MSSNY Pulse: August 5, 2022

Message from MSSNY President Parag Mehta, MD:
MSSNY Fights Malpractice Rate Hikes and Supports Monkeypox Declaration

Colleagues:
Malpractice. Thanks to the many physician leaders and staff who joined our call last week regarding a possible 40% increase in malpractice premiums due to the Legislature’s passage of the Wrongful Death Bill. We discussed:

  • the many legislative successes MSSNY won this year (telehealth payment parity, managed care reform, restored Medicaid funding, health insurance coverage expansions and more),
  • that the Bill passed despite opposition from MSSNY and MLMIC, specialty societies, hospitals, nursing homes, clinics, other insurers, businesses, and local government (including NYC)
  • the disastrous impact of the Bill for both private practice and employed physicians (because our hospitals and groups will have less funds to pay physicians, support staff and needed equipment), and
  • the goal of pressing Governor Hochul to veto the Bill.

Our coalition partners – most notably MLMIC, along with Greater NY Hospital Association and HANYS – are funding a significant ad campaign.  As physicians, our sole primary contribution to the coalition is our grassroots support.  The three most important things we can do to secure Governor Hochul’s veto: letters, letters and letters.  Please use MSSNY’s Grassroots Action Center with the following link

If you want to do more, you can go to see MLMIC materials on the MSSNY website for a sample op-ed, letter to the Governor, social media posts, shareable graphics, talking points and web banners.

As we saw with the Kansas vote on abortion this week, when people are determined to act, they can make a difference and send a powerful message.

Monkeypox. This week, MSSNY issued a statement from me agreeing with Governor Hochul’s declaration of a State Disaster Emergency and with NYS Department of Health Commissioner Mary Bassett for declaring an Immediate Threat to Public Health in response to rapid spread of Monkeypox across New York. MSSNY thanks both for their efforts to improve testing, secure more vaccine for New Yorkers, and reduce restrictions on treatment for people infected with Monkeypox. While these declarations allow us to mobilize more resources, we believe more needs to be done to control this outbreak.

On behalf of MSSNY, I called on President Biden and Secretary Becerra to declare Monkeypox a federal Public Health Emergency. Amazingly, the White House announced that Secretary Becerra made such a declaration this week, subsequent to our request.

This declaration will help increase our access to more vaccines and further reduce the barriers to treatment. Tecovirimat shows great promise in the treatment in Monkeypox infection, and the Emergency Investigatory New Drug (EIND) restrictions have limited the ability to treat patients with this medication. The Public Health Emergency designation allows the FDA to evaluate this treatment for Emergency Use Authorization, like what was used to distribute COVID-19 vaccines when they became first available. This promises to greatly reduce barriers to treatment.

Monkeypox is disproportionately impacting the LGBTQ+ community, and a Public Health Emergency will help prevent further health disparities in this vulnerable community. MSSNY is committed to the health and well-being of all New Yorkers. We need swift action to meet the needs of our patients across New York and all over the United States.

As we fight for the Governor’s veto to stop a Wrongful Death bill that will disproportionately impact underserved communities, and have successfully pushed for a federal declaration to help limit disparate impact on the LGBTQ community from Monkeypox, keep in mind the words of Martin Luther King, Jr.: “Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability, but comes through continuous struggle”.  

MindfulnessMindfulness means ensuring your consciousness is focused on the present moment. Past problems and future planning, fun or frustration with family and friends, work related responsibilities; distract us.  When we fail to keep our minds on the present moment, our thoughts scatter, and we cannot focus or appreciate the current moment. Try practicing mindfulness today. Focus on your breath, do a body scan and ask what three good things happened today?

I’d like to hear from you—our MSSNY members. Please email me your comments and suggestions at MSSNYpresident@mssny.org.

Parag Mehta, MD
MSSNY President


Health Care Worker Bonus Pool to Include Medical Residents and Fellows
This week, Governor Hochul announced the launch of the Health Care and Mental Hygiene Worker Bonus program. Enacted in the 2022-23 State Budget, the program allocates $1.3 billion for the payment of recruitment and retention bonuses to certain health care and mental hygiene workers. Importantly, following the collective advocacy of MSSNY, various specialty societies, and thousands of medical residents from across the State of New York, it was announced by DOH that eligibility for the bonuses includes medical residents and fellows.

Steps to apply include: (1) create an account (use link above); (2) identify eligible employees (see below); and (3) identify the hours for which those employees are eligible (also see below).
Bonuses will be awarded to eligible workers who make less than $125,000 annually and remain in their positions for at least 6 months. Disbursements will be commensurate with the number of hours worked and duration of service within designated vesting periods for up to a total of $3,000 per employee.

The statutory list of employers eligible and required to participate is broad and includes all health care entities licensed by Article 28 subject to a Certificate of Need process, as well as various health care providers including physicians which have at least 20% of their patients covered under the Medicaid program. MSSNY has asked the NYS Department of Health for further clarification for how to determine if a particular physician office is required to participate in providing these bonuses to their employees.

More information on this program is below, including a DOH FAQ is available here.



NYSDOH Issues Updated Poliomyelitis Health Advisory
Yesterday the NYSDOH issued an updated health advisory for providers regarding Poliomyelitis in Rockland County, New York State. Key points include enhanced surveillance activities to detect additional cases, as well as an update on symptoms in infected individuals. For more information, the full advisory can be viewed here.


2022’s Best & Worst States for Health Care
According to the WalletHub report 2022’s Best & Worst States for Health Care, New York ranked twentieth. Wallethub evaluated those dimensions using forty-two relevant cost, accessibility, and outcome metrics with corresponding weights. The study compared all 50 states, including Washington D.C., to determine where Americans receive the best and worst healthcare. Highlights for the state include: being ranked the 4th best state for Physicians per capita, 5th best state in terms of medically insured children, and lowest infant mortality rate.


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Pneumonia Update for Emergency Clinicians
In the United States, Pneumonia is a leading cause of death from infectious disease. With mortality in admitted patients at approximately 6%, most deaths occur in the elderly and those with comorbidities. A study from the pre-COVID era indicated that otherwise healthy adults with respiratory complaints, typical vital signs, and routine lung exams have a chance of community-acquired pneumonia less than 1% during that visit. While older, immunocompromised patients are more likely to have an atypical presentation, such as an isolated altered mental status, with up to 65% lacking the triad of cough, fever, and shortness of breath, leading to delays in diagnosis. Isolated abdominal pain, chest pain, hemoptysis, or vomiting can all be the chief complaint in a patient harboring pneumonia. Studies continue to examine the feasibility of bedside ultrasound as a tool for accurately diagnosing pneumonia in the emergency department, and several new antibiotics have been approved for treatment, while others are in late-stage clinical trials.

Pneumonia Update for Emergency Clinicians (Springer, 7/20, Garber).


Richmond County Medical Society YPS Happy Hour & Meet Up – Friday, August 12th
Next Friday, August 12th, Richmond County Medical Society is hosting a Young Physicians Happy Hour and Social Meet Up.  Medical Students, residents and fellows are invited to mingle and make contacts at Sofia’s Taqueria from 6-9pm. Details below.


Sellers Insurance for MSSNY Members


Urge Governor Hochul to Sign Managed Care Reform Bills into Law
Physicians are urged to contact Governor Hochul to ask her to sign into law a suite of bills supported by MSSNY and numerous patient advocacy organizations to address hassles patients and their physicians are experiencing with health insurers.

The first bill, A.879 (Gottfried)/S.8113 (Cleare), would ensure that those who make “medical necessity” determinations on behalf of a health insurance company are appropriately qualified to make those decisions. Please contact Governor Hochul and urge her to sign into law.

This bill would ensure that a health plan may not deny a request for needed patient care unless the reviewing physician is adequately qualified to review the treatment requested or provided, by requiring that such reviewing physician be board-certified or board eligible in the same or similar specialty as the physician who typically recommends the treatment or manage the condition that is under review.  It would also require that such physician have a New York license to practice medicine and provide much-needed, additional protections to ensure that these patients will have coverage for the care they are expecting and entitled to receive.

To learn more about this issue, please read this excellent opinion editorial coauthored by Dr. David Eagle and Dr. Jeff Vacirca, which recently ran in Newsday.
Moreover, please help us provide additional information about this problem and take a brief survey to help us show the impact of this practice on patient access.

The second bill would assist patients by ending so-called “co-pay accumulators”.  The practice forbids any payment from a third party, which goes directly to the health plan, to count towards the patient’s maximum out-of-pocket limit. This practice can be especially challenging for patients that have health insurance plans with high deductibles or high copayment requirements. Please take a moment to send a letter to Governor Hochul urging her to sign A1741-A/S.5299-A into law to protect patients by ending the use of “co-pay accumulators” by health insurers!

The third bill, A.3276 (Gunther)/ S.5909 (Kaminsky), would ban insurance companies from applying “fail first” or step therapy protocols to treatments prescribed for patients with mental health conditions.  This would help to ensure that patients can receive needed medications without unnecessary and time consuming pre-authorization burdens, Please take a moment to send a letter to Governor Hochul urging her to sign this important bill as soon as possible.


MSSNY in the News: Voicing Opposition to Expanding New York’s Wrongful Death Statute, Supporting Access to TPOXX 
This week MSSNY President Dr. Parag Mehta, EVP Troy Oechsner, and Erie County Medical Society President Dr. Robert Armstrong voiced their opposition to expanding New York’s Wrongful Death Statute on CBS 6 News in Albany, in Newsday and the Buffalo News.

Citing the “enormous adverse impact this legislation would have on our already battered health care system”,  Dr. Mehta’s letter to Newsday stated, “As physicians, we understand patient suffering and feel for victims of wrongful death. Nevertheless, Gov. Kathy Hochul must veto this bill. If she does not, patient access and continuity of care could be threatened, particularly in underserved communities where physicians and safety net hospitals are already financially stressed.”

In the Buffalo News, Dr. Armstrong echoed President Mehta’s concerns about jeopardizing patient access and continuity of care, stating that physicians might “move to other states with more physician-friendly environments or retire early to avoid the staggering new costs this bill would impose.

Also in the news, Dr. Mehta and New York County Medical Society President Dr. Erick Eiting were featured in the Gothamist article NY doctors, legislators call on Biden to make monkeypox drug TPOXX easier to access. In a press statement from MSSNY, Dr. Mehta stated, “Tecovirimat shows great promise in the treatment of monkeypox infection, and the Emergency Investigatory New Drug restrictions have limited the ability to treat patients with this medication.”


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AMA STEPS Forward® Podcast Episode 29: Electronic Health Record Optimization
Dr. Daniel Dunham, Chairman of Medicine at Lenox Hill Hospital, discusses how eliminating unnecessary clicks in the EHR ultimately decreases physician burnout and allows care teams to focus their time on what matters most—patient care.
LISTEN HERE: (Apple Podcasts | Spotify)

AMA STEPS Forward® Podcast Episode 30: Small Interventions Matter
Dr. Alfred Atanda, a pediatric orthopedic surgeon and Director of Clinician Well-Being at Nemours Children’s Hospital, discusses how to minimize unnecessary patient transfers using digital technology and how small interventions can lead to big improvements.
LISTEN HERE: (
Apple Podcasts | Spotify)


Connect with the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services and National Government Services on August 9, 2022
Join Heather Lopez, MSSNY’s Director of Physician Payment & Practice, an expert in practice management, billing, and reimbursement this Tuesday, August 9, 2022, at 6 pm for the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services and National Government Services’ open agenda meeting.  Members are encouraged to participate and open a direct communication line with policymakers that otherwise can be difficult to reach. Heather is an expert in practice management, billing, and reimbursement.


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“Monkeypox: An Evolving Story” Webinar on August 16
Monkeypox has been spreading globally in non-endemic countries. Learn more about the monkeypox outbreak by registering for Monkeypox: An Evolving Story on August 16th at 7:30 am.  William Valenti, MD, chair of the MSSNY Infectious Diseases Committee, and Erick Eiting, MD, MPH co-chair of MSSNY Health Equity Committee, will serve as faculty for this webinar. Register now
Educational Objectives are:

  • Identify monkeypox epidemiology and its presentation
  • Outline testing, treatment, and vaccine options for monkeypox
  • Discuss New York State and New York City guidelines

Contact Melissa Hoffman at mhoffman@mssny.org for additional information or assistance with registration.

The Medical Society of the State of New York is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
The Medical Society of the State of New York designates this live activity for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 credits™.  Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.


AMA September Webinars
Addressing Adult Suicidal Ideation in the Primary Care Setting
Thursday, Sept. 1 | 1 p.m. 
September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. Building off the Practical Strategies for Managing Suicidal Ideation & Reducing Risk, this pre-recorded webinar focuses on how primary care practices can address suicidal ideation within their adult patient population. REGISTER NOW.

Dismantling Stigma for All: Addressing Physician and Patient Mental Health and Suicide Risk
Monday, Sept. 8 | 1 p.m.
As part of National Suicide Prevention Week, this live, interactive forum will connect attendees with industry experts on suicidal ideation and physicians with lived experience to discuss solutions for dismantling the stigma around seeking mental health treatment. REGISTER NOW.



MSSNY Job Board
Members have access to the MSSNY Job Board. Whether you are looking for the next step in your career or looking for your next hire, we have you covered!



Classified Ads Available for:

Physicians’ search services • allied medical placements • locum tenens • practice valuation • practice brokerage • practice consulting • real estate

For help, information or to place your ad, call Roseann Raia at 516-488-6100
ext. 302

For the MSSNY 2022 Ad RateSheet, please click here.


Rheumatology Practice Sublet – Great Neck, NY
Sublet opportunity available at an established medical office in Great Neck, NY. Prime location near LIJ, Northshore University and St. Francis Hospitals. Fully equipped office with onsite parking and proximity to mass transit. Contact 516-972-2986/susanrita1@msny.com for more info.


Medical Office with Ample Patient Parking + 1 Family For Sale in the Most Desired Area of Hollis Hills. Priced to Sell!
One of a kind medical office investment opportunity and growth in the most desirable areas of Hollis Hills! This property is an S1 zoning that allows a medical practice, located within proximity of LIJ and Manhasset hospital, Lake Success Pro Health Medical offices with ample patient parking and much more, this unique property features a residential space split level style with 5 bedrooms, 3.5 baths living room, dining room with a wood burning fireplace, kitchen, oversized sunroom/den, 1 car garage and laundry room.

The Lower level has a separate entrance, 4 exam rooms, a doctor’s private office, filling rooms and endless closet storage.
Conveniently located near schools, worship houses, transportation, GCP, LIE, Cross Island & Clearview Expressway, restaurants, shopping centers and much more! To inquire, please call Claudia (917-554-4158) or Bella at (718-344-2153).


Recruiting for Full or Part time (20 hours per week Chief of Medical Services).  Salary is negotiable.
Oversees and directs the planning, implementation, and supervision of health and medical services for residents at the NYS Veterans Home at St Albans. Develops, implements, and evaluates medical treatment standards and procedures; and provides technical and operational guidance and direction to medical and health care staff. Serves as a medical consultant and liaison; and develops recommendations for medical assessments, treatments, and care. Implements and monitors contract agreements and the provision of contracted medical and health related services. Participates in program audits and reviews. Supervises the credentialing and privileging process to ensure that medical staff possess appropriate credentials and maintain appropriate levels of continuing education; and participates in the development of recruitment programs and hiring and selection processes. Provides clinical and administrative supervision and guidance to physicians and other health care professionals.  Possession of a license and current registration to practice medicine in New York State and six years of post-licensure medical practice experience, two years of which must have been in an administrative or supervisory capacity. Must be fully COVID 19 vaccinated.

Send CV to: RecruitmentStAlbans@nysvets.org


Office Space To Share / Financial District NYC.
LOCATION:
111 John St., Ste 1460, NYC 10038 (between Cliff & Pearl St.)
A block away from the South Street Seaport. Easy access to office Central hub for all subway lines (A, C, 2, 3, 4, 5, J, Z, E), a quick walk from NJ path train.

Beautifully renovated, 1,300 sq ft. modern space. Available Monday, Wednesday, Friday and weekends.

Private rooms with pocket doors. Access to building 24/7, security/door man in the lobby, very safe. Daily rate $450. Contact (917) 514-1299 text/call.


Medical Office for Share in Medical Park with Free Big Parking Lot in Westchester County
Medical office for sublet in Medical Park with free big parking lot, located at West Harrison, border of White Plains in Westchester County. Office includes a big waiting room with a kitchen, doctors office, exam room, and reception area. All rooms are available for whole days of Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday, Thursday (Thursday full day on every 1st and 3rd week and Thursday morning on every 2nd and 4th week each month, or we can discuss more options). Monthly rent $600 for once a week usage, $1100 for twice a week usage, $1500 for three-day a week usage. Newly renovated and fully furnished. Text May if you are interested 646-338-4803


Board Certified Internal or Family Medicine Physician
Join our caring team and our mission to provide the highest standard of healthcare to each of our patients. Medical office in Eastern Nassau County looking a for a hard-working, responsible Physician to join our team.

Responsibilities include care for, diagnosing and managing patients.

Please send Curriculum Vitae to drg2555@yahoo.com.


MANHATTAN MEDICAL SUITE FOR SALE –Prestigious Coop on 45 East 62nd St. between Madison & Park!!
https://www.nestseekers.com/2122082/coop-manhattan
This approximately 1100 square foot medical suite has a grand reception area that is large enough for 2 or 3 people to work from. There is an additional nook area currently used for paper chart files that could also be utilized to update charts online or for bookkeeping. The waiting room has approximately 10 ft ceilings and a marble fireplace. The mahogany veneered office also has high ceilings. The reception area and hallway have a drop ceiling that was installed to accommodate duct work for air conditioning. There are 1.5 bathrooms. Medical equipment is also available for sale. The property needs a cosmetic renovation update.

To schedule a showing: melissaA@nestseekers.com or Call: Melissa Alonso with Nestseekers International: 646.403.7311

IDEAL LOCATION: 45 East 62nd – Prime Lennox Hill
PRICE: $1,100,000 with 50% Financing Permitted
Monthly Maintenance: $4775



Rendr – Transforming Healthcare – Leadership Opportunity: Associate Chief Medical Office, SVP of Population Health, Bilingual English and Chinese (Mandarin or Cantonese) preferred
Job Position: Associate Chief Medical Office, SVP of Population Health in this role, you will lead and provide a wide range of support through population health, quality measures, practice transformation, Rendr360 department, House Calls, and other projects. Please send resumes careers@rendrcare.com. We are offering leadership opportunities to Physicians who are interested in providing high-quality clinical care to our patients in the diverse communities that we serve. As a rapidly growing network, we provide a supportive environment for our physicians to practice medicine under the guidance of dedicated medical leadership. www.rendrcare.com.