Advocacy Successes
Physician Advocacy Successes
Good health policy is made with physicians in the discussion.
MSDC, working with its members, partners, and other organizations, has won major policy victories to help its members practice medicine. Below is a sampling of those victories. Do you want to be a vital part of the next policy victory helping improve the health of the District? Contact us today.
Opioid Policy
- MSDC was added to the opioid fund oversight panel by the Council in its legislation authorizing the oversight body
Scope of Practice
- MSDC supported legislation to ban the sale of flavored electronic smoking devices and restrict the sale of electronic smoking devices.
- Working with a coalition, MSDC added funding to the DC budget to support the hiring of more license specialists to help with the delay in processing medical licenses.
Women's Health
- B24-143, to regulate certified midwives, passed the Council with MSDC's support
Health Equity
- Mayor Muriel Bowser signs into law the Electronic Medical Order for Scope of Treatment Registry Amendment Act of 2019. The eMOST Registry Amendment Act permits the creation of an electronic database of advanced directive wishes for District residents that can be tied into the health information exchange.
- Mayor Bowser signs into law the School Sunscreen Safety Temporary Amendment Act of 2019. The bill permits students to bring and apply sunscreen during the 2019-2020 school year.
- MSDC comments on the importance of funding United Medical Center (UMC) and health facilities in Wards 7 and 8 in the mayor's budget. Those comments are used almost verbatim in CM Trayon White's comments advocating for funding of United Medical Center.
Scope of Practice
- DC Health publishes draft regulations removing the 3 mandatory CME hours for HIV/AIDS awareness and replaces them with a requirement to fulfill 10% of mandatory CME hours with a topic from a public health priority list. DC Health then waived the requirement for 2020.
- The Strengthening Reproductive Health Protections Act of 2020 is signed into law with MSDC support. The bill prohibits government interference in reproductive decisions between a patient and doctor, and prohibits employers from penalizing physicians for practicing reproductive medicine outside of their work hours.
- The Mayor's Commission on Healthcare Systems Transformation releases its final recommendations. One recommendation is for the District to explore options to make providing health care more affordable, including financial relief for higher malpractice insurance rates.
- The Council removes "telephone" from the list of prohibited types of telemedicine to allow physicians and other providers to be reimbursed for telephone telemedicine appointments after MSDC and health community advocacy.
- MSDC worked with the Council to modify onerous language in the Health Care Reporting Amendment Act that potentially would have penalized physicians from seeking help for substance abuse or addiction issues.
Opioid/Drug Policy
- The Department of Health Care Finance (DHCF) waives prior authorization for key medication assisted treatments (MAT) treating substance use disorder patients in Medicaid.
- The Mayor signed into law The Access to Biosimilars Amendment Act of 2019, a top MSDC priority as it would help prescribers to prescribe more cost-effective drugs for patients.
Behavioral Health
- The Behavioral Health Parity Act of 2017, a major priority for MSDC and DCPA, officially becomes law. The legislation requires all health benefit plans offered by an insurance carrier to meet the federal requirements of the Wellstone/Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008.
Health Equity
- The District Council passes B22-1001, The Health Insurance Marketplace Improvement Amendment Act of 2018. The bill prohibits the sale of Short Term, Limited Duration health plans and Association Health Plans (AHPs) in the DC Health Benefits Exchange.
Scope of Practice
- DC joins 28 other states in the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact with B22-177 becoming law. The IMLC is designed to ease physician licensure in multiple states.
Women's Health
- The Maternal Mortality Review Committee is established by law. The Committee is responsible for finding solutions to maternal health crisis in the District. District physicians are an important part of this vital committee.
- B22-106, The Defending Access to Women's Health Care Services Amendment Act, becomes law. The act requires insurers to cover health care services like breast cancer screening and STI screenings without cost-sharing.
Opioid Policy
- Right before the Council adjourned for the session, it passed B21-32, the Specialty Drug Copayment Limitation Act. The bill limits cost shifting by payers for prescription drugs.
Behavioral Health
- B21-0007 passes the Council. The Behavioral Health Coordination of Care Amendment Act of 2016 permitted the disclosing of mental health information between a mental health facility and the health professional caring for the patient.
Women's Health
- MSDC was proud to have worked on B21-20. The law requires payers to cover up to 12 months of prescription contraception, advancing women's health and equality.
What the Olympics Can Teach Physicians About Mentoring
Just like Olympic athletes, physicians are highly trained professionals who are driven to excel. It is worth noting however, that even Olympic athletes require a network to reach the world stage. That goes for any profession, including physicians, and illustrates the importance of mentorship. To help physicians with their professional goals, MSDC launched the Fast Track to Leadership Program. The program will hold its inaugural event on September 18 and offers mentor/mentee pairing here.
Below are some lessons on mentoring from the Olympics:
1) Coaching is important
No athlete gets to the Olympics without support from a team of individuals, such as family, friends, teammates, and especially their coach. According to The Institute for Psychology of Elite Performance at Bangor University (United Kingdom) one of the key differences between a gold medalist and the next tier is their relationship with their coach. Coaches of the super-elite don’t just critique technique or performance, they develop a close, committed, and complimentary relationship with athletes. Personal connection and trust allow a coach or mentor to encourage, motivate, and get the best performance out of others.
2) There’s always room for improvement…
Despite Katie Ledecky’s many records, she recounts in her autobiography, Just Add Water, that her coach Anthony Nesty told her, “I know you’re Katie Ledecky, but as good as you are, you’re not perfect.” This reality check led her to improve her stroke and beat her personal record. A valuable coach or mentor identifies areas for growth and star performers seek out continual improvement.
3) … But take time for mental health
Simone Biles made headlines and history in 2020 when she withdrew from the Tokyo Olympics for mental health reasons. Going public with her own personal struggles with wellbeing spotlighted the importance of mental health. Moreover, her gold medals at this year’s Olympics prove that focusing on mental health does not detract from success but rather leads to it.
4) Diversity is a strength
Much has been written about the diversity on display in this year’s U.S. Olympic team. The U.S. women's gymnastics champion team is the most racially diverse in history, and the bronze-winning men's team is the most diverse since 2012, according to USA Gymnastics. This demonstrates the strength and value of diversity in relationships and teams.
5) Change is okay
Track and field athlete Juliette Whitakker from Laurel, MD, started her competitive career swimming. Despite skill at swimming, she switched to running in high school and found her stride. In May 2022, Juliette became only the second high school girl to run faster than 2 minutes in the 800 meters, clocking 1:59.51 at a New York City trial. At the Olympics she set a personal record in the 800 meter race. Her success demonstrates that it’s okay to make a change to reach your full potential.
Coaching and mentorship are as important in medicine as they are in sports. Having a mentor or coach can help physicians reach the top of their game. Likewise, being a mentor can sharpen one’s own knowledge and boost wellbeing. To get or become a physician mentor, sign up here. Also, register for MSDC’s in-person mentorship event on September 18.
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