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I was installed as the 105th President of the Dade County Medical Association on June 20, 2015. The Dade County Medical Association (DCMA) has a long legacy of accomplishments over the past century. Our mission is advocacy for physicians, physician practices, and for the good health and well-being of our patients and the citizens of Miami-Dade County.
During my term as President of the DCMA I plan to focus on the future – how to continue on our successes and build a stronger more active organization. My goal is to engage more of our members.
I have noted that many physicians share my concerns for our community and many participate in health advocacy programs They work tirelessly, mostly unrecognized. During my Presidency, a goal for the Dade County Medical Association is to recognize and support our physician members who do great things for the good health of our community.
I have launched the "DCMA COMMUNITY" and will be highlighting physicians who give of their time and energy to help in the good health of our community – both health awareness and education projects as well as volunteer medical care .
We are communicating with, and actively seeking to participate with, the Miami-Dade County Health Department to start our own DCMA project to encourage our membership to be community activists in the health care marketplace.
The Dade County Medical Association has always been an advocate for our patients and the citizens of Miami-Dade County. We have strongly lobbied for Medicaid expansion in Florida with our colleagues in the Broward and Palm Beach County Medical Associations .
Alongside our medical students, we have sought legislation for a safe needle exchange program in Miami-Dade county — to prevent used needle transmission of HIV and Hepatitis B and C.
We supported legislation banning the sale of electronic cigarettes to minors and limiting the sale of cigarettes in pharmacies. We have been involved in legislation on medical marijuana, children’s car seats, and vaccinations.
This coming year we are seeking support from our colleagues around the State of Florida, for resolutions seeking legislation on the following topics:
– Balanced Billing
– Outpatient Observation
– Any Willing Provider
– Board Certification and Maintenance of Certification
– Physician and Medical Staff Members Bill of Rights and Responsibilities.
The outpatient observation resolution deals with the policy of Medicare increasingly classifying patients as ‘outpatient observation’, which Medicare under certain circumstances does not pay for and which has resulted in hospitals directly billing patients for their hospitalization. This excess burden on the elderly needs to be remedied.
The any willing provider resolution seeks to extend the current any willing provider legislation to patients enrolled in plans under the Affordable Care Act.
The DCMA has been in the forefront in encouraging medical students, residents and fellows to get involved in organized medicine. We provide membership in the DCMA at no cost to them.
In addition we are proposing a resolution to encourage more support medical of students, resident physicians, and fellows in the Florida Medical Association.
We truly are advocates for the good health of our community. My goal is to increase this involvement and broadcast to the citizens of Miami-Dade County that "DCMA Physicians Care About Their Good Health ".
