TELL CONGRESS TO SUPPORT HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 3

Yesterday (1/7/03), Representative Bill Thomas (R-CA) introduced House Joint Resolution 3. This legislation would halt implementation of the December 31 final physician Medicare payment regulation that would cut physician payment rates by 4.4% effective March 1. H.J. Res. 3 would freeze physician payment rates at their 2002 level for one year.

H.J. Resolution 3 employs the Congressional Review Act of 1996 (CRA). The CRA allows Congress to disapprove a rule issued by a federal agency if the House and Senate pass a joint resolution. Congress used this procedure in 2001 to stop a Department of Labor ergonomics regulation from going into effect.

The Congressional Review Act offers a number of procedural advantages. The resolution cannot be amended, tabled, or filibustered. The CRA process can also be used to expedite floor action and prevent legislation from getting stuck in committee.

The House is scheduled to recess at the end of this week and not return until the State of Union speech on January 28. Then, the first week of February, President Bush is scheduled to propose his fiscal year 2004 budget. The president's budget and economic stimulus package will likely dominate February. Given the congressional calendar between now and March 1, the CRA offers an expedited process without some of the political obstacles of the regular order for legislative business.

If Congress disapproves a regulation using the CRA mechanism, the entire regulation is rejected. There are some aspects of the Dec 31 regulation that are favorable for physicians, such as increases for vaccines, adjustments for anesthesiologists, and changes in the productivity factor. However, any positives have to be weighed against a 4.4% cut effective March 1.

This legislation will still necessitate the continued pursuit of a long-term solution to address the flawed update formula and projection errors. Furthermore, this solution doesn't preclude possible support of other initiatives.

Use the AMA Grassroots Hotline and AMA in Washington website to contact your Senators and Representative TODAY to urge them to cosponsor and vote for House Joint Resolution 3.

(800) 833-6354 (AMA Grassroots Hotline) www.ama-assn.org/grassroots (AMA in Washington Web Site)

To see a copy of H.J. Res. 3, please visit the AMA in Washington web site.

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URGENT UPDATE ON PHYSICIAN PROFILING

Emergency regulations were issued on December 20, by the Department of Health to implement the 'Physician Profiling Law". The regulations set forth the rules and standards for the publication of settlement information.

Under these regulations, physicians who have made less than three payments from settlements within the past ten years, and believe the settlement's) is/are not relevant to patient decision-making, may request a review from the DOH. If, upon review by DOH, the settlement is determined to not be relevant to patient decision-making, the information will not be included in a physician's profile.

Physicians requesting a review must submit their own supporting documentation within 30 days of the date of a letter forthcoming from the DOH. Physicians are urged to begin to gather said supporting documentation ASAP.

Unless a request for review is submitted, the DOH will automatically include in a physician's profile any individual settlement in which injury severity is categorized 5-9 on block 63 of the Malpractice Claim Report Form 787. A 787 form must be filed with the Department of Health by malpractice insurers for every claim filed in the State of New York. A copy may be obtained from your insurer.

Block 63 of Form 787 categorizes injury claims as the following:

1 [ ] emotional only  4 [ ] temporary-major 7 [ ] permanent-major 2 [ ] temporary-insignificant   5 [ ] permanent-major 8 [ ] permanent-grave 3 [ ] temporary-minor  6 [ ] permanent-significant 9 [ ] death

DOH has indicated that settlements arising from injuries categorized 1-4 will not be included in a physician's profile provided the physician has made less than three settlement payments within ten years. However, it is recommended that physician reporting settlement information in these categories specifically indicate to the DOH that the information is not "includable" based on severity score.

DOH has also indicated that physicians will receive written instructions regarding malpractice reporting over the next several days. If you have not received your initial profile survey, please immediately contact the DOH call center at 1-888-338-6998 to request a copy.

*Our thanks to the Long Island Ophthalmologic Society for providing this information to us.

MDs SHOULD URGE GOVERNOR TO SIGN NO-FAULT "INTOX" BILL

The Senate and Assembly have passed legislation that would require an automobile insurance company to reimburse a physician or other provider for care rendered to a person injured as a result of driving while intoxicated within the first 48 hours after an accident.  Current law permits insurers to disclaim coverage in these instances.  MSSNY strongly supports this legislation.

It is likely that the bill will be delivered to the governor shortly.

Because the auto insurance industry has voiced strong opposition to this bill, it is imperative that the Governor hear from the physicians why it is important that he sign this bill into law.

Physicians may send a letter of support to the Governor in Albany or call his office at 518-474-8390.

Contacting Our Legislators

Physicians are encouraged to contact legislators on all issues affecting health care delivery.

The following is a list of current elected officials representing Nassau County.  E-mail addresses have been provided when they were published.

 

 

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U.S. Senate

Local Address:

During Session Address:

Charles E. Schumer (D) 26 Federal Plaza Suite 31-100 New York, New York  10278 212-486-4430	Charles E. Schumer (D) 229 Dirksen Building Washington, DC  20510 202-224-6542
Hillary Rodham Clinton (D)	Hillary Rodham Clinton (D) United States Senate Washington, DC  20510-3201 (202) 224-3121

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U.S. House of Representatives:

Local Address:

During Session Address:

Peter T. King (R) 1003 Park Boulevard Massapequa Park, NY  11762 (516) 541-4225	Peter T. King (R) 403 Cannon House Office Building Washington, DC  20515 (202) 225-7896 E-mail:  peter.king.@mail.house.gov
Carolyn McCarthy (D/I) 1 Fulton Avenue Hempstead, NY  11550 (516) 489-7066	Carolyn McCarthy (D/I) Room 1725 Longworth House Office Building Washington, DC  20515 (202) 225-7066

Gary Ackerman (D) 229 Main Street Huntington, NY  11743 (516) 423-2154 218-14 Northern Blvd. Bayside, NY  11361 (718) 423-2154	Gary Ackerman (D) 2243 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC  20515 (202) 225-2601

 

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New York State Legislature

Senate

Senate Chambers
The Capitol
Albany, NY  12247

 

Local Address:

During Session Address:

Carl Marcellino (R) 250 Townsend Square Oyster Bay, NY  11771 (516) 922-1811 (516) 922-1154 (fax) E-mail:  marcelli@senate.state.ny.us	Carl Marcellino (R) Senate Chambers The Capitol Albany, NY  12247 (518) 455-2800 E-mail:  marcelli@senate.state.ny.us
Kemp Hannon (R) 1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite 315 Westbury, NY  11590 (516) 222-0068 (516) 745-0403 (fax) E-mail:  hannon@senate.state.ny.us	Kemp Hannon (R) Senate Chambers The Capitol Albany, NY  12247 (518) 455-2800 E-mail: hannon@senate.state.ny.us

Michael A. Balboni (R) 166 East Jericho Turnpike Mineola, NY  11501 (516) 873-0736 (516) 873-0759 (fax) E-mail:  balboni@senate.state.ny.us	Michael A. Balboni(R) Senate Chambers The Capitol Albany, NY  12247 (518) 455-2800 E-mail:  balboni@senate.state.ny.us
Charles J. Fuschillo, Jr. (R) 30 South Ocean Avenue Freeport, NY  11520 (516) 546-4100 (516) 546-4334 (fax) E-mail:  fuschill@senate.state.ny.us	Charles J. Fuschillo, Jr.(R) Senate Chambers The Capitol Albany, NY  12247 (518) 455-2800 E-mail:   fuschill@senate.state.ny.us

Dean G. Skelos (R) Deputy Majority Leader 55 Front Street Rockville Centre, NY  11570 (516) 766-8383 (516) 766-8011 (fax) E-mail:  skelos@senate.state.ny.us

Dean G. Skelos (R) Deputy Majority Leader Senate Chambers The Capitol Albany, NY  12247 (518) 455-2800 E-mail:  skelos@senate.state.ny.us

 

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New York State Legislature

Assembly

New York State Assembly
Legislative Office Building
Albany, NY  12248

Steven Labriola (R) 200 Boundaary Avenue Massapequa, NY  11758 (516) 844-0635 (516) 844-0364 (fax) E-mail:  labrios@assembly.state.ny.us	Steven Labriola (R) New York State Assembly Legislative Office Building Albany, NY  12248 (518) 455-4100 E-mail:  labrios@assembly.state.ny.us
David Sidikman (D) 146-A Manetto Hill Road Plainview, NY  11803 (516) 822-5590 (516) 822-5597 (fax) E-mail:  sidikm@assembly.state.ny.us	David Sidikman (D) New York State Assembly Legislative Office Building Albany, NY  12248 (518) 455-4100 E-mail: sidikm@assembly.state.ny.us

Marc Herbst (R/C) 183 Broadway - Room 310 Hicksville, NY  11801 (516) 938-3168 (516) 938-3342 (fax)	Marc Herbst (R/C) New York State Assembly Legislative Office Building Albany, NY  12248 (518) 455-4100
Donna Ferrara (R/C) 150 Post Avenue Westbury, NY  11590 (516) 338-2693 (516) 338-2696 (fax) E-mail:  ferrard@assembly.state.ny.us	Donna Ferrara (R/C) New York State Assembly Legislative Office Building Albany, NY  12248 (518) 455-4100 E-mail: ferrard@assembly.state.ny.us

Thomas P. DiNapoli (D) 11 Middle Neck Road - Suite 200 Great Neck, NY  11021 (516) 482-6966 (516) 482-6975 (fax) E-mail:  dinapot@assembly.state.ny.us	Thomas P. DiNapoli (D) New York State Assembly Legislative Office Building Albany, NY  12248 (518) 455-4100 E-mail:  dinapot@assembly.state.ny.us
Maureen O'Connell (R) 1600 Stewart Ave. - Suite 315 Westbury, NY  11590 (516) 222-0007 (516) 228-8044 (fax) E-mail:  oconnem@assembly.state.ny.us	Maureen O'Connell (R) New York State Assembly Legislative Office Building Albany, NY  12248 (518) 455-4100 E-mail: oconnem@assembly.state.ny.us

Earlene Hooper Hill (D) 80 North Franklin St. - Suite 304 Hempstead, NY  11550 (516) 489-6610 (516) 538-3155 (fax)	Earlene Hooper Hill (D) New York State Assembly Legislative Office Building Albany, NY  12248 (518) 455-4100
Kathleen Murray (R) 3000 Hempstead Tpke. Levittown, NY  11756 (516) 731-8830 (516) 731-8845 (fax)	Kathleen Murray (R) New York State Assembly Legislative Office Building Albany, NY  12248 (518) 455-4100

Harvey Weisenberg (D) 20 West Park Avenue - Room 201 Long Beach, NY  11561 (516) 431-0500 (516) 431-0412 (fax) E-mail:  weisenb@assembly.state.ny.us	Harvey Weisenberg (D) New York State Assembly Legislative Office Building Albany, NY  12248 (518) 455-4100 E-mail:  weisenb@assembly.state.ny.us
Robert Barra (D)	Robert Barra (D) New York State Assembly Legislative Office Building Albany, NY  12248 (518) 455-4100

Thomas W. Alfano (R) 925 Hempstead Tpke Franklin Square, NY  11010 516-437-5577 212-354-2551 (fax)

Thomas W. Alfano (R) New York State Assembly Legislative Office Building Albany, NY  12248 (518) 455-4100