From: Scott Tenner [Scott.Tenner@downstate.edu]

Sent: Saturday, June 28, 2008 7:22 AM

To: DrTenner@BrooklynGI.com

Subject: From the Medical Society State of New York

what has happened in Albany and Washington these last 48 hours as horrific.  I could not have described the events better than Dr. Goldberg's (President MSSNY) comments (see below)

- Scott

Weekly Update for New York State Physicians
Volume 8, Number 25
Christina Cronin Southard, Editor
mssnye-news@mssny.org

Dear Colleagues:

As a result of events in our Nation's Capitol and our State Capitol, this has been a week to remember for all of medicine and a week that should galvanize physicians as never before.  In Washington the point at issue is HR 6331, legislation which would have blocked the 10.6% cut in Medicare reimbursements to physicians.  However, as a result of the failure of the United States Senate to act, as of now that cut is going into effect on Tuesday.   

It is important to publicly recognize and remember legislators who have been supportive of quality patient care and physicians in New York State and who voted for HR 6331. 

I'm speaking specifically of the need for the physician community to thank Senators Schumer and Clinton as well as House of Representatives members from New York. The Democrats on the New York delegation voted to block the cut. Republican Representatives Peter King, Vito Fossella, Jim Walsh, John McHugh and Randy Kuhl also joined their colleagues in voting for HR 6331.  Clearly they recognize and understand how critical this issue is to patient care. We thank them all.

But for reasons that are hard to fathom, a coalition of Senate Republicans scuttled this vital legislation on Thursday evening and thus put in motion the 10.6% cut for this coming Tuesday morning. The AMA statement puts it succinctly: "The physicians of America are outraged that a group of Republican Senators followed the directions of the Bush Administration and voted to protect the health insurance companies at the expense of America's seniors, disabled and military families." 

At the same time as these Medicare cuts move forward, physicians are bracing themselves for a major increase in the already exorbitant and unaffordable cost of medical liability insurance in New York State for the policy year beginning July 1^st.  This is the direct result of the fact that the State Legislature left Albany without taking any action whatsoever to address the liability problem.  It is important to know that this increase would follow the 14% increase imposed last year, and the 55-80% increase levied cumulatively over the last 5 years.

And thus, a "perfect storm" for a health care system tragedy has been created.

For many, many physicians, this is the last straw.  They simply will not be able to afford to continue providing care to patients.

In five months we have our state, local and national elections.  We shall not forget where we found support for better patient care and an equitable Medicare reimbursement system.

We urge the New York State Legislature to return to Albany and the United States Congress to return to Washington at once to address these converging problems.  If our elected leaders fail to act, patient access to health care in New York State will be devastated.  We, our families, our employees, and our patients, will remember where our elected officials stood on these critical issues...

Michael Rosenberg MD
MSSNY President
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Capital Update

Scott Tenner, M.D., M.P.H.
Director, Medical Education and Research
Division of Gastroenterology
Maimonides Medical Center
Associate Professor of Medicine,
State University of New York - Health Sciences Center
2211 Emmons Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11235
718-368-2960
718-368-2249 Fax
DrTenner@BrooklynGI.com