All Politics is Local
Colleagues:
During my first month as your MSSNY President, I have interviewed with the NY Times, NPR Radio, and Crain’s Business Review. But it is the interview I did last week with Medscape that inspired this week’s Pulse message.
Question: How can local physicians make their political voices heard?
Most of the issues that affect your practice are decided in Albany, not Washington. The Medical Practice Act that created and regulates your license is a state law, not federal. Medical professional conduct and OPMC oversight are state functions. Scope of Practice, Prior Authorization, Prompt Payment and more—these are managed at the state level.
State laws are first passed by your local Assembly and NYS Senate representatives, before being sent to the Governor for her signature. Personal connections with your local legislators can be established by community engagement, and networking via Church, Synagogue or Rotary Club groups, among others. Attending Legislative Brunch Programs sponsored by your county medical society allows you direct contact. MSSNY’s annual Lobby Day every March allows for you to participate in auditorium panel discussions and facilitates your visits to their Albany offices in the state capitol. Writing letters, especially legible hand-written letters, has an additional impact beyond emails and text messages. Messaging your legislators with similar bullet points provided by MSSNY serves to amplify and reinforce our joint message and thus increase the impact of that message. MSSNY’s Grassroots Action Center serves as your link to the latest legislative issues and suggested action to take on behalf of physicians.
MSSNY and MSSNY-PAC are well positioned to help you have an impact well beyond what you can accomplish solely on your own. Contribute to MSSNY-PAC today, to ensure the future of your practice tomorrow.
All the best,
Jerome C. Cohen, MD
MSSNY President
