State Medical Society Set New Healthcare Policy and Elected New Officers

• by Medical Society of the State of New York

WESTBURY, NY (05/13/2009)(readMedia)-- Physicians gathered from around the state to set new healthcare policy and elect new officers at the 203rd annual meeting of the Medical Society of the State of New York (MSSNY) in Rochester.

David T. Hannan, MD, a family physician from upstate Wayne County was elected to lead MSSNY as president. Leah S. McCormick, a dermatologist from Queens, was chosen as President-Elect, and Paul A. Hamlin, MD, a pulmonologist from Nassau County was elected Vice President.

The other officers are Malcolm D. Reid, MD (physical medicine and rehabilitation, New York County) - Secretary; Joseph R. Maldonado, MD (urologist, Oneida) - Assistant Secretary; Robert J. Hughes, MD (otolaryngologist, Saratoga) - Treasurer; Sam L. Unterricht, MD (ophthalmologist, Kings) - Assistant Treasurer; Mark L. fox, MD (otolaryngologist, Westchester) - Speaker; and Jerome C. Cohen, MD (gastroenterologist, Broome) - Vice Speaker.

Over a period of three days, the doctors debated the merits of 114 healthcare policy resolutions. Notable amongst those approved were the following:

• MSSNY will work with the state legislature to expand New York Health Plus as a possible first step in addressing the problem of the uninsured and healthcare delivery throughout the state.
• MSSNY will seek regulations of health insurance companies including ones that would require all health insurer representatives who discuss treatment denials to be licensed physicians, that would eliminate the 12-month waiting period for patients with pre-existing health conditions to obtain health insurance coverage, and that would require companies to meet increased minimum medical-loss ratios.
• MSSNY will continue to oppose conversion of GHI-HIP (Emblem) from a non-profit to a for-profit company.
• MSSNY will undertake a thorough study of the benefits and shortcomings of the Medical Home model as a means of providing better primary care to patients.
• MSSNY will introduce a resolution at the AMA annual meeting calling for Medicare to abolish incentives for pharmacists to push generic over brand-name medications.

MSSNY's new officers are available to discuss these and other healthcare policies for improving healthcare delivery to New Yorkers. Photos are also available.