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  Weekly e-News of the  Western Carolina Medical Society 
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June 28, 2017
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In This Issue:
Sponsor Message: Community Cancer Education, Inc. (Left)
Register Now: Women in Medicine 7/13/17
Save the Date for Fall WCMS Events
Legislators Move Forward on Controversial Bills Affecting Groups Overseeing Behavioral Health Providers
Bowtie Briefing with NCMS' Chip Baggett 6/23/17
Senate Releases Health Care Reform Bill
The AMA Strongly Opposes the Senate's Health-reform Proposal
CBO Deals Blow To Senate Health Bill
Better Care Reconciliation Act Postponed
Healthy Healer
WCMS Job Board
UPCOMING EVENTS 
 
Register Now: Women in Medicine 7/13/17
Michelle Bilsky will explain the benefits of self-care and relaxation for member
physicians and physician assistants. 

Michelle is an RN, Board Certified Massage Therapist, Esthetician, and Certified Behavior Analyst. She has been using these and other techniques to help people for over 20 years. The event will be held at East/West Events in West Asheville. 
Save the Dates: Newcomers' Picnic 9/24/17 & Healthy Healer Retreat Featuring Rebecca Sotile Fallon 11/4/17
Please mark your calendars for the 2017 Newcomers' Picnic at Yesterday Spaces! Bring the whole family to this inter-generational, fun, and collegial event! September 24 at 4 p.m.

Also mark your calendars for the 2017 Healthy Healer retreat, Finding Balance in Love and Medicine, presented by Rebecca Fallon of the Sotile Center for Resilience. This years retreat will focus on relational health and coping with changes at home and in the work place. The retreat will be held Saturday, November 4th at the Montreat Conference Center.
LOCAL NEWS
 
Legislators Move Forward on Controversial Bills Affecting Groups Overseeing Behavioral Health Providers 
State legislators appear content to push forward competing - and co-opted - bills that would tighten oversight of behavioral health managed-care organizations.

The full House voted Thursday 112-0 to approve Senate Bill 350, which has been gutted of language clarifying opioid trafficking offenses and replaced with language from House Bill 403.
Click here to continue reading.
STATE NEWS
 
Bowtie Briefing with NCMS' Chip Baggett 6/23/17
NATIONAL NEWS
 
From National Rural Health Association: Senate Releases Health Care Reform Bill
The Senate released their version of the House passed American Health Care Act entitled the Better Care Reconciliation Act of 2017. The text of the bill can be found here.

While the bill appears to have some changes from the House version, the bill maintains some of the provisions that led to NRHA's opposition. NRHA is disappointed that the bill includes deep Medicaid cuts that change the program from an open-ended federal commitment to a capped federal payment that limits federal spending, leaving either states, patients, or providers to struggle with the loss of funds.
The AMA Strongly Opposes the Senate's Health-reform Proposal
A lot of big numbers have been tossed around in the days since Senate leaders unveiled a "discussion draft" of legislation-dubbed the Better Care Reconciliation Act of 2017 (BCRA)-that would dramatically reshape how our country's health system is financed.
Click here to read full letter from David O. Barbe, MD, MHA President, AMA
CBO Deals Blow To Senate Health Bill with Estimate Of 22 Million More Uninsured
Senate Republicans' legislation to overhaul the Affordable Care Act would leave an additional 22 million people without health care coverage over the next decade and cut the federal deficit by $321 billion, according to a Congressional Budget Office analysis released late Monday.
Click here to continue reading.
Better Care Reconciliation Act Postponed
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) yesterday delayed a vote on the Senate GOP's health reform bill, called the Better Care Reconciliation Act, until after Congress' July 4th recess, after several Republican senators said they would vote against a motion to take up the bill without significant changes. McConnell now reportedly is aiming to reach a consensus on new policy among moderate and conservative senators by this Friday so he can send the revised bill to the Congressional Budget Office for a score over the July 4th recess and hold a vote shortly after Congress returns. (Sources: New York Times, 6/27; Axios, 6/27)
ITEMS OF INTEREST
 
Healthy Healer
Stanford Medicine Targets Physician Burnout with Physician Wellness Officer Appointment 

Stanford Medicine is so serious about addressing physician burnout, it's added a whole new office in the leadership suite. 

The academic medical center says it is the first in the country to hire a chief physician wellness officer, according to an announcement.

Stanford hired Tait Shanafelt, M.D., to become its first chief wellness officer at a time when physician burnout is a national epidemic.

Shanafelt, who specializes in physician wellness, will take over the position this fall. He previously worked at the Mayo Clinic, which has been a leader on the issue of physician burnout. There, he led a successful initiative to counter burnout.
Click here to continue reading.
WCMS Job Board


If you are a 100% Member Practice, posting job openings here is FREE!  Click here for more information. 
WCMS is a thriving 650+ member professional association of the physicians of Western North Carolina, and a chartered component medical society of the NC Medical Society and the AMA. WCMS is an organization run by physicians, for physicians. In 2017, WCMS opened membership to physician assistants.

Our Mission
WCMS Association: WCMSA is the physicians' voice advocating for the health of the physician, the patient, and the community, through strengthening the physician-patient relationship.

WCMS Foundation: WCMSF is the physician and community-led charitable arm of the medical society improving access to quality healthcare, decreasing disparities in health, and promoting health & wellness.

Our Vision
To be a dynamic physician community dedicated to a healthy, vibrant Western North Carolina.
 
About WCMS
The purpose of WCMS is: 
  • To strengthen the voice of WNC physicians in advocating for the health of the medical profession, the health of the patient, and the health of our region
  • To inform, educate and prepare physicians for rapidly occurring changes in health care at national, state, and local levels
  • To share legislative and policy information and advocate on behalf of physicians in areas of mutual interest
  • To share available resources in areas of mutual interest
  • To promote physician-to-physician communication and dialogue in an open, honest and safe environment
We hope you enjoy our weekly e-Newsletter. If you have questions or suggestions please feel free to contact me.  
Sincerely,
Photo: Miriam Schwarz, WCMS CEO
Miriam Schwarz

 
Miriam Schwarz signature



 
Miriam Schwarz, MPA
WCMS CEO/Executive Director