The Show-Me-State Update is your source for the latest news and information impacting the medical community. Time-sensitive information and requests related to healthcare, advocacy issues, and professional development opportunities from MAFP are included.

July 2024 – MAFP News & Events

Registration Open: 32nd Annual Fall Conference

Join us for MAFP’s Annual Fall Conference on November 8-9, 2024, at the Intercontinental Kansas City at the Plaza. We are thrilled to host this year’s conference at a new location and have prepared a schedule featuring excellent CME sessions, workshops, and networking opportunities. Don’t miss the optional procedures workshop, “OMT for All Physicians,” on November 7. Friday night will feature the FHFM silent auction fundraiser and the MAFP Awards and Installation Dinner with “The Roaring 20s” theme– dress to impress! Early bird registration pricing is available until October 9. Learn more at www.mo-afp.org/cme-events/annual-fall-conference/.

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and Their Long-Term Impact into Adulthood

Virtual CME | August 22, 2024 | 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.

The Missouri AFP is pleased to offer this FREE two-hour virtual session on August 22, 2024, at 6:30 p.m. via Zoom.  Join Jay Lee, MD, MPH, FAAFP, as he shares his expertise to help family physicians recognize how ACEs may negatively impact pediatric growth and development.  Techniques for ACEs screening will be discussed to increase your confidence in providing care to your patients.  Lastly, since family physicians provide care through the full spectrum of life, he will explore ways to treat adults with a history of ACEs.  2 credits of prescribed CME will be awarded.  Pre-registration is required – click here to register. 

Funder Acknowledgement — This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of an award totaling $3,700,000 with no percentage financed with nongovernmental sources. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS or the US government.

Upcoming Virtual CME Sessions

Next session is on July 18: “Our Newest Teammate: Integrating Artificial Intelligence into Family Medicine” from Russell Kohl, MD, FAAFP 

Members are encouraged to visit www.mo-afp.org/cme-events/virtual-cme to register for upcoming Virtual CME sessions and view information from the Virtual CME sessions that have already been delivered.

Upcoming sessions cover topics such as Artificial Intelligence, Value-Based Care, and Dermatology. Recorded sessions with videos and informational slides are available on previous sessions, including MAFP 2024 Advocacy and Legislative Review, Harm Reduction Strategies for Patients with Opioid Use Disorder, Coronary CT in Chest Pain: A Paradigm Shift, A Comprehensive Guide to STD Management, and How Sick Are Your Patients? Reflecting Patient Disease Burden Using the HCC Risk Adjustment Model.

Please be aware CME can only be claimed by those who pre-register and view these sessions Live.

MAFP Family Medicine Mixers

All members and prospective members are invited to join us for MAFP’s Regional Family Medicine Mixers! These gatherings provide a chance to get out and have fun while connecting and networking with fellow family physicians in your community. Whether you’re within the region or beyond, you’re welcome to attend any of these events.

• Kansas City – July 31st at 6:00 pm: Enjoy dinner with fellow family physicians at the Kansas City Zoo polar bear exhibit! Food and beverages will be provided.
• St. Louis – August 20th at 6:30 pm: Trek through adventure at the St. Louis Zoo! Before the hike, we’ll gather for light snacks at a central location outside the zoo.
• Jefferson City – September 10th at 6:00 pm: Sip and savor at Canterbury Hill Winery in! Enjoy wine and a dinner on the patio overlooking the Missouri State Capitol.

Please note the St. Louis Mixer date was originally listed as August 22nd, but it will be held on August 20th!

Members, prospective members, and children under 13 years old can attend at no cost. Guests are invited to attend for a $50 fee. Register Here.

AAFP Foundation Seeks Trustees

The American Academy of Family Physicians Foundation (AAFP Foundation) serves as the philanthropic arm of the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), supporting programs each year that are aimed at improving the health of all people and advancing the practice of family medicine.  This year, we are seeking one (1) Corporate Trustee, two (2) Physician Trustees, and one (1) Public Trustee for 3-year renewable terms beginning January 1, 2025.  We are also seeking (1) Physician Trustee for either a 1-year or 2-year renewable term beginning January 1, 2025. 

Get Involved! The deadline for submitting application materials is 11:59 p.m. CDT on August 31, 2024. Interviews begin September 1. The election takes place in November, and individuals elected to serve will be notified in December. 

Your Practice May Be Owed a Payment Card Interchange Fee Settlement

Sources: American Academy of Family Physicians and NPR

In one of the largest anti-trust settlements in U.S. history, Visa and MasterCard recently settled a class action brought by businesses alleging that credit card companies overcharged on interchange fees, those 2-3% “swipe fees” paid on each transaction by businesses to Visa and MasterCard. Visa and MasterCard have set aside $5.5 billion for businesses, including non-profits, to claim rebates. The court overseeing the settlement has selected a claims administrator who will administer the rebate program. More information about rebates and claims can be found online.

The deadline to submit claims has been extended to Friday, August 30. The settlement period covers 15 years of fees, from 2004 into 2019. The potential rebate will be approximately 2-4% of interchange fees paid to Visa and MasterCard in this 15-year window. Businesses will get rebates based on the amount of swipe fees they paid during this period. The settlement does not include American Express or Discover, only Visa and MasterCard fees.

Podcast Available on Federal Trade Commission Noncompete Ban

Source: American Academy of Family Physicians

In a historic win for the American Academy of Family Physicians’ (AAFP) workforce advocacy, the Federal Trade Commission recently finalized a rule banning noncompete agreements. In this podcast episode, AAFP Vice President of Government Relations David Tully talks with Shawn Martin, the Academy’s executive vice president and CEO, about the impact of this rule, including the court challenges it now faces.  “Simply put, we believe that patients should have access to their physicians, and physicians should be able to freely practice in their communities,” Shawn Martin says.  Listen to the podcast today!

Notice of Funding Opportunity – Whole Person Health Champion Project

The AAFP will fund three family medicine practices to participate in an eight-month pilot program designed to explore community partnerships.  This program supports family medicine practices to align with the varying community systems required to deliver a whole-person health approach. Using the pillars of lifestyle medicine as foundational knowledge, this project will focus on identifying the health-related social needs of patients in the clinic and connecting them with resources in the community.

Each participant will identify one population of need in their patient panel and community. They will be asked to brainstorm organizations and entities in their communities who have a shared goal of equitably improving community health outcomes for their identified target population — for example, public health programs, community-based stakeholders and social service organizations.

This project is grounded in best practices for partnership development and community collaboration. Due to the novel nature of this project, innovation will be encouraged. Throughout the project, AAFP staff and faculty will provide support and technical assistance to participants and their care teams. Participants will identify the barriers and successes they encountered in establishing and building partnerships with public health and/or community organizations to meet their identified population’s health-related social needs.

By the end of this project, participants will have promising strategies for family physicians approaching whole health in their communities, lessons learned through their projects and success stories, which they will be able to share with other family physicians looking to integrate the pillars of lifestyle medicine and collaboration with community-oriented organizations into their practices.

Please use this submission form to submit proposals: https://forms.office.com/r/1hPj100eYh. The deadline for applications is July 9, 2024. Awards will be announced on July 12.

Quick, Easy Job Search: MOAFP Career Center

Make your job search efficient. Explore the MOAFP Career Center’s immersive “Job Search” page to spend less time looking and more time applying. This layout combines job search results and details on a single screen, streamlining your search process.

Other features include:

• Real-Time Filters: Advanced filters with real-time updating
• Take a Tour: Guide walk-through training available on demand
• Career Matches: Find relevant jobs more easily with the “Jobs You May Like” section
• Bookmarked Jobs: Bookmark jobs using the star logo and apply when you’re ready

AAFP Advocacy Update

AAFP Applauds Reintroduction of Legislation to Streamline Prior Authorizations 

Family physicians are overburdened by prior authorization requirements, which can often cause harmful care delays and inadvertently lead to negative patient outcomes. The AAFP advocates to reform prior authorization and remains focused on enabling physicians and patients to have access to clear guidelines for prior authorization requirements and timely responses from insurance plans.

On June 12, the Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act (H.R. 8702/S. 4518) was reintroduced.  This measure would streamline and standardize prior authorization under the Medicare Advantage program and protect patients from unnecessary delays in care. We are urging Congress to swiftly pass this bipartisan legislation.

While the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services recently finalized proposals to reform prior authorization, legislation is still necessary to ensure that these much-needed changes are made permanent. That’s why passage of the Seniors’ Act is imperative.

AAFP Responds to IPPS Proposed Rules

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released the Fiscal Year 2025 Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems (IPPS) proposed rule. The AAFP applauds CMS for continuing to prioritize health equity in the 2024 IPPS proposed rule. As the largest funder of graduate medical education, Medicare plays a significant role in addressing physician maldistribution and disparate access to care across the nation. If finalized as proposed, this rule would take several important steps to direct GME funding to the areas of greatest need, helping mitigate health access disparities and more effectively addressing physician shortages.

The AAFP and the Council of Academic Family Medicine sent a joint letter to CMS offering our support and recommendations for the Fiscal Year 2025 IPPS proposed rule.  This rule proposes several important steps that would direct GME funding to the areas of greatest need, including a proposal to require hospitals that serve areas designated as health professional shortage areas to have at least 50% of residents’ training time occur at training locations within a primary care or mental health–only geographic HPSA in order to be able to apply for new GME slots.

When considering finalizing the TEAM Mandatory Model, the AAFP encourages CMS to consider the impacts of the national physician workforce shortage. Hospitals, depending on their location, might experience challenges when referring patients after discharge. We encourage CMS to implement safeguards within this model that would prevent physicians from being penalized for situations beyond their control.

AAFP Applauds OCR Guidance to Help Practices Impacted by Cyberattack

The AAFP is pleased that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has provided updated guidance to make clear that “covered entity” health care institutions affected by the Change cyberattack can contact Change and direct it to notify patients directly that their information was compromised by the breach.

The AAFP had previously asked for more guidance from HHS regarding Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act–related reporting requirements in relation to the Change Healthcare attack. The announcement comes on the heels of a joint letter from the AAFP and more than 100 other health care organizations in requesting that HHS’ Office of Civil Rights clarify that Change Healthcare is responsible for notifying impacted patients of the breach and all related reporting requirements, alleviating practices’ legal concerns and allowing them to focus on continuing to recover from the attack.