Legislative Issues | Florida Society of Dermatology and Dermatologic Surgery

Governor Crist Signs SB 720 into Law

Friday June 19, 2009

Dear Colleague,

It is my privilege to report to you as FSDDS President that Governor Charlie Crist signed SB 720 into law on June 16, 2009. This is a victory for dermatology and the patients we serve! SB 720, which your FSDDS has worked very hard on this past year, includes, among other provisions, the following: “A physician may not hold himself or herself out as a board-certified specialist in dermatology unless the recognizing agency, whether authorized in statute or rule, is triennially reviewed and reauthorized by the (Florida) Board of Medicine.” Reading between the lines, this will make it much more difficult for AAPS/ABPS Board-certified dermatologists to remain board certified without pursuing certification through the American Board of Dermatology.

I want to personally thank all of those who helped us achieve this significant accomplishment, but especially the following who work hard on your behalf year round for FSDDS: Dan Meirson, MD, Legislative Chair; Jon Johnson, Governmental Affairs; Chris Nuland, Esq., General Counsel; and all the recent FSDDS volunteer leaders who have been involved in the issue over the years. A simple thank you is probably not enough.

I have asked our Executive Director to alert the AAD and the state dermatology executives from around the country, and this is in progress.

This is another prominent example of what the FSDDS does to represent you and act on your behalf. Please ask a colleague to join with us as we pursue excellence in dermatology in Florida.

Sincerely,

Albert J. Nemeth, MD
President, FSDDS

Success for Florida Physicians: Governor Crist Signs SB 1122

Friday June 19, 2009

Last week Governor Crist signed SB 1122, which was a clear victory for Florida physicians and a demonstration of how we can work together to achieve important goals. We asked you, the membership of the FSDDS, to write the governor and urge him to approve SB 1122, and the Florida Medical Association coordinated the efforts of Florida’s key medical associations.
Our combined efforts paid off and we defeated attempts by the insurance industry to derail this critical legislation.

The importance of SB 1122 cannot be overstated. Physicians can now be assigned payment for services directly from insurance companies at the option of patients in cases where, beforehand, insurers would pay patients.
Now, when a patient visits a doctor considered “out-of-nework,” they can choose to assign their benefits to the provider who will be paid directly.
By not routing payment through the patient, the process is greatly simplified and expenses and effort are reduced for all parties. Physicians will be able to spend more time with patients, resulting in enhanced health care for Floridians.

We thank you for your support in helping to achieve this victory. The FSDDS is a recognized constituent in Florida’s medical community and we played a key role in supporting this bill, which will help us to provide the highest standards of medical care.

Governor Jeb Bush Signs HB699

Drs. Rosenberg and Meirson sign HB 699 into law with Governor Jeb Bush.

FSDDS Legislative Action Center

The FSDDS Legislative Action Center is a new member service of the FSDDS. By using this system, FSDDS and its members can directly contact federal and state lawmakers and regulators on issues of concern to the FSDDS.

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Governor Crist Signs SB 720 into Law

Success for Florida Physicians: Governor Crist Signs SB 1122

Governor Jeb Bush Signs HB699

FSDDS Legislative Action Center