NYSAFP Advocacy Commission Minutes
November 7, 2009, 10-11AM, Via Conference Call
Participants: Advocacy Chair Dr. Philip Kaplan, President Dr. Krotowski and Commission
Members Drs. Price (Vice Chair), Doucet, Gallagher, Brilliant, Okonkwo, Jenkins, Zinkand,
Ebarb, Pretorius, David, and Vito Grasso and Marcy Savage, Weingarten, Reid & McNally
(WRM)
Absent: Dr. Francis
Meeting called to order by Chairman Phil at 10am.
I:
Approval of minutes from August meeting without changes done via email prior to the call.
II: Marcy Savage of WRM referenced the Albany Update & NYSAFP 2010 Final Priorities sent
out prior to the call for review. Marcy then provided a brief summary of Albany activities
focused on the $3.2 billion current year deficit and the Governor’s plan to close this gap by
calling the Legislature back on Nov. 10th to consider his plan. His plan includes about $500
million in cuts to health care including a cut to physician rates under Medicaid, which the
Academy is opposing. Also, Marcy updated the group on the Academy’s efforts over the last
two months related to distribution and other issues with H1N1 and season flu vaccine and
referenced the Albany Update which includes a status update on the bills passed by the
Legislature during the 2009 legislative session which have now been acted on by the Governor.
III: Old Business
1. Update on Medicaid primary care medical home standards: Marcy to resend for
feedback within 1 week.
2. Update on Resolutions:
a) Resolution ’09-4: Medicare Physician Payments for Primary Care- Marcy to resend
letter for feedback and approval within 1 week before Academy office sending to
entire NY Congressional delegation.
e) Resolution ’09-10: Medical School Admissions and the Physician Shortage- Need
to follow up with Public Health and Education Commissions on next steps- Phil
inquire with other Commissions on next steps and how we can be helpful.
h) Resolution ’09-15: Support Expanded Title X Funding for CHCs- Marcy updated
group on WRM outreach to CHCANYS on this and offered Academy support in their
efforts to apply for funding through state RFP. Marcy will keep members posted on
any developments with this resolution.
IV: New Business
1. Amend PBH Law Section 2112 (Mercury free vaccines to kids)- Commission agreed
to have Academy work to amend the law to allow for State Health Commissioner to
waive law for distribution issues not just supply issues.
2. Distribution/ Maldistribution of flu vaccine- After much discussion, the Commission
resolved to advocate that physicians be given priority for access to vaccines in
situations of shortage of vaccine in order to ensure access for most vulnerable
patients (first distribution point of supply should go to physician offices for their
high risk patients). While we strongly support gov’t funded and distribution of all
vaccine, Commission is supportive of some purchasing consortium with other
physicians as a short term solution to try to ensure access to physicians while we
push for federal gov’t solution. This could be done through recent agreement set up
between Academy and MSSNY and AAP, not to involve corporate retailers.
3. Cord Blood Banking: Marcy discussed issue raised by LLS and Bone Marrow groups.
Commission endorses concept of increased access to cord blood banking for those in
Upstate NY (Dr. Doucet commented that in Canada she believes cord blood bank is
mandatory- Marcy/ Vito will try to gather further info. on Canada)
4. Bill Status update (1st chart below)
5. Bills for Discussion and Academy position (2nd chart with bill summaries below)
4. BILL STATUS UPDATE
Bill Number
Same As
Summary
Status
NYSAFP
Position
A.6677,
None
Schimminger
http://www.assembly
.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=
A06677&sh=t
A.7766, Fields
None
http://www.assembly
.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=
A07766&sh=t
Removing dentistry
coverage from
Medicaid
Assembly
Health
Oppose
Duplication of VIS
for vaccine
administrators, may
discourage
vaccination
Assembly
Health
A.7730, Mayersohn S.1753, Stavisky
http://www.assembly
.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=
A07730&sh=t
License suspension
for nonpayment of
loans
Senate
Health/
Assembly
Health
S.2948, Montgomery A.765, Gottfried
http://www.assembly
.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=
S02948&sh=t
Freeing NPs from
collaboration
Senate Higher
Education/
Assembly
Higher Ed
Oppose,
Marcy send
further
info. to Dr.
Ebarb- he
will follow
up with
sponsor
Oppose,
but we are
not
opposed to
some
sanctions to
address this
but not
license
suspension
Oppose
5. BILLS FOR DISCUSSION- Determine Position to Support, Oppose or No Position on
bills.
2
Bill Number
A8251, Schroeder
http://www.assembly
.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=
A08251&sh=t
A8515, Powell
Same As
Summary
Status
NYSAFP
Position/
Other
S6201,
Stachowski
Directs the
commissioner of
health and
commissioner of
mental retardation
and developmental
disabilities to jointly
promulgate rules and
regulations requiring
pediatric health care
providers to screen
children beginning at
the age of 18 months
for autism spectrum
disorders during each
wellness and
preventative care
examination
Assembly
Health
AAP
Position:
Oppose/
Academy
to oppose
S3759, Lanza
Removes primary
care services from
certain insurance
provisions by
allowing them to
charge a flat monthly
rate for uninsured
patients
Assembly
Insurance/
Senate
Insurance
Experience
with
WA
law: WRM
& NYSAFP
researching
- passed in
2007
in
WA-
http://www.assembly
.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=
A08515&sh=t
Dr. David
volunteere
d to reach
out to WA
physician
for
feedback/
Vito
get
WA law to
reviewcontinue
to discuss
via email
S.6161, Klein
http://www.assembly
None
Authorizes the denial
of renewal of
professional licenses
Senate Rules
Oppose
3
.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=
S06161&sh=t
where the individual
has outstanding tax
debt; requires the
creation of an
intergovernmental
data match system
for tax collection
purposes
Meeting adjourned at 11:45am by Chair.
4