The Monthly Dose: September 2024

Welcome to the latest edition of "The Monthly Dose"!

Let’s dig in!

NBPAS congratulates Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts (BCBSMA) for being named among the top ranking health plans in the United States and only 1 of 5 (out of 1,000+ rated plans) given the highest ranking (5 stars) by the National Committee on Quality Assurance (NCQA) in its NCQA Health Plan Ratings 2024. The annual list evaluates commercial, Medicare, and Medicaid health plans based on assessments of patient experience and clinical quality.

NBPAS is proud to be recognized by BCBSMA and celebrates its leadership in using high-quality evidence to inform its policies and for removing unnecessary barriers to physicians and their patients in Massachusetts.

From the NCQA Health Plan Ratings 2024:

A recent article in Healio highlights the ongoing challenges physicians face with the ABIM’s Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program, including concerns about its clinical relevance, time burden, and costs. The article underscores the justified criticism ABIM has received and discusses how their MOC program has adapted yet continues to draw significant pushback from the medical community.

We encourage you to read the article and consider sharing it with your colleagues. NBPAS remains dedicated to supporting physicians by providing a more relevant and less burdensome pathway to maintain board certification.

Over 40 NBPAS physicians sent emails to the Chief Medical Officer of BCBSM asking for immediate removal of its unproven MOC requirement. NBPAS amplified these requests by sharing physician emails with important state and federal lawmakers, highlighting the harms of an insurance monopoly on physicians and their patients in Michigan.

In response, Governor Whitmer’s office asked the Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services to assist and NBPAS has been told that a direct response from BCBSM is forthcoming. Stay tuned for more developments and next steps.

Champions of Change

Thank you to all NBPAS physicians who go above and beyond to champion life-long learning while advocating for competition and choice in continuing certification.

Meet our September Champion: Robert Vanderbrook, MD, DNBPAS

Dr. Vanderbrook is a solo family medicine physician in the rural community of Clare, Michigan, working to provide quality care despite serious resource challenges in a federally designated Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA). Michigan is estimated to have one of the largest shortages of primary care physicians in the United States, currently estimated at over 4,000 physicians and growing.

Despite providing much-needed primary care in a rural area, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan (BCBSM) removed Dr. Vanderbrook from its networks due to his refusal to participate in MOC. Many of Dr. Vanderbrook’s patients refused to go elsewhere for care and opted to pay cash out-of-pocket to see him, regardless of the strain placed on personal financial resources.

Dr. Vanderbrook has been a quiet hero helping NBPAS fight for change in Michigan and NBPAS is grateful for his leadership and dedicated service to his patients. Dr. Vanderbrook formerly served as a physician in the US Navy and once quipped, “If we landed aircraft the way we run healthcare in this country, planes would be crashing left and right.”

Thank you Dr. Vanderbrook for your service to our country and your patients in need.

NBPAS asked the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to provide relief from what it believes is an effort by ABMS and its constituent boards to use their monopoly power to exclude or eliminate competitors from the continuing certification market.

On April 18th, 2024, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Department of Justice (DOJ) and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) launched a portal for public reporting of anti-competitive practices in healthcare including the example:

"Unnecessary Health Care Provider Recertification or Accreditation Requirements"

THANK YOU to everyone who submitted comments. If you haven’t already, it’s not too late to have your voice heard! Submit your comments below and share with any physician you know.

In the words of NBPAS Founder and President, Dr. Paul Teirstein - "We urge every physician who has been harmed by MOC to speak now, speak loudly, and spread the word to every physician you know."

Notes from the Office

• NBPAS Associate Director, Karen Schatten, was in Washington, DC on September 11th for the Johns Hopkins Health Policy Symposium hosted by Dr. Ge Bai and the Carey School of Business. The symposium featured several thought-provoking panel discussions focused on supporting and improving competition in health care. Karen had a chance to speak directly with Dr/Senator Bill Cassidy (LA), Representative Kevin Hern (OK), Dr. Ge Bai, and Dr. Marty Makary who highlighted the important work being led by NBPAS. Also in attendance was NBPAS-certified Dr. Arvinde Cavale, a wonderful and unexpected surprise. Dr. Cavale practices endocrinology in Pennsylvania and is the president-elect of the Pennsylvania Medical Society.

Not yet a Diplomate? Apply for NBPAS Certification today.

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