DFS has released its "2019 New York Consumer Guide to Health Insurance."  Included is a listing complaint rankings of various insurers, external appeal rates and use of the IDR for out of network surprise bills. 

The stated purpose of this Guide is to:

• Inform consumers of the health insurance products offered in New York State and how they work.
• Help consumers choose a health insurance company based on quality of care and service.

Click here to view the complete guide

New York State Health Commissioner, Dr. Howard Zucker will conduct a webinar on Tuesday, August 13^th at 12 noon on the recent measles outbreak. The commissioner will also provide information pertaining to the new law regarding non-medical exemptions for vaccinations and existing requirements for authorizing medical exemption.  

During this presentation, New York State Department of Health staff will review the current status of New York’s measles outbreak, discuss current reporting requirements, the importance of case investigations and monitoring of exposed individuals and control strategies in healthcare facilities. 

This webinar is an opportunity to partner with the provider community to prepare for the upcoming school season and discuss activities underway to implement the new legislation.   

Webinar Information 

Topic: NYS Healthcare Professionals on Measles and Repeal of Non-Medical Exemptions
Date and Time: Tuesday, August 13, 2019 12:00 pm, Eastern Daylight Time (New York, GMT-04:00)
Event number: 649 366 029
Event password: MeaslesHCP2019 

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To join the online meeting
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1. Go to
https://meetny.webex.com/meetny/onstage/g.php?MTID=e1d755b5a34cf42d59d291f0cba6dbfae
2. If requested, enter your name and email address. 
3. If a password is required, enter the meeting password: MeaslesHCP2019
4. Click "Join". 
5. Follow the instructions that appear on your screen. 

Note:  If you are unable to join the webinar but would like to participate in the audio portion only:

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To join the audio conference only 
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Call the number below and enter the access code. 
US Toll Free: 1-844-633-8697

Local: 1-518-549-0500
Access code: 649 366 029

The New York State Society of Plastic Surgeons and The Doctors Company invite NYSSPS members to attend the Surviving Litigation Seminar, a complimentary workshop that provides constructive ways to deal with the stress of malpractice litigation.

The program will take place on October 3, 2019 in New York City.

Click here for full details

Today, Allergan announced that it is recalling its Biocell textured breast implants and tissue expanders.

The move follows increased scrutiny on textured breast implants and their connection to BIA-ALCL, an uncommon lymphoma that can develop around breast implants. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requested that Allergan recall specific models of its textured breast implants from the U.S. market due to the risk of BIA-ALCL, and Allergan agreed to voluntarily issue the recall as a precautionary measure.

Biocell saline-filled and silicone-filled textured implants and tissue expanders will no longer be distributed or sold in any market where they are currently available. The company urged healthcare providers to cease implanting its Biocell products and return any unused devices to Allergan.

Complete information 

Attend the NYSSPS Annual Membership Dinner Meeting on October 21, 2019 at Maloney and Porcelli's Restaurant in New York City.

This year's meeting will feature discussions on Out of Network, How to Protect Your Assets and Gluteal Fat Grafting.

Members and residents can attend at no cost. 

Register today!

Thank You For Your Membership
How Can We Serve You Better? 

We want to hear from you on how we can improve our current services, benefits and efforts. Please take 3 minutes to provide feedback that will help us to focus our resources on the interests of our members.

Take the Survey

Members of the organization have told us that the value of this organization is much greater than its cost and lies in its ability to:

• Connect members with other plastic surgeon colleagues, policymakers and regulators in New York  
• Access and receive information specific to issues related to the practice of plastic surgery in New York
• Provide education on how to negotiate contracts as you enter or change practice, survive lawsuits, navigate out of network regulations 
• Further define the importance of having an entity at the state level to discuss issues directly with elected officials

What do YOU think? What do YOU want?

What We are Doing for You, Your Practice and Your Patients

The Society has been actively working on (this list is not exhaustive):

• Preventing medical liability expansions and encourage efforts to reduce meritless claims
• Opposing efforts to establish a single payer system in NY
• Reversing regulatory requirements for additional reporting of OBS procedures
  
• Protecting patients from misleading advertisements
• Ensuring children with congenital anomalies have access to reconstructive and rehabilitative services
• Advocating to reduce the endless hassles with prior authorizations
• Making medical reasons the only allowable exception to vaccination requirements. 

Your membership dollar provides direct resources for:

• Advocacy and Governmental Affairs Services
• Educational Events
• Communications / Website / Grassroots Action Center
• Management / Lobbying contracts
• Other expenses like travel and operations like supplies and telecommunications

Your membership in the NYSSPS is vital to our efforts!  Thank you again for your commitment to the Society and the profession. 

Urge Representatives to Support Balanced Comprehensive Medical Liability Reform 

In the final hours of this year's legislative session, the medical community is advocating against efforts that would greatly increase your medical liability premiums including legislation that would significantly expand wrongful death awards and others.  

Enactment of any of these bills could significantly drive up your liability costs and effect a physician's ability to defend themselves in a malpractice lawsuit.

Please contact your Senators and Assemblymembers to urge that they oppose these bills and urge that they support balanced, comprehensive liability reform.  

A pre-written message is available for you.  You may modify to reflect your own practice situation. Every email counts!

Send Your Message

Opioid prescribing by New York State physicians has decreased 37.5% percent between 2013-2018 and opioid prescriptions also decreased by 11.2% from 2017 to 2018 according to data recently released by the IQVIA, Danbury, CT,  a data collection firm within the healthcare industry. The data is available here.

Additionally, the American Medical Association (AMA) has released its 2019 Opioid Progress Report—the third year that the AMA has reported on actions that physicians have taken to help end the nation’s opioid epidemic. The report shows significant decreases in opioid prescribing as well as increases in PDMP use and naloxone prescriptions. In addition to the national data, the AMA also released state-level data for opioid prescribing and PDMP use. New York State physicians and other users of the prescription monitoring program logged 23,931,571 inquiries in 2018, a 42% increase since 2014.

ASPS Efforts

In light of an ongoing opioid epidemic in the United States, the ASPS Patient Safety Committee has created a webpage dedicated to opioid prescribing resources. This site includes general information on opioids, a free CME course, and an ASPS Advocacy section.

NYSSPS was recently interviewed on the Capitol Pressroom with host, Susan Arbetter, to discuss efforts to promote insurance coverage for babies born with a congenital anomaly.

The Society has launched a campaign to educate policymakers and the public that 1 in 38 New York babies are born with a congenital anomalies like a cleft palate.

The plastic surgery that is required for many of these children is typically not covered by insurance which turns families to Medicaid. 

Access the recording: http://www.wcny.org/may-23-2019-improving-insurance-access/

On Tuesday, May 28, 2019 the New York State legislature will hear public testimony on a proposal to create single payer system in the state.

The New York Health Act, A.5248/S.3577, would replace traditional health insurance coverage and public health coverage programs with single-payer health coverage, including long-term care, for all New Yorkers. The program would be publicly funded, including existing federal support for Medicaid and Medicare. New Yorkers would not be required to pay premiums, deductibles, co-pays, or out-of network charges.

This hearing is the first of a series of hearings that will provide an opportunity for comments and suggestions from stakeholders around the state on the New York Health Act.

NYSSPS leader, Daniel Huang, MD, will testify on behalf of the Society.  The Society plans to cite concerns regarding delays in care, poorer outcomes and economic viability for practices. 

NYSSPS acknowledges the Sponsor’s efforts to add provisions that remove the requirement for prior authorizations for health care services.  Additionally, we acknowledge the provisions to allow for health care providers to collectively negotiate with New York Health including payment rates and methodologies.

The Society support solutions that build on the strengths of New York’s current system and will continue to work with the legislature to identify ways to advance healthcare delivery improvements. We strongly oppose the New York Health Plan in its current iteration but hope to work toward a viable plan acceptable to all stakeholders.

To submit your own testimony, please visit this link for more details.