A team of NYSSOS leaders representing every corner of the state concluded a dynamic day of meetings on April18, converging in Albany for the NYSSOS 2023 Advocacy Day.
The team of orthopaedic surgeons collectively met with top several lawmakers, including those who chair the committees most important to advancing NYSSOS legislative agenda including:
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Senate Insurance Committee Chair Neil Breslin - Senate sponsor of “Gold Card” legislation
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Assembly Insurance Committee Chair David Weprin
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Assembly Higher Education Chair Pat Fahy
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Assemblymember John T. McDonald III - Assembly sponsor of “Gold Card” legislation
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Senate Health Committee Director Tony Kergaravat
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Assembly Health Senior Policy Adviser Mark Kissinger and Committee Coordinator Sherri Salvione
The topics addressed in the various discussions with the lawmakers and their staff focused on a number of NYSSOS’ legislative priorities, including:
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Supporting legislation to reform insurance company prior authorization practices, including passage of the Breslin/McDonald sponsored “Gold Car” bill.
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Supporting legislation to establish important qualifications for clinical peer reviewers by requiring them to be licensed in New York, and in the same or similar specialty as the treating physician.
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Supporting legislation that would authorize licensure of athletic trainers, including provisions for athletic trainers to work under the supervision of a physician.
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Opposing several separate proposals that would broaden the scope of practice for a number of non-physician professionals, including podiatrists, physician assistants, chiropractors and physical therapists. The general message relayed to lawmakers was that increasing scope of practice without commensurate education and training is unsafe.
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Advocating for a thoughtful and comprehensive approach to reforming medical malpractice insurance practices.
NYSSOS is grateful to the members who traveled to Albany to advocate on behalf of the musculoskeletal community.
Access the NYSSOS 2023 legislative agenda, and tools you can use to contact your lawmakers, can be found at: https://nyssos.org/takeaction.
