Important message from MMS President

Video message to members from MMS President

Please click below to see a special 2-minute video message from MMS President Dr. Alain Chaoui, discussing this important, busy time as the state legislature wraps up its legislative session. Specifically, Dr. Chaoui provides an update on a comprehensive health care cost and access bill currently being negotiated by the legislature which contained many original proposals of significant concern to the Medical Society. For more details, view the video and other materials available at the link.

Tobacco bill reaches Governor’s desk with MMS support

A bill seeking to raise the age of sale for tobacco products to 21 has reached the Governor’s desk, with strong support and advocacy from Tobacco Free Massachusetts, of which the Medical Society is a founding member. This bill would also prohibit the sale of tobacco in pharmacies, further regulate electronic cigarettes and vaping devices, such as through requiring childproof packaging for the liquid nicotine and tobacco, and including e-cigarettes in the smoke-free workplace law. In addition, the recent House and Senate compromise budget included a $500,000 increase for the Massachusetts tobacco cessation and prevention. All the major provisions of the new law are aligned with Society policies.

News and announcements

Concerned about your MIPS score? Request a review

Clinicians who participated in the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) in 2017 can now access their final MIPS score and performance feedback at the Quality Payment Program website (click button below). The scoring is the basis for the Medicare payment adjustment the clinicians will receive in 2019. Physicians who believe an error has been made in their 2019 MIPS payment adjustment calculation can request a targeted review by CMS until September 30, 2018. To request a review, go to the Quality Payment Program website, and log in using the same Enterprise Identity Management credentials used to submit MIPS data. Questions? Contact the Quality Payment Program on (866) 288-8292 or  QPP@cms.hhs.gov.

CHIA releases data behind CompareCare

The Center for Health Information & Analysis (CHIA) is today posting on the CompareCare website a spreadsheet containing the data it used to populate its procedure pricing tool. CompareCare (click button below) allows individuals to search and browse insurer payment data for 295 specific services using a number of filters, and lets users select a specific insurer to see payer-specific paid amounts. CHIA says the release of the dataset it is designed to expand transparency in ways that may be useful to stakeholders, such as supporting an informed public dialogue about health care costs. The first release will show multi-payer weighted average prices; CHIA will be releasing payer-specific prices in future.

Longwood Symphony concert to benefit physician orgs

A fall performance by the Longwood Symphony Orchestra (LSO) will support Greater Boston Physicians for Social Responsibility and International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War. The event, in the LSO’s Healing Art of Music program, will honor the late Dr. Victor Sidel, a pioneer and leader of the two physician organizations. It will be held on Saturday, October 13, at New England Conservatory, Boston.

Benefit Buzz

Legal Advisory Plan: Why you should enroll now
If you do not have a MMS Legal Advisory Plan in place when you receive a Board of Registration in Medicine investigation, it is too late to take advantage of expert attorney representation for a successful outcome for a fraction of typical legal fees. Enroll or renew for July 2018 - July 2019 coverage for $70 a year. Additional discount for groups of five or more. For questions, call (781) 434-7311 or emaillap@massmed.org.
 
Member verdicts:
 
"Wished I had signed up for the Plan when I received the Board complaint. It costed me thousands of dollars for an attorney to resolve the issue. The Plan is certainly a bargain."

"The LAP newsletters were very helpful. Made me aware of situations to avoid that could impact my medical license. "

Reminders: Stuff you should click on

MedPEP: Free anti-burnout podcast from PHS

MedPEP, the Medical Professionals’ Empowerment Program, is a free podcast series exploring ways for you to stay well and reduce your risk of burnout. The featured episode (click button below) addresses resolving interpersonal conflicts on medical teams and within health care organizations.

In MedPEP, Marie Curious, MD (a pseudonym), an early career primary care internist, joins Les Schwab, MD, a PCP and physician coach, to consult a series of professionals who offer practical techniques to help her survive and thrive in today’s medical environment. Their territory includes nutrition, physical activity, working with difficult colleagues, dealing with bureaucracy and bosses, multi-tasking, system improvement, meditation, and addiction. MedPEP is brought to you by Physician Health Services (PHS), an organization founded by the MMS.

TUES:  Free retirement finances workshops for physicians

Need to plan for your financial security in retirement? Join your peers at an in-person class geared specifically to your needs. Use the code MassMed during checkout for free admission. 

Physician Finance: Planning for a Bright Future helps you evaluate your preparedness for retirement and protect your assets. You will also learn about estate planning basics, charitable giving, and college planning. Brookline; Tues., July 24, 6:30–8:00 p.m.

The classes are provided by In Good Company, a collaboration between MassMutual and Baystate Financial, and are being promoted by the Physicians Insurance Agency of Massachusetts, an MMS subsidiary. Questions? Email piam@mms.org.

Live events: Leadership development

Managing Workplace Conflict: Improving Leadership & Personal Effectiveness
Thurs. & Fri., November 1–2 

The Heller School’s Executive MBA for Physicians (EMBA)
January 2019 – May 2020: 25% discount for MMS members
Brandeis University, Heller School of Social Policy and Management

Featured online CME: Information technology

The Promises and Pitfalls of Transforming Health through Technology and Information
(6 Modules)    

1 Technology & Information: Necessary Tools for Health in a Challenging Time
2 Part Machine, Part Human: Artificial Intelligence, Health Coaching & Behavior Change
3 Shifts in Health Systems and Role of Software
4 How Harnessing the Power of Technology and Innovation can Improve Health Outcomes, Global Health, and Health Systems
5 Mobile Connected Health and Behavioral Change
6 Clinical Opportunities for Telehealth: TeleNeurology and Other Stories

Quote of the week

"We have a health privacy machine that’s in crisis. We have a law that only covers one source of health information. They are rapidly developing another source." 

— Frank Pasquale, professor at the University of Maryland Carey School of Law specializing in issues related to machine learning and algorithms (ProPublica)

What’s new in health care

Check out the most clicked-on stories from this week's MMS Media Watch. Sign up for daily Massachusetts media roundups by email. Some publications are fully accessible only to their subscribers.

Archaic abortion law up for repeal used as recently as 2007

Governor Charlie Baker has signaled his support for the state legislature's ongoing effort to repeal archaic Massachusetts laws on abortion that date back to the 19th century.

Beth Israel-Lahey merger would increase costs by tens of millions a year

A state panel assessing what would be the largest hospital transaction in Massachusetts in more than 20 years finds that the merger could increase health costs.

Joyce Murphy stepping down from Commonwealth Medicine

Joyce Murphy, executive vice chancellor for Commonwealth Medicine at UMass Medical School in Worcester, will step down from her role in August. 

Mosquitoes carrying West Nile virus found in 2 Western Mass. towns

MDPH tests show mosquitoes carrying the West Nile virus were found recently in Belchertown and Ware.

Health insurers are vacuuming up details about you — could raise your rates

With little public scrutiny, the health insurance industry has joined forces with data brokers to vacuum up personal details about hundreds of millions of Americans, including, odds are, many readers of this story.

Massachusetts leads nation in cutting opioid prescriptions 

Duckworth said the prescribing culture has changed significantly in the past few years, thanks to work from Blue Cross, the Massachusetts Medical Society, and Gov. Charlie Baker.

Business groups raise concerns about health bills 

A letter from seven groups, including Associated Industries of Massachusetts and the Retailers Association of Massachusetts, indicated businesses were growing tired of the Legislature's penchant for quick fixes without addressing the underlying cost problems in Medicaid and the broader health care industry.

A first-of-its-kind Boston conference tackles pregnancy and women's health

Researchers gather for a first-of-its-kind Boston conference this week, focusing on the increase in pregnancy and childbirth complications and women's health.

'Groundbreaking' MGH diabetes research catches eye of Gov. and insurers

The June study also detailed how the vaccine genetically alters the body's white blood cells so that they process glucose, making up for the pancreas' inability to produce insulin to do the same.