About NCMS

Accomplishments

This year has proven to be a year of growth, challenges, and change for the North Carolina Medical Society and its more than 11,000 members. Throughout the year, the NCMS has been making significant impact on the following areas for the benefit of its members:

Legislative Efforts

• Continued efforts at the General Assembly to attain significant medical liability reform.
• Worked to keep the physician fee schedule in tact at 95 percent of Medicare.
• Supported continued provisions in the state budget to fund the Physician Advisory Group (PAG), which works with the Dept. of Health and Human Services to explore cost-cutting measures in Medicaid without negatively impacting patient quality of care.
• Successfully stopped legislation that would have prohibited physicians from employing physical therapists to participate in patient care activities.
• Helped to ensure the self-regulation of medicine by backing legislation that strengthened the authority of the NC Medical Board.
• Helped support pro-medicine candidates in the 2006 elections through MEDPAC, the political education and action committee of the North Carolina Medical Society.

Managed Care Victories

• Participated in four new settlement agreements with HealthNet, Prudential, Wellpoint/Anthem and Humana. Lawsuit settlements with Aetna and CIGNA were finalized in 2004-2005. The NCMS is a signatory medical society for all of these settlement agreements.
• Filed suit against UnitedHealthcare and Blue Cross Blue Shield North Carolina due to unfair business practices, lawsuits that are still pending in state court.
• Spearheaded efforts to ensure lawsuit settlement compliance by Aetna and CIGNA and reviewed the Aetna Physician Contract, with Aetna agreeing to make numerous changes to its physician agreements nationwide.

Leadership

• Inducted 16 new scholars to the Leadership Scholar Program, an effort created by the NCMS Foundation to train physicians and physician assistants in leadership skills that will help shape the future of medicine within the state. Scholars are active in many ways: serving on NCMS committees or as component society officers; becoming involved in local professional activities; and spearheading community service projects that will benefit North Carolina patients and physicians.
• Assisted medically underserved areas through the Community Practitioner Program, which places physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assitants in rural or underserved areas in exchange for loan repayment. In 2006, the Community Practitioner Program assisted 38 providers and practices within 31 communities in the state.
• Achieved national leadership representation with the election of Charles F. Willson, MD, as a member of the Council of Medical Service.

Practice Management Assistance

To ensure that North Carolina physician practices thrive, the NC Medical Society Foundation's PractEssentials initiated several new services focusing on practice management.

• The PractEssentals Practice Management Center provides a wide range of resource materials and tools for physicians, medical directors and practice managers. These resources cover the full spectrum of business issues associated with running and working in a successful medical practice. The PractEssentals Practice Management Center provides a wide range of resource materials and tools for physicians, medical directors and practice managers. These resources cover the full spectrum of business issues associated with running and working in a successful medical practice.
• The Doctor to Doctor Blog promotes communication among NCMS members on the latest news affecting medical practices.
• The PractEssentals Educational Series and LunchTime Lessons webinars offer opportunities throughout the year to gain more knowledge in creating an efficient and successful practice. Check out the Calendar of Events for the latest sessions.

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