On January 13, members of the Kansas Legislature will return to the Statehouse. KMS has spent the last several months preparing for the 2020 session and—as has been true for the last 40 years—we will be at the Capitol every day advocating for you and your patients. This promises to be a busy, complex session and several important health care discussions will be at the forefront.

Key to understanding which issues emerge and advance is the impact of the looming elections this summer and fall. In 2020, the entire legislature must stand for election—40 senators and 125 representatives. Nationally, Kansans will also cast ballots for the U.S. President, Vice President, one U.S. Senator and four U.S. Representatives.

While the primary is not until August, the coming elections will influence the debate and tenor of this session. As issues are introduced, emerge and advance, the KMS Legislative committee comprised of your peers is meeting to review and discuss policies affecting the practice of medicine.

Here’s a primer on three key, health-related issues that will be discussed by lawmakers this session.

The Kansas Medical Society Board of Trustees has selected Rachelle Colombo as the organization’s next Executive Director effective January 1, 2020. Mrs. Colombo had served previously as KMS Director of Government Affairs; she will continue to spearhead the organization’s legislative efforts at the Statehouse.
 
“Rachelle has been a passionate advocate for KMS and the entire physician community for the past eight years.  We look forward to having her continue to serve KMS in this new capacity,” said LaDona Schmidt, MD, KMS President and a Lawrence family physician. 
 
A Wichita native, Ms. Colombo is graduate of Baylor University. She grew up in a medical family–her father, Robert Bingaman, MD is a general surgeon and her sister, Rebecca Green, MD is a family physician; both practice in Wichita.  Ms. Colombo and her husband, Jeff, reside in Topeka with their two children, Katie and Max.
 
Ms. Colombo has a great deal of advocacy experience at the state Capitol and in Kansas politics. Before joining KMS in 2011, she served as Chief of Staff to the Speaker of the Kansas House of Representatives.

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The Kansas Medical Society in collaboration with the Kansas Medical Group Management Association will be hosting an educational webinar, Tuesday, September 10 from noon-1pm regarding Health Care Sharing Ministries: Impact on Physician Practices. Our speaker will be Richelle Marting, JD with Forbes Law Group. In this session she will discuss the growing presence of health care sharing ministries as a source of payment and how they affect a physician’s practice. Topics to be covered include:

• Defining health care sharing ministries and sources of rules and requirements;
• Considerations for patient registration;
• Payment considerations, including ministries’ access to payor networks;
• Release of information considerations if the ministry request records.

Registration for this event is required and space is limited. Registration deadline is Friday, September 6. Please use the following link to register for this event. 

https://khconline.adobeconnect.com/kms-09102019/event/registration.html

Event flyer

Registration and hotel 

• Register here
• Make hotel reservations here (Wichita Hyatt; 400 W Waterman)

Schedule of events 

September 6

• Joint session with Kansas Hospital Association (2-3:30pm)
• Keynote address--Flawless Healthcare by Afterburner, Inc.; sponsored by KAMMCO
  • Afterburner, a group of male and female fighter pilots, leverage the principles of teamwork, accountability, and continuous learning utilized in their military careers to train today’s leaders. This high-energy, multimedia session explores the Flawless Execution Model, and how it relates to the demanding and changing health care industry.
• Reception with KHA & Afterburner (3:30-4pm)
• KMS Board of Trustees meeting and working dinner (5-7pm)

September 7

• Continental Breakfast (8-9am)
• KMS Past Presidents’ Breakfast (8-9am)
• KMS Annual Meeting and Members Forum (9am-noon)
• President’s Installation and Luncheon (Noon-2pm)
• Specialty Society Meetings (2-4pm)

One of the most commonly reported frustrations expressed by physicians today is dealing with prior authorization. Recent national research suggests that prior authorization requirements frequently lead to delayed patient care and can have a negative impact on the clinical outcomes for patients. Now, we also know that physicians in our state share those sentiments. 

KMS conducted a survey of its members seeking to identify the impact prior authorization has on physicians and patient care. The results (infographic) were clear:

• 97 percent of respondents reported that prior authorization delays access to necessary care
• 91 percent of respondents indicate prior authorization can have a negative impact on patient clinical outcomes
• 95 percent describe the burden associated with prior authorization as high or extremely high
• 96 percent of respondents indicated that the prior authorization has increased over the last five years

The survey results mirror those of a national survey which was conducted by the American Medical Association. KMS replicated the AMA’s survey so we might have state-specific data to help inform our advocacy on behalf of Kansas physicians. 

KMS has already begun meeting with payers to help them understand the extent of this administrative burden. We will also be sharing with them a set of principles adopted by the KMS Board of Trustees which can help inform positive changes to the prior authorization system. 

The practice of medicine and health care in general are experiencing a continuation of rapid and complex change. This pace and complexity is not expected to subside and thus is our “new normal." During the coming year, the Kansas Medical Society is uniquely positioned to respond, lead and positively influence in a number of different ways. Below are five areas in which we plan to direct much of our time, talent and resources in 2019.

MEMBERSHIP GROWTH and ENGAGEMENT

Membership is the lifeblood of KMS and we’re fortunate to appear to have reversed the trend of declining membership. In 2019 membership growth will continue to be our top priority followed closely by member engagement. We will continue to increase the frequency and methods of our meaningful interaction with KMS members.

ADVOCACY

If membership is the lifeblood of KMS then advocacy is the beating heart of KMS. Advocacy is at the core of all we do. Advocating for our members and the practice of medicine is what we do best whether it’s at the Capital, negotiating with an insurance payor, championing a public health policy or assisting a physician battling burnout. Each KMS staff member is passionate about advocating for our members and the practice of medicine in Kansas.

Read more …

This is just a test page for the webinar form.

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