DJP Update 5-27-2007 More on Massachusetts current & possible future approach to med licensure & insur participation; Tweets
Massachusetts may be the canary in the coal mine alert system. It is important to monitor what is happening not only with their new health law but the medical licensure tied to insurance participation.
Two issues about Massachusetts and tying medical licensure to mandatory participation in various insurance plans
There appears to be some confusion in the minds of some outside of Massachusetts who circulate information about the situation in Massachusetts. To clarity the issue, I contacted several of my physician friends who have been active in organized medicine and who keep up with the regulations and laws in Massachusetts.
A- Current situation
The 2009 Massachusetts bill tying medical licensure, mandatory acceptance of fees in plans etc did not pass.
Here is what I wrote about the 2009 bill in a letter to a doctor who circulated the 2009 bill as though it was still active:
EXCERPT FROM LETTER I SENT recently:
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A comment on the letter that discusses med licensure and mandatory participation in health plans
This certainly is an important issue to monitor and fight against. No one should be forced to be in any payment plan as a condition of medical licensure.
However, the Massachusetts bill that continues to get circulated, SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2188 FILED ON: 7/23/2009, DID NOT PASS into law.
Yet the letter you circulated and this Weblink, http://news.jonzu.com/z_united-states_wonderful-massachusetts-state-ties-conditions-of-licensure-to-participation-in-medicaremedicaid-law-under-review-right-now.html , says it is still under review.
The Massachusetts Medical Society opposed the bill.
See: http://www.massmed.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home6&CONTENTID=32295&TEMPLATE=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm
EXCERPT:
MMS Issues Strong Opposition to Proposed Legislation Linking Licensure to Participation in Health Plan
November 2, 2009
Contact: Richard P. Gulla
rgulla@mms.org
(781) 434-7101
pager: (877) 820-9023
“While we recognize the increasing burden everyone bears with rising health care costs,” Mario Motta, M.D., president of the Massachusetts Medical Society said, “this bill is the wrong approach for too many reasons. It is unfair to physicians and exploits them in the name of health care cost control.”
One provision of the bill requires the participation of physicians and other health care providers in this plan as a condition of licensure.
Dr. Motta said “There should be no law that requires physicians and other providers to follow the dictates of insurers, including rules on limiting care to patients, or risk loss of their professional license. Further, The Board of Registration in Medicine, the state agency responsible for licensing, should not be mandated to revoke any qualified physician’s license on the basis of that physician’s contractual relationship with any insurer.” Dr. Motta pointed out that even Medicare and Medicaid do not tie participation in its plans to a condition of licensure.
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When I wrote about this bill some time back in one of my DJP Updates, Dr. Motta wrote me and said the bill has been defeated.
(DJP comments continue) Certainly physicians and medical organizations need to be on the alert for such bills and oppose them. And, of course, AMA should be strongly advocating for the right to privately contract, without penalty. It is part of liberty AND it is AMA policy that is among the highest advocacy priority. Unfortunately it is not being pushed as a high priority as evidenced by ads and other speeches and writings of AMA.
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END OF EXCERPT FROM LETTER
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Future Approach: However, there is a 2010 bill. Yesterday, I inquired about it.
EXCERPT FROM LETTER I WROTE YESTERDAY:
What is going on with this latest bill that ties medical licensure to mandatory price-fixing and no balance-billing in Mass? See attached House bill 4452 filed on Jan 10, 2010 by Harriet Stanley. I know the previous bill died but what is going on with this one?
Has Mass Med come out against it?
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REPLY I RECEIVED:
“That bill appears to be going no where.
Recently it was “attached’ to the budget bill, but we succesfully got that deleted. So.. as of now, not an issue. That is not to say the insurance lobby will not try again at a later time of course.”
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BUT it is important for all of us to remember the CURRENT SITUATION IN MASSACHUSETTS. Another dear friend in Massachusetts, Dr. Leonard Morse, a former Chair of AMA CEJA wrote in part:
“Since 1985, the physician’s of Massachusetts must accept Medicare payment as payment in full in order to be licensed by the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Medicine. I was Chair of the Board then and resigned in protest! A license to practice should be based solely on academic credentials. Other non academic licensing requirements include no balance billing (Blue Cross/Blue Shield) and assurance that a physician has paid his/her state taxes (for starters).”
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END of EXCERPTS.
DJP Comment: Eternal vigilance is in order!
Powerful article by George Will: See first tweet below.
http://tinyurl.com/3xs3vl2
Two short excerpts:
“The theme of his campaign, the genesis of which was an invitation to address a tea party rally, is: “First of all, freedom.” ”
“The most basic right,” Johnson says, “is the right to keep your property.” Remembering the golden age when, thanks to Ronald Reagan, the top income tax rate was 28 percent, Johnson says: “For a brief moment we were 72 percent free.” Johnson’s daughter — now a nurse in neonatal intensive care — was born with a serious heart defect. The operations “when her heart was only the size of a small plum” made him passionate about protecting the incentives that bring forth excellent physicians.
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Some Recent Tweets from www.Twitter.com/DJPNEWS
Note the tweet about Dr. Constantian’s new book. I wrote about Dr. Mark Constantian speech in my DJP Update 11-23-2009 and gave you a link to one of his speeches about the practice of Medicine: http://www.nesps.org/multimedia/Constantian.MP3
I recently heard him speak at the Annual PIAA Meeting which was held in Chicago this year. His topic was the new health system reform law. Excellent speech.
DJPNEWS
Powerful article by #GeorgeWill with Ayn Rand “Atlas Shrugged” analogy: “Running Not Shrugging” http://tinyurl.com/3xs3vl2
less than 5 seconds ago via web
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2 high praise reviews Dr Mark Constantian book, “Rhinoplasty: Craft & Magic” in Plast&Reconst Surg, Apr 2010,Vol125 #4 pp 1288-1290
about 3 hours ago via web
SGR #DocFix still not resolved! Doesn’t anyone in Congress listen! Solution: allow priv contracting & no penalty! Liberty!#hcr
6:31 PM May 26th via web
Let’s hope BP oil spill Gulf doesn’t ruin play in Gulf. Gulf Shores, Ala. 100 miles coast La. affected http://twitpic.com/1rdanu
6:17 PM May 26th via Twitpic
A possible future: BP oil spill might ruin this recreation along Gulf Coast. http://twitpic.com/1rd908
6:11 PM May 26th via Twitpic
Strong view by Dr Scherz! RT @M_P_T Opinion: Why Donald Berwick is Dangerous to Your Health http://bit.ly/b00M4KAgree? #tcot #hcr
1:50 PM May 26th via Twitter for iPhone
Message to #Hoyer: Stop attacking @BobbyJindal, a true leader, & do your job! RT @Politico Hoyer hits Jindal…http://politi.co/aEkhBn
11:57 AM May 26th via web
@gracemarietweet: Thanks for Retweet: RT @DJPNEWS: Gov @BobbyJindal in Foreword my book, “On Leadership…” A leader must step up, risk..
11:43 AM May 26th via web
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Stay well.
Donald
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Donald J. Palmisano, MD, JD
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