Medical Society Congratulates Rep Delgado on his Selection by Governor Hochul to be Next Lieutenant Governor

For Immediate Release 
May 3, 2022 

Medical Society Congratulates Rep Delgado on his
Selection by Governor Hochul to be Next Lieutenant Governor

Statement Attributable to:
Joseph R. Sellers, MD, FAAP, FACP
President, Medical Society of the State of New York 

“We congratulate Rep. Antonio Delgado on his selection by Governor Hochul to be the State’s next Lieutenant Governor.  In Congress, Rep. Delgado demonstrated himself to be a champion of protecting patients’ access to healthcare.  This included his strong support of Congressional efforts to prevent steep Medicare cuts as well as his strong support for various Congressional initiatives to help patients and their physicians and other care providers navigate the enormous consequences of the pandemic.  We look forward to working with him in his new role.”

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Founded in 1807, the Medical Society of the State of New York is the state’s principal non-profit professional organization for physicians, residents and medical students of all specialties. Its mission is to represent the interests of patients and physicians to assure quality healthcare services for all. 

 

Media Contact:
Roseann Raia
Communications / Marketing
Medical Society of the State of New York
865 Merrick Ave.
Westbury, New York
516-488-6100 ext 302
rraia@mssny.org

Statement from New York Physician & Hospital Organizations Calling on Legislature to Include Telehealth Payment Parity in Final Enacted Budget for FY 2022-23

For Immediate Release 
March 15, 2022 

Statement from New York Physician & Hospital Organizations Calling on Legislature to Include Telehealth Payment Parity in Final Enacted Budget for FY 2022-23

The undersigned leading physician and hospital groups representing tens of thousands of physicians delivering health care to millions of New Yorkers each year applaud Governor Hochul and the New York State Senate for including meaningful Telehealth payment reform in their respective budget proposals for FY 2022-23. Telehealth has been vital to ensuring patients receive needed care throughout the pandemic, an important complement to the care patients receive in-person. Moreover, it is helping to address persistent disparities in health care access for New Yorkers across the state.

Ensuring fair payment for Telehealth services through payment parity is necessary to ensure this patient care delivery mechanism can continue to be offered by community based physician practices. We look forward to working with lawmakers to provide additional expertise and resources on the importance of unfettered patient access to Telehealth services as they negotiate the final budget.

What New York’s Physicians & Other Providers Are Saying

Dr. Joseph Sellers, MD
President, Medical Society of the State of New York (MSSNY)
“Ensuring fair payment for Telehealth services is essential to ensuring this modality can be continued to be offered as a treatment option for our patients by their physicians. For many of our patients it is an essential option when they are limited by lack of transportation options or concerned about infection risk. We are grateful to Governor Hochul and the State Senate for including this reform in their Budget proposals for FY 2022-23. We urge that this be included in the final budget agreement.”

Camille A. Clare, MD, MPH, CPE, FACOG
Chair, ACOG District II
“We encourage the legislature to seize this important opportunity to advance health equity and ensure physicians can continue to utilize Telehealth services to meaningfully engage patients. Telehealth has been an important supplement to in person care particularly during pregnancy and the postpartum period. This is salient as we continue our work to improve the patient experience and combat disparities in maternal health.”

Jeffrey Borenstein, MD
President, NYS Psychiatric Association (NYSPA)
“Telehealth has been an essential lifeline for access to care & treatment for those with mental illness & substance use disorders, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic which continues to evolve as new variants emerge & we contend with the long-term effects. It’s imperative the Assembly join the Governor & Senate to enact measures in the final state budget that will assure the viability of Telehealth going forward & parity in reimbursement between in person treatment & treatment provided via Telehealth.

James Mumford, MD
President of NYS Academy of Family Physicians (NYSAFP)
“The NYS Academy of Family Physicians applauds the Governor’s budget proposal to require health plans, both Medicaid and commercial, to pay providers for services delivered through Telehealth on par with payments for care delivered in person. There are important lessons to be learned from the temporary Telehealth authorizations put in place during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. This is a critical opportunity to enable physicians to meet patients where they are by utilizing both in-person and Telehealth to ensure patient primary care needs are met. We urge that this patient-centered policy be included in the final State budget.”

Bea Grause, RN, JD
President, Healthcare Association of New York State
“Over the last two years, providers have invested scarce resources into Telehealth equipment, staff training and overall Telehealth infrastructure to expand offerings and meet the growing demand for the service. We urge the governor and Legislature to include much needed Telehealth reforms in this year’s enacted budget. These reforms would empower providers to sustain their investments, strengthen the state’s Telehealth infrastructure and continue expanding New Yorkers’ access to healthcare services.”

Dr. Warren Seigel, Chair, NYS American Academy of Pediatrics
“Telehealth has offered our patients a safe & convenient way to get the important health information they need to keep their infants, children and adolescents healthy. At first it was a crisis response to the COVID epidemic, but now it is a time saving & effective way for parents to check in with their pediatricians about health concerns. We can diagnose & even prescribe with Telehealth, but we can also let parents know that the issue of concern requires a visit to our office. Maintaining & supporting Telehealth as a vital part of pediatric health care in New York is imperative if we are to truly work with our patients to create the 22nd century of health care.”

Dr. John DiPreta, President of the New York State Society of Orthopaedic Surgeons
“Greater access to Telehealth services provides numerous benefits including increased patient access to orthopaedic surgeons and surgical teams, reductions in patient travel burden, improvements to clinical workflows and practice efficiencies, and enhanced follow-up. These benefits have proven especially advantageous to vulnerable populations and patients with impairment who may lack appropriate transportation or access to specialty care. We are encouraged that patients have embraced the technology and convenience of telemedicine and we anticipate its adoption will continue post-pandemic. We therefore urge the Assembly to join with the Governor and Senate in supporting Telehealth payment parity.”

Leslie F. Algase, MD, FACP
President, New York Chapter American College of Physicians (NYACP)
“Expanded use of Telehealth during the pandemic has made us certain that this is an essential tool to keep people connected to their primary care physicians and to improve timely access to specialists. It has made a dramatic improvement in health disparities, keeping patients safe and allowing them to get care from their own providers, freeing up Emergency facilities for those who truly need them. Payment parity is essential to continue these benefits and we are grateful to Governor Hochul for including this in the state budget. NYACP feels it is imperative for these provisions to stay in the final budget.”

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Founded in 1807, the Medical Society of the State of New York is the state’s principal non-profit professional organization for physicians, residents and medical students of all specialties. Its mission is to represent the interests of patients and physicians to assure quality healthcare services for all.

Media Contact:
Roseann Raia
Communications / Marketing
Medical Society of the State of New York
865 Merrick Ave.
Westbury, New York
516-488-6100 ext 302
rraia@mssny.org

NYSPA/MSSNY/NASW-NYS Urge Governor & Legislature to Include Funding for Critical Program Educating Community Primary Care & Mental Health Practitioners & Specialists to Care for Veterans

For Immediate Release 
March 14, 2022 

NYSPA/MSSNY/NASW-NYS Urge Governor & Legislature to Include Funding for Critical
Program Educating Community Primary Care & Mental Health Practitioners & Specialists
to Care for Veterans

As the Governor and Legislature work to reach agreement on a budget for FY 2023 by April 1, 2022, the New York State Psychiatric Association, Medical Society of the State of New York, and National Association of Social Workers – New York State urge funding be included for the Veterans Mental Health Training Initiative (VMHTI). The NYS Budget has provided funding for the VMHTI since 2008. The funding for the initiative is as important as the appropriation provided for an expansion Joseph P Dwyer Peer to Peer Program. The peer programs establish an important foundation and connection that empowers the veteran to seek out assistance making it all the more important they obtain care and treatment from a practitioner who has completed one of the trainings offered by the associations.

“As recently highlighted by the New York State Health Foundation (COVID-19 & Veterans’ Mental Health. January 2021), the pandemic has amplified veterans’ mental health needs and has presented significant challenges for veterans, including exacerbating mental health and substance use issues. We urge the Governor and Legislature to include funding in the final budget for the initiative, which, for years, trained thousands of practitioners across the spectrum of disciplines in veterans’ specific mental health issues,” said Jeffrey Borenstein, MD, President of the New York State Psychiatric Association.

Samantha Fletcher, Executive Director of the NYS National Association of Social Workers echoed such
sentiment, adding “recent national surveys have found a majority of veterans have reported their mental health has worsened since social distancing measures were implemented and more than half reported having had mental health appointments canceled or postponed during the pandemic, leaving them to play catch-up on addressing needs, some of which, have deadly consequences. We implore the legislature to include funding to allow for the continuation and expansion of the VMHTI. The data is clear that practitioners in the community need this education and training.”

MSSNY President, Joseph Sellers, M.D. notes that “The VMHTI, enabled by past support from the Legislature, has been a tremendously successful endeavor educating and training more than 7,400 community mental health and primary care practitioners and enhancing their knowledge and skill set for combat and service-related health and mental health conditions. The data indicates more than half of veterans and their families turn to practitioners in their community for care and treatment, which is why a program like VMHTI is so important. It’s the nexus between peer-to-peer program and access to culturally competent care.”

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Medical Society Supports Court Decision to Strike Down Unfair Federal Regulations on Surprise Billing Dispute Process

For Immediate Release 
February 24, 2022 

Medical Society Supports Court Decision to Strike Down Unfair Federal Regulations on Surprise Billing Dispute Process

Statement Attributable to:
Joseph R. Sellers, MD, FAAP, FACP
President, Medical Society of the State of New York  

“The federal court in Texas has appropriately struck down regulations by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) regarding the dispute resolution process in the No Surprises Act.  The Medical Society of the State of New York (MSSNY) joined other physicians in supporting the consumer protections in the No Surprises Act but challenged HHS regulations that favored insurers over treating physicians in the dispute resolution process—which is contrary to Congressional intent.

“The court upheld Congressional intent of the law to ensure that no one individual data point submitted to a federal dispute resolution process—not even the insurers’ self-determined grossly discounted ‘median in-network’ payment data—should be the dominant consideration in the dispute resolution process.  The Texas federal court agrees with the chief allegation in the lawsuit brought by the Texas Medical Association that HHS’s regulations diverted from the plain language of the No Surprises Act to the benefit of insurance companies—and against physicians and hospitals on the front lines of health care delivering care to patients every day.

“This decision does not in any way impact the important patient protections set forth under the law and implementing regulations.  It will only serve to ensure greater balance for an independent dispute resolution process.

“MSSNY had expressed concerns that HHS’s faulty interpretation of the law—the very basis of the lawsuit—could lead to access issues in hospitals across New York and across the country because it impacts the ability of hospitals to have needed on-call specialty care physicians.”

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Founded in 1807, the Medical Society of the State of New York is the state’s principal non-profit professional organization for physicians, residents and medical students of all specialties. Its mission is to represent the interests of patients and physicians to assure quality healthcare services for all.

Media Contact:
Julie Vecchione
VP, Communications
Medical Society of the State of New York
865 Merrick Ave.
Westbury, New York
516-488-6100 ext 340
rraia@mssny.org

MSSNY Applauds Passage of Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act 

For Immediate Release

MSSNY Applauds Passage of Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act 

Statement Attributable to:
Joseph R. Sellers, MD, FAAP, FACP
President, Medical Society of the State of New York  

“The Medical Society of the State of New York applauds Congress for passing the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act that will earmark funding for mental health wellness initiatives for frontline healthcare workers. We look forward to President Biden signing it into law.

“Dr. Lorna Breen was one of our own, a New York physician who died by suicide at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in April 2020. Her fellow physicians in New York continue to mourn her death and take comfort in the fact that the Breen family used her untimely death to bring renewed awareness to these issues that have always been present in medicine.

“The legislation will establish grants dedicated to improving mental health and resiliency for health care professionals and create a public awareness campaign focused on encouraging healthcare workers to seek support and treatment.

“Our hope is that this legislation will provide much needed support to encourage physicians to care for their mental health—an age-old issue that has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“MSSNY has launched a peer-to-peer program to provide our physicians, residents, and medical students a completely confidential and anonymous opportunity to talk with a physician peer about life’s stressors.”

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Founded in 1807, the Medical Society of the State of New York is the state’s principal non-profit professional organization for physicians, residents and medical students of all specialties. Its mission is to represent the interests of patients and physicians to assure quality healthcare services for all. 

Media Contact:
Julie Vecchione | Vice President, Communications
Medical Society of the State of New York
865 Merrick Avenue
Westbury, NY 11590
516.488.6100 x340 | jvecchione@mssny.org

MSSNY Supports New Bill to Stem Prior Authorizations

For Immediate Release  

 

MSSNY Supports New Bill to Stem Prior Authorizations
S.8299 Will Create “Gold Card” Program to Exempt Physicians from Requirements if 90% Prior Authorization Approval is Achieved

February 15, 2022, Westbury, NY—On behalf of physicians across New York State, MSSNY thanks Neil Breslin (D- Albany), Chair of the Senate Insurance Committee, for introducing a bill (S.8299) to establish a “Gold Card” program in which insurers will exempt physicians and other care providers from Prior Authorization requirements if they receive at least 90% approval for prior authorizations for that specific health care treatment. The legislation is similar to a law enacted last year in Texas, which was designed to prevent unnecessary roadblocks to patient care and reward the following of evidence-based treatment guidelines.

“MSSNY is grateful to Senator Breslin for his leadership and support on this important issue,” said MSSNY’s President Dr. Joseph Sellers, MD. “The bill is a new and important part of our ongoing advocacy efforts to confront excessive prior authorization requirements that interfere with patient care delivery and access to the most effective treatments.”

Excessive Prior Authorization hassles continue to be a major impediment to patient care.  Last week the American Medical Association (AMA) released an updated survey which showed that more than 9 in 10 physicians (93%) reported care delays while waiting for health insurers to authorize necessary care, and 82% said patients abandon treatment due to authorization struggles with health insurers. Moreover, more than half (51%) of physicians reported that prior authorization had interfered with a patient’s job responsibilities, and more than one-third (34%) of physicians reported that prior authorization led to a serious adverse event such as hospitalization, disability, or even death, for a patient in their care.

MSSNY looks forward to continuing its work with Senator Breslin, and other legislators, to advance this bill this session in addition to other bills (such as A.7129/S.6435) that limit excessive and unnecessary prior authorization requirements.

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Founded in 1807, the Medical Society of the State of New York is the state’s principal non-profit professional organization for physicians, residents and medical students of all specialties. Its mission is to represent the interests of patients and physicians to assure quality healthcare services for all. 

Media Contact:
Roseann Raia | Communications / Marketing
Medical Society of the State of New York
865 Merrick Avenue
Westbury, NY 11590

516.488.6100 x302 | rraia@mssny.org

MSSNY Applauds Senate Confirmation of Mary Bassett, MD, MPH as NYS Department of Health Commissioner

For Immediate Release January 21, 2022 

MSSNY Applauds Senate Confirmation of Mary Bassett, MD, MPH as NYS Department of Health Commissioner

Statement Attributable to: Joseph R. Sellers, MD, FAAP, FACP President, Medical Society of the State of New York  

“We are pleased that the New York State Senate on Thursday confirmed Gov. Kathy Hochul’s choice of Dr. Mary Bassett as New York State’s new Health Commissioner. Our member physicians are eager to work closely with Dr. Bassett and her team to make accessible, affordable, quality, physician-led health care a reality for all New Yorkers, with a focus on improving diversity, equity and inclusion for the healthcare profession and underserved communities.

“Dr. Bassett joins New York State at a uniquely challenging time in history and we are confident that her wealth of knowledge and experience in the field of public health will help her to guide New Yorkers through to the end of the COVID-19 pandemic—and future public health challenges.”

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Founded in 1807, the Medical Society of the State of New York is the state’s principal non-profit professional organization for physicians, residents and medical students of all specialties. Its mission is to represent the interests of patients and physicians to assure quality healthcare services for all.  

Media Contact:Roseann Raia

Communications / Marketing
Medical Society of the State of New York
865 Merrick Ave.
Westbury, New York
516-488-6100 ext 302
rraia@mssny.org

MSSNY Looks Forward to Further Discussion with Governor and State Legislature on Health Care Initiatives Outlined in State of the State Address

Media Alert Banner

For Immediate Release
January 5, 2022 

MSSNY Looks Forward to Further Discussion with Governor and State Legislatureon Health Care Initiatives Outlined in State of the State Address 

Statement Attributable to: Joseph R. Sellers, MD, FAAP, FACP President, Medical Society of the State of New York 

“Governor’s Hochul’s State of the State Message and briefing book highlights several important initiatives designed to provide some stability to New York’s extraordinary but beleaguered health care system weary of two years of fighting to save the lives of New Yorkers through the COVID-19 pandemic.  These include incentives to train and keep physicians and other critically needed health care providers in New York State, expanded availability of affordable health insurance coverage for our patients, and expanding the delivery of care via telehealth.

“We look forward to further discussion with the Governor and the State Legislature on these and the myriad of other health care proposals the Governor has advanced.  Physicians across the State of New York are anxious to ensure that patients can continue to access the quality care they need in a timely manner, and from the physician of their choice.”

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About MSSNYFounded in 1807, the Medical Society of the State of New York is the state’s principal non-profit professional organization for physicians, residents and medical students of all specialties. Its mission is to represent the interests of patients and physicians to assure quality healthcare services for all.

 

Media Contact: Roseann Raia Communications / MarketingMedical Society of the State of New York865 Merrick AvenueWestbury, NY 11590516.488.6100 x302 | rraia@mssny.org

As Opponents of COVID Vaccine Mandate Rally in Albany Today, MSSNY Amplifies its Support of Vaccines

Media Alert Banner

For Immediate Release  

As Opponents of COVID Vaccine Mandate Rally in Albany Today,MSSNY Amplifies its Support of Vaccines

Statement Attributable to: Joseph R. Sellers, MD, FAAP, FACP President, Medical Society of the State of New York

“MSSNY continues to be grateful for the science that has made the COVID-19 vaccines a reality. The importance of getting every eligible New Yorker vaccinated and boosted against this virus cannot be overstated. The vaccine not only slows the spread of the disease, but also improves outcomes and reduces the stress on our health care system.

“In addition, we unreservedly support the COVID-19 vaccine mandate for all healthcare workers. The SCOTUS ruling in December upholding the vaccination requirement for health care workers—which denied a request to block New York’s vaccination mandate for health care workers—was an important win for our collective public health.

“With new cases in children in the U.S. continuing at a high level, we encourage parents to vaccinate their school-aged children and those with questions or concerns to discuss the vaccine with their trusted physician.

“MSSNY once again encourages every eligible New Yorker to roll up their sleeves and get vaccinated and boosted against COVID-19.”

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About MSSNYFounded in 1807, the Medical Society of the State of New York is the state’s principal non-profit professional organization for physicians, residents and medical students of all specialties. Its mission is to represent the interests of patients and physicians to assure quality healthcare services for all.

MSSNY Thanks Richard Gottfried for his Many Years of Service and Wishes him Well in Retirement

For Immediate Release
December 14, 2021

 

MSSNY Thanks Richard Gottfried for his Many Years of Service
and Wishes him Well in Retirement
 

Statement Attributable to:
Joseph R. Sellers, MD, FAAP, FACP
President, Medical Society of the State of New York 
 

“Richard Gottfried’s retirement from the Assembly after 52 years of service marks the end of an era.  As the author of countless laws to expand insurance coverage for patients and to address various public health threats, Assemblymember Gottfried has long been a champion for protecting patients’ ability to receive timely and quality health care. Chair Gottfried could be counted on to thoughtfully discuss and consider questions raised by physicians and others regarding how best to achieve our shared goals, even on occasion when we had to agree to disagree on the merits of a particular proposal.

“Chair Gottfried has been a consistent champion in efforts to expand affordable health insurance coverage availability and to protect the patient-physician treatment relationship from corporate interference from health insurers and Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs). This was demonstrated through his advancement of legislation to provide state regulation of PBMs, to reduce excessive health insurer-imposed prior authorization burdens, to eliminate onerous contract provisions that adversely impact patient access to care, and to permit collective bargaining rights to community-based health care providers.

“The State Capitol will certainly be a different place without Assemblyman Gottfried‘s regular presence.  We thank him for his decades of service to the public and wish him a happy retirement.”

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Founded in 1807, the Medical Society of the State of New York is the state’s principal non-profit professional organization for physicians, residents and medical students of all specialties. Its mission is to represent the interests of patients and physicians to assure quality healthcare services for all.
 

Media Contact:
Roseann Raia | Communications / Marketing
Medical Society of the State of New York
865 Merrick Avenue
Westbury, NY 11590
516.488.6100 x302 | rraia@mssny.org

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