REGISTER NOW FOR CAPITOL DAY - Thursday, February 13
We've got great plans for this year's Capitol Day on Thursday, February 13 from 12 noon - 4 pm. We'll kick things off with a lunch at the State Capitol and then we'll host a meet and greet dessert function with legislators in the Capitol Rotunda.
In addition to taking a tour of the Capitol, and a tour of the Capitol Medical Unit, all Capitol Day attendees will receive lunch and an "I chose Family Medicine" button (see illustration).
MEA will be on hand to conduct health screenings in the Rotunda, and in the afternoon, MAFP will offer caricatures by cartoonist Ricky Nobile. As is tradition, legislators who come to our afternoon dessert function will receive a special giveaway.
The Mississippi Legislature convened this week for a five-month session scheduled to end May 10. All 174 new legislators took their oath of office Tuesday, January 7, and the newly-elected statewide officers were sworn in January 9. The inauguration of Gov. Tate Reeves will take place Tuesday, January 14 on the South steps of the Capitol.
Committee chairs were announced on the Senate side Friday morning, with Sen. Kevin Blackwell (R-Southaven) named chair of Medicaid Committee and Sen. Hob Bryan (D-Amory) named chair of the Public Health and Welfare Committee. We look forward to working with them and their committee members.
Membership Push Underway
It's membership renewal season, and MAFP staff is sending reminders to all as-yet-unpaid members reminding them to rejoin for the coming year. As of this week, almost 65% of 571 active members have already paid their dues.
Please take the time to
pay online or call AAFP at 1-800-274-2237 to pay by phone today.
BILLS in Your Mailbox This Week!
No...not the holiday bills that come due in January. We're talking about the two Bills on the cover of our
Mississippi Family Physician publication, which will arrive in members' mailboxes this week! This issue's
cover features two important family physicians: Family Physician of the Year Dr. Bill Jackson (left) and MAFP President Dr. Bill Grantham. Read the magazine now online.
Forrest General Hospital family medicine residents heard a talk Thursday from Dr. Tom Payne of the ACT Center with the latest information about Vaping.
Residents Given the Latest Information on Vaping
MAFP's Jewell Buckley organized an educational lunch for residents and staff at the Forrest General Hospital Family Medicine Residency Program in Hattiesburg this week with guest speaker Dr. Tom Payne of the ACT Center for Tobacco Treatment, Education, and Research. Dr. Payne spoke to the residents on the risks of vaping. The lunch and education session is provided by a grant from the MS State Department of Health Office of Tobacco Control to the MAFP Foundation. MAFP Foundation supports a smoke-free Mississippi.
Higher FP Payment Coming in 2021, After Intense AAFP Lobbying
In a significant win for primary care and every AAFP chapter, the 2020 Medicare physician fee schedule final rule includes higher payment for family physicians next year.
Specifically the combined final rule and interim final rule that CMS issued Nov. 1 calls for higher payments for office and outpatient evaluation and management codes and the development of primary care add-on codes, resulting in a 12% increase in total allowed charges for family physicians starting in 2021.
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In addition to taking a tour of the Capitol, and a tour of the Capitol Medical Unit, all Capitol Day attendees will receive lunch and an "I chose Family Medicine" button (see illustration).
