Legislative wrap-up session drags on

| Print |

Though today marks the 90th day of the legislative session, and the constitutional limit of days allotted for legislative business, the session is far from over. The veto session, which began on April 25, has now stretched into its third week–the longest in legislative history–without reaching agreement on those issues constitutionally required. Though both bodies have debated the budget and reapportionment, the opposing chambers have yet to reconcile their differences and agree to final positions.

The House passed a controversial anti-abortion measure heralded as the "no taxpayer-funded abortion bill," last Friday after several hours of debate. SB 313 prohibits taxpayer funding for facilities which preform or train for abortions. KU was exempted via a one-year proviso which was intended to allow them opportunity to maintain accreditation by supplying training in another means. The bill contained a number of other provisions and passed the House with 88 votes but was ruled materially altered and sent to a committee on the Senate side, where it is likely to remain for the balance of the session.

A Wednesday afternoon scuffle over tax reform has further stagnated the process, with both houses irritated by the procedural maneuvering utilized to advance policy stymied by differing political opinions. Both the House and Senate will break for Mother’s Day weekend and return for an unprecedented fourth week on Monday to “wrap up” the legislative session. 

If you have questions about legislative issues, please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , KMS Director of Government Affairs.

Annual Meeting 2012: policies adopted, officers elected

| Print |

The KMS Annual Meeting was held at the Capitol Plaza Hotel in Topeka on May 4-5. Again this year, KaMMCO sponsored an informative educational session attended by about 100 physicians and office staff focusing on opportunities to improve collaboration among providers within the health care system. 

Each year, in its House of Delegates, KMS member physicians from all over the state discuss and adopt statements on a variety of issues. These policies guide our organization’s work and advocacy efforts. At this year's meeting, delegates adopted 22 different statements on a variety of topics including support for the KU School of Medicine, sustainability of K-TRACS (the prescription monitoring program), notifications surrounding shortages of prescription drugs and reimbursement for vaccine administration. A listing of the adopted statements is available here.

Delegates also approved a number of commendation resolutions. Two of the resolutions formalized KMS' endorsement of the Kansas Healthcare Collaborative and the Kansas Health Information Network. Additionally, delegates recognized Jimmie Gleason, MD for his service on the Health Care Stabilization Fund’s Board of Governors; the retirement of Judy Janes, former director of the KMS Medical Advocacy Program and the 20-year employment anniversary of KMS Director of Communications & Membership, Allison Peterson.

2012-2013 KMS officers elected

Delegates also elected officers to lead KMS during the coming year. Mark Synovec, MD (Topeka; Pathology) was installed as our organization's new President and he is joined on the Executive Committee by the following individuals:

• President-elect-Michael Machen, MD (Family Medicine; Quinter)

• First Vice-President-John Eplee, MD (Family Medicine; Atchison)

• Second Vice-President-James Gilbaugh, MD (Urology; Wichita)

• Constitutional Secretary-James Barnett, MD (Internal Medicine; Topeka)

• Treasurer-Mark McCune, MD (Dermatology; Shawnee Mission)

• Speaker of the House-Lambert Wu, MD (Cardiovascular Disease; Topeka)

• Vice Speaker of the House-Steen Mortensen, MD (Rheumatology; Wichita)

• Immediate Past President-Kevin Hoppock, MD (Family Medicine; Wichita)

• AMA Delegate-Terry Poling, MD (Family Medicine; Wichita)

• AMA Delegate-Joseph Meek, MD (Internal Medicine; Wichita)

• AMA Alternate Delegate-Robert Gibbs, MD (Radiology; Parsons)

• AMA Alternate Delegate-Arthur Snow, MD (Family Medicine; Shawnee Mission)

• AMA Alternate Delegate-Richard Warner, MD (Psychiatry; Shawnee Mission)

A final message of encouragement

| Print |

Kevin Hoppock, MD
KMS PresidentA year goes by very quickly when you are doing what you love. As I bring my year as president to a close, allow me to make a few observations and present a challenge or two.

As I have traveled the state this year, I have been very encouraged by the amazing, dedicated physicians who tirelessly serve their families, patients, and communities. From office leadership, medical boards and hospital staffs, to church councils and community organizations, physicians all over the state are making an impact.

I have seen first hand the health and quality of the Kansas Medical Society. Our KMS staff, from top to bottom is made up of dedicated people who passionately believe in you and what you do, and seek to make Kansas the best possible place for you to care for your patients. Their capability, kindness, humility and effectiveness is unmatched. Truly we are blessed at KMS with a great and gifted staff. KMS has been and continues to be lead by truly remarkable physicians. We have benefited from the visionaries who birthed KMS and those who triumphed in the creation of tort reform legislation, KaMMCO, the Medical Advocacy Program, the Kansas Healthcare Collaborative and the Kansas Health Information Network. Many others continue to represent physicians in the legislature, Kansas Board of Healing Arts and numerous councils and committees of our organization. The practicing physicians of Kansas owe a debt of gratitude to the many physician leaders who have built the platform on which we now stand.

I have observed a great anxiety among physicians as we stand in the turbulent waters of medical political change. There is a rational fear that those who know little about delivering care are in positions to design how that care will be delivered. I have also seen physicians refuse to shrink back and become victimized by that change and have instead sought to be change agents and push forward the reforms in a way that preserves the best of our current system and innovates using the technologies that will be a significant part of our health system tomorrow. Please know that the leaders of KMS continue to labor to nurture the best possible environment in which to provide medical care.

My central message this year has been to remind physicians that in the midst of all of this change there is one thing that remains constant, and that is our mission. We must never forget that we are much more than "health care providers," "gate-keepers" and medical team leaders; we are physician healers. We are the ones who stay up at night to research the tough problem that we just can't solve. We are the ones who witness the child's first breath and the grandma's last. We dance on the stage of life and death and, when we are at our best, we share in the miracles of diseases healed, pain relieved and lives changed. Above all, we partner with our patients, share in some of the most intimate and fragile moments of life. In their pain, we offer comfort. In their anxiety, we offer hope. In their illness we offer treatment. In their loss, we offer our presence and our prayers. Even when cures cannot be found, we can still bring healing.

Thank you for the joy and honor of serving you as KMS President this year. I encourage you to continue to make Kansas a great place to give and receive care. Please let your voice be heard in the operating room, the boardroom and in the halls of government. Your colleagues and your patients need advocates. And each time you step into the patient's room and close the door, recognize just who you are, a physician healer, and then determine to do everything you can to change the world one precious life at a time.