KCMS Community Foundation
🏆award announcement🏆

Tim Iwuoha's statement to KCMS

"It is an honor to be the first scholarship awardee. Your support and the support of the King County Medical Society mean a lot to me, and I feel blessed to know that I have your support as I continue my journey into medicine... I believe I am the perfect example of “it takes a village to raise a child” and the saying, “It is not about how you start, but how you finish.” I hope to represent someone people can admire and use as motivation to pursue their dreams. Thank you so much!"
Tim is a 4th-year medical student at PNWU-HS. 

🎉SAVE THE DATE 🎉
Join us at our 2nd annual gala on Saturday, November 4th, 2023!

We will honor physicians' outstanding work and

raise scholarship funds to support URiM medical students. 

The gala promises to be filled with excitement as we recognize the remarkable contributions of dedicated medical professionals and pave the way for aspiring doctors to achieve their dreams.

Don't miss out on this incredible celebration.

🌟We hope to see you there! 🌟


Registration details to come

🎉 Congratulations, Nancy Connolly, MD, MPH! 🎉


We are thrilled to announce that Dr. Nancy Connolly has been selected for the prestigious Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) Health Policy Fellows Program.
This remarkable achievement highlights her expertise and dedication to health policy and improving the lives of individuals across Washington.
As a Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine, General Internal Medicine – Harborview Downtown Programs, and a respected member of UW and KCMS, Dr. Connolly has already made significant contributions to the field of health policy. Dr. Connolly joins a cohort of accomplished health professionals to work on critical legislative and regulatory issues in our nation's capital.

"I am thrilled to have this opportunity to learn from health policy professionals, to bring this knowledge back to help build a more equitable and healthier Washington," shared Dr. Connolly.

The RWJF Health Policy Fellows Program, in partnership with the National Academy of Medicine, empowers outstanding health and behavioral/social science professionals to participate in health policy deliberations at the highest levels of government. Through this experience, fellows like Dr. Connolly play a pivotal role in crafting informed policy options that address the nation's most pressing health challenges.

"We are proud to bring exceptional health and healthcare experts to Washington, D.C., to provide a front-line perspective to current policy debates," said Gregg Margolis, Director of the RWJF Health Policy Fellows program at NAM. "This cohort will help improve the nation's health and contribute to vital discussions surrounding justice, fairness, equity, the environment, and the economy."

RWJF Health Policy Fellows have played a critical role in shaping a healthier and more equitable future for the United States for five decades. 
Congratulations, Dr. Connolly.

KCMS Student Shadowing Program Looking for Physician Volunteers

📢 Calling All Doctors! 🏥

We need your support! Aspiring medical students are eager to pursue their dreams of becoming doctors. Many medical schools require applicants to have clinical experiences, such as shadowing (as many as 40 hours), to demonstrate their commitment to medicine and gain insights into the healthcare field.

Are you willing to open your practice to student shadowing? Your mentorship can shape the future of medicine and inspire the next generation of doctors.

Interested? Contact Shurlon at sbrath@kcmsociety.org. Thank you!


AMA's Top Federal Priority:
Reforming Medicare's Physician Payment System


This summer, the American Medical Association (AMA) is focused on reforming Medicare's physician payment system. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has recently unveiled the proposed rule for the 2024 Medicare Physician Payment Schedule calendar year, and physicians must be aware of the key provisions.

1) Proposed Reduction in Medicare Conversion Factor: The 2024 Medicare conversion factor is set to be reduced by 3.36%. This change could impact physicians' reimbursement rates and financial stability.

2) Mitigating Cuts with E/M Add-On Code: CMS aims to mitigate the potential payment cuts by adjusting the utilization assumption of the new evaluation and management (E/M) add-on code. Healthcare professionals are predicted to use this code less frequently than initially anticipated, offering some relief.

3) Delay in Implementing Updated MEI Weights: Implementing updated Medicare Economic Index (MEI) weights has been postponed due to errors and the AMA's ongoing data collection efforts.

4) Proposed Increase in MIPS Performance Threshold: CMS suggests raising the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) performance threshold, potentially leading to physician penalties. More physicians could face reduced Medicare payments if this increase is implemented.

5)
Delayed Adoption of eCQM by MSSP Participants: Mandatory electronic clinical quality measures (eCQM) adoption by Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) participants is delayed due to the immaturity of health information technology (HIT) standards. Physicians in MSSP will have additional time before they are required to use eCQMs for electronic quality measure reporting.

Get Involved Now! Physicians can make a difference by engaging with their Members of Congress during the upcoming August recess.
Join the AMA's Physicians Grassroots Network on July 27 at 8 pm ET for the "Fix Medicare Now August Recess Campaign" webinar.

During this webinar, you'll receive updates on current Medicare legislation and gain insights into what lies ahead during the 118th Congress. The AMA has developed essential resources to help physician advocates influence legislation throughout the Congressional August recess and beyond.

Secure your spot now! Space is limited, so register early to make your voice heard.

Register for Webinar: Fix Medicare Now August Recess Campaign

The AMA Announces the

Return of Campaign School

The AMA's bipartisan political action committee (AMPAC) is offering its Campaign School and will return in-person October 12-15, 2023, at the AMA offices in DC.


The Campaign School is designed to give physicians the skills and strategic approach needed on the campaign trail. The AMPAC political experts will teach how to run a successful campaign. 


Attendees include physicians, spouses of physicians, residents and medical students, and state medical society staff interested in becoming more involved in politics. 

A Prescription for Good Health: Taxes

WPSR's Economic Inequity & Health Task Force offers a community event to learn how taxation affects health and equity. 
Washington has the most regressive tax system in the country - people struggling to make ends meet pay the most, while the very wealthy pay the least.  WPSR hopes you'll join them to hear about balancing tax codes.
Thursday, August 3, 2023, 5:30 PM -  7:00 PM PT
Contact Us
info@kcmsociety.org 
200 Broadway Suite 200 | Seattle, WA 98122 United States
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