Adopted - Resolved, that Chapter VII, Section 1, of the Missouri State Medical Association Bylaws, be amended as follows: The Committee on Legislative Affairs shall consist of fifteen members of the Association, appointed annually by the President, and five ex officio members. The ex officio members shall be the Association President, First Vice-President, President-Elect, Council Chair, and Council Vice-Chair. The Committee shall consider legislative proposals affecting health problems of the people of the state and the practice of medicine and shall make recommendations to the Council and the House of Delegates as well as directing staff activities in such matters.
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Resolution #2 – Prescription Drug Monitoring Program
Resolution #8 – Prescription Drug Monitoring Program
Adopted – Resolved, the Missouri State Medical Association encourage legislation to develop a Prescription Drug Monitoring Program to gather data on Schedule II-IV controlled substances that will allow Missouri physicians to access information to identify patients seeking prescribed medications, and be it further
Resolved, the Missouri State Medical Association encourage such legislation to protect the legitimate practice of prescribing pain medication.
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Resolution #3 – Credentialing CME
Referred to MSMA Council – Resolved, that the Missouri State Medical Association: 1. Reduce constraints on pharmaceutical and instrument companies for providing CME to physicians; 2. Simplify CME procedures for documentation of scientific presentations, particularly joint sponsorship and cost reduction.
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Resolution #4 – Electronic Medical Records
Adopted – Resolved, that the use of EMRs in medical practices should not be mandated nor should penalties be applied for not adopting their use.
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Resolution #5 – Mandatory Tests in Community Residential Facilities
Adopted – Resolved, that the MSMA will work to have the requirement for specified tests (complete blood count, tuberculin control test, and urinalysis) rescinded from the Missouri Code of State Regulations, 9 CSR 40-5.035 General Medical and Health Care.
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Resolution #6 – Committee Composition of the US Preventive Task Force
Adopted – Resolved, that the MSMA through its delegates to the AMA House of Delegates and its statewide membership through communication to Congressional Representatives and Senators promote and encourage the inclusion of clinical specialists on a proportional basis on the US Preventive Task Force
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Resolution #7 – Facilities Fees Charge to Patients
Adopted – Resolved, that the MSMA opposes the imposition of facility fees on outpatient E/M visit codes
Referred to MSMA Council – Resolved, that the AMA eliminate the CPT code for facility fees.
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Resolution #9 – Prohibition of Local Ordinances Circumventing State Control of Controlled Substances or Other Pharmaceuticals
Resolution Not Adopted - Resolved, that the Missouri State Medical Association pursue legislation in Missouri that would prevent Missouri cities, municipalities and counties from enacting local ordinances overriding or circumventing state law with regard to the sale and distribution of controlled substances and other pharmaceuticals.
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Resolution #10 – State Board of Healing Arts Disciplinary Website Addition
Referred to MSMA Council - Resolved, that the Missouri State Medical Association work with the State Board of Healing Arts to insure that any physician who has had their license to practice medicine revoked, or has resigned their license pending disciplinary action (including that which would follow criminal conviction), will be appropriately so designated on the website.
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Resolution # 11 – Missouri State Volunteer System (Revisited)
Resolution Not Adopted - Resolved, that the Missouri State Medical Association staff continues to work with renewed effort with the state in making the volunteer process as expeditious, simple and as seamless as possible in the future, insuring that volunteer physician assistance will be available when needed.
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Resolution #12 – Malpractice Tail Coverage
Referred to MSMA Council - Resolved, that the Missouri State Medical Association should work with the state Department of Insurance to encourage private insurers to provide free malpractice tail coverage making it more economically feasible for senior physicians to practice medicine.
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Resolution #13 – Bill Requiring Out of State Expert Witnesses to have a Missouri License
Referred to MSMA Council - Resolved, that the Missouri State Medical Association pursue Missouri legislation patterned after the Florida legislation (Florida HB 479) regarding expert medical witness testimony.
Adopted – Resolved, that the Missouri State Medical Association petition the State of Missouri to adopt a standardized legal form in order to transmit prescription requests by means of fax.
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Resolution #15 – Adoption of Goals for Freedom in Medical Practice
Adopted - Resolved, that the Missouri State Medical Association state a public position in favor of stability in Medicare reimbursement, transparency in medical costs, and alternatives to current medical negligence lawsuit system, and be it further
Resolved, that the MSMA seek and support legislative and court action to further these positions.
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Resolution #16 – Missouri Patients Ability to Receive Direct Access to Their Laboratory Test Results
Referred to MSMA Council – Resolved, that the Missouri State Medical Society support and encourage the state legislature to enact legislation to enable patients to receive or acquire their test results directly from the individual laboratory facilities.
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Resolution #17 – Clerkship in Advocacy for Medical Students and Residents
Adopted – Resolved, that the Missouri State Medical Association (MSMA) work with representatives of all medical schools in Missouri and interested resident training programs to develop a model training program in Advocacy.
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Resolution #18 – Medical Student Indebtedness, Primary Care and the Tobacco Tax
Referred to MSMA Council – Resolved, that the Missouri State Medical Association (MSMA) work with the State Legislature to increase the State tobacco tax to a level equivalent to that in our contiguous surrounding states, and be it further
Resolved, that revenue generated by increasing the tobacco tax be allocated to the PRIMO program to encourage physicians to practice primary care medicine in underserved or shortage areas, with remaining funds going towards underfunded state programs.
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Resolution #19 – Defining the Current Physician Workforce in Missouri
Referred to MSMA Council – Resolved, that the Missouri State Medical Association (MSMA) work with the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, the Missouri Board of Healing Arts and other relevant state agencies to collate information on physician practices and, if necessary, devise a survey instrument to collect comprehensive information describing the geographic and professional distribution of physicians, and be it further
Resolved, that MSMA arrange to have said data analyzed in such a fashion as to define those practice types and geographic areas in the most acute shortage situations, and be it further
Resolved, that such data be published on an annual basis to ensure the most current knowledge on the type of practice and geographic distributions in the State of Missouri.
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Resolution #20 – Mobile Screening Programs
Referred to MSMA Council – Resolved, that the Missouri State Medical Association should encourage patients to get appropriate testing in accredited settings, and be it further
Resolved, that the MSMA should gather information on mobile screening programs, the extent of oversight and quality control, how many screening exams they perform, patient charges and what kind of follow-up is provided. MSMA staff will report back to the Council in their findings by December 2012.
Resolution Submission Guidelines
Resolutions are YOUR issues and shape the future of medicine. House of Delegates resolutions can change the health care environment in Missouri. Missouri legislation introduced and passed concerning tort reform, insurance reform, prompt pay and managed care reform were driven by MSMA’s legislative agenda, which in turn was shaped by resolutions submitted by members at the House of Delegates meeting.
