Dear NV ACEP Members,
Thank you all for taking the time to read this newsletter. I am optimistic this one will make an impact not only on your decision to retain your membership but may also inspire you to reach out to your colleagues and discuss the value proposition and ROI of NV ACEP. Currently, we have 325 members, and the NV ACEP Board of Directors appreciates each and every one of you. We exist to serve you, represent you, and keep you abreast of issues such as Out of network, KODIN, and Opiate legislation. NV ACEP has affected SIGNIFICANT change in these areas, and without your historic and current commitment to membership and the representation it affords us, the practice of emergency medicine in Nevada would look very different today.
We all have been more than busy these past eight weeks ramping up for the Covid-19 surge and seemingly getting beyond the first phase of this pandemic as our state reopens. We know this is likely the first half of the first quarter, and autumn may be a perfect storm depending upon timing and severity of influenza coupled with a resurgence of coronavirus. Time will tell. National ACEP has done a great job putting out a COVID Toolkit and updating members on best clinical practices as we begin to understand more about optimal management. I know many of you have helped your hospital systems prepare for the worst and manage through this crisis, often taking time away from family to do so. I applaud you and thank you on behalf of the state. This work significantly increases our value in the eyes of our elected officials.
AB 469 Out of Network Dispute Resolution is now playing out in Nevada, but we do not yet see any patterns emerging. We will do our best to communicate developments on regulations which are still being modified with input from all stakeholders. The key to long term success with AB469 lies in tracking data over time and continuing to revisit the process to ensure it is working for all parties as intended. We now have transparency to understand which ERISA plans have opted in or out of this process, which will help address network adequacy down the road. The final draft of regulation is currently with the Legislative Counsel Bureau, and once prepared, there will be another public workshop. A bit of history here may be useful…
Leading up to the last session in the fall of 2018, we began to raise capital from both large CMGs and small shops alike to hire the lobbying firm of Crowley and Ferrato. The firm came highly recommended, and we identified no conflicts of interest. Jessica Ferrato has since helped us to build meaningful relationships on both sides of the aisle with many who know and respect her. OON legislation was going to happen come hell or high water in 2019, and we wanted to be at the table, not on the menu. AB469 emerged and was signed into law, and although it protects patients from egregious billing events, most stakeholders have been otherwise lukewarm about the result. In the world of legislative solutions, equal distribution of pain is a win.
Knowing the regulatory phase to be just as important as the legislative, Jessica is now working to ensure we are treated fairly at the regulatory table, and we have renewed her contract at a fair rate. Comes now the “ask,” as they say on The Hill. I am asking you all to stick with us in 2020 and beyond so we can be your voice through your continued membership.
Please reach out to your colleagues and be an ambassador to our cause and bring them into the fold. Please appreciate that staying above water requires effort and money. We need sustainability as a chapter to continue to represent you well in all things important to our specialty. Please encourage your group towards full participation in NV ACEP.
Many have heard of the “Give a Shift” campaign with NEMPAC. Well, this isn’t that. This “ask” is simply to help us keep representing you well by FULL group participation (yes 100%, large and small groups alike) in our mission. The current $125 per year is too low to sustain us, so we will need to increase dues by fall to $175 per year to survive. I call this the “Power Hour Challenge”: you give us an hour of your pay, and we do what we can to keep EM off the menu.
My plea is genuine, and our concerns are real. The waters remain turbulent, and the ship requires constant effort to sail. We need “all hands on deck” to reach the new world safely and thrive on its shores. Collective engagement may just keep us alive and well in the coming years. A sincere Thank You to those groups who have already graciously stepped up to this challenge, and I’m confident that many will read this, ask their leaders about the challenges before us, and make the commitment to the future of emergency medicine in our Battle Born State.
Please contact me for any concerns or questions regarding the “Power Hour Challenge.”
Thank you all for your dedication in service to the residents of this great state.
Sincerely,
Bret W. Frey, MD FACEP
President, NV ACEP 2020
tahoelion@gmail.com
775-225-0881 cell