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NCMS At Work For You – Commission for Public Health
Last week, the Commission for Public Health held their second meeting of 2024. Significant updates and concerns were discussed, providing crucial insights into the state's public health landscape. Below are the key takeaways:
Attorney General Update: Senate Bill 512 Alterations
Senate Bill 512 has reshaped the Commission for Public Health, prompting legal challenges from the…
Health Experts Warn Against Consuming Raw Milk
Raw milk was once a major health issue in the U.S. In 1938, before pasteurization was broadly introduced, milk was responsible for about 25% of all food- and drink-related disease outbreaks, according to the Food and Drug Administration’s 1990 guidance on milk safety.
Fastforward, health agencies are, again, warning about the dangers of consuming raw milk. Yet, despite these repeated…
Register Now! A Conversation on Substance Use.
A Conversation on Substance Use
Wednesday, May 29 - 7pm
COMMA Performing Arts Center
401 S. College Street
Morganton, NC 28655
Free Community Event. General Admission seating.
Doors open at 6pm, Event begins at 7pm.
Getting to Know Our Partners: Janelle White, MD
Getting to Know Our Partners:
Janelle White, MD
The North Carolina Medical Society partners with people across the state to make the practice of medicine easier for physicians and PAs. We are also happy to meet professionals who share our commitment to quality healthcare.
Dr. Janelle White is the new Chief Medical Officer of NC Medicaid. She is a pediatrician in Charlotte…
New Transgender Research Opportunity Available for NC Family Physicians
UNC Family Medicine is inviting family physicians to participate in an online research survey to better understand current clinical practices in caring for transgender and gender diverse individuals in North Carolina.
Please note that you will be asked to complete a series of screener questions in order to determine if you meet the survey eligibility. If you qualify and complete the…
NC Soon to See Contraceptive Services at Pharmacies Statewide
Soon people statewide will be able to receive contraceptive services at pharmacies without a prescription from another medical provider, including counseling and education from a pharmacist about options for contraception and other preventive services, dispensing of contraception and connection to ongoing care if needed.
State and local leaders attended an event on Tuesday, May 14,…
Mark Your Calendar! 2024 NC Medicaid Quality Symposium: Partnering for Performance
The NC Medicaid 2024 Quality Symposium highlights topics that coincide with NC Medicaid quality improvement priorities. The presenters will share the quality improvement initiatives they have implemented to improve outcomes for Medicaid members. Click on each link below to learn more and register:
Collaboration During Pregnancy and Postpartum: Health Plans, Providers, and…
Problematic Proposed Revisions to HB 681 Heard by Senate Healthcare Committee, NCMS Members at Meeting to Answer Questions
NCMS members Dr. Timothy Reeder and Dr. Kristin Baker attend meeting of Senate Healthcare Committee
RALEIGH -- The North Carolina Senate Health Care Committee met Wednesday morning with Senator Kevin Corbin presiding. Proposed revisions to House Bill 681 was considered. The bill is sponsored by North Carolina Medical Society members Dr. Timothy Reeder and Dr. Kristin Baker, who were both in…
In Memoriam: NCMS Life Member Assad Meymandi, M.D.
Assad Meymandi, M.D.
MAY 11, 1934 – MAY 10, 2024
NCMS Life member Dr. Assad Meymandi died Friday, May 10.
He was 89 years old.
Dr. Assad Meymandi, a philanthropist whose generosity helped advance the cultural life of Raleigh and North Carolina for more than a quarter century, died early on the morning of May 10 after a lengthy illness.
Meymandi was a psychiatrist and…
Scientists Discover Surprising Details about Xylazine/Fentanyl Combination
In a recent research discovery published in the journal Addiction Neuroscience, scientists at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill found that xylazine is a kappa opioid receptor agonist, meaning it activates kappa opioid receptors in the same way fentanyl activates opioid receptors. This result was surprising because previously xylazine was thought to only bind to the…
Several NC Hospitals Earn Top Rank for Delivering Exceptional Maternity Care
Newsweek has released its third annual list of best maternity hospitals in the U.S., and several North Carolina hospitals made the list, including six earning top rank.
The ranking is based on a nationwide online survey of hospital managers and medical professionals (regarding areas like perinatal care and operative obstetrics) as well as publicly available data from hospital…
The Wait is Over! NCMS 2024 NCMS Photo Contest is Now Open!
Photo submissions are currently being accepted for 2024!
Now in its 16th year, the NCMS Photo Contest is an annual tradition that has gained national recognition, and we want you to be a part of it! Submissions are currently being accepted for the 2024 contest. Think you have the perfect picture to send in?
Check out the rules here.
We've already received several breathtaking…
It’s a Three-peat! NCMS CEO Chip Baggett Makes Business NC’s Power List Third Year in a Row!
Congratulations to our very own Chip Baggett for making Business North Carolina’s 2024 Power List in the Health Care category. This is Chip's third year receiving this well-deserved honor!
Business NC's goal is to identify the people who lead North Carolina, based on interviews with business community officials, research and reader suggestions. Their emphasis is on those…
Several NC Counties Awarded Funding to Prevent Youth Substance Use
More than 1.2 million people in North Carolina have a substance use disorder, and increasing access to prevention, treatment and recovery services is crucial
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services recently announced the distribution of $6,250,000 to seven counties to provide youth substance use prevention within their communities. NCDHHS applied for and was…
Updates for Certain Clinicians Serving Dually Eligible Beneficiaries
Starting January 1, 2024, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare began covering certain services for dually eligible beneficiaries (those enrolled in both Medicare and NC Medicaid Direct) who receive NC Medicaid coverage. This includes services furnished by the following providers: Marriage and Family Therapists (MFT) or Mental Health Counselors…
NCTracks: Reverification Timeliness and Requirements Clarification
States must revalidate the enrollment of all providers at least every five years to ensure the information on record is accurate and current.
Pursuant to 42 CFR 455.414, Medicaid states must revalidate the enrollment of all providers at least every five years to ensure the information on record for each provider is accurate and current. As part of this process, the provider’s…
WFU School of Medicine Selected as Host Site for 2024 Oncology Summer Internship
Wake Forest University School of Medicine has been selected by the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) as one of the host sites for their 2024 Oncology Summer Internship. Wake Forest University School of Medicine is one of only four medical schools across the U.S. chosen to join 11 other medical schools who already participate in the program.
The summer internship is a…
Questions about Opioid Settlement? NCMS Has Your Resources.
The North Carolina Medical Society is committed to helping members in all aspects of their practice.
With North Carolina receiving $1.5 billion in national opioid settlements, NCMS has created a one-stop location for you to get information. Our Opioid Settlement Fund page on the NCMS website is now live. Go there for all your settlement questions and feel free to reach out to…
Don’t Miss This Attendinghood Readiness Masterclass!
The Attendinghood Readiness Masterclass is a free 1-hour virtual class, hosted by The Early Career Physicians Institute.
By the end of this Masterclass participants will learn how to:
Create confidence as a new attending.
Effectively communicate with your patients, staff, peers, admin staff, and other team members.
Approach this career transition and mitigate your…
Register Now for Thursday’s Medicaid Managed Care Back Porch Chat
Medicaid Managed Care Back Porch Chat:
Key Medicaid Updates
Thursday, May 16 | 5:30 p.m.
Join this chat on Thursday, May 16 from 5:30-6:30 p.m. for the May Back Porch Chat, hosted by Janelle White, MD, Chief Medical Officer of Medicaid, Sarah Gregosky, Chief Operating Officer, NC Medicaid, and Arianna Keil, MD, Chief Quality Officer, NC Medicaid.
Get important news for all…
Using ACT to Help Cancer Survivors Move Forward After Treatment
Using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to Help Cancer Survivors Move Forward After Treatment
Wednesday, May 15
4:00 – 5:00 PM EST/EDT
Cancer survivors may face many unique psychosocial challenges. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is an evidence-based psychotherapeutic approach that can effectively teach patients skills to manage these challenges after completing cancer…
NCDHHS Pilots Mobile Crisis, Co-Responder Models for Behavioral Health Crisis Response
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services announced a $1.35 million investment to begin piloting trauma-informed mobile crisis and crisis co-responder services. These services will deploy teams who are trained and experienced to respond to people experiencing a behavioral health emergency, including mental health professionals and peer support specialists who can…
Register Now! Talking About Physician Suicide and “The Illusion of the Perfect Profession”
The North Carolina Medical Society Alliance is planning a free event on Wednesday, May 15, in Greensboro, to address an important topic, physician suicide.
This event features speaker and author, Betsy Gall with a follow-up discussion from Dr. Joseph Jordan, CEO of the North Carolina Professionals Health Program (NCPHP).
Greensboro History Museum
130 Summit Ave.
Greensboro, NC…
Register Now! Advancing Health Equity Through Resistance: A State of the Union on Threats and Opportunities
Advancing Health Equity Through Resistance:
A State of the Union on Threats and Opportunities
Thursday, May 30, 2024
3:30 PM - 5:00 PM CST
This National Health Equity Grand Rounds event will serve as a proverbial State of the Union for health justice work in the United States.
Nationally renowned speakers including public health leaders, healthcare professionals, policy experts…
30 Year Study: The Ultra-Processed Foods You and Your Patients Need to Avoid
Health professionals have long warned that ultra-processed foods can have detrimental impacts on the body
(CNN - Madeline Holcombe) -- Eating ultraprocessed foods is associated with an early risk of death, according to a 30-year study — but different foods have different impacts.
Processed meats and sugary foods and drinks aren’t correlated with the same risks as ultraprocessed whole…
AI is Dreaming Up Drugs That No One Has Ever Seen. Now We’ve Got to See if They Work.
MIT Technology Review Looks at What is Happening with Artificial Intelligence and Drug Research
(MIT Tech Review, Will Douglas Heaven) -- At 82 years old, with an aggressive form of blood cancer that six courses of chemotherapy had failed to eliminate, Paul appeared to be out of options. With each long and unpleasant round of treatment, his doctors had been working their way down a list…
May 17th is World Hypertension Day!
Friday, May 17, 2024, marks World Hypertension Day dedicated to raising awareness about high blood pressure and its impact on health. On this day, individuals and organizations worldwide come together to educate communities about the importance of monitoring blood pressure, adopting healthy lifestyle habits, and seeking early intervention for hypertension. Physicians and PAs can share…
Keep Your Patients Cool this Summer with Help from Operation Fan Heat Relief!
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services’ Division of Aging is partnering with the N.C. area agencies on aging and local service providers to distribute fans to eligible recipients through Operation Fan Heat Relief from May 1–Oct. 31.
People 60 and older, as well as adults with disabilities, are eligible to sign up for assistance from May 1–Oct. 31 at local aging…
Practice Manager Looking to Hone Their Skills? Send Them to Bootcamp!
WHAT IS THE PRACTICE MANAGER BOOTCAMP?
The Practice Manager Bootcamp is a completely virtual program designed to teach medical practice managers the basic knowledge and skills they need to make their practices thrive.
WHO WILL BENEFIT FROM THE PRACTICE MANAGER BOOTCAMP?
The Practice Manager Bootcamp is designed for the novice practice manager, but experienced practice managers wanting…
The Physicians Foundation Releases 2023 Annual Report, NCMS CEO Chip Baggett Responds
The Physicians Foundation is celebrating progress on behalf of physicians and spotlighting solutions to safeguard the future of medicine
The Physicians Foundation is releasing its 2023 Annual Report. It highlights the first-ever national primary care scorecard which identifies issues important to physicians and provides a benchmark on the state of primary care. Here are the…
Study Sheds Light on How Our “Neural Compasses” Keep Us on Track
New study of human motion-tracking released
Our ability to get from point A to point B, whether we’re just going from the front door to our car or hiking through a forest, is something we often take for granted, and hasn’t been extensively studied. Now, researchers are trying to change that: For the first time, a study has pinpointed how the brain’s “neural compass” helps humans orient…
We’re Actively in NC Hurricane Preparedness Week! What’s Your Plan?
The Atlantic Hurricane Season runs from June 1 to November 30 with the peak season from mid-August to late October.
North Carolina’s coast is one of the nation’s most vulnerable areas to a direct hurricane strike because its coastline extends out into the ocean. All areas of the state – from coastal and sound counties to the mountains – have been impacted by hurricanes in the…
Available Now! NC Dementia and Brain Health Outreach and Awareness Tool
NC DHHS has announced the availability of the North Carolina Dementia and Brain Health Toolkit. This resource is intended to increase awareness and promote education about:
The importance of risk reduction, early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD),
Prevention and management of chronic conditions and avoidable hospitalizations, and
The role of…
Ending Soon! Share Your Thoughts on New Environmental Health Draft Policy.
The North Carolina Medical Society's (NCMS) Policy Committee is charged with developing policies that align with the NCMS Mission and the NCMS Guiding Principles.
The Policy Committee recently came together to create a policy addressing environmental health. This policy will serve as an effective tool to guide and support NCMS advocacy efforts addressing environmental health in North…
NC Commission for the Blind Call for Nominees Closing Soon!
The NCMS has an opportunity to appoint a new member to the NC Commission for the Blind. This appointment will fill an unexpired term until 6/30/25. Learn more about responsibilities of the NC Commission for the Blind here.
The commission serves in an advisory capacity on issues relating to services for persons with disabilities, especially independent living programs and services.…
Nominations Open for E. Harvey Estes, Jr., MD, Physician Community Service Award
The North Carolina Medical Society is accepting nominations for the E. Harvey Estes, Jr., MD, Physician Community Service Award.
This award is to provide recognition for the many and varied services rendered by physicians to their communities apart from their practice of medicine.
The recipient must be a physician licensed in North Carolina; must not have received the award previously; and…
Do People With Diabetes Need to Fast Longer Before Surgery?
Expert Identifies Noteworthy Study Limitations
(Medscape, Miriam Tucker) -- People with diabetes don't have higher gastric volumes than those without diabetes after following standard preoperative fasting instructions, suggested a study from a team of anesthesiologist researchers.
However, an endocrinologist faulted the study in part because the participants appeared to…
Early Voting Ends Saturday! Meet Your NCMS Member Candidates Here
In-Person Early Voting Ends May 11
The nation is at the six month mark for the November election. In North Carolina, there are tight races across the state. The run-off election is May 14, but early in-person voting ends soon.
The North Carolina Medical Society has interviewed several member candidates on issue important to members. Click here to see what they have to say.
Overview…
NCMS is Celebrating 175 Years!
The North Carolina Medical Society is moving into celebration mode! As the 175th Anniversary Gala gets closer, the headquarters building is getting spruced up!
Check the new sign and flags on Person Street the next time you are in Raleigh (we are right behind the Governor's Mansion).
A special thanks to Garry Linton and Kristen Shipherd for the design and creation of these new banners!…
Celebrating AAPI Month at Duke Hospital!
Traveling Mural Symbolizes Connection within Duke’s Asian American and Pacific Islander Community
(Duke News, Bernadette Gillis) -- May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. The Duke Asian American and Pacific Islander Affinity Group will kick off a month of celebrations with the unveiling of a unique traveling mural at Duke Regional Hospital on May 3. The unveiling is the…
New Research: Genes Known to Increase Risk of Alzheimer’s May be Inherited
A gene long understood to increase the risk of Alzheimer's should be considered an inherited form of the disease, researchers say.
(CNN) -- Alzheimer’s disease may be inherited more often than previously known, according to a new study that paints a clearer picture of a gene long known to be linked to the common form of dementia.
Authors of the study, published Monday in the journal Nature…
Today is Melanoma Monday. Stay Safe with These Skin Cancer Tips.
Today is Melanoma Monday
The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) began Melanoma Monday on Monday, May 1, 1995, and has observed it every year since. Melanoma Monday always occurs during Skin Cancer Awareness Month on the first Monday in May.
Key facts to know about melanoma
Melanoma is the most serious type of skin cancer. In 2024, it’s estimated that more than 200,340 melanomas…
NC Medicaid Providing Free Educational Materials for Your Patients
NC Medicaid is providing free, printed educational materials for partners to distribute to individuals and families seeking more information about Medicaid expansion and enrollment.
The print orders will contain:
200 bilingual Day 1 Flyer
200 English immigration flyers and 200 Spanish immigration flyers
100 English wallet cards and 100 Spanish wallet cards
100 English…
Register Now! Medicaid Managed Care Back Porch Chat
Medicaid Managed Care Back Porch Chat:
Key Medicaid Updates
Thursday, May 16 | 5:30 p.m.
Join this chat on Thursday, May 16 from 5:30-6:30 p.m. for the May Back Porch Chat, hosted by Janelle White, MD, Chief Medical Officer of Medicaid, Sarah Gregosky, Chief Operating Officer, NC Medicaid, and Arianna Keil, MD, Chief Quality Officer, NC Medicaid.
Get important news for all…
NCDHHS Tele-Town Hall: Medicaid Expansion, Who is Eligible and How to Apply
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services will host a live fireside chat and tele-town hall tomorrow, Tuesday, May 7, from 6 to 7 p.m., to discuss Medicaid expansion resources, who is newly eligible, and how to apply for health coverage.
Event participants include:
Elizabeth Cuervo Tilson, M.D., State Health Director and Chief Medical Officer, NCDHHS…
Register Now! NCTracks May 2024 Provider Training Schedule
Registration is now open for the NCTracks May 2024 training courses.
The courses are virtual, via Zoom, and can be attended remotely from any location.
Courses offered this month include:
Dental Helpful Hints
Submitting a Prior Approval Medical
New Office Administrator
Create and Submit a PA for DME
Recipient Eligibility Information
ES User Role_Abbreviated…
Surprise Billing – Independent Dispute Resolution Update
On Dec. 27, 2020, the No Surprises Act (NSA) was signed into law to address unexpected gaps in insurance coverage that result in “surprise medical bills” when patients unknowingly obtain medical services from physicians and other providers outside their health insurance network. The NSA and its implementing regulations establish a Federal Independent Dispute Resolution (IDR) process…
Is Buprenorphine Subject to the STOP Act’s Prescribing Limits?
Recently the North Carolina Medical Board (NCMB) has received inquiries about whether prescriptions for buprenorphine that are written for the treatment of opioid use disorder are subject to prescribing limits established for certain controlled substances by the NC STOP Act of 2017. The answer is, unequivocally, no.
The STOP Act places 5-7 day limits only on initial prescriptions for…
Cyberattack on UnitedHealth Firm Forces Doctors to Dig into Personal Savings
Health providers have been struggling with fallout from the Change Healthcare cyberattack
(CNBC, Ashley Capoot) -- On a Sunday in early March, Dr. Angeli Maun Akey noticed something peculiar while making payroll for her private practice in Gainesville, Florida: She was missing $19,000.
Akey owns and operates a primary care practice that serves around 3,500 patients in the area, many…