SEPTEMBER 8, 2022

News

AMA and others make MSSP requests ahead of final rule 
Healthcare Finance 
CMS should make advance payments available to all ACOs working to achieve health equity, their letter says. | READ MORE

US clears updated COVID boosters targeting newest variants 
AP News 
The U.S. on Wednesday authorized its first update to COVID-19 vaccines, booster doses that target today’s most common omicron strain. Shots could begin within days. | READ MORE

HHS awards $88 million in youth, school mental health grants
Bloomberg Law
The Department of Health and Human Services awarded $40.2 million in youth mental health grants in August and has allotted $47.6 million for new school-based mental health grants, the agency said Thursday. | READ MORE

Eight new CPT codes added for bivalent COVID-19 booster doses
Revcycle Intelligence 
The American Medical Association (AMA) has announced an editorial update to its Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) code set to include eight new codes for the bivalent COVID-19 vaccine doses from Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech. | READ MORE

Increased telehealth use during pandemic linked to reduced overdose risk: study
The Hill 
A new study published on Wednesday found that the expanded use of telehealth services during the coronavirus pandemic was associated with a reduced risk of opioid overdoses. | READ MORE

Exclusive: Biden Administration moves to streamline Medicaid, CHIP enrollment
USA Today
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services aims to make enrolling in government health care programs easier for low-income kids, disabled people and older adults by cutting red tape, according to a proposal announced Wednesday.| READ MORE

Georgia Board of Health Care Workforce Loan Applications Now Open 
Georgia Board of Health Care Workforce 
The GBHCW administers service-cancelable loan repayment programs for physicians, dentists, physician assistants, and advanced practice registered nurses. | READ MORE

Trends on overdose deaths require specific actions, all-hands approach  
American Medical Association 
With a report issued today detailing the horrific toll of the nation’s overdose and death epidemic, the American Medical Association (AMA) calls for an all-hands approach—policymakers, public health experts, educators, faith leaders, and employers—to help save lives. | READ MORE

New MAG-MSS chapter at PCOM South Georgia

In August of 2022, medical students at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) South Georgia established the state’s newest Medical Association of Georgia - Medical Student Section (MAG-MSS) chapter. MAG-MSS is the policy-making body for MAG’s medical student members. Located in Colquitt County, Georgia, PCOM South Georgia offers a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) program and a Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences program. As an accredited medical school, the college’s DO students are eligible for student membership in MAG.

Second-year student Destiny Sciuva (DO ’25) began working to establish the new chapter in December of 2021. The lengthy undertaking included coordinating with PCOM’s Office of Student Affairs, identifying a faculty advisor, establishing a Governing Council and executive board, and developing by-laws for the chapter. Finally, the students met with state MAG-MSS Chair Aditi Dave, M.D. Candidate at Mercer University School of Medicine, who provided final approval of the new chapter. 

Dr. Michael Brown, Colquitt Regional Medical Center’s Chief Medical Officer, said that the students’ commitment to establishing a new MSS chapter is encouraging and impressive. “Membership in MAG increases medical students’ investment in being physician leaders for Georgia,” said Brown. “MAG’s mission is to ‘enhance patient care and the health of the public by advancing the art and science of medicine and by representing physicians and patients in the policy making process.’ By inviting students to have a voice and a stake in our legislative process, they are learning to be more than just healthcare providers. They are learning to be advocates for their patients and leaders for their communities.” 

Twenty-nine students represent the MAG-MSS chapter’s initial membership. With aligning missions, the students will combine their MAG-MSS chapter with their existing Student Osteopathic Medical Association (SOMA) chapter. Sciuva will hold the President role in the two chapters for 2022-2023. The MAG-MSS and SOMA chapters will maintain separate associations and official membership of both will be treated as such, but Sciuva believes that integrating the two organizations at PCOM South Georgia will bolster both organizations. “Utilizing the tools we have gained from SOMA will seriously aid in engaging and retaining members for both,” she said. “I plan to emphasize to our current and incoming students that both of these associations are vital to our success and development as student doctors, especially because advocacy can only be as effective as the actions we implement - and policy is an incredibly important place to start.” 

The new chapter is entitled to select a non-voting delegate to represent their MSS at MAG’s House of Delegates in October. The chapter is also authorized to have a representative in one of the MAG-MSS Governing Council positions. If they do not, their student chapter delegate will have a vote on the Governing Council. Sciuva said that she is looking forward to building relationships across the state and nation, and establishing PCOM South Georgia as a campus that leads by involvement and action. “As students, we are honored and privileged to have a seat at the table and we thank MAG for creating the space.”

MAG Call for Candidates: MAG to elect 2022-2023 Officers at HOD 

The Medical Association of Georgia will conduct the elections for its officers for 2022-203 during the House of Delegates meeting at the Hyatt Regency Savannah on Saturday, October 22. 

The HOD will elect MAG’s president-elect, secretary, treasurer, and second vice president. The HOD will also elect four American Medical Association (AMA) delegates and three AMA alternate delegates. The balance of MAG’s Board of Directors will be elected at the county and district levels.

MAG members who are interested in running for a MAG office should contact Deralyn Swilley at dswilley@mag.org or 678.303.9291. The only requirement to run for a MAG office is that the candidate must be a MAG member for the past two years.

The following is a list of the candidates who have announced their plans to run for a MAG office for 2021-2022:

President-Elect

• Michael Davidson Brown, MD, MBA, FCCP 
• Charles Wilmer, MD FACC FSCAI  

Second Vice President – Nydia Bladuell

Speaker – James W. Barber, M.D. 

Vice Speaker – John L. Sy, DO, MS, FACEP  

Treasurer – Randy F. Rizor MD 

AMA Delegate - John S. Antalis, M.D.

AMA Alternate Delegate - Shamie Das, M.D.

Their candidate letters can be viewed on the MAG HOD website here.

MAG President-elect Thomas Emerson, M.D., will be installed as MAG’s president for 2022-2023 on October 22.

California Passes Historic Bill Allowing Optometric Surgery

The state's nearly 7,000 ODs will soon have the opportunity to pursue laser procedures, lesion removal, several types of injections and corneal crosslinking. | READ MORE

MAG is the leading organization defending the practice of medicine across all specialties in the State of Georgia. Bolster our efforts by ensuring you’re a member, contributing to GAMPAC and attending the MAG House of Delegates. | CONTRIBUTE TO GAMPAC

MAG House of Delegates

MAG House of Delegates Registration Open
The 2022 MAG House of Delegates, MAG's primary policy-making body, will meet this year at the Hyatt Regency Savannah from October 21-23. | READ MORE

GAMPAC Events