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February 2023 News Part 1

February 02, 2023 2:03 PM | Anonymous

Pertinent Information

2023 HCMA membership renewal is past due!

HCMA membership renewal statements for 2023  have been emailed and sent via USPS.  If you have not received your notice, would like to check the status of your membership, or request a duplicate statement, please contact Asta Orthman, HCMA Membership Coordinator, or call the HCMA office: 813.253.0471.  Your dues can also be easily and securely paid online.  Visit the HCMA website and log into your account.  Unpaid accounts will be removed from HCMA membership.

LAST CHANCE TO REGISTER

HCMA Membership Dinner

Tuesday, February 7, 2023 

6:30pm - The Westshore Grand

Guest speaker: Rhea Law, President/CEO University of South Florida. Sponsors: First Horizon, TGH Imaging Powered by Tower, Trenam Law, and USF Health. For more information, contact the HCMA office (813.253.0471),  or email Anni Blackwell.  Click here to register.

Physician loan assistance program launched February 1, 2023

The Department of Health launched the Florida Reimbursement Assistance for Medical Education (FRAME) Program to assist eligible healthcare practitioners with the repayment of medical education student loans. An annual appropriation of nearly $6.6 million for the FRAME Program was secured during the 2022 Legislative Session.

The Department will accept applications through Friday, March 31, 2023. Applications will be evaluated, and selections will be made on or before June 1, 2023. The eligibility guidelines and the required submission forms are listed on the FRAME website.

FTC noncompete clauses and the AMA

On January 19th, the Federal Trade Commission published a proposed rule that would ban most noncompete clauses. The AMA has existing policy specifically addressing noncompetes, including a Code of Medical Ethics opinion. This ethics opinion recognizes that physicians often have diverse opinions about noncompetes. AMA policy opposes unreasonable noncompetes. The AMA will be submitting comments by the March 20 deadline, and their comments will be guided by this policy.

The AMA has been responding to media inquiries with the following statement: “The AMA appreciates the Federal Trade Commission's examination of noncompete agreements in the workplace. While the AMA's membership has diverse perspectives on noncompetes—with some members in an employer/practice ownership role and some in an employee role—AMA ethics policy opposes unreasonable noncompetes. Many states have enacted negotiated health care-specific noncompete statutes that take into account their unique health care markets and that balance the competing stakeholder interests. The balanced approach of these states must be considered against a proposed universal federal ban on all noncompete agreements.”

Please send any comments to wes.cleveland@ama-assn.org

An invitation to serve...

Members are invited to consider being placed, as a candidate, on the 2023 HCMA ballot. You must be a member in the ACTIVE, AFFILIATE, or LIFE membership categories and your 2023 HCMA membership dues must be paid in full.  Results will be announced at the May 9, 2023 Inauguration Dinner, in which Dr. Michael Cromer will be installed as the HCMA's 120th President.

  • Vice President - 1 year term
  • Treasurer - 1 year term
  • Secretary - 1 year term
  • District, At Large, USF, Moffitt, and Young Physician seats on the Executive Council - 2 year terms
  • Board of Censors - 3 year term
  • Delegate to the FMA - 3 year term (FMA dues must be paid)

Become an Editorial Board member

The Editorial Board for HCMA's publication, The Bulletin, will be meeting on Wednesday, March 8, 2023. Dr. David Lubin, Editor, is inviting any member interested in participating and learning more about The Bulletin and the Editorial Board to attend. Attendees can participate in person at the HCMA office or via ZOOM. The meeting discussion will include writing assignments for the 2023-2024 volume of The Bulletin. Topic ideas include:

  • Interesting cases
  • Interactions with patients
  • Vacation experience
  • Movie/book/restaurant review
  • Personal opinion relating to the practice of medicine
  • Hobby/leisure time
  • Photos
  • Ideas are welcome!

Articles can be submitted on most topics, staying clear of overly-scientific/specialty-specific articles as our audience spans all specialties. Previous issues can be found HERE.  RSVP for the meeting by clicking here.

Attention students, residents, fellows interested in helping political campaigns...

Dr. Alexander Lake (PGY-5 Gastroenterology) helped Karen Gonzalez Pittman’s race for the Florida House, leading him to realize the importance of young physicians as a valuable resource for politicians in their races, not just once they are in office. Therefore, he is hoping to establish a group consisting of medical students, residents, fellows, and any attendings that would be interested in doing the hard work that will help win future elections in Tampa Bay. Examples of duties would include canvassing, making phone calls from your home, and holding/waving signs at the voting precincts. This is an easy way to start developing long-lasting relationships with our lawmakers which in turn is vital to the future of medicine. If interested, please email Dr. Lake at alexanderdlake@gmail.com or text/call 813-527-4110.

HCMA Annual Membership Directory - now accepting ads

Promote your practice to your colleagues and to the public.  The HCMA Annual Membership Directory, published each summer, lists all members alphabetically and practicing physicians are listed by primary specialty. The Directory is printed and mailed to all Active HCMA members and is also posted on the HCMA website. Physicians can enhance their listing and/or secure additional advertising space.  Members receive a discounted rate to advertise.  Details can be found HERE.

HCMA Government Affairs Committee

The HCMA's Government Affairs Committee (GAC) is gearing up for another busy legislative season. 

  • The GAC, in conjunction with the FMA, has compiled a list of 2023 Legislative Priorities, that will be presented to our legislators locally, through our Key Contact program, and in Tallahassee.
  • The GAC will coordinate a contingency of members to visit Tallahassee during the 2023 Legislative Session (March 7-May 5).  This one-day event includes a meeting with FMA legislative experts to brief attendees on the important issues of the day and appointments will be secured for our contingency to meet with legislators and/or their administrative staff.  Members often arrive in Tallahassee the evening prior to the scheduled day at the Capitol.
  • If you are interested in learning more about serving on the GAC, joining the GAC contingency in their visit to Tallahassee, or how you can serve as a Key Contact to our legislators, contact Elke Lubin or call the HCMA office: 813.253.0471.

HCMA Foundation's Charity Golf Classic - another way to participate

Can't play?  Visit the Foundation's Amazon Smile wish list for raffle prize donations.  Raffle items are a big part of the day's fun - and another way we raise money on golf day!  Please take a look at our wish list for an easy way to donate some raffle items:

1. Sign into Amazon

2. Review our Wish List!

For more information about the tournament, click here. 

HCMA Physician Family Alliance

The HCMA Physician Family Alliance is a group of physicians, spouses, partners, family members, resident physicians, medical students, and their parents whose aim is to promote good health and health education, engage in charitable community endeavors, and foster friendly relations among physicians’ families and the communities in which we live. They enjoy gathering throughout the year to socialize in a supportive atmosphere and support the HCMA Foundation and initiatives consistent with their mission. Please consider joining the HCMA PFA. For more information, you can contact Bill Butler (PFA President), Michael Kelly (PFA Treasurer/Secretary), or John Hotchkiss (PFA Membership/Outreach).

Another benefit of HCMA membership

On January 4th HCMA staff downloaded a list from the Board of Medicine of the Hillsborough County MDs who had not renewed their medical licenses, which were due to expire on the 31st. There were 1,267 on the list and of those, 204 were HCMA members. Each member received an email from the HCMA reminding them of the renewal deadline. Many emails that were in the BOM database were no longer valid. Please update your BOM profile – you may miss important information and reminders from the BOM if your contact email with them is a former staff member or an old personal email.

PRACTICE MANAGERS (current and aspiring) You may qualify for grant-funded training & certification! Now through March 31st!!

Free Health Information Training and Certification through a US Department of Labor Grant. NOW AVAILABLE: A limited-time, no-cost educational opportunity to receive timely health IT education and industry-recognized credentialing. Why now?

  • Protecting your patients’ health information and your practice’s reputation from cyber threats is essential in today’s high-risk environment.
  • Helping practice managers update, increase, and validate their health IT knowledge has never been easier and less costly.
  • This free education and credentialing offer is only available until March 31, 2023 through a U.S. Department of Labor grant for eligible participants.
  • More information.

Have you created your HCMA profile yet?

In order to make use of our innovative new database and all of its features, all HCMA members need to create a password for their profile.

By setting up your profile, it will ensure that you have full access to our website in which you can update your office information, your home mailing address, RSVP to our events, pay dues, and receive all future correspondence from the HCMA.

Please follow these few simple steps to set up your profile:

  • Log in to your HCMA account at www.hcma.net 
  • Click the orange sign-in icon located in the upper right-hand corner 
  • Enter your email address - IF YOU HAVE NOT CREATED A PASSWORD YET, click the "forgot password" link and follow the instructions. 

If you have any questions please contact Anni Blackwell.