all of us in this regard. All of the Virginia physicians are represented here and we are represented by our delegation in the AMA House of delegates. I recently attended a great presentation by Sean Foy about “What’s your Why. The Power of Purpose.” I have started thinking about how to articulate the answer to “WHY” one should be a member of the MSV and the “PURPOSE” of being a MSV member.
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The best answer I have heard is—to be at the table. By being at the table we may not win every argument, but we will definitely lose all arguments if we are not at the table—at the table where discussions related to our profession are taking place. We can win the argument only if we are together. At a recent specialty meeting, I explained how the Medical Society, its officers, Board members and staff work to advocate for and to protect the rights and privileges of the physicians in Virginia. One of the physicians later mentioned that “it is like the public radio”. People appreciate the programming, the work done here but so long as they enjoy the fruit without being a member or involving themselves as members as delegates or otherwise they will tend not to get involved. My friends, we cannot remain strong, effective and even viable if we do not remain engaged. You heard on Friday about how the staff has developed a plan for engagement and have asked for our help to support them achieve the goals of the strategic plan for the sake of our profession. Let us roll up our sleeves and put our thinking hats on. You are the leaders of your local society and your districts. You will need to tell us how MSV can serve the needs of physicians in your local society through your district directors. You will need to help your peers, your friends and other physicians in your districts understand the importance of being at the table instead of being on the menu. Part of my job as your President is to visit your local society and I would like you to join me when I visit. We are strong only if we are together. Please let me know if I can help you in any way. Thank you again for allowing me the privilege of serving as your President.
MSV News
MSV News
Edward Koch, M.D., FACOG makes closing remarks By Hedi Cho, Communications Manager During the Oct. 14 opening session of the Medical Society of Virginia (MSV) House of Delegates, Edward Koch, M.D., FACOG, outgoing MSV president, gave some remarks regarding the last year. I am deeply honored to have served the Medical Society of Virginia and its members the past 51 weeks. Dr. Bhushan Pandya will have a longer presidency of 53 weeks but a short legislative session. In 2015, I compared my position to the quarterback of a football team, but now, twelve months later, that is not the best analogy. I quickly learned that I am one member of a team, the total team is everyone here at the House of Delegates. You are all team members. The staff is part of the team. It is more like a baseball team with all the players having different roles and different positions. So, with my new analogy, I appreciate the opportunity to be a starting pitcher for team MSV for one year. I want to thank the many people who have made this year successful for me and the organization. Much time and great ideas have been given to me by the Executive Committee, the Board of Directors and you, the House of Delegates.
I want to tell a story. I was on a trip in November 2014 in Bordeaux, France. Kathy and I met a couple from Canada who befriended us and we started to dine together and exchange pleasantries. The gentleman and I were talking sports and I told him of my love for baseball. He quickly frowned and said, “Isn’t that like watching grass grow?” I interjected that you would enjoy the game more if you knew the players and the nuances of the game. He listened intently as I described what had happened during the 2014 season that led to the Kansas City Royals winning the World Series.
“When two people, four people or whatever number of people meet, shake hands and sit down, face-to-face, you become familiar with the real person...”
I applaud you for donating your time, energy, ideas and monies to this organization that is “yours.” A special thanks to the former presidents who have been very active with me these last 12 months, participating on committees and leading the Foundation, representing me at various meetings throughout the state, counseling me when various distractions arose during the year and overall providing me much needed advice in times of distress for me and the organization. There truly exists a former presidents club! Last but certainly not least is my wife, Kathy Koch, who has been a counselor, a travel companion and my best friend for 40+ years. Without her, this year would have been a hollow shell. The president is asked each year, what do you expect to accomplish?
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What I have heard over many years from the MSV staff is that the question from members, “How can I get involved?” This was the question that led me to ask for an evaluation and thus revision of the bylaws. The bylaws proposal, which I urge you to pass on Sunday, will expand the ability of an individual MSV member to be part of the House of Delegates, strengthen local societies, expand specialty society participation and make whole the bylaws with distinct avenues for conflict resolution.
In return I asked him what his favorite sport was. “Hockey?” “No,” he responded. “My favorite sport is curling.” I smiled and laughed. “Isn’t that like watching ice melt, especially with those two folks with the brooms?” He retorted, “Is it a very interesting game once you know the game and the players.” I tell you this story because of what I have observed, learned and experienced this year as your president. Too many times, the staff and I have discovered that once we personally introduce the organization to physicians, their associates and their administrators, whether the physician is in a solo practice, a group, an ACO or employed, there is an awakening of how interesting, how formative, how helpful this organization can be to them and to their practice of medicine. The sphere in which we function has grown a superficial layer of technology that, on one hand, provides instant communication, but on the other, releases a mountain of information that requires a huge sifter in our brains to separate fact from fiction. When two
MSV MSV News News people, four people or whatever number of people meet, shake hands and sit down, face-to-face, you become familiar with the “real” person, not the “Facebook” person. The real organization, not the “Facebook” of the organization, the inherent benefits of the organization, not just the Web site of the organization. My point here is that to expand our presence, our engagement in the commonwealth, to increase membership, to partner with other stakeholders, we have to reach out to the many corners of the commonwealth and that is no easy task. The MSV staff is extra special to me. I have a great appreciation for the house of time these men and women put into their jobs that require intense moments, late hours, some weekends and 24/7 availability. I will tell you our leadership under Melina DavisMartin is exemplary. Our finances are in the best bands with Cort Kirkley. We are well represented to our legislators with Ralston King and the lobbying team headed by Scott Johnson. Lauren BatesRowe, Suzanne Welsh and Leigh Anne Clary are the mainstays of the organization and the business side is expanding with Dustin
Beekman and Carolyn Godbey. Lynne Hughes is our point person for fundraising for our well respected Foundation. Jenny Young is our clever liaison to the medical students. Tiffany Keaton is our marketing VP and Marisa Keegan is our Engagement guru. And our Director Margaret Harris helps us navigate technology. All the MSV employees are a loyal, dedicated group of men and women. In the legislative arena, there are many issues carried over to this upcoming session. I will let Dr. Pandya on Sunday present to you the path required for us to be successful in 2017. For now, I want you to remember that this organization serves all the physicians and physician assistants in the commonwealth. You are physicians first, specialists second and members of a practice or a hospital third. The Medical Society of Virginia represents physicians first and we are happy to partner with the specialty organizations and the hospital systems to serve the purpose of making Virginia the best place to practice medicine in the USA. Thank you again for giving me this once in a lifetime opportunity to serve this great organization and our hallowed profession.
Salute to Service winners recognized at Bollywood Bash By Hedi Cho, Communications Manager Every day, the Medical Society of Virginia (MSV) believes physicians are changing the world. Although the organization itself exists to support physicians as they practice medicine, its Foundation takes recognition a step further by honoring five exceptional individuals who work tirelessly and selflessly to empower their communities and change the world for the better. The Medical Society of Virginia Foundation (MSVF) recently honored these individuals with its annual Salute to Service Award ceremony at its fourteenth annual Physicians Gala, which took place with a Bollywood Bash theme at the Hotel Roanoke and Conference Center on Oct. 15. More than __ physicians from across the Commonwealth gathered to celebrate these individuals for best representing Virginia physicians and medical students with their selfless service to others, impact to the health of the population served and commitment to health care excellence. The awards ceremony was sponsored by The Doctors Company. The Gala raised over $170,000 which supports MSVF programs and services that help physicians improve the care and overall health of patients in the commonwealth.. Award categories and winners include: » » » » »
Service to the Uninsured and Underserved – Robin L. Foster, M.D., VCU Health, Richmond Service to the International Community – Thomas M. Kerkering, M.D., FACP, FIDSA, Carilion Clinic, Roanoke Service to the Profession – Robert Gunther, M.D., M.P.H., FAAP, Augusta Pediatrics, Fishersville Service for Advancing Patient Safety and Quality Improvement – Gene Peterson, M.D., M.H.A., Ph.D. (deceased) Service by a Medical Student or Resident – Jessica Churchill, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Nofolk
Congratulations to these individuals for being selected by MSVF for their outstanding service in advancing patient safety, quality improvement and service to the uninsured and underserved communities, both in local areas and abroad. During the award ceremony, MSVF highlighted the reasons why each of these individuals were selected and played videos which are available at www.msv.org.
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MSV News
Join your colleagues for a day at the Capitol. Professionals from all specialties and regions will come together for an eventful day of unified advocacy during the General Assembly session. Tuesday, January 24 - All Call Day* (VCACR, VSA, VACEP) Monday, January 30 - All Call Day* (VSEPS, VA-AAP, VSO, ACS, PSV, VOS) Monday, February 6 - Physician Assistant Day *All Call days are open to all members, though there will be some highlighted specialties on each day. What's new for 2017? • The days have been condensed to encourage increased participation and crossspecialty collaboration. • We will have two “All Call” days for physicians, with some specialties highlighted on each day. There will also be a dedicated physician assistant day for PA’s and students. • MSV will provide a robust program with guided bill updates, guest speakers, updates on MSV opportunities, and more. • MSV, specialty society lobbyists, and staff will be on hand as resources throughout the day. • And as always, a filling breakfast and lunch will be provided. Legislative Agenda The 2017 Session begins on January 11 and ends February 23. The following topics are expected to be key issues during the upcoming session. More information will be posted as it becomes available: • Associate Physician legislation • Prescription Misuse • Certificate of Public Need (COPN) • Scope of Practice issues • Lyme Disease Questions? More details including registration information will be available soon. For questions, please email GovtAffairs@msv.org or call Sara Rose Wells at (804) 377-1036.
MSV News
SYNC Program Launches Successfully this Fall By Amy Swierczewski Eight interprofessional teams from around the state make up the current SYNC program cohort which was launched in September 2016. SYNC is an innovative 5-session program where cross-functional teams of up to (5) clinical leaders come together to listen and dialogue on a wide range of topics focused on 21st century healthcare, leadership and teamwork. The program culminates with a team-selected capstone project which puts the learning into action. SYNC has been collaboratively developed by the Medical Society of Virginia Foundation, the Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association and the Virginia Nurses Association and supported by The Physicians Foundation and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The Virginia Department of Health has provided tuition assistance for any team who focuses their capstone projects on hypertension, diabetes or cancer.
Three of the five sessions have been completed this Fall. In September, Toni Ardabell, CEO of Bon Secours kicked off the program and provided a “big picture” view on The Future of Healthcare followed by Marissa Levine, MD, MPH providing insight in sharing Virginia’s Plan for Well-Being. With leadership as a cornerstone of the program, each session has had a dedicated talk focused on individual leadership, team leadership (including assessments and discussions on each team’s DiSC profile), and organizational leadership. The topic of operationalizing leadership will be covered in detail at the 4th program session in January 2017. “Storytelling” on successful implementations of interprofessional collaboration is also woven into each of the (5) programs. Design thinking as a tool to creatively problem solve was presented in October’s program and had teams thinking “outside the box” on their normal approaches to problems. Provider burnout, work-life balance, and creating a culture by design is a topic integrated into multiple sessions to stress the importance of recognizing signs of personal burnout and coworker burnout along with providing meaningful coping mechanisms. A workshop in structuring and executing the capstone project was presented in November and coaching support from Community Health Solutions is provided to each team on an ongoing basis to set each group up for success.
A celebration of Lynchburg friends of medicine By Lindsay Larkin, Government Affairs & Political Advocacy Manager The Medical Society of Virginia Political Action Committee (MSVPAC), along with OrthoVirginia, the Virginia Orthopaedic Society, Virginia Society of Eye Physicians and Surgeons, Virginia Chapter of American College of Radiology, and Dominion, hosted a fundraiser honoring Delegate Kathy Byron, Delegate Scott Garrett, M.D. and Senator Steve Newman in Lynchburg on the evening of September 29 at the Boonsboro Country Club in Lynchburg. Delegate Byron, Delegate Garrett, and Senator Newman serve on the Commerce and Labor, Health, Welfare and Institutions, and Education and Health committees respectively. MSVPAC is proud to have helped raise over $32,000 for these vital legislators. A special thank you goes out to the staff and physicians of OrthoVirginia and Virginia Orthopaedic Society for their assistance in planning this event. To make your 2016 MSVPAC contribution, please visit www.msvpac.org.
The final two sessions in the series will be presented in January and March 2017. March will consist of teams sharing their capstone projects with each other and the lessons learned. SYNC is meant to not only foster collaboration and build engaged teams but also to facilitate meaningful conversations and share ideas and connections across the cohort. For information on future programs, please contact Amy Swierczewski, Program Manager MSV Foundation at aswierczewski@msv.org. November 2016 9
MSV News
Students are also “the now” By Christopher Li, MSV Medical Student Section Chair, Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine, M4
This past year your medical students have been hard at work, both state-wide and nationally. For a second year in a row, we’ve reached unprecedented recruitment goals, with each of our 4 participating medical schools surpassing 70% recruitment of the first year medical student class of all of our programs in Virginia. We’ve recruited 420 medical students to join MSV since August 2016. For those who attended MSV Annual Meeting, you saw firsthand that our student engagement in our MSV Annual Meeting has reached new heights. In 2013, we had fewer than 30 students attend. I’m honored to announce that in three short years, with our combined hard work and your MSV support, we had nearly 150 students registered for attendance at this meeting - a 500% increase! I hope that you got the opportunity to speak to, and experience the energy and enthusiasm, of our student members. Without the support and mentorship of the House of Delegates, our generous and welcoming colleagues, this would not have been possible. Prior to the first medical student Annual Meeting caucus, our medical student section compiled over 20 pages of research and background about this year’s resolutions to ensure that all were well-informed of the issues and implications of the proposed resolutions. We are committed to proposing and passing quality resolutions that promote positive change in our profession. Collectively as student attendees, we have brought back the experiences and successes at MSV Annual Meeting to our peers and colleagues. We share an enormous sense of pride and camaraderie for the three resolutions authored by the Medical Student Section that were passed in this year’s House of Delegates. These resolutions directly addressed key issues that our peers asked us to tackle in collaboration with our MSV: the rising rates of burnout and suicide throughout our profession, the associate physician legislation which MSV is tackling head on, and studying the affordability and accessibility of the USMLE Step 2 Clinical Skills Exam. In sharing these experiences and MSV’s future plans to continue addressing medical education issues, Virginia’s medical students know that MSV is OUR organization, empowering and enabling us to rise to a position of strength as we begin our path as physicians. On the national level, I continue to beam with pride for my colleagues in MSV medical student leadership who were elected to represent Virginia within the American Medical Association (AMA). In 2016, the following students were elected to serve: » Lee Ouyang (EVMS), AMA Medical Student Section National Vice Chair » Nicole McCann (UVA), Region 6 Membership Chair » Omar Salman (VTC), Region 6 Community Service Chair
In addition, 7 Virginia medical students have been selected to lead and serve on AMA MSS standing committees: » Arnab Sarker (UVA), Chair, Committee on Health Information Technology » Omar Salman (VTC), Vice Chair for LGBT Affairs, Minority Issues Committee » Anahita Mostaghim (EVMS), Committee on Global and Public Health » Scott Fligor (VTC), Committee on Legislation and Advocacy » Nick Dreyer (EVMS), Committee on Legislation and Advocacy » Katie Sourbeer (VTC), Committee on Bioethics » Courtney Knill (VTC), Committee on Bioethics
I speak on behalf of my peers in saying that the conversations and interactions with MSV’s physicians are what have made our experiences with MSV unique, significant, and effective. I am honored to be a part of an organization where the leadership has embraced its students, a sentiment that our section will engender in their roles as future physician leaders. In interacting with many of my counterparts across the country at national AMA MSS meetings, I have seen first-hand how fortunate we are to be so welcomed as impactful members of our MSV. We have been given much opportunity and support that is a scarcity in other states. The relationships we build in the MSS, both with one another and with the physicians in the MSV, are indispensable. They have proven to be an integral part of not only my medical school experience, but that of many of our members as well. Thank you, once again, for your support. Due to it, we have established Virginia medical students as a robust and capable section, an envy at both state and national levels. While many believe that students are just the future, we, like all of you, know that students are the “now”. 10 www.msv.org
MSV News
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MSV News
Why health care coverage expansion matters to Virginia’s physicians By Karen Cameron, Virginia Consumer Voices for Healthcare Prior to the passage of the Affordable Care and Patient Protection Act (ACA) in 2010, there were about one million uninsured people in Virginia and 50 million nationwide (approx. 750,000 and 28.5 million, respectively, in 2015). Those with pre-existing conditions could be charged more or denied coverage. Women were charged more than men and insurance companies could impose lifetime caps. In addition to our healthcare costs being the highest in the world, we have the lowest average life expectancy compared to our economic peer nations.
To date, Virginia’s legislature has made the decision not to expand Medicaid to the estimated 400,000 people eligible, even though the Federal government paid 100 percent of the cost for the first three years. Moreover, even with up to a 10 percent state match beginning this year, the Commonwealth would have seen a net savings to its budget. This is particularly problematic for low-income residents and the state’s healthcare providers because Virginia has one of the most restrictive criteria for Medicaid eligibility and its Medicaid per capita spending is 48th in the nation. To date, 31 states and D.C. have taken the federal funds to expand coverage while Virginia has foregone more than $2 billion annually that could have provided healthcare to the state’s mostly working poor while creating approximately 16,000 new jobs, most in the healthcare industry.
With the implementation of many of the access provisions of the ACA in 2013, Virginia’s uninsured rate decreased but the rate of decline was far slower than the national rate, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Now, Virginia’s uninsured percent is similar to the national rate in spite of having the tenth highest per capita income. Eleven states that had uninsured rates higher than Virginia in 2013 now have rates below the Commonwealth’s. All of these states took the federal dollars to expand coverage either through Medicaid directly or Source: http://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/issue-briefs/2015/oct/us-health-care-from-a-global-perspective through a state specific program approved by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Most of the other twenty states that also took the funding The ACA has extensive provisions aimed at improving the quality, cost and access of healthcare and was upheld by a Supreme Court already had uninsured rates below Virginia’s. decision in 2012. However, a key provision, Medicaid eligibility for all citizens living in households earning up to 138% of the federal poverty level (FPL) (approximately $28,000 for a family of three) was ruled unconstitutional and allows states to opt-out of expanding Medicaid.
So what does this all mean for Virginia’s physicians, particularly if they’re not practicing in an affluent suburb or if they work in or see patients from the emergency room? Fewer patients with a payment source, sicker patients with no or episodic early care, patients who have limited resources to pay for therapies or medication, and, as a result, worse outcomes. Dr. Nadeem Faruqi, a cardiologist in Petersburg, sees the impact every day of low-income people without access to affordable health insurance coverage. “I and my colleagues regularly treat
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MSV News patients with diabetes, high blood pressure and other chronic conditions who have gone years without access to preventative and primary care services. They often are receiving dialysis or have other complications that could have been prevented or managed effectively with the regular care and access to appropriate medications that insurance provides. Some of my cardiology patients can’t pay for the higher cost medications that they need, often experiencing a sense of hopelessness and poorer outcomes. It is not reasonable for Virginia to forego the billions of federal dollars available to provide coverage to all our low-income citizens when the cost of not doing so is much greater and felt across our society.”
The public often looks to physicians to be the leaders on healthcare and the voices of reason on how to keep our communities healthy. The Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy is working to engage people of faith and good will to ask our legislators to “come to the table” and identify a way to ensure that all Virginians have the comprehensive and affordable coverage they need to remain productive and healthy members of our Commonwealth. For additional information, download the Interfaith Center’s advocacy toolkit at www.virginiainterfaithcenter.org/healthcare-expansion-toolkit. If you are interested in becoming a part of the Center’s statewide efforts, contact Kim Bobo, Executive Director, at kim@virginiainterfaithcenter.org or 804-643-2474.
2016 Election results By Sara Rose Wells
The Nov. 8 elections have brought some new faces, along with some familiar ones, to the Virginia Congressional Delegation. Scott Taylor, a current Republican member of the Virginia House of Delegates, won his election to become the newest congressman from the second district, replacing Rep. Scott Rigell. Democratic State Senator Donald McEachin defeated Henrico County Sheriff Michael Wade in the newly drawn fourth district, succeeding Rep. Randy Forbes. In the fifth district, Republican State Senator Tom Garrett was successful in his campaign against Democrat Jane Dittmar. Lastly, in the tenth district, Rep. Barbara Comstock fended off a serious challenge from Democrat LuAnn Bennett. The elections of Del. Taylor, Sen. McEachin, and Sen. Garrett mean that special elections must be held in each of their districts to choose their replacements. The date of these elections will be chosen and announced by Gov. Terry McAuliffe. In other non-federal election news, Del. Monty Mason was elected to the Virginia Senate in the first district, which became vacant upon the untimely death of Sen. John Miller. Del. Lionell Spruill, Jr. also will join the Senate in the fifth district, replacing Sen. Kenny Alexander who is now the Mayor of Norfolk. Succeeding Sen.-elect Mason in his House of Delegates seat is Democrat Mike Mullin and succeeding Sen.-elect Spruill in his House seat is Democrat Cliff Hayes.
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