285.984 Opposition to Discriminatory Treatment of Haitian Asylum Seekers
MSSNY opposes discrimination of Haitian asylum seekers which denies them the same opportunity to attain asylum status as individuals from other nations. A resolution will also be forwarded to the AMA seeking adoption of similar policy. .(Adopted by Council 11/4/2021)
For Immediate ReleaseOctober 30, 2021
Medical Society Supports Court Decision to Uphold Governor Hochul’s Healthcare Worker Vaccination Requirements.
Statement Attributable to:Joseph R. Sellers, MD, FAAP, FACP President, Medical Society of the State of New York
“MSSNY fully supports the decision by the U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals to uphold Governor Hochul’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for New York healthcare workers with no religious exception. The decision reverses a prior decision of the U.S. Northern District Court to continue to allow a religious exemption from the State’s important requirement that healthcare workers receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
“These vaccination requirements are essential to protecting public health, particularly the immunocompromised, the elderly, and those too young to receive the vaccination. No major religious denomination opposes vaccinations, and the Supreme Court has for over 100 years upheld vaccination requirements to protect the public health. Moreover, it has proven very effective at significantly raising the vaccination rate of healthcare workers..
“We continue to support this vaccination requirement for health care workers to protect the health and safety of all New Yorkers.”.
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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.
Julie Vecchione | Vice President, Communications
Medical Society of the State of New York
865 Merrick Avenue
Westbury, NY 11590
For Immediate Release
October 29, 2021
MSSNY Applauds FDA Emergency Use Authorization of
Pfizer Vaccine for Children 5-11
Statement Attributable to:
Joseph R. Sellers, MD, FAAP, FACP
President, Medical Society of the State of New York
“Today, the country took another important step forward in changing the face of the COVID-19 pandemic with the FDA’s emergency use authorization of the Pfizer vaccine for children between the ages of 5 through 11.
“The importance of getting every eligible American vaccinated against this deadly virus cannot be overstated. With new cases in children in the U.S. continuing to be at a high level, sending unvaccinated children back into the classroom this Fall has been a concern. As a pediatrician, I understand first-hand the importance of childhood vaccinations in keeping children safe and healthy. Vaccines have a long history of eradicating diseases in children, including polio, mumps, and measles.
“MSSNY continues to be grateful for the science that has made the COVID-19 vaccines a reality. We encourage parents who have questions about the safety and efficacy of the vaccine for their young children to speak with their trusted pediatrician.“MSSNY and its physicians are committed to ensuring that all New Yorkers are immunized against this deadly virus. Throughout the years, vaccines have saved lives and we are confident that the COVID-19 vaccines will help us end this pandemic.”
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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
For Immediate Release
October 12, 2021
MSSNY Opposes U.S. Northern District Decision to Continue to Permit Religious Exemptions to State’s Healthcare Worker
COVID-19 Vaccination Requirements
Statement Attributable to:
Joseph R. Sellers, MD, FAAP, FACP
President, Medical Society of the State of New York
“We are disappointed by today’s decision by the U.S. Northern District to continue to allow a religious exemption from the well thought-through healthcare worker COVID-19 vaccination requirement implemented by the Hochul Administration.
“These vaccination requirements are essential to protecting public health, particularly the immunocompromised, the elderly, and those too young to receive the vaccination. No major religious denomination opposes vaccinations, and the Supreme Court has for over 100 years upheld vaccination requirements to protect the public health. Moreover, it has proven very effective at significantly raising the vaccination rate of healthcare workers.
“We continue to support this vaccination requirement for health care workers to protect the health and safety of all New Yorkers.”
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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
For Immediate Release
October 1, 2021
Surprise Billing Legislation Interim Final Rule: MSSNY Calls for Prioritizing Patient Care Over Insurance Profits
Statement Attributable to:
Joseph R. Sellers, MD, FAAP, FACP
President, Medical Society of the State of New York
“While MSSNY is continuing to review the HHS interim final rule implementing aspects of the federal No Surprises Act, we are concerned by what appears to be a gross deviation from what was enacted by Congress last year. In implementing the Independent Dispute Resolution (IDR) process for resolving patient surprise medical bills – a process that New York physicians has strongly supported for many years – HHS has clearly sought to put its thumb on the scale in favor of multi-billion-dollar insurance companies.
The health of our patients is our priority. MSSNY is very concerned that if these rules are implemented as proposed by HHS, it could have significant adverse consequences for timely specialty care provided at hospital emergency departments–which will reduce health care options for our patients. We urge that there be revisions to this rule by HHS to more accurately reflect the balance that was struck to protect patients in the No Surprises Act passed by Congress last December.”
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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
For Immediate Release
New AMA Substance Use and Pain Care Task Force
Urges Action to Help Patients
September 29, Westbury, NY— The Medical Society of the State of New York and the American Medical Association today released new recommendations as part of the AMA Substance Use and Pain Care Task Force to help end the nation’s drug-related overdose and death epidemic.
The recommendations are focused on actions physicians can take as well as those policymakers and public health officials must take. This includes broad efforts to remove barriers and improve access to evidence-based care for patients with pain, a substance use disorder (SUD) or mental illness, as well as increase access to multiple harm reduction strategies. The new Task Force also will work to more directly address the changing drug overdose epidemic, focus on removing racial, gender, sexual orientation and other health-related inequities.
“The nation’s physicians must continue to lead by example to help our patients with pain, SUDs and mental illness,” said Task Force Chair Bobby Mukkamala, MD. “But removing barriers requires more stakeholders to join us. This new Task Force is making clear the opportunity we have to reduce mortality and improve outcomes, but we also will be clear with policymakers that failure to adopt our recommendations will prolong the epidemic and our patients’ suffering.”
Highlights of the recommendations include:
“These recommendations are vital for our patients who are in pain, have a mental illness diagnosis, or have a substance use disorder to receive compassionate care that is evidence-based treatment and addresses the barriers that patients face in getting the care that they need. MSSNY, as a member of the AMA’s Substance Use and Pain Care Task Force, is pleased to support these recommendations as we believe that they will help improve health outcomes for our patients,” said MSSNY President, Joseph Sellers, MD, FAAP, FACP.
Read the full Tas Force recommendations
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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
For Immediate Release
September 29, 2021
MSSNY Applauds Gov. Hochul’s Appointment 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
“MSSNY is thrilled to welcome Dr. Mary Bassett as New York State’s new Health Commissioner, and we look forward to working closely with her to address the health needs of all New Yorkers. We are confident that Dr. Bassett is the right person at the right time to see New York State through to the end of the COVID-19 pandemic—and that her wealth of knowledge and experience in the field of public health will guide New Yorkers through future public health challenges. During her years as commissioner of the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Dr. Bassett worked to tackle racial, ethnic, and economic health inequities. We look forward to working with her to address those needs throughout the State in our shared fight for quality, accessible, and affordable health care for all New Yorkers.”
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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
For Immediate Release
September 28, 2021
AMA, MSSNY Strongly Support Governor Hochul’s Efforts to Require Health Care Workers to be Vaccinated Against COVID-19
Statement Attributable to:
Joseph R. Sellers, MD, FAAP, FACP
President, Medical Society of the State of New York
Gerald E. Harmon, M.D.
President, American Medical Association
“The American Medical Association (AMA) and Medical Society of the State of New York (MSSNY) strongly support Governor Hochul’s efforts to require health care workers to be vaccinated against COVID-19. The path to ending the pandemic must be based on science, and vaccination is an indispensable part of the solution. AMA, MSSNY, and the physicians we represent understand that there are many who are confused and uncertain. We remind everyone with questions or concerns about the COVID-19 vaccine to turn to their trusted physicians to guide them. We will continue to work with Governor Hochul and her Administration to help promote vaccination for all as a key to ending this pandemic.”
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About MSSNY
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.
About the AMA
The American Medical Association is the physicians’ powerful ally in patient care. As the only medical association that convenes 190+ state and specialty medical societies and other critical stakeholders, the AMA represents physicians with a unified voice to all key players in health care. The AMA leverages its strength by removing the obstacles that interfere with patient care, leading the charge to prevent chronic disease and confront public health crises, and, driving the future of medicine to tackle the biggest challenges in health care. For more information, visit ama-assn.org.
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
For Immediate Release
September 23, 2021
MSSNY Statement Regarding Resignation of Department of Health Commissioner Howard Zucker, MD
Statement Attributable to:
Joseph R. Sellers, MD, FAAP, FACP
President, Medical Society of the State of New York
“MSSNY is grateful to Dr. Zucker for his many years of service as he worked to protect the residents of New York State, especially as he helped to lead the State’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic—one of the most challenging public health threats of our lifetimes. We look forward to continuing to work collaboratively with the Department of Health staff to promote vaccination in response to the ongoing pandemic, and in addressing additional public health threats.”
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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.
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 COUNCIL AGENDA
Thursday, September 23, 2021, at 9:00 a.m.
A. Call to Order and Roll Call
B. APPROVAL of the June 3, 2021, Council Minutes
C. New Business
1. President’s Report
a) MSSNY AD HOC Scope of Practice Committee,
To be presented by Mr. Morris Auster & Rose Berkun, MD
Resolution 112-2020 Allow Anesthesiology Assistants to be Licensed in NYS
(For Council Approval)
c) 2021 House of Delegates Resolutions Referred to Council
(For Council Approval)
D. Reports of Officers
E. Reports of Councilors (Informational)
F. Commissioners (Informational Items)
1. Commissioner of Communications, Maria A. Basile, MD, MBA
Report from the Division of Communications
G. Report of the Executive Vice President, Troy J. Oechsner
H. Report of the General Counsel, Garfunkel Wild, Barry Cepelewicz, MD, Esq
(No written report submitted)
I. Report of the Alliance, Helena Mirza, Alliance President
Alliance Report
J. Other Information/Announcements
K. Adjournment