Welcome to a new week!
ICYMI – Chip Baggett Selected as New NCMS Executive VP/CEO
Yesterday evening NCMS members received a special email with the announcement that the NCMS’ Board of Directors had selected Chip Baggett, JD, as the organization’s new Executive Vice President/CEO effective tomorrow, Sept. 1, 2020. Baggett succeeds Robert W. Seligson, MBA, MA, who announced in January he would be phasing out his role at the NCMS after 26 years at the helm. This morning, the statewide media will be notified of the news.
A search committee, named by the NCMS’ Board carried out a nationwide search over the past eight months using the executive search firm of Tuft & Associates to find the best candidate to carry forward the organization’s work to empower the physician and PA members of the 171-year-old professional society.
“After an exhaustive national search we determined that Chip is the very best person for this position,” said NCMS Past President John Mangum, MD, who chaired the search committee. “After much careful consideration of many qualified applicants, we selected Chip, not because he was the internal candidate, but because he was the candidate who unequivocally rose to the top.”
A diverse group of more than 40 individuals applied for the job, and the committee, meeting remotely via Zoom, held interviews and lengthy calls to eventually narrow the field to two finalists by mid-August.
Baggett has worked at the NCMS since 2007, most recently as Senior Vice President for Advocacy and Associate General Counsel. Throughout his tenure at the Medical Society he has effectively advocated on behalf of the medical profession at the NC General Assembly, and is routinely lauded as one of the state’s top lobbyists. In his most recent role, he also oversaw the NCMS and NCMS Foundation’s fundraising and communications functions.
Prior to coming to the NCMS, Baggett worked in many facets of health care including as executive director of the Buncombe County Medical Society in Asheville (now the Western Carolina Medical Society) and in pharmaceutical sales. Trained at the Indiana School of Fundraising, he has fundraising experience in a variety of paid and volunteer capacities, and has led successful corporate and non-profit annual fund campaigns. Baggett holds an undergraduate degree in education from Appalachian State University and a law degree from NC Central University School of Law.
“Chip’s wide-ranging skill set will be a great asset to the Medical Society,” said NCMS President Palmer Edwards, MD, DFAPA. “The search committee and the Board strongly felt that he is the person to take the NCMS where it needs to go in the future.”
The NCMS’ mission is to enhance the health of North Carolinians and promote the medical profession through advocacy, policy development, education and leadership training.
“I am humbled by the trust the NCMS has put in me to carry forward this crucial work,” Baggett said. “I look forward to working closely with our fellow health care stakeholder organizations as well as to establishing new, meaningful collaborations to achieve better health in our state.”
Outgoing Executive Vice President and CEO Seligson had nothing but praise for his successor: “Chip will do a stellar job,” he said. “He is passionate, smart, creative, driven and has thoroughly demonstrated his commitment to the NCMS over the years. His heart is in the organization. I am thrilled with the Board’s decision and confident the NCMS will thrive under Chip’s leadership.”
NCMS Legislative Update
At noon on Wednesday legislators will be back in Raleigh and the NC General Assembly will reconvene for what is anticipated will be brief session. The main order of business will be allocating COVID-19 relief funds.
Last week Governor Roy Cooper released his proposed budget adjustments, which include money for testing, contact tracing and PPE. Read our summary of the Governor’s budget proposal on our legislative blog here.
As reported earlier, the NCMS has requested a $50 million appropriation from the legislature to help independent medical practices that are financially suffering due to the pandemic. Last week we issued an Action Alert to help you share with legislators your particular stories about how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted your practice and your patients. Hearing real stories from their constituents helps legislators make effective decisions. If you haven’t already responded to the Action Alert, do so now here.
The NCMS is working closely with the medical specialty societies to align our efforts in securing the appropriation. Watch your NCMS Morning Rounds for updates.
Also this week, the NC House Select Committee on Community Relations, Law Enforcement and Justice will meet on Wednesday morning at 10 a.m. NC Rep. Kristin Baker, MD, (R-Cabarrus), a psychiatrist, is a committee co-chair.
Provider Relief Fund Application Deadline Extended Again
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the deadline for Medicaid/CHIP providers to submit their financial data to apply for federal Provider Relief Funds has been extended to Sept. 13, 2020.
If you have not yet submitted your application, you are encouraged to apply. Those who received payments from the Provider Relief Fund previously or had a change in ownership are now eligible to receive payments.
More information is available in NC Medicaid’s SPECIAL BULLETIN COVID-19 #126: New Deadline for Medicaid Providers Applying for Federal Relief Funds.
In the News
Six Feet May Not Be Enough to Protect Against the Coronavirus, Experts Warn, The Washington Post, 8-27-20
Learning Opportunity
American Academy of Pediatrics Julius B. Richmond Center of Excellence will present a 3-part webinar series on e-cigarettes beginning on Thursday, Sept. 24 at 8 p.m. Led by subject matter experts these webinars will focus on clinical and policy approaches to address youth e-cigarette use and prevention with adolescents, families, and communities. The first webinar is “E-cigarettes 101.” Register Now! Those who pre-register will have access to the recording after the live event
If you have policies you’d like your NCMS Board of Directors to consider, please complete the Board input form here. Thanks for reading!