MMA Legislative Committee Organizational Meeting Tonight at MMA

MMA's Legislative Committee, co-chaired this year by Katherine Pope, M.D. and Steve Meister, M.D., will hold its first meeting tonight at MMA offices in Manchester.  Any MMA member is welcome to attend the session which will include a discussion of what health-related legislation will be considered during the First Regular Session of the 128th Legislature.

The meeting will be held at the Frank O. Stred Building, 30 Association Drive, Manchester, Maine on Monday, December 5th from 6:00 p.m. to approximately 8:30 p.m.  Dinner will be available at 6:00 p.m.

Members of the Legislative Committee, any interested MMA member, and medical specialty society representatives are strongly encouraged to attend. This meeting is very important because the Committee will be deciding administrative aspects of the MMA’s advocacy work during the next legislature, such as the day and time of the weekly Committee conference calls; reviewing the recent election results and what they mean for our advocacy work; and discussing the advocacy agendas of the MMA, the medical specialty societies, and other health care advocacy organizations with whom MMA frequently collaborates.

We urge you to make every effort to participate in the meeting in person, but the following conference call information will be available for those who cannot travel to Manchester.

The 186 members of the 128th Maine Legislature will be sworn in at the State House in Augusta this Wednesday, December 7th.  The new Senate will include 18 Republicans and 17 Democrats.  The new House will include 77 Democrats, 72 Republicans, and 2 Unenrolled members.  On Wednesday, legislators also will formally elect their leadership, will elect the Constitutional offices of Attorney General, Secretary of State, Treasurer, and Auditor, and will adopt their joint rules of order.  We understand that the cloture deadline for the filing of bills is likely to be Friday, December 30th.  The new legislature is expected to address a state biennial budget for the two years beginning July 1, 2017, numerous bills aimed at the continuing opioid abuse crisis including potential amendments to P.L. 2015, Chapter 488, and many other bills on matters of health policy of interest to the physician community in a session that will begin on Wednesday, January 4, 2017 and will end some time in mid-June.

Conference call number: 207-480-4790

Participant PIN:  057614#

Please RSVP to Sarah Lepoff at slepoff@mainemed.com or 622-3374, ext. 213. If you have any question about the meeting, please contact Andrew MacLean, Deputy EVP & General Counsel at amaclean@mainemed.com or 622-3374, ext. 214.

We look forward to seeing you on December 5th and to your participation in the MMA’s advocacy activities in the 128th Maine Legislature.

Thanks,

Katherine Pope, M.D. Co-chair Legislative Committee

Stephen Meister, M.D. Co-chair Legislative Committee

MMA Leadership Listening Session on December 6th at Lucerne Inn in Dedham

Stop by for an appetizer and beverage on us and share with us your thoughts and opinions.

U.S. House Passes 21st Century Cures Act; Senate Passage Expected this Week

The U.S. House of Representatives this past week passed the 21st Century Cures Act with a strong majority vote of 392-26. The broad health bill also includes mental health care reforms strongly supported by patient and physician advocacy groups and funding for opioid abuse treatment and prevention. The bill provides $1 billion to address the opioid crisis in the various states. The Senate is expected to pass the measure and send it to the White House over some Democratic objections.   [return to top]

Physicians Needed for Medical Advisory Board

The Maine Secretary of State’s office is asking for physicians to fill vacancies on the office’s Medical Advisory Board. This is a compensated position.

The Medical Advisory Board is a professional unit composed of physicians and motor vehicle staff to advise the Secretary of State’s office on medical criteria and vision standards for licensing drivers. The board consists of at least seven members who have expertise in matters concerning health or medicine. By statute the board must include licensed physicians representing the specialties of cardiology, gerontology, internal medicine, neurology or neurological surgery, ophthalmology, psychiatry, family practice and rehabilitative medicine and may include additional members who are professionals in relevant medical fields. The board advises the Secretary of State on matters relating to medical conditions and vision standards relating to driver’s licenses.

In addition, the board collectively or any individual member of the board will, from time to time, evaluate reports submitted by healthcare professionals to advise the Secretary of State on whether a person is medically competent to operate a motor vehicle on public roads.

Maine rules relating to drivers’ license medical standards have recently undergone a significant redrafting process, and the new rules go into effect December 31, 2016. A summary of the rules may be found at www.maine.gov/sos/bmv/licenses/Medical/FAP%20Summary%20of%20Changes%2011.02.16rev.doc .

By law the board must meet once every two years, but by custom it meets twice per year. Its next meeting is April 21, 2017.

At the moment there are board vacancies in the following specialty areas:

·        Gerontology

·        Internal medicine

·        Family practice

Any interested physicians wishing more information should contact:

Barbara A. Redmond, Chief Deputy Secretary of State

Office of the Secretary of State

148 State House Station

Augusta, ME 04333-0148

Tel: 207-626-8400 | Fax:  207-287-8598

The MMA urges its members to consider seriously serving on this board which performs an essential and important public health and safety function.

Registration Available for December 6th State Innovation Model (SIM) Annual Meeting in Augusta

On December 6th, State Innovation Model (SIM) stakeholders and interested parties will convene at the Augusta Civic Center to learn about the improvements that have been made in strengthening primary care, integrating physical and behavioral health, measuring outcomes, and more. Attendees will hear from people impacted by the SIM work and learn about the continuing efforts to improve healthcare value in Maine. Speakers include those from the Department of Health & Human Services and from hospitals and other providers.

There is no cost to attend.  Registration and details about the event can be found at www.maine.gov/dhhs/sim.
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Nation's Healthcare Spending Increased in 2015

A new analysis from the office of the Actuary at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) estimates that in 2015 healthcare spending in the U.S. grew at a rate of 5.8% and reached $3.2 trillion or $9,990 per person. In 2014, spending increased 5.3% which followed five consecutive years of historically low growth from 2009 to 2013.

Faster growth in 2014 and 2015 occurred as the Affordable Care Act (ACA) provisions expanded coverage for individuals through marketplace exchanges and medicaid expansion.   [return to top]

The AMA's Post-Election Advocacy Agenda

In the near term, the AMA will focus on the following priorities:  the future of health system reform, reducing regulatory burdens, and the continued implementation of the Quality Payment Program created by the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA).

Health system reform. Following action taken by the House of Delegates during the 2016 AMA Interim Meeting, the AMA issued a press release and two-page statement outlining and reaffirming its existing policies on health system reform. The AMA's comprehensive policy provides a solid foundation for upcoming deliberations on changes to the Affordable Care Act and other programs. The framework addresses key issues such as covering the uninsured and expanding choice, ensuring patient access to care and the providers they need, improving health equity for underserved and special needs populations and advancing initiatives that enhance practice efficiency and professional satisfaction.

These materials were shared with the Trump transition team, the Obama administration, and congressional leaders, and the initial response has been positive. In the coming weeks, the AMA will be hosting a series of discussions with Federation members to prepare and position medicine to effectively engage in the debate about the future of health system reform.

Regulatory relief. The AMA will aggressively pursue new opportunities to secure significant reductions in regulatory burdens that take time from patient care and increase costs. To be assured efforts begin with the most pressing concerns in mind, the AMA has asked for input from Federation groups on suggestions for a regulatory relief agenda.

The AMA's plan is to provide the Trump transition team and key congressional offices with an initial set of regulatory relief recommendations before Jan. 1, while continuing to augment this work over the next several months.

Further QPP improvements. The first performance reporting period under the QPP begins Jan.1. Although medicine was able to secure many improvements in final regulations issued this fall, there are provisions of the MACRA law that must still be implemented by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Proposed regulations expected to be issued in the spring of 2017 will offer opportunities to seek further improvements to the QPP. As it has over the last 18 months, the AMA will seek to forge consensus across medicine on recommendations to improve the new Medicare payment system.

And, importantly, the AMA will continue its efforts to provide physician practices with the information and tools that will help them participate successfully in the QPP. Visit the AMA MACRA resource page for information about upcoming webinars and regional seminars, links to instructional podcasts and websites, and for access to our Payment Model Evaluator tool.
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Health Insurance Marketplace 2017 Open Enrollment - November 1, 2016 through January 31, 2017

The Health Insurance Marketplace Open Enrollment period for 2017 began on November 1 and goes through January 31, 2017. If you enroll by December 15, your coverage will begin on January 1. 

Upcoming Events

American Medical Association MACRA Webinars November 21st & December 6th

The AMA will host two educational webinars to help physicians prepare for the new Medicare Quality Payment Program created by the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act. Both sessions will cover the same material. Registration is open for the first webinar on Nov. 21, at 7 p.m. EDT, and the second webinar on Dec. 6, at 8 p.m. EDT. Physicians and medical society staff are welcome.

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Job Openings

Maine Medical Partners is seeking a PT BC/BE internal medicine physician for their Internal Medicine Outpatient Clinic at Maine Medical Center in Portland, Maine. 

The Clinic is the primary outpatient teaching site for Maine Medical Center’s Internal Medicine Residency Program and is the medical home for a culturally diverse population.  The ideal candidate will have an interest in residency education and international/immigrant patient care.  The clinical portion of the position involves a mix of direct patient care and the precepting of Internal Medicine Residents. 

Maine Medical Center has 637 licensed beds and is the state’s leading tertiary care hospital, with a full complement of residencies and fellowships and an integral part of Tufts University Medical School. 

For more information please contact Alison C. Nathanson, Director, MaineHealth Physician Recruitment Center at (207) 661-7383 or nathaa@mainehealth.org.

12/12/16

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