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RhodeRhode islandisland medicalmedical newsnews NEWSLETTER OF THE RHODE iSLAND MEDICAL SOCIETY The2010GeneralAssemblysession: VolumE 23 • Number 2 SepteMber 2010 Onefortherecordbooks State legiSlation –Butnotbecauseitwasunusuallyproductive... and politicS 1 2010 General Assembly The 2010 session of the Rhode Island Committee members generally rely on session General Assembly was remarkable for collaboration from their Senate counter- 2 RIMPAC news: Reform two unheard of events: the mid-session parts in developing the budget, so Senate raises stakes in fall elections election of a new House Speaker, and the acceptance is normally preordained and aMa newS Senate’s rejection of the supplemental free of intrigue. Thus, the rejection of the 4 On system reform: budget proposed by the House. It was un- 2010 supplemental spending plan left vet- What were they thinking? remarkable for legislation passed, aside eran State House observers scratching their 4 Useful links for system from a new school funding formula. heads. Ultimately, the 2010 supplemental reform and federal The looming November general elec- budget was rolled up with the 2011 budget regulations tions and the State’s intractable fiscal and passed by both chambers in that form. 5 2010 House of Delegates straits combined to put a damper on leg- Aside from these two novelties – the Annual Meeting islative exuberance and may have killed new mid-session Speaker and the bud- FroM the preSident whatever appetite House Speaker William get surprise – the legislative year was 6 Reform brings opportunity Murphy (D-Warwick, Coventry) might memorable for little other than an early still have had for a fifth term at the ros- adjournment and stampede for the doors. laurelS For diStinguiShed trum. In March the 47 year-old Murphy Among the relatively few bills left RIMS MeMberS announced that he was stepping down standing to become law were two initi- 7 Dr. Ed Forman on medical from the Speakership and would retire ated by RIMS. House bill 7450 Sub A, ethics as process from the General Assembly altogether and its Senate twin, S-2806 Substitute-A, 9 National honors for Drs. Aronson, Hamolsky at the end of this, his ninth term in the introduced by Representative Frank Ferri House. He thus paved the way for the rare (D-Warwick) and Senator Rhoda Perry rims newS mid-session election of House Majority (D-Providence), respectively, allows 3 Annual Member Banquet Leader Gordon Fox (D-Providence) to the physicians, physician assistants and nurse 8 Briefly Noted Speakership. Usually, the election of a practitioners to treat the partner of a 9 Awards for Dr. Ettensohn Speaker is the first order of business in patient for certain sexually transmitted and Dr. Troise the January of odd-numbered years, when diseases without first examining the part- ® 14 Tar Wars the Assembly begins a new two-year ses- ner. Twenty-two other states already per- 14 Bike helmets sion. January 2011 will be no exception, mit “expedited partner therapy,” which is 17 Member outing but now Fox will face that election as consistent with the guidelines established at the Gamm the incumbent Speaker with enhanced by the Centers for Disease Control. practice ManageMent newS prospects for reelection, this time to a The second successful piece of RIMS 16 Workers’ compensation full, two-year term. legislation is a re-write of the licensing and Beacon’s divorce statute for radiological technicians (House 19 RI’s new Regional Extension Droppingthebudgetball 7273-Aaa, by Pollard, and its companion Center for HIT The other curiosity was perpetrated by bill, Senate 2130-A, by Gallo). Rad techs 19 Useful links for practice the Senate, which broke with a 30-plus have been licensed in Rhode Island since management and HIT year tradition when it rejected the House’s 1994 under a statute co-authored by the 24 UnitedHealth settlement supplemental budget for the fiscal year techs and RIMS. Given advances in tech- proFessional liability that ended June 30. Constitutionally, nology in the intervening years, RIMS saw 20 AMA’s recent survey it is the responsibility of the House to the need to work with the Rhode Island 21 Risk management tips formulate the budget and send it to the Radiological Society and the Department on pain management Senate for concurrence. House Finance of Health to update the statute. continued p.8 riMpac newS Thenewfederallegislationraisesthestakesfor RIMPAC has made the maximum allowable contribution RIMS198thAnnual MemberBanquet of $1,000 to the Kilmartin campaign and a $500 contribu- doctorsandpatientsinthisfall’sprimaryand tion to the Little campaign. saturday,October2,2010 squantumAssociation,eastprovidence ri Medical Society and RIMPAC executive committee generalelections secreTARY OfsTATe GenerAlTreAsurer generally does not make contributions to candidates for Look for your invitation in the mail presiDenT these offices. Vera A. De Palo, MD 2010 is an election year in Rhode Island. That means that all statewide general The following new leadership team was duly elected offices (Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Treasurer, Secretary of State and Attor- by the RIMS Council on June 6, 2010, and will be presiDenT-elecT GenerAlAssemBLY A substantial number of new faces ney General), as well all 113 General Assembly seats, Rhode Island’s two seats installed in office on October 2: Gary Bubly, MD may grace both chambers of the General Assembly come in the U.S. House of Representatives (Patrick Kennedy and James Langevin are vicepresiDenT January. Some fifteen seats are open (i.e., no incumbent the incumbents) and many mayors, town councils, school committees, etc. will Gary Bubly, MD President Nitin S. Damle, MD is seeking reelection), and most incumbents are facing be in play on November 2. Primary elections for all the intra-party contests will Nitin S. Damle, MD President-Elect secretary challenges – in some cases multiple challenges. Alyn L. Adrain, MD take place on Tuesday, September 14. Alyn L. Adrain, MD Vice President TreAsurer Rhode Island must elect a new governor and a new attorney general because Voters in the following five districts have a chance this Elaine C. Jones, MD Secretary Jerry Fingerut, MD the current incumbents are term-limited. Rhode Island will also elect a new year to vote for a physician or a nurse to represent them Jerry Fingerut, MD Treasurer general treasurer because the incumbent is running for governor. The First immeDiatepAst presiDenT in the General Assembly: Marlene Cutitar, MD Councilor at Large Diane R. Siedlecki, MD Congressional District is an “open seat” (i.e., no incumbent is running for Scott E. Wang, MD Councilor at Large Ama delegate reelection this year) for the first time in decades, because Congressman Patrick senateDistrict35 (East Greenwich/North Kingstown/ Michael E. Migliori, MD Kennedy will be retiring from Congress when his eighth term in the House Warwick): The Honorable Mark Schwager, MD, a two- Steven R. Fera, MD Councilor at Large cOuncillOrs at lArGe of Representatives ends this year. With more than a dozen retirements in the term member of the East Greenwich Town Council, is Martin R. Papazian, MD Councilor at Large Marlene Cutitar, MD General Assembly and with a sharp increase in the number of candidates who the endorsed Democratic candidate for this seat, which Joel M. Kaufman, MD Adjunct Councilor at Large Andrew J. Dowd, MD have filed for offices at all levels, this year’s general election promises to be became open when the incumbent retired. Dr. Schwager Steven R. Fera, MD Ira M. Singer, MD Adjunct Councilor at Large one of the most interesting and momentous in memory. faces a stiff primary battle on September 14, and whoever Martin R. Papazian, MD Michael E. Migliori, MD Delegate to AMA The new federal health care reforms raise the stakes for this year’s fall prevails in that contest will face a well-funded, business- elections, because the new law places much authority for implementation supported Republican rival in November. RIMPAC has Peter A. Hollmann, MD Alternate Delegate to AMA in the hands of the states. The general officers and the General Assembly who made the maximum allowed contribution of $1,000 to Rhode Island MedIcal news the Schwager campaign. More information on this cri- is the newsletter of the assume office at the start of2011 will bear historic responsibility for shaping Rhode Island medical Society the future of Rhode Island health care. tical race is available at www.doctormarkforsenate.com. RIMPAC is a non-partisan medical political action com- 235 Promenade Street, Suite 500 Accordingly, RIMPAC, under the leadership of its Chair, former RIMS Supporters can also contact the campaign at doctormark- mittee that seeks to promote the election and re-election Providence RI 02908 President and former General Assembly member Nick Tsiongas, MD, MPH, [email protected] or 401-884-1388. of state and local public officeholders who are friendly to Phone: 401-331-3207 is especially active this year. A full listing of candidates who have received Fax: 401-751-8050 senateDistrict11 (Bristol/Portsmouth): Christopher Ottiano, medicine and knowledgeable about health care. Neither con-tributions from RIMPAC is available on the homepage of RIMS’ website, Email: [email protected] MD, is making his third run for the seat held by Senator RIMS nor RIMPAC endorses candidates for any office. Website: www.rimed.org www.rimed.org. Below are brief notes on some of the key races this fall. Charles Levesque. Sen. Levesque is a member of the Senate RIMPAC advises AMPAC (the American Medical Political suBscripTiOn InfOrmatiOn GOvernOr The gubernatorial race became a little simpler with the withdrawal Committee on Health and Human Services and has spon- Action Committee of the AMA) on potential support for A one year subscription to of Democratic candidate Patrick Lynch, Rhode Island’s current Attorney Gen- sored legislation on behalf of RIMS during his three terms candidates for federal office representing Rhode Island.

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