Remembering Gerard “Gerry” Conway: Architect of Physician Advocacy in New York

It is with great sadness that we report the passing of Gerard (“Gerry”) Conway who was the Chief Legislative Counsel for the Medical Society of the State of New York for decades until his retirement following the 2012 Legislative Session.

Many longtime physician leaders, MSSNY staff and county society executives will recall with great fondness Gerry’s wisdom, wit and warmth.  A long-time writer and grader of the New York State Bar exam, he had an encyclopedic knowledge of New York’s healthcare system.  He was a mentor to dozens of MSSNY lobbying staff, all of whom were distraught to learn of the passing of this wonderful human being, recounting the stories and folksy expressions Gerry regularly spoke.

Professionally, he was the architect of numerous laws enacted in New York that helped to protect the ability of physicians to deliver care to their patients, including the passage of several laws in the mid-1970s and mid-1980s to respond to the liability crises occurring at that time which literally threatened to shut down our healthcare system.  He played a critical part in the development of landmark managed care reform laws in the 1990s, including the Prompt Payment law, the External Appeal law and the Patients’ Bill of Rights.

He also played an essential role for MSSNY’s annual House of Delegates meeting, helping to provide critical insight to the delegates in the shaping of policy resolutions to help ensure they were written in a way that helped to achieve their goal.

He is survived by his wife Helen, 5 children and numerous grandchildren.   A private service is planned in Florida with a public memorial service to occur in Albany sometime over the next few months.