MSSNY PRESIDENT ON TORT REFORM

Dear Fellow Physicians:

The game isn’t over…it’s just going into the second half. Earlier this year we were able to achieve a phenomenal legislative triumph when Governor Paterson and the State Legislature stopped medical liability insurance premium increases until June 30, 2009.
And the State Legislature has set the stage for the possible long-term liability reform legislation during the 2009 Legislative Session. As a matter of fact, in enacting the rate freeze into law, Governor David Paterson stated:
“I want to thank the Legislature for stabilizing malpractice rates for the short term… However, our work is now cut out for us, and we remain committed to creating comprehensive and meaningful medical malpractice reform.”

The second half begins January 1 when the legislature comes back to Albany…and we’ve got to be ready for a brutal campaign if we are finally going to change the liability situation in New York State. That’s why I’m turning to you for your help.

If we are to succeed we must continue to educate both the public and the Legislature regarding the growing threat to health care access which is certain if we can’t achieve meaningful reform.

But we cannot do this without your help. To accomplish these goals, we need you to provide financial support to MSSNY’s Medical Liability Reform Campaign which will give us the resources essential if organized medicine is to achieve these needed long-term reforms in 2009.

If you gave last year, thank you very much! But, we need your help again! If you have not given yet please do so now. Every dollar goes directly into the Medical Liability Campaign Fund to pay for media advertising in key New York State markets and to do all of the work necessary to move at least 3,000 physicians into Albany for State Legislation Day on March 3. (We did almost 2,000 this year so I know we can make that goal.)

Why are we asking for your support again?
We believe it is essential to not only sustain, but to increase, the intensity of our grass roots and media activity in 2009. To do this we need to rebuild our coffers.
State Legislation Day on Tuesday, March 3 is the centerpiece of a comprehensive campaign which is intended to reach media outlets across New York State. Most importantly, last year’s State Legislative Day captured the full attention of the Legislature as few other lobbying efforts have done. But the buses, the materials and the facilities in Albany are expensive and we can’t do it without your contribution.
The intense and highly successful advertising campaign needs to be doubled…but to do this we need a solid cash reserve in the Medical Liability Campaign Fund.
Our plan calls for a major expansion of our grass roots efforts. This includes local/regional physician education and training programs, local meetings with your legislators and meeting with major media outlets in key markets across the state. These efforts will cost money.
Let me be clear. We are absolutely dependent on your response to this appeal. None of this can happen without YOU making a serious contribution to MSSNY’s Medical Liability Campaign Fund.

We urge you to make a contribution to MSSNY’s Medical Liability Campaign Fund by clicking here http://www.magnetmail1.net/ls.cfm?r=156083705&sid=5457359&m=626999&u=MedicalNY&s=https://www.mssny.org/tortreform. Please do this now. I know that I can count on you.

Thank you for your support.

Sincerely,
Michael H. Rosenberg, MD
President, MSSNY