Written by kate@dcmsdocs.org on . Posted in Uncategorised
In what the Illinois State Medical Society termed “a huge setback for the medical community, employers and injured workers,” Gov. Rauner last week used an amendatory veto of Senate Bill 904, permitting workers' compensation insurance companies to continue skirting existing law on payment of claims. As passed by the Illinois General Assembly, Senate Bill 904 made three changes to the Illinois Workers' Compensation Act: ● Allowing physicians to collect 1% interest on late medical claims by filing a claim for this interest in circuit court. Currently physicians cannot collect the 1% interest because there is no enforcement in current law.
● Requiring workers' compensation insurance companies to send an Explanation of Benefits to medical offices explaining why they have denied the authorization of medical care, or what additional information insurers need to make a decision on that care.
● Preventing workers' compensation insurers from ignoring the law that requires them to use electronic billing for workers' compensation claims.
"The important care provided by doctors, hospitals, and other providers is threatened because of a loophole being exploited by workers’ compensation insurance companies that allows them to authorize treatment and then not pay a medical provider," ISMS president-elect Paul E. Pedersen, MD, said in a statement.
Currently doctors in Illinois are owed millions of dollars for approved workers' compensation medical care. Noting that the legislation enjoyed overwhelming bipartisan support in the General Assembly, ISMS will seek an override of the Governor’s amendatory veto.
Written by kate@dcmsdocs.org on . Posted in Uncategorised
During a meeting on August 8, the DCMS Governmental Affairs Committee (GAC) identified next steps in the effort to secure additional funding for treating victims of domestic violence. Committee members, led by Lawrence Schouten, MD, DCMS Board Chair, were instrumental in drafting a resolution adopted as policy in April by the Illinois State Medical Society that directs ISMS to "seek legislative solutions and other remedies to assure available and adequately funded treatment for victims of domestic violence."
Given the state's financial situation, funding has been cut and is significantly lower, in real dollars, than a decade ago. Those reductions are especially problematic, the Committee believes, given the high costs related to ignoring the problem and not providing treatment for victims. Extrapolating from national data, there are likely around 200,000 victims of domestic violence in DuPage County. Last year Family Shelter Service served 2000 victims, but was forced to turn away 1300 others who needed help.
Working with the Governmental Affairs Committee to craft the post-election action plan are the following leaders:
Karen Ayala, Executive Director, DuPage County Health Department
Dennis Brennan, Legislative Manager, DuPage County Health Department
Judie Caribeaux, Executive Director, Family Shelter Service
Erin O’Brien, Vice President, State Legislative Affairs, Illinois State Medical Society
Vickie Smith, Executive Director, Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence
Written by kate@dcmsdocs.org on . Posted in Uncategorised
DuPage County Medical Society Resolutions
2018 Illinois State Medical Society Annual Meeting
ADOPTED
Resolution C310 Funding Treatment for Victims of Domestic Violence Directs ISMS to seek legislative solutions and other remedies to assure available and adequately funded treatment for victims of domestic violence.
Resolution C312 Elimination of Hepatitis C in Illinois Establishes policy endorsing the elimination of HCV by 2030, supporting the Illinois HCV Elimination Project, and seeking gubernatorial resolution dedicating the state to the elimination of HCV.
ADOPTED AS AMENDED
Resolution C308 Blindness Prevention Calls on ISMS to promote dissemination of blindness prevention information and advocate insurance coverage for routine exams by ophthalmologists.
Resolution C316 Product Label Dates Seeks federal standardization of date labels on foods and products to ensure that they address safety concerns.
REAFFIRMS EXISTING POLICY
Resolution B211 Prescriptions Drug Costs Advocates for changes to lower the cost of prescription medications, including Medicare price negotiations and FDA-monitored importations.
Resolution C311 AMA to Explore Privately Funded Residency Training Programs Sought AMA policy supporting evaluation of the feasibility of developing privately funded graduate medical education programs.
Resolution C313 Medicine Cabinet Safety Called for promotion of information on safely and securely storing medications.
REFERRED FOR BOARD STUDY
Resolution B209 Cloud-based Repository Advance Directives Seeks creation of a national cloud-based database of advance directives that can be accessed by healthcare institutions on behalf of patients.
SUBSTITUTE ADOPTED
Resolution B210 Costs to Kidney Donors Asks the AMA to promote legislation to ensure that living kidney donors are reimbursed for expenses associated with donation of their kidney.
Resolution C315 “Retired” Physicians as Community Assets Directs ISMS to develop a program linking retired physicians with volunteer opportunities and explore ways to assist physicians forced to discontinue practice because of disability.
NOT ADOPTED
Resolution A101 Property Tax Exemptions for Non-Profits Sought AMA policy for limiting the non-profit organization tax exemption and directing those tax dollars to care in underserved communities.
Resolution B212 Workplace Demeanor Called for guidelines defining bullying, sexual harassment and other inappropriate behavior for medical workplace employees.
Resolution B213 Ineffective NPDB Sought IDFPR verification of National Practitioner Data Bank reports on physicians sanctioned in other states when they seek licensure in Illinois.
Resolution C307 Milk Asked ISMS to adopt a definition of milk as being produced from live animals/humans..
Resolution C309 Carbon Dioxide Burial Asked for AMA policy advocating rules around carbon dioxide sequestration through burial that would safeguard water and food.
Resolution C314 Quarry Water Contamination Asked ISMS to support state monitoring of groundwater around quarries and regulation of materials dumped in quarries.
Resolution C317 Skin Compounds Wanted support for reporting to the FDA of adverse reactions from skin cleansing and cosmetic compounds.