ARTICLE
The Medical Association of Georgia (MAG) recently held two key leadership meetings in Savannah, including the Board of Directors (BOD) on October 21 and the House of Delegates (HOD) on October 22-23. The following is a summary of some of the important developments that took place during those meetings. MAG’s BOD: Approved MAG’s priorities for the 2023 state legislative session, which includes tort reform, health insurance, public health, Medicaid and scope of practice Approved MAG’s FY 2023 operating budget Approved Strategic Plan Approved 2021 audit report Approved appointment of Dr. Pope to the Council on Legislation Key HOD Resolutions The following are some of the key resolutions that were considered during this year’s HOD: Resolution 110A.22 – MAG opposes the use of covenants-not-to-compete for residents and fellows. Resolution 112A.22 – MAG will advocate against pharmacy regulation that limits or restricts physician prescriptions. Resolution 115A.22 – MAG supports allowing senior resident physicians involved in a patient’s care to temporarily issue an order not to resuscitate until an attending is able to co-sign the order. Special Report 11.22 – MAG adopted the policy statement recommended by the MAG Taskforce on Diversity and Inclusion. Resolution 306C.22 – MAG will advocate for insurers and PBMs to be held liable for claims arising from delayed or denied treatment or care prescribed by a physician, including bad outcomes that could have been prevented but for the delay or failure to receive care due to a denial of a prior authorization due to a determination that such care or treatment was not medically necessary. Resolution 312C.22 – MAG supports legislation that promotes access to reproductive care for all Georgians, including the provision of termination of pregnancy (abortion). MAG also supports legislation that ensures that physician training programs in Georgia teach comprehensive reproductive health practices, including all medical and surgical techniques for abortion established as national core residency competencies. Resolution 313C.22 – MAG will advocate that any vendor or its subsidiaries that seek to contract with the Department of Community Health (DCH) to serve as an administrator of or as a care management organization (CMO) or as a healthcare maintenance organization (HMO) be prohibited by the State of Georgia from soliciting or applying for any business with DCH for a period of four years from the date that entity enters into a corrective action plan with the state of Georgia and voluntarily or involuntarily remits payment over $100,000 as a result of such corrective action plan. Additionally, MAG will advocate that any insurer who has entered into a corrective action plan with the state of Georgia be required to utilize Medicare guidelines and practices for the purposes of retrospective auditing and new claims submissions for the duration of the corrective action plan. Resolution 314C.22 – MAG supports the prohibition of non-physician use of medical and medical specialty titles and supports instituting strict requirements for proper title use by all physicians and non-physicians. Resolution 501CB.22 – MAG’s Bylaws will now include a requirement for Officers and Directors to complete an annual disclosure of conflicts of interest, which will be established by the Board of Directors and affirmed by the House of Delegates. Resolution 502CB.22 – MAG’s Bylaws have been amended to allow students at international medical schools whose accreditation has been recognized by the Georgia Composite Medical Board and who are currently receiving training and/or education in the state of Georgia to become MAG student members. MAG Election Results The following MAG officers were elected for 2022-2023: President-Elect: Charles Wilmer, MD, FACC, FSCAI Second Vice President: Nydia Bladuell Speaker: James W. Barber, MD Vice Speaker: John L. Sy, DO, MS, FACEP Treasurer: Randy F. Rizor, MD AMA Delegate: John S. Antalis, MD AMA Delegate: Ali R. Rahimi, MD, MPH, FACC AMA Alternate Delegate: Shamie Das, MD, MBA, MPH, FACEP AMA Alternate Delegate: Keisha R. Callins, MD, MPH AMA Alternate Delegate: Charles Wilmer, MD, FACC, FSCAI AMA Alternate Delegate: Zachary Lopater, MD, MPH AMA Alternate Delegate: Chris McAdams, MD Young Physician’s Section Chair: Natalee Wilson, MD Chair Elect: Shamie Das, MD, MBA, MPH Treasurer: Zach Lopater, MD, MPH Secretary: Tameka Byrd, DO, MPH MAG HOD Delegate: Tameka Byrd, DO, MPH Alternate HOD Delegate: Vacant AMA Delegate: Shamie Das, MD, MBA, MPH; and Zachary Lopater, MD, MPH Member at Large: Chris McAdams, MD Member at Large: Vacant Resident Fellow Section Chair: Vini Patel Vice Chair: James Rizor Treasurer: Kiara Jamison Secretary: Andrea Theodoru International Medical Graduate Section Chair: Masoumeh Ghafarri, MD Vice Chair: Raj Alappan, MD Treasurer: Uma Jonnalagadda, MD Secretary: Vacant Member at Large: Tapak Patel, MD Member at Large: Manoj Shah, MD HOD Delegate: Hemant Kumar Yagnick, MD Alternate Delegate: Dilipkumar Patel, MD GAMPAC GAMPAC raised more than $120,000 to elect pro-physician candidates during the HOD meeting. A lunch program hosted by GAMPAC in concert with the HOD meeting featured U.S. Congressman Buddy Carter and a panel with Georgia Sen. Ben Watson, M.D. (R-Savannah), Sen. Kay Kirkpatrick, M.D. (R-Marietta), Rep. Mark Newton, M.D. (R-Augusta), and House Health & Human Services Committee Chair Rep. Sharon Cooper (R-Marietta) discussing healthcare issues and their forecasts for the 2023 state legislative session. Contact Amanda Merl at amanda@capitolstrategy.us or 770.435.5586 or go to www.mag.org/gampac to join GAMPAC. MAG Awards Dr. Monica Newton received the Lamartine Hardman Cup, which is presented to a physician who has solved any outstanding problem in public health or made any discovery in surgery or medicine or such contribution to the science of medicine – including but not limited to excellence in the field of medical education. Dr. John Alexander Johnson received the Joseph P. Bailey Jr., M.D., Physician Distinguished Service Award, which is presented to a physician for distinguished and meritorious service that reflects credit and honor on MAG. Dr. Samuel Le Church received the Physician’s Award for Community Service, which recognizes physicians for going above and beyond the call of duty for community service. Dr. Jayne Morgan received the Jack A. Raines, MD, Humanitarian Award, which is given to a physician who makes an outstanding humanitarian contribution to his or her fellow man, community, country or world community beyond the normal practice of medicine. Joanne Thurston received the Donna Glass Non-Physician Distinguished Service Award, which honors a non-physician for their contributions to the advancement and support of medicine. HOD Meeting Survey 28% rated the HOD meetings as excellent, while 50% said they were good. 55% rated the Hyatt Regency Savannah as an excellent meeting venue, while 18% said it was good. 72% felt the HOD meetings were “just right” when it came to duration, while 13% said they were too long, and 15% said they were too short. 80% said that they believe “everyone had an opportunity to express their opinion.” 80% said that they had enough information and staff support.
The Medical Association of Georgia (MAG) recently held two key leadership meetings in Savannah, including the Board of Directors (BOD) on October 21 and the House of Delegates (HOD) on October 22-23. The following is a summary of some of the important developments that took place during those meetings.
MAG’s BOD:
Key HOD Resolutions
The following are some of the key resolutions that were considered during this year’s HOD:
Resolution 110A.22 – MAG opposes the use of covenants-not-to-compete for residents and fellows.
Resolution 112A.22 – MAG will advocate against pharmacy regulation that limits or restricts physician prescriptions.
Resolution 115A.22 – MAG supports allowing senior resident physicians involved in a patient’s care to temporarily issue an order not to resuscitate until an attending is able to co-sign the order.
Special Report 11.22 – MAG adopted the policy statement recommended by the MAG Taskforce on Diversity and Inclusion.
Resolution 306C.22 – MAG will advocate for insurers and PBMs to be held liable for claims arising from delayed or denied treatment or care prescribed by a physician, including bad outcomes that could have been prevented but for the delay or failure to receive care due to a denial of a prior authorization due to a determination that such care or treatment was not medically necessary.
Resolution 312C.22 – MAG supports legislation that promotes access to reproductive care for all Georgians, including the provision of termination of pregnancy (abortion). MAG also supports legislation that ensures that physician training programs in Georgia teach comprehensive reproductive health practices, including all medical and surgical techniques for abortion established as national core residency competencies.
Resolution 313C.22 – MAG will advocate that any vendor or its subsidiaries that seek to contract with the Department of Community Health (DCH) to serve as an administrator of or as a care management organization (CMO) or as a healthcare maintenance organization (HMO) be prohibited by the State of Georgia from soliciting or applying for any business with DCH for a period of four years from the date that entity enters into a corrective action plan with the state of Georgia and voluntarily or involuntarily remits payment over $100,000 as a result of such corrective action plan. Additionally, MAG will advocate that any insurer who has entered into a corrective action plan with the state of Georgia be required to utilize Medicare guidelines and practices for the purposes of retrospective auditing and new claims submissions for the duration of the corrective action plan.
Resolution 314C.22 – MAG supports the prohibition of non-physician use of medical and medical specialty titles and supports instituting strict requirements for proper title use by all physicians and non-physicians.
Resolution 501CB.22 – MAG’s Bylaws will now include a requirement for Officers and Directors to complete an annual disclosure of conflicts of interest, which will be established by the Board of Directors and affirmed by the House of Delegates.
Resolution 502CB.22 – MAG’s Bylaws have been amended to allow students at international medical schools whose accreditation has been recognized by the Georgia Composite Medical Board and who are currently receiving training and/or education in the state of Georgia to become MAG student members.
MAG Election Results
The following MAG officers were elected for 2022-2023:
Young Physician’s Section
Resident Fellow Section
International Medical Graduate Section
GAMPAC
GAMPAC raised more than $120,000 to elect pro-physician candidates during the HOD meeting. A lunch program hosted by GAMPAC in concert with the HOD meeting featured U.S. Congressman Buddy Carter and a panel with Georgia Sen. Ben Watson, M.D. (R-Savannah), Sen. Kay Kirkpatrick, M.D. (R-Marietta), Rep. Mark Newton, M.D. (R-Augusta), and House Health & Human Services Committee Chair Rep. Sharon Cooper (R-Marietta) discussing healthcare issues and their forecasts for the 2023 state legislative session. Contact Amanda Merl at amanda@capitolstrategy.us or 770.435.5586 or go to www.mag.org/gampac to join GAMPAC.
MAG Awards
Dr. Monica Newton received the Lamartine Hardman Cup, which is presented to a physician who has solved any outstanding problem in public health or made any discovery in surgery or medicine or such contribution to the science of medicine – including but not limited to excellence in the field of medical education.
Dr. John Alexander Johnson received the Joseph P. Bailey Jr., M.D., Physician Distinguished Service Award, which is presented to a physician for distinguished and meritorious service that reflects credit and honor on MAG.
Dr. Samuel Le Church received the Physician’s Award for Community Service, which recognizes physicians for going above and beyond the call of duty for community service.
Dr. Jayne Morgan received the Jack A. Raines, MD, Humanitarian Award, which is given to a physician who makes an outstanding humanitarian contribution to his or her fellow man, community, country or world community beyond the normal practice of medicine.
Joanne Thurston received the Donna Glass Non-Physician Distinguished Service Award, which honors a non-physician for their contributions to the advancement and support of medicine.
HOD Meeting Survey
28% rated the HOD meetings as excellent, while 50% said they were good.
55% rated the Hyatt Regency Savannah as an excellent meeting venue, while 18% said it was good.
72% felt the HOD meetings were “just right” when it came to duration, while 13% said they were too long, and 15% said they were too short.
80% said that they believe “everyone had an opportunity to express their opinion.”
80% said that they had enough information and staff support.