This first appeared HERE on NewsScope:
Surgeons in Tennessee, Connecticut, and Oregon spoke out on leading state health care issues during American College of Surgeons (ACS) Chapter Lobby Days in March. The Tennessee Chapter of the ACS joined with the Tennessee Medical Association March 1 to participate in the 2016 Day on the Hill in Nashville. More than 250 physicians of all specialties visited with their state legislators, attended committee hearings on legislation of relevance to the medical community, and lunched with lawmakers and their staff. Surgeons had excellent opportunities to talk about opioid prescribing legislation exemptions, the Tennessee Surgical Quality Collaborative, and motorcycle helmet legislation.
The Connecticut Chapter of the ACS joined with the Connecticut State Medical Society March 3 in Hartford to host a Physicians’ Day at the Capitol 2016. Approximately 100 physicians were on hand, with a strong presence from the ACS chapter. Surgeon advocates attended meetings with lawmakers, including Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff (D), to advocate for the repeal of an ambulatory surgery tax, as well as legislation pertaining to opioid prescriptions, and establishing a definition of surgery.
The Oregon Chapter held its annual Day at the Capitol March 6−7 in Salem. The event began with a speech from Republican gubernatorial candidate Bud Pierce, MD, an oncologist from Salem, who expressed his views on health care in the state. The following day, participants met with James Rickards, MD, chief medical officer at the Oregon Health Authority. Topics including Medicaid and coordinated care organizations were covered, as well as rural access issues. Oregon Medical Association staff briefed participants on the hot topics in health care that are being considered this year in the legislature. The ACS staff led an in-depth discussion about the current status of opioid abuse prevention and treatment related legislation across the country.
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