Happy Monday! Enjoy your NCMS Morning Rounds.

April 5, 2021

NCMS Legislative Update

This week is ‘spring break’ for legislators, who last week were hurrying to file bills before heading out of town.

While legislators were focused on two education bills being pushed by House and Senate leadership on summer school and reading for the state’s children, other bills of note for physicians and PAs deserve special mention.

As mentioned previously, SB345 – PA Team-based Practice is a proposal that modernizes how physicians supervise PAs, recognizing training and education and focusing on team-based care. The NCMS supports this legislation, which is a product of the NCMS’ Medical Team Task Force’s work over two years. The NCMS joined the NC Academy of Physician Assistants in issuing a media statement when this bill was introduced. Read that statement here.

NCMS staff also is developing an FAQ document outlining the Task Force’s formation and charge as well to answer your questions about the legislative proposal. Watch your NCMS Morning Rounds for this document. In the meantime, please email any questions you have to [email protected] so we can respond to you and include the answers in our FAQ document, which will be updated frequently.

HB61 – Local Communicable Disease Programs/Funds, which provides additional state funding to health departments to fight COVID-19 as well as other infectious diseases. This bill has moved on to the House Appropriations committee for consideration.

The first proposal dealing with surprise billing was filed last week. SB415—Greater Transparency in Health Care Billing was introduced and we will be monitoring it closely.

SB486 – Reform Courts and Jails is an extremely lengthy bill, but included in it is a provision of particular interest to obstetricians and gynecologists on shackling pregnant women who are incarcerated.

SB255 – 2021 AOC Legislative Changes includes provisions that could impact medical liability. We are closely watching this proposal.

Please visit our NCMS legislative blog for daily updates on action at the NC General Assembly. This will be a quiet week as legislators enjoy their break, but get ready for busy weeks ahead as bill filing deadlines approach and the budget negotiations begin.

Tax Season is Here –NCMS Dues Deductibility Statement

Federal law requires the NCMS to notify members that a percentage of dues paid by members is not deductible in accordance with IRC section 6033 regarding professional dues. Dues to the NCMS and component societies are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes but a portion may be claimed as a business expense.

For tax year 2020 it is estimated that 14 percent of NCMS dues is non-deductible. Component societies deductibility amounts for 2020 are as follows:
• NC Dermatology Association: 100 percent non-deductible
• NC OBGYN Society: 28 percent non-deductible
• NC Orthopaedic Association: 48 percent non-deductible
• NC Society of Eye Physicians & Surgeons: 69 percent non-deductible

For 2021 it is estimated that 12 percent of the 2021 NCMS dues amount paid by members is not deductible with IRC section 6033 regarding professional dues.

If you made charitable contributions to the NCMS Foundation (thank you!), you can review your giving history on your NCMS profile page. If you have already created a profile, simply go to the membership tab at the top of our homepage (www.ncmedsoc.org) and click on ‘My Homepage’ where you’ll find a link to ‘View My Giving History.’

If you do not have an NCMS profile, we encourage you to create one – it’s simple, quick and will help you manage your NCMS account. Just go to ‘login’ in the black bar at the top of our homepage or click on this link: https://www2.ncmedsoc.org/login. Follow the prompts to create your profile and access information about your NCMS membership and giving anytime.

Friday’s Power Hour Focuses on Black Maternal Health

Please join us this Friday, April 9 at noon when our NCMS Foundation Kanof Institute for Physician Leadership virtual Power Hour will focus on black maternal health.

Health inequity in the US has become more apparent during the pandemic, with COVID-19 disproportionately ravaging populations of color. Statistics confirm similar health outcomes for this population in other areas like maternal health. The US has the worst maternal mortality rates overall compared to other developed countries, with black mothers at least three times more likely to die in childbirth than white mothers. Black babies have a mortality rate almost four times the rate of their non-Hispanic white counterparts.

Earlier this year, democratic Sens. Alma Adams (NC), Michael Bennet (CO) and Corey Booker (NJ) introduced the Black Maternal Momnibus Act of 2021, which includes 12 provisions addressing racial and ethnic disparities aimed at better outcomes for – and saving the lives of — black mothers and their children. Join us as we hear what some of our community members are seeing in this area and what actions are being taken to address and improve the health outcomes for black mothers.

Register here.

In the News

More confidence about the results’: FDA authorizes two rapid coronavirus tests for home screening, USA Today, 4-1-21

Learning Opportunity

Xavier University of Louisiana’s Virtual Health Disparities Conference, April 7 – 8
Look forward to:
• Award-Based Student Poster Competition (Abstracts)
• An Engaging and Interactive Town Hall Meeting
• 6th Annual John Ruffin Lecture
• Valuable networking opportunities

Learn more and register here.