Continued State Budget Impasse; Ongoing Physician Advocacy Essential

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Yesterday’s passage of yet another short Budget extender until April 15 continues to “leave open” to further negotiations many of the problematic healthcare provisions of the State Budget. 

We thank the State Assembly and State Senate for excluding in its respective one-House Budget proposals many of the problematic Executive Budget proposals opposed by MSSNY. However, given the ongoing discussion of various Budget proposals with the Executive, physicians are urged to continue their advocacy to their legislators on each of these important Budget issues until a State Budget is adopted.

Oppose Eliminating Access to Independent Dispute Resolution (IDR)
Both the Assembly and Senate excluded the proposal opposed by MSSNY to eliminate the right of physicians to appeal Medicaid Managed Care underpayments to IDR. The health insurance industry is making a last-second push to urge the Legislature to adopt this measure. MSSNY together with many other groups have pushed back, highlighting the adverse impact that this change could have on specialty care on-call availability in hospitals EDs across the state, and give a green light to health plans to narrow their plan networks. PHYSICIAN APPEAL RIGHTS Dr. Cohen op-ed  Please continue to send letters to and tweet at your legislators to oppose this measure here: Retain Physicians’ Right to IDR

Oppose Imposition of Huge New Liability Costs
Both the Assembly and Senate excluded the proposal opposed by MSSNY and many other groups to require physicians to pay 50% of the Excess Medical Malpractice Insurance cost – a $40,000,000 imposition on the 16,000 physicians with Excess coverage, which would be on top of the already outrageously high medical liability insurance premiums they already pay. Please continue to send letters to and tweets to your legislators urging them to oppose this measure: Reject Physician Cost-Share

Oppose Removing Important County Medical Society Review Role
Both the Assembly and Senate excluded the proposal opposed by MSSNY to eliminate the historical role of county medical societies in vetting physicians to participate in the Workers’ Compensation (WC) program. Recently 40 county medical societies joined MSSNY in reiterating our collective strong opposition to this proposal  A.3005-Workers-Comp-Oppose-from-County-Med-Soc.pdf. Please continue to send letters to and tweets to your legislators urging them to oppose this measure here: Preserve Role of County Medical Societies

Oppose Eliminating Physician Supervision
Both the Assembly and Senate excluded the proposal opposed by MSSNY and numerous specialty societies to eliminate the requirement for physician supervision of the healthcare services provided by Physician Assistants (PAs), despite the recent enactment of legislation that increases the patient care responsibilities of PAs. Please continue to send letters to and tweets to your legislators urging them to oppose this measure here: Preserve Team-based Healthcare.

Oppose Eliminating Psychiatrist Certification for Involuntary Commitment
Both the Assembly and Senate excluded the proposal opposed by MSSNY and the NYS Psychiatric Association that would authorize psychiatric nurse practitioners to be one of the two examiners to certify a person for involuntary commitment. There are existing provisions of the Mental Hygiene Law that are carefully crafted to balance individual liberty with the interests of the state in preventing violence to self or others, including requiring two examining physicians to make this certification. Please continue to send letters to and tweets to your legislators urging them to oppose this measure here. Oppose Section 3 of Part EE of HMH Budget bill (A3007/S3007)

Oppose Eliminating Funding Source for CPH
Both the Assembly and Senate excluded the proposal opposed by MSSNY to transfer the registration of physicians and PAs from the State Education Department to the Health Department. The Executive Budget proposal deleted the component of the biennial physician registration fee that is specifically set aside to fund the essential substance abuse counseling services provided to physicians in need through MSSNY’s Committee for Physicians Health (CPH) program. It does not repeal the CPH program or delete its $990,000 annual allocation for the program but would make it harder to fund in future Budget years.

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