Whether it’s advocating for legislation, addressing payment concerns with health plans and insurers, or making sure physicians are represented, the Michigan State Medical Society (MSMS) Advocacy team is working on your behalf. The following are some recent highlights:
- Expressed support for H.R. 9693 - Patients First Act, introduced by U.S. Representatives John Joyce, MD, Greg Murphy, MD, and Kim Schrier, MD, through a joint letter to the sponsors from MSMS, the American Medical Association, and other state medical societies, as well as a letter to Michigan’s U.S. Representatives. The Patients First Act represents an important opportunity to advance long-term reforms to the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) and the Medicare physician payment system.
- Met with the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) and Representative Matthew Bierlein (R-Vassar) on amendatory language for House Bill 5313 intended to secure LARA’s support.
- Connected MSMS Doctor of the Day Mark Komorowski, MD, with Senator Chedrick Greene (D-Saginaw) to discuss key issues of importance to physicians.
- Attended an evening reception with Speaker of the House Matt Hall (R-Richland).
- Continued to support and participate in the annual health information technology conference held by the Michigan Chapter of the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (MI-HIMSS). MSMS CEO Tom M. George, MD, joined a panel discussing policy and legislative topics concerning physicians in the state, and Dara Barrera, MSMS Director of Health Quality, Equity and Technology, presented updates on the MSMS physician workforce efforts.
- Represented physician members at the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Physician Group Incentive Program (PGIP) triannual meeting alongside physician organizations from across the state. Topics of the day included updates to the incident-to billing policy change, upcoming payment policy changes, and clinical quality program opportunities.
Participated in six coalition meetings on topics ranging from pending legislation to immunization to Medicaid funding and coverage.
