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Res. 100 Student Loan Forgiveness Programs for Rural Physicians
(Adopted as amended)
RESOLVED, that the MMA advocate for an increase in the funding in the number of positions available to primary care physicians and residents in state-run student loan forgiveness programs including the Minnesota State Loan Repayment Program and Rural Physician Loan Repayment Program, and be it further
RESOLVED, that the MMA advocate for a secure annual funding source for state loan forgiveness programs, so as to prevent limitations in the number of positions due to deficits in the state or federal budget, and be it further
RESOLVED, the MMA inform the Minnesota congressional delegation of the importance of fully funding the 20-220 pathway for economic hardship deferral to allay a resulting shortage of primary care physicians, which is exacerbated by debt burden placed on medical students, and be it further
'RESOLVED, that the MMA delegation to the AMA House of Delegates bring forward a resolution reaffirming AMA support of the 20-220 pathway for economic hardship deferment and, further, make maintenance of the 20-220 pathway or a reasonable equivalent a top legislative priority.
Res. 101 Role of Physicians and Clinics in Encouraging Reading in Young Children (Adopted)
RESOLVED, that the MMA encourage physicians to speak to their patients who are parents regarding the importance of reading to their children and encourage clinics to develop programs to foster reading to children, and be it further
RESOLVED, that the MMA actively seek community partners in this effort in order to make books available to families, increase use of libraries, and encourage others to support reading to children.
Res. 102 MMA Advocacy Outreach
(Adopted as amended)
RESOLVED, that the MMA address the methods and processes by which broad MMA physician input is obtained on advocacy issues, and be it further
RESOLVED, that a report on the progress of this effort be provided back to the MMA House of Delegates at its 2009
Annual Meeting.
Res. 103 MIIC Data Repository for Immunization History on Physicians
(Referred to the MMA Board of Trustees)
RESOLVED, that the MMA work with the Minnesota Department of Health, Minnesota Hospital Association, and other interested parties to utilize the Minnesota Immunization Information Connection (MIIC) for physician immunization information required for physician licensing and credentialing applications and processes.
Res. 104 MMA Appointments
(Adopted as amended)
RESOLVED, that the MMA Board of Trustees develop a policy and procedures for the appointment of MMA representatives to external groups assuring transparency in the appointment/nomination process.
Res. 105 Upgrading Minnesota’s Disaster Preparedness
(Adopted as amended)
RESOLVED, that the MMA promote an increased number of quality disaster preparedness continuing medical education events for physicians and other health care workers in Minnesota and seek external funding to support educational activities, and be it further
RESOLVED, the MMA Board of Trustees study the need for further preparation of Minnesota’s physicians and citizens for response to all types of disaster through educational programs, continuing medical education events, media presentations, and legislation.
(Res. 106 Sunset Policy Review)
Adopted
RESOLVED, that the nine “questionable” policies identified during the 2008 sunset policy review process be subject to further review by the MMA staff and leadership, and recommended action on them be brought to a future meeting of the MMA House of Delegates, and be it further
RESOLVED, that the MMA compendium of archived MMA policies, which contains MMA polices that are no longer relevant but can be consulted for historical or informational reasons, include the attached recommended “archive” policies (28), and be it further
RESOLVED, that the MMA reaffirm support for the attached recommended “retain” polices (16), and be it further
RESOLVED, that the MMA approve and reaffirm support for the attached recommended “retain as edited” policies (6).
Res. 200 Workplace Violence
(Referred to the MMA Board of Trustees)
RESOLVED, that the MMA and AMA work together to raise awareness of and reduce workplace violence, and be it further
RESOLVED, that the MMA support legislation to make the assault of health care workers and educators a felony offense.
Res. 201 Appropriate Pay for Performance
(Not adopted)
RESOLVED, that the MMA work with third-party payers to develop a pay-for-performance model with appropriate goals so that targets are realistic and achievable to financially reward high-performing and improving clinics.
Res. 202 Emotional Health of Infants
(Not adopted)
RESOLVED, that the MMA support permanent funding for the evaluation of all newborns to determine their mental health risk status with tools such as Behavioral Assessment of Baby’s Emotional and Social Style (BABES), Parenting Stress Index (PSI), or Social-Emotional Early Childhood Scale (SEEC Vineland), and be it further
RESOLVED, that the MMA support permanent funding for all of the programs that meet those needs including but not limited to, crisis nurseries and newborn assessment, and be it further
RESOLVED, that the MMA support permanent funding for appropriate coordination of care including, but not limited to, peer advocacy and social work.
Res. 203 Tools for Informed Patient Choice and Shared Decision-Making (Adopted as amended)
RESOLVED, that the MMA educate and communicate to the physicians of Minnesota about shared decision-making tools in its publications and assist the medical community of Minnesota in moving toward patient-centered care, and be it further
RESOLVED, that the MMA submit a resolution directing the AMA to educate and communicate to physicians about shared decision-making tools in order to move toward patient-centered care.
Res. 205 Personal Health Care Team as Medical Home
Adopted as amended
RESOLVED, that the MMA work to ensure that the certification process for medical homes be designed in such a way that those who are currently providing many of the services of a medical home can reasonably be certified as a medical home, and be it further,
RESOLVED, that the basis for creating a medical home be a physician-directed personal health care team and not an insurance company, and be it further
RESOLVED, that the MMA submit a resolution asking the AMA to work to ensure that physician-directed personal health care teams that currently provide many of the services of a medical home for most patients be designated as the basis for creating a medical home.
Res. 206 Social Host Law
(Referred to the MMA Board of Trustees)
RESOLVED, that the MMA support and endorse “social host” legislation that makes it illegal for a host to knowingly provide a venue for underage drinking, and be it further
RESOLVED, that the MMA support and endorse city, county, and state “social host” legislation that advocates for the health and safety of children, adolescents, and underage adults by promoting a reduction and prevention of underage drinking, and be it further
RESOLVED, that the MMA submit a resolution recommending that the AMA adopt a policy supporting and endorsing “social host” legislation to prevent and reduce underage drinking.
Res. 207 Educating Physicians and Patients about the Mental Health Parity Act of 2007
(Adopted as amended)
RESOLVED, that pending the enactment of the Minnesota Health Parity Act of 2007, the MMA work to educate Minnesota physicians about the implications of this act, and be it further
RESOLVED, that pending the enactment of the Minnesota Health Parity Act of 2007, the MMA submit a resolution asking the AMA and interested state and specialty societies to consider developing a nationwide campaign geared at educating the public about the benefits now afforded to them by this act.
Res. 208 Quality Measurements and Patient Noncompliance
(Not adopted)
RESOLVED, that the MMA establish policy that takes the position that physician quality measures should not penalize physicians for patient noncompliance when physicians have documented their efforts to change a patient’s noncompliant behavior, and be it further
RESOLVED, that the MMA communicate to third-party payers that this policy will be our position as a requirement for quality measurement.
Res. 209 Mandatory Referral
(Not Adopted)
RESOLVED, that the MMA support requiring mandatory referral to ophthalmologists of patients experiencing an episode of glaucoma progression resulting in optic nerve damage with documented progressive loss of visual field, progressive cupping of the optic discs; despite controlled intraocular pressure, significantly elevated intraocular pressure unresponsive to medical therapy, or monocular status with documented glaucoma progression in the better eye.
Res. 210 Clarity from Joint Commission on Credentialing and Privileging Low-Volume Physicians
(Adopted as amended)
RESOLVED, that the MMA submit a resolution directing the AMA to study the challenges in credentialing low-volume providers and work with the Joint Commission and other interested parties in the development of fair and balanced criteria and methods for the credentialing of such providers and procedures, and be it
further
RESOLVED, that the MMA submit a resolution directing the AMA to work with the Joint Commission to ensure that surveyors utilize specific predefined, published, and reference-based criteria to measure compliance that can account for local hospital variation, hospital and community needs, and credentialing decision-making.
Res. 211 Major Depression Evaluation and Treatment
(Adopted)
RESOLVED, that the MMA work with the Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement (ICSI) to critically evaluate the effectiveness of the Depression Improvement Across Minnesota Offering a New Direction (DIAMOND) project, specifically related to the necessary parameter of sufficient psychiatric evaluation and appropriate consultation that leads to the correct treatment of major depression and the role of the care manager within the implementation and monitoring of a properly executed evaluation/treatment plan.
Res. 300 Providing Health Care to Undocumented Residents
(Adopted as amended)
RESOLVED, that the MMA 1) oppose any policies, regulations, or legislation that would criminalize or punish physicians and other health care providers for the act of giving medical care to patients who are undocumented immigrants; 2) oppose any policies, regulations, or legislation requiring physicians and other health care providers to collect and report data regarding an individual patient’s legal resident status; and 3) oppose proof of citizenship as a condition of providing health care.
Res. 301 Retail Clinics and Sale of Unhealthy Products
(Not adopted)
RESOLVED, that the MMA support a policy statement that all medical facilities including retail clinics operate only in facilities free of tobacco and alcohol sales.
Res. 302 Physicians Serving Uninsured/Underinsured
(Adopted as amended)
RESOLVED, that the MMA provide resources and information to physicians regarding the legal issues and options associated with reducing fees or waiving co-payments for uninsured and underinsured patients.
Res. 303 Co-Pay Equality
(Referred to the MMA Board of Trustees)
RESOLVED, that the MMA educate health plan companies on the problems caused by differing levels of co-pays for patients accessing their medical home clinic and retail clinics, and be it further
RESOLVED, that the MMA educate legislative leaders about this area of inequity in co-pays and how that helps erode the medical home.
Res. 304 Medicare Nonpayment Conditions Reduce Access to Care
(Referred to the MMA Board of Trustees)
RESOLVED, that the MMA submit a resolution asking the AMA to firmly oppose non-payment actions and rulings by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services and work with Congress to find alternative methods to save health care resources, and be it further
RESOLVED, that the MMA begin assessing the monetary impact such non-payment will have on hospitals and, eventually, individual physicians and clinics.
Res. 306 Adequate Access
(Adopted as amended)
RESOLVED, that we as Minnesota physicians affirm our obligation to enhance availability of medical care by our own actions and also by a commitment to influence political leaders who make many of the decisions concerning availability of care.
Res. 307 High-Deductible Health Plans for the Public Sector
(Not adopted)
RESOLVED, that the MMA support, help develop, and lobby for the use of high-
deductible health plans for applicable Medicaid populations and for other public-sector programs.
Res. 308 Health Care Reform and Payment Methods
(Adopted as amended)
RESOLVED, that the MMA provide ongoing information to Minnesota physicians regarding the implementation of the 2008 health care reform legislation, including information about and experiences with payment methodologies such as capitation.
Res. 309 System Reforms
(Adopted as amended)
RESOLVED, that the MMA provide information in MMA publications about local, national, and international health care reform initiatives.
Res. 310 Direct vs. Indirect Health Care Costs
(Not adopted)
RESOLVED, that the MMA submit a resolution asking the AMA to educate the public and politicians about direct vs. indirect health care costs, and be it further
RESOLVED, that the MMA evaluate how these entities have changed over the years in their representative contributions to health care expenses.
Res. 311 Poor Reimbursement of Essential Services Diminishes Medical Home
(Referred to the MMA Board of Trustees)
RESOLVED, that the MMA study the consequences of this third-party payer practice through its current committees or with a new task force devoted to this and similar issues resulting in a report of suggested responses and policy development submitted to the BOT by early 2009, and be it further
RESOLVED, that the MMA keep third-party payers informed of the consequences of these under-reimbursements including dissatisfaction of their insureds when they discover that full preventive care services and the medical home model are not fully supported by their health insurance company.
Res. 312 Transparency in Risk-Sharing Contracts
(Adopted as amended)
RESOLVED, that the MMA inform its membership about the legal requirements (M.S. § 62J.72) to disclose reimbursement methodologies that create a financial incentive to limit or restrict health care.
Res. 400 Physician Reimbursement for Death Certificates and Cremation Authorizations
(Adopted as amended)
RESOLVED, that the MMA support a physician’s ability to charge for completing cremation authorizations and certificates of death, and be it further
RESOLVED, that the MMA’s delegation to the AMA work with the AMA to support physician reimbursement for professional services related to completing cremation authorizations and certificates of death, and the AMA develop appropriate CPT codes for death certificate completion, and/or work with CMS to accomplish this goal, and be it further
RESOLVED, that the MMA provide educational materials on how to complete a death certificate.
Res. 401 Requirement of Minnesota School Districts to Provide Physical Education for Grades K-8
(Adopted as amended)
RESOLVED, that the MMA support legislation that would increase the level of physical activity for students in grades K-8.
Res. 402 Advocate for Strategies to Address Antimicrobial Resistance (STAAR) Act
(Adopted as amended)
RESOLVED, that the MMA should lend its voice and resources to advocate aggressively for enactment of the Strategies to Address Antimicrobial Resistance (STAAR) Act in order to protect the people of Minnesota from the growing scourge of antimicrobial resistant infections, and be it further
RESOLVED, that the MMA shall contact each member of the Minnesota congressional delegation and encourage MMA members to contact their respective members of Congress to urge them to cosponsor the STAAR Act, to fully support the STAAR Act’s enactment in 2008, and to provide sufficient appropriations beginning in Fiscal year 2009 to implement the STAAR Act’s strategies upon the bill’s enactment.
Res. 404 Reporting All Immunizations to the Minnesota Immunization Information Connection (MIIC)
(Adopted as amended)
RESOLVED, that the MMA encourage hospitals, nursing homes, clinics, private practice health care practitioners, retail pharmacies, and all individuals and organizations that provide immunizations for children and adults, to report all immunizations to the Minnesota Immunization Information Connection (MIIC) to allow for an accurate, up-to-date immunization record that is available for providers who require vaccine information, and be it
further
RESOLVED, that the MMA work with the Minnesota Department of Health to take whatever legislative or regulatory steps are necessary to allow for transfer of existing historical immunization information from statewide schools to MIIC, and be it further
RESOLVED, that the MMA rescind policy 110.279 (Immunization Data).
Res. 405 Changing MMA’s Policy Statement on Embryonic Stem Cell Research
(Adopted as amended)
RESOLVED, that the MMA update its position statement in favor of embryonic stem cell research by adopting the AMA’s position so that the MMA:
1) supports biomedical research on multipotent stem cells (including adult and cord blood stem cells);
2) supports the use of somatic cell nuclear transfer technology in biomedical research (therapeutic cloning);
3) opposes the use of somatic cell nuclear transfer technology for the specific purpose of producing a human child (reproductive cloning);
4) encourages strong public support of federal funding for research involving human pluripotent stem cells; and
5) continues to monitor developments in stem cell research and the use of somatic cell nuclear transfer technology (CSA Rep. 5, A-03), and be it further
RESOLVED, that the MMA rescind policy 240.121 (Stem Cell Research).
Res. 406 Professional Performance Review Policy
Referred to the MMA Board of Trustees
Submitted, read as follows:
RESOLVED, that the MMA work with the Minnesota Board of Medical Practice to establish standards of professional performance review, and be it further
RESOLVED, that the MMA submit a resolution asking the AMA to promote elaboration of AMA policy, so as to establish a national standard for professional performance review.
The amendment proposed on the floor of the House, but not acted upon by the House, read as follows:
RESOLVED, that the MMA Board of Trustees evaluate the need to establish a Professional Performance Review Policy.
Res. 407 Improving Health through Healthy Food Choices
(Adopted as amended)
RESOLVED, that the MMA call on health care professionals to serve as models and as educators by participating in and advocating for healthier food choices, promoting better patient and public health, and supporting the long-term social, economic, and environmental well-being of communities in Minnesota.
Resolution 409 High School Drug Abuse
(Not Adopted)
RESOLVED, that the MMA support legislation requiring a urine drug test be required as part of the preparticipation exam that is required for all high school athletes.
Res. 410 Protecting Children from Harmful Effects of Lead in the Environment
(Referred to the MMA Board of Trustees)
RESOLVED, that the MMA urge Minnesota state and local governments to promulgate policy lowering the blood lead action level (“level of concern”; “elevated blood lead level”) to 5 µg/dL.