Let’s Defend the Practice of Medicine and the Patients We Serve
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Colleagues:
Your elected leadership and staff are fully engaged as we approach the final stretch of the New York State Legislative Session. Simultaneously, we are preparing for the upcoming American Medical Association House of Delegates and actively participating in the outstanding events hosted by our county medical societies.
State-Level Advocacy
At the state level, our advocacy efforts have intensified in response to numerous legislative challenges. To address the problematic financial consent requirements enacted last year but put on hold by the Health Department, we are working closely with key legislators on new legislation to fix this problem, while opposing bills such as S.6375-A that would impose excessive administrative burdens.
We are also disappointed that S4423 passed the Senate by a vote of 51–10 and has now moved to the Assembly. This legislation has been linked to a 40% increase in medical liability insurance premiums for physicians. The bill has not yet passed the Assembly, but if it does, we will continue to urge Governor Hochul to veto this bill—as she has done in the past three years. However, in this election year, the outcome remains uncertain. We strongly encourage you to use our grassroots advocacy tools to send a letter to your Assembly member opposing S4423/A6063: OPPOSE Latest Wrongful Death Bill and Preserve Patient Access to Healthcare
Federal-Level Concerns
On the federal front, the recently passed House reconciliation bill—referred to as the “Big, Beautiful Bill”—has created further uncertainty. We support key provisions including:
- Removing Medicare from MACRA and eliminating the flawed budget neutrality requirements
- Tying physician payment updates to the Medical Economic Index at 100%, not the proposed 10%
We urge all physicians to sign the grassroots letter to communicate these priorities to lawmakers: MSSNY Urges Congress to Increase Medicare Payments and Oppose Deep Cuts to Medicaid
Additionally, we are monitoring developments within the Department of Health and Human Services. A recent vaccine announcement via Twitter, bypassing the traditional review process, has caused widespread concern. The proposal to eliminate coverage of COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy, under the so-called “Making America Healthy Again” initiative, is not only dangerous but threatens to undermine decades of progress in vaccine trust and coverage. With the potential expiration of North America’s 25-year measles elimination status, this action is both irresponsible and reckless.
MAHA Report Misrepresentation
As an otolaryngologist, I find the MAHA Report’s recent statements on common surgical procedures deeply troubling. The report asserts that:
Adenotonsillectomy for children with sleep apnea, a historically common procedure, conferred no benefit in trials—suggesting the many, and often severe, harms of this surgery are unnecessary. Tympanostomy tubes for recurrent ear infections, despite being recommended by professional societies, did not reduce infections in trials—showing common surgeries cause harm without offering benefits. These sweeping claims are based on single studies with methodological flaws. The adenotonsillectomy claim is drawn from a trial involving 141 children with only mild sleep apnea, using tools that did not assess executive functioning—a key impact area of the condition. The tympanostomy analysis stems from a study in which only 250 of 1,329 identified patients were randomized, and many in the control group still received surgical intervention, undermining the integrity of the data. One trial does not equate to “trials”, patient preference is not randomization, and poorly supported conclusions are still just that—sloppy.
Stay Engaged
MSSNY continues to advocate fiercely on your behalf, at both the state and federal levels. These are complex and pivotal times for the practice of medicine. Your engagement is critical. Support our efforts by contributing to MSSNYPAC.org, and please take action through our grassroots advocacy network.
Together, we can defend the practice of medicine and the patients we serve.
All the best,
David Jakubowicz, MD, FACS
MSSNY President
