LEGAL RESCOURCES.  Check out the Westchester County Medical Society Legal Resources page! (Information provided by Kern, Augustine, Conroy & Schoppmann)

www.drlaw.com/Legal-Resources/New-York-associate.aspx

OFFICIAL STATEMENT OPPOSING HEALTH REFORM BILL.   On December 2, 2009, President Dr. Stangel and the WCMS team released to it's members an Official Statement in opposition of the new Health Care Reform Bill. 

On December 3 the statement was recognized in the electronic edition of The New York Times.

MANAGED CARE LEGISLATION.    Major managed care legislation is weaving its way through the NY legislature.  A package put together by Governor Patterson has been introduced and physicians are asked to contact their senators and assemblyman to weigh in. Contact your legislators and let them know to SUPPORT S. 5470 (Breslin)/A. 8280 (Morelle), legislation to restore the NY State Insurance Department’s authority to approve health insurance premium increases, and establish a requirement that health insurers must meet an 85% minimum medical loss ratio for the small group and individual health insurance policies they offer.  Also SUPPORT S 5472 (Breslin), legislation that would enact a number of important new managed care reform protections for consumers and providers.  Included are arequirement that electronically submitted claims be paid within 15 days; 90 days written notice of material adverse reimbursement changes with an opportunity for physicians to opt-out of contracts; provisional credentialing for physicians joining a medical group if the plan fails to credential within 90 days, and a number of other beneficial provisions. Check the May issue of Westchester Physician for a list of Westchester Senators and Assemblymen to make contact or call the medical society for a list.  The issue also includes information on other bills currently in the legislature. You also can go to www.mssny.org and click on Grass Roots Action Center to make your voice heard.

FORDHAM STUDY.    Waring Willis dinner features results of the Westchester County Medical Futures Survey, collaboration between the WCMS and Fordham University.  Survey results show that an amazing half of physicians who practice in Westchester have considered, or are considering, leaving the area because of the medical malpractice crisis in NY. Other highlights of the study:  73% of physicians fear malpractice litigation and 47% limit their procedures because of  this fear; and 63% of physicians indicated that an increase iin malpractice premiums of up to 29 percent would cause them to leave their Westchester practice. A written copy of the survey will be available soon from the society office.


RED FLAG RULES. The FTC has delayed implementation of it’s Red Flag Rules from May 1 to August 1. The Rules were promulgated to require “creditors” to implement procedures to prevent identity theft, and physicians were deemed to be included as creditors.  The AMA has been working with the agency to exempt physician offices from the requirement.  WCMS will keep you informed as to progress on this front.  In the meantime, assuming that physicians will still be included, the Society has scheduled a Brown Bag Lunch program for office and practice managers.  Featured will be Mike Schoppmann, our counsel, who will discuss the rules and the steps practices need to take to comply.  The Brown Bag Lunch will take place on Wednesday, July 15, 12 Noon, in the Society offices.  Call the medical society to reserve. 


UPDATE YOUR PROFILE!  The society is in the process of updating its database and is asking all members to fill out a demographic form for this purpose.  A copy was included in the April mailing.  If you need another copy, call the society at 914-967-9100.  Information is needed to provide you with updates and insure that our referral database provides the most up to date information to patients.

JOIN A COMMITTEE.  Dr. John Stangel, our president soon will be appointing members to society committees.  If you are interested in participating, please fill out the form included in the April mailing or in the most recent newsletter.  A list of the committees is provided on this site under “Who We Are”.


Newsletter Archives

The Westchester Physician - August 2009.pdf