The Drug Enforcement Administration is warning the public about criminals posing as DEA Special Agents or other law enforcement personnel as part of an international extortion scheme.

The criminals call the victims (who in most cases previously purchased drugs over the internet or by telephone) and identify themselves as DEA agents or law enforcement officials from other agencies. The impersonators inform their victims that purchasing drugs over the internet or by telephone is illegal, and that enforcement action will be taken against them unless they pay a fine. In most cases, the impersonators instruct their victims to pay the "fine" via wire transfer to a designated location, usually overseas. If victims refuse to send money, the impersonators often threaten to arrest them or search their property. Some victims who purchased their drugs using a credit card also reported fraudulent use of their credit cards.

Impersonating a federal agent is a violation of federal law. The public should be aware that no DEA agent will ever contact members of the public by telephone to demand money or any other form of payment.

The DEA reminds the public to use caution when purchasing controlled substance pharmaceuticals by telephone or through the Internet. It is illegal to purchase controlled substance pharmaceuticals online or by telephone unless very stringent requirements are met. And, all pharmacies that dispense controlled substance pharmaceuticals by means of the internet must be registered with DEA. By ordering any pharmaceutical medications online or by telephone from unknown entities, members of the public risk receiving unsafe, counterfeit, and/or ineffective drugs from criminals who operate outside the law. In addition, personal and financial information could be compromised.

Anyone receiving a telephone call from a person purporting to be a DEA special agent or other law enforcement official seeking money should refuse the demand and report the threat using the online form below. Please include all fields, including, most importantly, a call back number so that a DEA investigator can contact you for additional information. Online reporting will greatly assist DEA in investigating and stopping this criminal activity. 

> Online Reporting

For more information contact:Locate DEA Field Office for your area - https://apps.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/contactDea/spring/fullSearch

Registration Service Center - 1-800-882-9539

Email - DEA.Registration.Help@usdoj.gov   

The current practice of dentistry is defined as diagnosing, treating, operating, or prescribing for any disease, pain, injury, deformity, or physical condition of the oral and maxillofacial area relating to restoring and  maintaining  dental  health.  By removing the language, "restoring and  maintaining  dental  health" the bill permits dental practitioners to perform a wide range of medical and surgical procedures incongruent with dental training and practice including but not limited to rhinoplasty (nose jobs), blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery), rhytidectomy (face lift), submental liposuction, otoplasty (ear surgery), dermabrasion, and other procedures of the head and neck performed by plastic surgeons, otolaryngologists, ophthalmologists and neurosurgeons.

This bill would permit all dental practitioners to perform a wide range of medical and surgical procedures within the oral maxillofacial area.

Dentists, even oral and maxillofacial surgeons, are not trained in the systemic management of disease and, therefore, are not prepared to conduct a proper pre-operative evaluation, assess what surgical approach is most appropriate, or determine how to manage complications which may arise.
 
This type of expansion dangerously comprises patient safety and quality of care. Rather, policies should explore and implement measures that help ensure an adequate distribution of physicians in all communities and focus on attracting and retaining new physicians throughout the state.

Allowing limited license providers to become medical doctors by legislative fiat runs counter to federal and state policies that promote physician led, team-based health care.  > Use the NYSSPS Grassroots Action Center to Oppose S3551/A4543 

Currently, federal antitrust laws prohibit individual health care providers from acting in concert to collectively negotiate any of the financial provisions of the contracts they sign with managed care entities.  Even though the anti-trust laws were put into place to prevent concentration of market power, health insurers' power has grown out of proportion, enabling them to define physician's contracts with limited fess, covered benefits and access.

S3663 (Hannon)  A4472 (Gottfried) will restore fairness in the contracting process between health care providers and large managed care plans by empowering providers, especially those in solo or independent practice, to advocate for their patients and encourage competition in the market.

Restore fairness in the contracting process between health care providers and large managed care plans - Support S3663 A4472

New York's Health Insurance Exchange is a model for the nation, facilitating necessary health coverage for over 2 million New Yorkers.

S5675 (Hannon) / A7671 (Rosenthal) ensures consumer choice by amending the public health law and the insurance law requiring health care insurers to offer coverage for health care provided by out-of-network providers (inside and outside of statewide health benefit exchange).  

The Exchange is experiencing a lack of network adequacy due to physicians being unfairly excluded from Exchange networks despite their interest to participate in the plans. In several areas of the State (HV, NYC and LI), there are NO policies available in the individual Exchange market. In addition, there are pervasive reports and frustrations over the inaccuracies on health insurers websites listing "participating" physicians who actually do not participate, are not taking new patients, or list wrong contact information.

Our Ask: Support efforts to advance S5675 (Hannon) / A7671 (Rosenthal)

NYSSPS ANNUAL ADVOCACY DAY 

Tuesday, May 15, 2018
Albany, NY 

On Tuesday, May 15th, 2018 you are invited to advocate for your patients and the profession during the annual New York State Society of Plastic Surgeons Annual Advocacy Day. 

The day will begin with a legislative briefing of the issues and “asks” as well as a discussion on how to maintain and advance relationships with lawmakers. 

Appointments are scheduled to begin at 10:00am and end at 4:00pm.

Why Advocate?

• Advocacy ensures issues affecting plastic surgeons and patients are recognized
• If you don’t have a seat at the table, you’re on the menu 
• Regardless of your politics, the consequences of state policy affect your daily practice and cannot be ignored

Registration is open and available

 

ASPS Advocacy Summit

June 26-28, 2018
Washington Court Hotel
525 New Jersey Ave NW
Washington, DC 20001

Members of the NYSSPS will:

• Meet with members of Congress from your home and business district
• Participate in workshops on pressing state and federal legislative issues
• Learn first-hand from political analysts how Congress is shaping health care
• Network with leaders from ASPS and local, state and regional plastic surgery societies

> Register today!

We are pleased to announce that the New York State Society of Plastic Surgeons has selected the law firm of Garfunkel Wild, P.C. to serve as its General Counsel and be available to serve its members.

GW’s attorneys can advise and represent you in matters including: OPMC; compliance issues; employment disputes; real estate leases and purchases; wills and estate planning; corporate transactions; litigation and arbitrations; audits and investigations; and payor disputes. With over 80 attorneys serving the health care industry, GW has, for over 35 years, focused its attention on the needs of individuals and entities that provide health care services, including thousands of physicians and physician practices.

GW’s New York offices are located in Great Neck and Albany. Many of its attorneys have enjoyed prior careers as physicians, nurses, risk managers, prosecutors, and regulators and the firm’s Albany office includes three partners who served in high-level positions within DOH.

GW is available for general legal questions. Should you retain their services, as a NYSSPS member you will receive a discount off GW’s applicable fees.

The Physician Advocacy Program that was previously run as a MSSNY member benefit through Kern Augustine Is now being administered by the firm of Weiss Zarett Brofman Sonnenklar & Levy, PC.   

If you are a member of the program, your files are now located at the Weiss firm.  Call or email:

Mathew Levy, Esq.
Weiss Zarett Brofman Sonnenklar & Levy, PC
3333 New Hyde Park Road, #211
New Hyde Park, NY  11042
516-926-3320

On Monday, November 6, 2017 over 70 plastic surgeons, residents, industry partners and staff welcomed Stephen Coccaro, MD as the New York State Society of Plastic Surgeon's newest President at its annual membership dinner meeting at Maloney and Porcelli's Restaurant in NYC.

This meeting continues to be an exclusive opportunity to network with colleagues, policymakers and industry partners. This year's agenda focused on amplifying the physician's voice in healthcare policy and navigating the medical liability environment in New York. 

Stephen F. Coccaro, MD graduated from New York University cum laude and he attended medical school at Upstate Medical Center in Syracuse and Binghampton.

He completed a full general surgery residency at St Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, NJ before going on to complete a fellowship in plastic surgery at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque.  He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and a senior partner in Suffolk Plastic Surgeons, PC in East Setauket.  He is the Immediate Past President of the medical staff and has served as Chief of Plastic Surgery at St Charles Hospital in Port Jefferson, NY.  He is Clinical Assistant Professor of Surgery at Stony Brook School of Medicine. He is a past president of both the Suffolk County Medical Society and the Suffolk Academy of Medicine.  

Dr. Coccaro has represented Suffolk County at the MSSNY House of Delegates for over 10 years and has chaired its Public Health and Education committee. He is the current chair of MSSNY's Organized Medical Staff Section and has represented it at the AMA annual meetings. He is chairman of Blanca's House, an organization he helped create, to provide health care in Central and South America and has made over 13 medical missions through this and other organizations. He is also very active in his local community being on school and civic boards.  

With his wife Anna, he has three sons and makes his home in Setauket, Long Island.

Induction of Officers took place with the following:  Stephen Coccaro, MD – President; David Greenspun, MD – President-Elect; Thomas Sterry, MD – Vice President; Ash Patel, MD – Secretary; Beth Aviva Preminger, MD – Treasurer; Keith Blechman, MD - Member at Large and Kaveh Alizadeh, MD - Immediate Past President

We welcome the new leadership and look forward to a very successful year ahead! Congratulations!

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), through the Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs), recently mailed letters to all Medicare fee-for-service providers about the work to assign new numbers known as Medicare Beneficiary Identifiers (MBIs) and issue new Medicare cards to Medicare beneficiaries beginning in April 2018.

CMS top priorities include:

• Ensuring Medicare patients have continuous access to care; and
• Physicians have the tools and information you need for a smooth transition. Starting in June 2018, you can look up your patients New Medicare numbers through your MACs secure web portal.

Carefully review the letter and accompanying fact sheet and find out how to prepare to accept the new number beginning in April 2018.

Your letter will contain specific information for your MAC. You can also view a sample letter and print-friendly fact sheet.

For More Information

Review the new Medicare card design and press release to learn more.

Complying with Mandate

Physicians with a valid DEA number and medical residents prescribing under a hospital or facility DEA number must complete and attest to a mandatory 3-hour training course covering pain management, palliative care and addiction by July 1, 2017 and every three years thereafter.

Instructions on How to Attest

Use the Narcotic Education Attestation Tracker (NEAT) in the Health Commerce System.

You must attest to your own completion of the course work or training and notify the New York State Department of Health that you have completed the educational requirement by submitting an online attestation through NEAT.

For medical residents who are authorized to prescribe under a facility's DEA registration number, the facility must make such attestation.

Applicable Coursework

For the initial attestation deadline of July 1, 2017, applicable course work or training completed from July 1, 2015, to July 1, 2017, is permissible to satisfy the requirement. For each and every subsequent attestation period, course work or training must be completed during the applicable attestation period.

Prescribers can get their training through any course that has been approved by the DOH.

Available Option

The DOH is offering a free online-accredited course through The University at Buffalo School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. Registration is available online through the Opioid Prescriber Training Program

Additional Information

Additional information about the law can be found here on the DOH website.

Note:

Prescribers licensed on or after July 1, 2017, who have a DEA registration, as well as medical residents authorized to prescribe controlled substances under a facility DEA registration, shall complete the course work or training within one year of registration, and once within each three-year period thereafter.