Vital Signs This Week
June 26, 2015

The next edition of Vital Signs This Week will publish on Friday, July 10. 
 
MMS Praises Mass. Governor’s Opioid Working Group Report 
The Massachusetts Medical Society welcomed the report of the Governor’s Opioid Working Group this week, and pledged to continue to work with public and private officials to combat the opioid overdose epidemic.  “The report is a smart, comprehensive approach to an extremely complex problem,” said MMS President Dennis M. Dimitri, MD.  Read more about the Opioid Working Group here.
 
Dr. Dimitri specifically cited the working group’s recommendations to improve the state’s online prescription monitoring program; increasing access to naloxone by encouraging it to be co-prescribed with opioid medications; allowing the partial filling of opioid prescriptions without additional co-payments; and expanding access to intervention and treatment.  Last month, the MMS launched a comprehensive program to educate physicians, other prescribers and the public. Read more about the MMS campaign here.
 
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U.S. Supreme Court Upholds ACA Subsidies for Millions of Patients
MMS leaders cheered this week’s Supreme Court decision safeguarding access to crucial health care service for millions of patients. “The physicians of the Massachusetts Medical Society applaud the decision to uphold Affordable Care Act subsidies in states that do not have their own health care exchanges,” said Massachusetts Medical Society President Dennis M. Dimitri, MD. “Patients across the United States will not lose access to the care they need and deserve.”
 
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MMS Testifies in Support of Behavioral Health, Substance Abuse Treatment Access 
This week, MMS officials testified in favor of several bills under consideration by Massachusetts legislators, including measures to require equitable access to behavioral health services for MassHealth consumers and accessible substance abuse treatment. The MMS also testified in support of  bills to improve the affordability of nalaxone, and to improve medical decision making for incapacitated patients. Read more about recent MMS testimony here.
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Education Programs & Events
 
Live CME Activities 
Unless otherwise noted, all events are held at MMS headquarters, 860 Winter St., Waltham, MA
 
 
 
 
The above activities have been approved for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit
 
Save the Date
Patient Experience Summit
Wednesday, September 30 and Tuesday October 27, 2015
 
Featured Online CME Activities – Risk Management Credit
The above activities have been approved for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit
For additional risk management online CME activities, visit www.massmed.org/cme.

Massachusetts' First Medical Marijuana Dispensary Opens
 
The dispensary was the first to receive approval to grow in the state on Dec. 31. The facility is growing its product in Amesbury, and selling out of a building on Grove Street in Salem. Related news: At Salem Dispensary, Sense of Relief
 

Tufts Medical Tries to Find Place Amidst Larger Rivals
 
The recent collapse of merger talks with Boston Medical Center was the latest setback to its ambitions to find partners to help it compete with larger  rivals.
 

UMass Medical School to Open Springfield Campus at Baystate Med Center
 
The University of Massachusetts Medical School has announced plans  to open a regional clinical campus of the Worcester-based medical school in Springfield along with Baystate Health and the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
 

Neighborhood Health Plan Seeking to Gain Business Customers  
 
Neighborhood Health Plan is looking to move into a new neighborhood. The nonprofit insurer, best known for managing the care of low-income people on Medicaid, is accelerating a push into the market for large businesses.
 

Aetna Eyes Mass. as Expansion Target
The move is years in the making, and the result of an internal survey Aetna did three years ago that showed that Boston was the only top metropolitan service area where Aetna wasn't one of the top three largest insurers.
 

Price Shopping Cost of MRI at Area Hospitals? Report Finds Persistence Needed 
 
There also needs to be price information that people need," said Barbara Anthony, author of the Boston-based Pioneer Institute's just released policy brief, " Mass Hospitals Weak on Price Transparency."
 

Registration of Provider Organizations Part II Deadline is Oct. 30
 
The Health Policy Commission (HPC) has released the Data Submission Manual for Part II of the Registration of Provider Organization program. Qualifying provider organizations will have until Friday, October 30, 2015 to submit requested information as outlined in the manual. The HPC will be providing group and individual training and consultations throughout the summer. More information on Part II registration here
 
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