::Suffolk County Medical Society/Suffolk Academy of Medicine::

PHYSICIANS ADVOCACY ON OUT-OF-NETWORK TRANSPARENCY LEGISLATION NEEDED

With just a few weeks left in the legislative session, physicians are urged to contact their legislators to express support for legislation (A.7489-B, Gottfried/S.5068-A, Hannon) to assure patients and employers who purchase coverage to see the physician of their choice are truly able to avail themselves of this right. Health insurer opposition is slowing down consideration of this measure, so your advocacy is essential.

This bill would: (a) prevent insurance companies from selling policies with out-of-network coverage that fail to provide significant coverage for such costs; and (b) better assure transparency of health insurance policies that provide out-of-network coverage by requiring all such policies to expressly state the percentage of the likely actual costs of care (as reported in the FAIR Health database) it will cover. Many companies are now defining their out-of-network coverage as a percentage of the Medicare fee schedule, which deceptively gives consumers the impression that their policies cover the ability to see the physician of their choice when in fact these policies often barely cover any health care costs.

Please call your senator and assemblymember now.

Assemblyman Losquadro	727-0204	Senator LaValle	696-6900
Assemblyman Boyle	647-9400	Senator Flanagan	361-2154
Assemblyman Conte	271-8025	Senator Zeldin	585-0608
Assemblyman Englebright	751-3094	Senator Johnson	669-9200
Assemblyman Fitzpatrick	724-2929
Assemblyman Graf	589-8685
Assemblyman Murray	207-0073
Assemblyman Raia	261-4151
Assemblyman Ramos	435-3214
Assemblyman Sweeney	957-2087
Assemblyman Thiele	537-2583

For more information, go to the MSSNY website, which includes talking points, MSSNY’s memo in support of this legislation, a patient educational flier, recent news articles in the New York Times and New York Daily News detailing this problem, and a link to send a letter to your legislators from the MSSNY’s Grassroots Action Center.

MEDICARE UPDATE SEMINAR

FOR PHYSICIANS AND OFFICE STAFF

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 13, 2012 10:00 A.M. to 12:00 P.M.

This is your opportunity to gain a better understanding of the many changes occurring within the Medicare program. Click here for more details and to register.

Acquisitions of Physician Practices:

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

Wednesday, June 13, 2012 at 6:00 p.m.

This program will provide the physician participants with an overview of the key issues to consider when there is an offer from a hospital or another practice to acquire the physician’s practice, and terms for an appropriate exit strategy. Click here for more details and to register.

Stony Brook Medicine

Department of Anesthesiology

1^st Alumni Reunion

Saturday, July 14, 2012

The School of Medicine, State University of New York at Stony Brook, is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

The School of Medicine, State University of New York at Stony Brook designates this live activity for a maximum of 3.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should only claim the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.CLICK HERE for Additional Information

Join us as The Suffolk County Medical Society Presents the

206^thAnnual Meeting & Installation of Incoming President

Richard S. Zito, M.D. Friday, June 1^stat 6:00 P.M.

CLICK HERE for Additional Information and RSVP

What would the “Medicare Patient Empowerment Act” achieve?

The “Medicare Patient Empowerment Act” would establish a Medicare payment option for patients and physicians (and practitioners) to freely contract, without penalty, for Medicare fee-for-service physician and practitioner services, while allowing Medicare patients to use their Medicare benefits and allowing physicians to bill the patient for all amounts not covered by Medicare. Physicians and practitioners could continue to elect Medicare participating (PAR) or non-participating (non-PAR) status for other patients they treat.

Existing Medicare underpayments, coupled with the threat of continued steep payment cuts, present serious access to care and choice of physician problems because fewer physicians will be able to afford to furnish services to Medicare patients. With baby boomers entering Medicare, alternative solutions to the physician payment problem are critical. If solutions are not found, new—and even current—Medicare patients will not be able to find a physician to treat them.

Access to care and freedom to choose a physician have been key hallmarks of the Medicare program, and now these tenets may disappear. A new approach, such as the “freedom to contract” approach taken in this legislation, would:

• Provide patients with more choice of physicians.

• Increase the number of physicians who will continue to accept Medicare patients.

• Help address physician shortages by attracting physicians into the medical profession.

• Help preserve our Medicare program, along with patient-centered care, for our elderly and disabled patients.

CLICK HERE for Physicians FAQ CLICK HERE for Patients FAQ

CLICK HERE for Patient Flyer

The Medical Society of the State of New York, in collaboration with the NYS Department of Health’s Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement (BNE) is conducting four informational webinars to provide physicians with information on the prescription drugs issue and to discuss ways to access the availability and use of the state’s Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP). The informational sessions will be conducted by Terence J. O’Leary, Director, Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement, and physicians from MSSNY’s Addiction and Psychiatric Medicine Committee. The dates and co-presenters are as follows:

Tuesday, May 15 from 6:00-7:30 p.m.

Co-presenter – Glenn Martin, MD

TO REGISTER CLICK HERE!

Wednesday, May 23 from 12:00-1:30 p.m.

Co-presenter – Lyn Karig Hohmann, MD

TO REGISTER CLICK HERE!

Thursday, May 31 from 6:00-7:30 p.m.

Co-presenter – Lyn Karig Hohmann, MD

TO REGISTER CLICK HERE!

Physicians who prescribe narcotics and who want more information on NYS prescription database are encouraged to register. The informational webinars are free, however, seating is limited. Further information may be obtained by contacting Pat Clancy at pclancy@mssny.org or Eileen Clinton at eclinton@mssny.org or by calling 518-465-8085.

The Suffolk County Medical Society (SCMS) is excited to bring you FREE ACCESS to DocBookMD, a unique smartphone application that has revolutionized a physician’s ability to practice medicine and communicate with colleagues.

HIPPA COMPLIANT!!!

These are exclusive benefits for medical society members only!

CLICK HERE for Additional Information

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