FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                  April 5, 2019

District of Columbia takes important step to reverse opioid epidemic

CHICAGO –

The Medical Society of the District of Columbia (MSDC) and the American Medical Association (AMA) applauded the mayor’s office today for removing prior authorization for medications to treat opioid use disorder. The decision from the D.C. Department of Health Care Finance (DHCF) applies to patients receiving Medicaid and is effective immediately.

“This action will save lives,” said Patrice A. Harris, M.D., MA, president-elect of the American Medical Association and chair of the AMA Opioid Task Force. “We commend the leadership shown by Mayor Muriel Bowser, DHCF Director Wayne Turnage and Medicaid Director Melisa Byrd. Now it’s time for commercial health insurance companies to follow suit and remove prior authorization for medication assisted treatment [MAT].”

“Prior authorization for MAT can lead to delays and denials of care that have deadly consequences,” said Raymond Tu, MD, MS, MSDC president. “This will have a direct and immediate effect on improving patient care in the District.”

Added Director Byrd: “The evidence was clear to us that removing restrictions on access to MAT was essential to helping end the District’s opioid epidemic,” said Director Byrd. “This action supports the Live. Long. DC. opioid strategy to reduce regulatory barriers to treatment. We will work to implement this quickly with the District’s physicians and patient community to increase access to this life-saving medication.”

 
See the AMA Press Release

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For more information:

AMA media contact

Jack Deutsch

P: (202) 789-7442

Jack.Deutsch@ama-assn.org

MSDC media contact

Pia Duryea         

Medical Society of the District of Columbia          

P: (202) 355-9414

duryea@msdc.org

About the AMA

The American Medical Association is the powerful ally and unifying voice for America’s physicians, the patients they serve, and the promise of a healthier nation. The AMA attacks the dysfunction in health care by removing obstacles and burdens that interfere with patient care. It reimagines medical education, training, and lifelong learning for the digital age to help physicians grow at every stage of their careers, and it improves the health of the nation by confronting the increasing chronic disease burden. For more information, visit ama-assn.org.

Gray Positions Himself for Fight with Bowser Over United Medical Center
Source: Washington Business Journal, Tina Reed, March 13, 2017

Vincent Gray was the first D.C. mayor to budget funding for a new Southeast D.C. hospital to replace United Medical Center

Photo Credit: Joanne S. Lawton

When he was mayor in 2014, he'd proposed $336 million for a new hospital on the St. Elizabeths campus — but the D.C. Council at the time didn't back him, he mentioned several times at the hearing last week. The current mayor is doing another study to determine the feasibility for such a hospital — something he also pointed out he'd already done.

While he has been coy about whether he will run against Mayor Muriel Bowser in the next primary, Gray was making no secret of his new strategy: to put more pressure on plans to build a replacement hospital east of the Anacostia River. Councilmember and former Mayor Vincent Gray appeared to be queuing up a conflict with… Read more in the full article

Source: The DC Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking (DISB) issued the following Press Release on August 31, 2016 

Commissioner's order provides plan for dedicating $51.3 million in excess surplus to subscribers  

Commissioner Stephen C. Taylor of the District of Columbia Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking (DISB) issued a final Decision and Order in the 2011 Surplus Review and Determination for Group Hospitalization and Medical Services, Inc. (GHMSI), a nonprofit hospital and medical services corporation which operates as CareFirst in the District.

The Commissioner’s August 30 order is the final action to implement a 2014 decision by the former DISB Acting Commissioner who found that GHMSI’s 2011 surplus of $963 million was excessive and that $56.2 million of the excess surplus was attributable to the District. In this order, Commissioner Taylor determined that approximately $4.9 million in rate reductions qualified as community health reinvestment and ordered GHMSI to issue the remaining $51.3 million in excess surplus in the form of rebates to their subscribers.

“Throughout this process, DISB was focused on reaching a result that was fair and equitable and protected District residents and our health insurance market,” said Commissioner Taylor. “We are thankful to the public for their input and feedback, which played a critical role in this final decision.”

On June 14, 2016, Commissioner Taylor rejected the plan filed by GHMSI because it did not provide for the distribution of the excessive surplus to community health reinvestment, as required by the 2014 decision. Further, the Commissioner asked for public comment as he developed a new plan to dedicate the excess surplus to community health reinvestment.

After a careful review and analysis of public comments, Commissioner Taylor determined that rebates would promote and safeguard public health by providing an immediate benefit to GHMSI subscribers that can be used to assist them with the payment of insurance premiums and other health care expenses, such as deductibles, co-pays, coinsurance and other out-of-pocket costs.

The freeze on premium rate increases requested by GHMSI, which is mandated by law, will remain in place until the company issues the rebates.

The Commissioner is required by law to review GHMSI’s surplus (the amount by which its admitted assets exceed its liabilities, including reserves) at least once every three years to determine whether it is excessive. Upon finding excess surplus, the Commissioner is required to order GHMSI to submit a plan that dedicates the excess surplus attributable to the District to community health reinvestment in a fair and equitable manner.

To view the order, follow this link. To view all documents related to the 2011 GHMSI surplus review, visit this link. 

MEDIA CONTACT
August 31, 2016
Contact: Kate Hartig, 202-442-7753
kathryn.hartig@dc.gov

WASHINGTON, DC (August 19, 2016) –The Medical Society of the District of Columbia (MSDC), the largest medical organization in the District of Columbia representing Washington-area physicians, today encouraged DC parents to get their children the required school vaccinations and to have a conversation with their health care provider about the appropriate vaccine schedule for the entire family. Herd immunity – or the protection conferred on an entire community when a high enough percentage of its members are vaccinated – is critical not only to DC students, but residents of all ages, and particularly for those vulnerable populations unable to be vaccinated, including infants, the elderly, and those who are immunocompromised.

“Vaccines are one of the most effective public health tools for protecting our students from a broad range of potentially dangerous illnesses, including measles, mumps, whooping cough, and meningitis. However, the threat of disease and the protection conferred by vaccines are not limited to our children,” said MSDC President Carla C. Sandy, MD. “MSDC encourages parents having back-to-school conversations with their health care providers to ask about the most appropriate vaccine schedule for their entire family, including college-age students returning to school and parents or grandparents who are also susceptible to vaccine-preventable illnesses.”

College-age students are among the most susceptible to meningitis, a potentially fatal bacterial illness that can also lead to brain damage, hearing loss and loss of limbs. Because meningitis spreads quickly among those living in close quarters, students living in dormitories are at increased risk, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Colleges across the country have recently reported cases of meningitis, including a case of meningitis B at Georgetown University in 2014. There are now vaccines available for all strains of meningitis.

The CDC also reports that adult vaccination rates are low for most routinely recommended vaccines, including tetanus (62.9%), shingles (24.2%), pertussis (14.2%) and pneumococcal disease (21.2%), particularly among those adults at high risk because of chronic heart disease, lung diseases such as asthma, liver disease, and other risk factors.

“Vaccines are critical for children and adults alike,” added Dr. Sandy. “As a practicing OB-GYN, I am focused every day on the health of expectant mothers and new babies who are too young to avail themselves of the protection of vaccines. It is important for all DC residents to have conversations with their health care providers about how to best protect themselves and our community through appropriate immunizations.”

For more information about DC school immunization requirements, visit the DC Department of Health website: http://doh.dc.gov/service/immunization

For more information from the CDC on immunizations, including the recommended CDC immunization schedules, visit: https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/ 

For more information on vaccines and pregnant women, visit: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pregnancy/pregnant-women/

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Media Contact:

Pia Duryea                                                                           

duryea@msdc.org                                                                

202- 355-9414
917-952-3246 (Cell)                                                                          

About the Medical Society of the District of Columbia (MSDC)

With over 2,500 members, the Medical Society of the District of Columbia (MSDC) is the largest medical organization in the District representing metropolitan Washington physicians. MSDC is dedicated to the well-being of the physicians in metropolitan Washington and their patients. Since 1817, MSDC has been supporting and advocating for patients, physicians, the medical profession and the betterment of public health. Our membership comprises licensed physicians, medical residents, medical students and allied health professionals in metropolitan Washington. For more, visit www.msdc.org.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

February 2, 2016

CONTACT:

LaToya Foster (EOM) 202-727-5011; latoya.foster@dc.gov

Marcus Williams (DOH) – 202-724-7481; marcus.williams@dc.gov

(Washington, DC) – Today the District of Columbia Department of Health (DOH) released the latest version of the “Interim HIV/AIDS Surveillance Report.” This document presents preliminary data showing the seventh consecutive decrease in annual new HIV cases in the District of Columbia during 2014.

“Last year, I announced the bold goal to cut in half new HIV cases in the District by the year 2020,” said Mayor Muriel Bowser. “Today, we continue to make progress toward that goal and take new approaches that will enable us to ultimately end the epidemic in our city.”

The report shows 396 new HIV cases in 2014, a 29% decrease from the 553 cases reported in 2013. This is also a 70% decrease from 1,333 cases in 2007 when the highest number of HIV cases were reported. This interim report also contains new data reporting elements for DOH, including: new HIV cases among transgender persons and a new reporting category of HIV transmission.

For the first time, DOH will define known transmission for all new cases by sexual contact and/or injection drug use. This approach is inclusive across sex, gender and types of sexual intercourse, acknowledging the diversity in gender identity among District residents. With this data reporting, DOH aims to reduce stigmatization on sexual contact and prevent the misclassification of transgender cases. DOH will report to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defined sexual modes of transmission for men and women. For transgender persons, DOH will utilize general sexual contact and injection drug use modes of transmission categories thus reducing stigmatization and enhancing the quality of reported data.

“We are promoting an inclusive approach to the HIV epidemic as part of our strategy to reduce barriers and develop effective and scientific-based strategies to achieve a HIV-free generation in the District,” said Dr. LaQuandra Nesbitt, Director, DOH.

DOH notes that the data is preliminary and has limitations. There are reporting delays that can affect the timeliness and completeness of HIV/AIDS case reporting. This gives DOH staff time to ensure that all reports are complete. DOH will issue its comprehensive and complete surveillance report of HIV, Hepatitis, STD and TB data for the year 2014 this coming summer.

The interim report is available on the DOH web site at www.doh.dc.gov/hahsta.

Read the Press Release.