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<h5>September 16, 2019</h5>
<h2>Five Things to Know While Prepping for Seahawks Season</h2>
<p>
Jennifer Hanscom, Executive Director/CEO
</p>
<p>
I'm beginning to appreciate the demands of a grueling travel schedule. While my travels are nothing like those of an NFL team, it sure has been busy lately. Over the past three weeks, I've traveled to Spokane, Vancouver, and Bellingham with our <a href="https://vimeo.com/359807313">WSMA Road Trips</a>, designed to connect with our members face to face. As always, it was great to connect in person with the people who make the WSMA what it is!
</p>
<p>
At the moment, I'm on the East Coast. I'm at The Heller School at Brandeis University to participate in an annual Physicians Foundation leadership program, to be followed by a trip to North Carolina with several WSMA members and their dyad partners to work on physician wellness (see below). And when I return to Washington, I'll be meeting with physician and medical group leaders throughout the state, sharing WSMA's 2020 agenda, learning what's on their priority list, and hopefully, gaining their commitment for a group investment in WSMA membership.
</p>
<p>
We are a member-driven organization and as such, we focus our resources on areas where we can help improve your professional development and the practice of medicine in Washington state. We believe this will lead us to our vision of making Washington the best place to practice medicine and to receive care. Here are some of the areas where we are focusing our attention.
</p>
<h3>Working on physician wellness</h3>
<p>
As part of our work to test practice interventions that could improve wellness, I'll be heading to Charlotte, NC, this week along with our eight grantee organizations for the American Conference on Physician Health. The <a href="https://www.ama-assn.org/press-center/press-releases/ama-fights-burnout-new-practice-transformation-initiative">WSMA and our pilot practices are seeking to drive improvements through the Practice Transformation Initiative being led by the AMA with support from the Physicians Foundation</a>. Our groups will work with national experts to identify solutions and share best practices for improving the clinician experience and meaningful change at the practice level. Check out the <a href="https://wsma.org/Shared_Content/News/Latest_News/2019/September/ending_death_by_a_million_clicks">September/October edition of WSMA Reports</a> to learn more.
</p>
<h3>Opposing B&amp;O tax increase</h3>
<p>
We are as distressed by the 20 percent surcharge on business and occupation taxes as are the businesses—and physicians—impacted by it. We are aggressively opposed to the surcharge, which impacted independent physician practices and clinics. I realize it's small comfort to know that the tax could have been much higher—an increase of 67 percent was originally proposed. While the legislature reduced the impact to a 20 percent tax hike, it's still a significant financial burden for independent physicians and practices.
</p>
<p>
Rest assured, the WSMA has not given up. We will continue to vehemently oppose this surcharge and intend to use the interim to build momentum to overturn the surcharge in the 2020 session. It will take a village to get that done, so we will need your help to make it happen. We are asking you to keep the pressure on local legislators by meeting with them now to express the impact this tax will have on your practice and on access to care for patients in our communities. Nothing moves legislators more than personal stories of how the ripple effect of their actions impacts your business and the lives of your patients. <a href="https://wsma.org/WSMA/Advocacy/Legislative___Regulatory/No_to_B_and_O/WSMA/Advocacy/Legislative_Regulatory/No_to_B_and_O/no_to_b_and_o_.aspx?hkey=d5807781-a824-4b2c-a8f4-70ed597ddfa8">Talking points can be found here</a>. If you are unsure how to connect with your local legislator, contact Alex Wehinger at <a href="mailto:alex@wsma.org">alex@wsma.org</a>.
</p>
<h3>Raising the physician voice…and PAC funds</h3>
<p>
In many ways, the state Legislature wasn't friendly to physician interests in the 2019 legislative session. This must change in 2020. One way we can make that happen is through WAMPAC, the nonpartisan campaign arm of WSMA that builds relationships and connections between our members and their elected officials. WAMPAC works to ensure the physician's voice is heard, but it takes resources to do this effectively.
</p>
<p>
With the 2020 election just around the corner, we need to double down to ensure candidates hear the physician voice loud and clear on the campaign trail. To that end, we're mounting a campaign to bolster the coffers. We're asking you to give $20 today to make a difference in 2020 – and encourage your colleagues to do the same. Take action right now to join our <a href="https://wsma.org/WSMA/Advocacy/WAMPAC/Give_to_WAMPAC/WSMA/Advocacy/WAMPAC/Give_to_WAMPAC.aspx?hkey=665ce949-b574-4ec7-8e5a-7a796233e5d7">$20 for 2020 Campaign by clicking here to donate</a>.
</p>
<p>
Whether your gift is a one-time donation or ongoing commitment, help us advance an advocacy agenda that bolsters the profession and improves patient care throughout Washington. Your contribution really does make a difference!
</p>
<h3>Preventing acupuncturist scope expansion</h3>
<p>
The Department of Health is conducting a sunrise review of a proposal from the Washington Acupuncture and Eastern Medicine Association to <a href="https://www.doh.wa.gov/AboutUs/ProgramsandServices/HealthSystemsQualityAssurance/SunriseReviews/SunriseReviewinProgress">increase the scope of practice for acupuncturists and Eastern Medicine practitioners</a>. The proposal would broaden these practitioners' ability to diagnose and treat disease, treat substance use disorder, include additional substances for point injection therapy, and more.
</p>
<p>
While the WSMA supports and encourages the use of integrative modalities like acupuncture, especially in the context of pain management, we have serious patient safety concerns with some of the proposed scope expansions under consideration and are on the record in opposition. In fact, WSMA Policy Director Jeb Shepard testified at a recent public hearing on the proposal and the WSMA submitted a formal comment detailing our concerns. Proponents of the sunrise review have been responsive to our concerns and are working with WSMA staff to address them.
</p>
<h3>Holding the Medical Commission accountable for licensure delays </h3>
<p>
Our members brought us concerns about licensure delays and we've taken action. We reached out to the Medical Commission to learn more about the cause. In a formal response to our inquiry, the Commission indicated staffing shortages and an increasing number of applications and delegation agreements have created challenges for them to keep their application times under their average time of approximately 10 weeks.
</p>
<p>
Subsequently, the Commission took several steps to mitigate the situation, including reassigning staff from different areas to assist with applications, completing recruitment for current openings, and authorizing overtime until performance returns to normal.
</p>
<p>
However, if you continue to have trouble with the licensing process, hearing from you helps us advocate for you. Contact Jeb Shepard at <a href="mailto:jeb@wsma.org">jeb@wsma.org</a> with your experiences.
</p>
<p>
Also, the Commission noted that ensuring you've submitted a complete application is key to swift licensure. They recommend that you use the Federation Credentials Verification Services provided through the Federation of State Medical Boards. Applicants who use the FCVS establish a permanent portfolio of verified credentials and all their records are kept in one repository.
</p>
<p>
With that, I'll refocus my thoughts now on the leadership development experience at Brandeis. Thanks for reading, and as always, thanks for your engagement with the WSMA. I'm grateful for our partnership!
</p>
</div> | 9/16/2019 12:00:00 AM | 1/1/0001 12:00:00 AM |
| countdown_to_the_2019_wsma_annual_meeting | Countdown to the 2019 WSMA Annual Meeting | Latest_News | Shared_Content/News/Membership_Memo/20190911/countdown_to_the_2019_wsma_annual_meeting | <div class="col-md-12">
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<h5>
September 11, 2019
</h5>
<h2>Countdown to the 2019 WSMA Annual Meeting</h2>
<p>
The 2019 WSMA Annual Meeting, WSMA's premier policymaking and networking event, is nearly here. If you have yet to register for the meeting, scheduled for Oct. 12-13 in Seattle, <a href="https://wsma.org/WSMA/Events/Annual_Meeting/WSMA/Events/Annual_Meeting/Annual_Meeting.aspx?hkey=fea49254-3815-4dc9-8710-53ff2e3a100f">do so today</a>. The meeting is free for WSMA members and members of the Washington State Radiological Society, which will hold its annual meeting on Saturday, Oct. 12, and has joined the WSMA in co-sponsoring a series of educational sessions throughout the day. Here's what members should know as the meeting approaches.
</p>
<ol>
<li>Today (Sept. 11) is the deadline to receive the special discounted room rate at the Hilton Seattle Airport &amp; Conference Center.</li>
<li>Tomorrow (Thursday, Sept. 12) is the final deadline for WSMA delegates to submit resolutions to the WSMA Seattle office. </li>
<li>The 2019 Delegate Handbook—the compilation of resolutions and other business to be considered by the House of Delegates at the meeting—is now available for <a href="https://wsma.org/WSMA/Events/Annual_Meeting/WSMA/Events/Annual_Meeting/Annual_Meeting.aspx?hkey=fea49254-3815-4dc9-8710-53ff2e3a100f#handbook">download from the WSMA website</a>.</li>
<li>40 resolutions are now available in our password-protected <a href="https://wsma.org/WSMA/Membership/Discussion_Forums/Reference_Committees_and_General_Discussion/WSMA/Membership/Discussion_Forums/Reference_Committees_and_General_Forum.aspx?hkey=d674a5ae-4fb5-48d6-b969-16aab9b63647">"virtual" reference committees</a>. WSMA members are encouraged to take a moment to review these proposals and provide input, which is crucial to shaping good policy.</li>
</ol>
<p>
For a full agenda, speaker and activity detail and to register for the WSMA Annual Meeting, visit the <a href="https://wsma.org/WSMA/Events/Annual_Meeting/WSMA/Events/Annual_Meeting/Annual_Meeting.aspx?hkey=fea49254-3815-4dc9-8710-53ff2e3a100f">WSMA website</a>.
</p>
<p>
The WSMA would like to thank our corporate partners for helping to make the meeting possible: exclusive premier partner <a href="http://www.phyins.com/">Physicians Insurance A Mutual Company</a>, and silver partners <a href="http://www.premera.com/">Premera Blue Cross</a>, <a href="https://www.fchn.com/">First Choice Health</a>, <a href="http://www.hallrender.com/">Hall Render</a> and <a href="https://www.wpmgcareers.org/index.html">Kaiser Permanente</a>. The WSMA also wishes to thank the following meeting sponsor for its generous contributions: platinum sponsor <a href="https://www.providence.org/">Providence Health &amp; Services</a>.
</p>
</div> | 9/11/2019 12:00:00 AM | 1/1/0001 12:00:00 AM |
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<h5>
September 11, 2019
</h5>
<h2>New Effective Date for Changes to Apple Health Opioid Prescribing Policy</h2>
<p>
The Health Care Authority has changed the implementation date from Oct.1 to Nov. 1, 2019 for updates to its Apple Health (Medicaid) opioid clinical policy intended to align the policy with the federal SUPPORT Act passed in 2018.
</p>
<p>
While the prescribing policy remains largely unchanged, there are some significant new requirements, including: An attestation that chronic pain best practices are being followed when prescribing more than the acute policy limit within a 90-day period, and prior authorization on claims that exceed 120 morphine milligram equivalent (MME) limit. The expedited prior authorization provision, secured by the WSMA, remains in effect.
</p>
<p>
Visit the <a href="https://www.hca.wa.gov/billers-providers-partners/programs-and-services/opioids">HCA website</a> to review the changes.
</p>
</div> | 9/11/2019 12:00:00 AM | 1/1/0001 12:00:00 AM |