A possible reduction in physician payment toplines a new AAFP summary of the proposed rule for the 2022 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS), released July 23 by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), and has ignited sharp congressional advocacy by the Academy and a broad coalition of medical groups. The AAFP summary warns that according to the American Medical Association, a 1.6% reduction in allowed charges for family medicine could result if next year’s fee schedule goes into effect as proposed without congressional intervention. Comments on the MPFS are due to CMS by Sept. 13. The agency will issue a final rule around Nov. 1, which will take effect on Jan. 1, 2022.

Srikar Reddy, MD, FAAFP—affiliated with Ascension Medical Group in South Lyon—was sworn in as MAFP president during the annual membership meeting on July 24. His one-year term began following an installation ceremony led via live-stream by AAFP Chair Gary LeRoy, MD, FAAFP. Dr. Reddy will work with the Board of Directors, also installed on July 24, to help set the agenda for the upcoming year. Dr. Reddy’s first President’s Message will be published in the fall issue of Michigan Family Physician, due out in mid-September.

Members attending the MAFP Annual Meeting on July 24 discussed and voted on six member-authored resolution proposals. Topics included, among other, evidence-based treatment of obesity as a chronic disease, medication assisted treatment, and nursing home and jail/prison healthcare reform. Resolution proposals for consideration at the 2022 MAFP Annual Meeting on July 9 are being accepted until May 23.

Family Medicine Foundation of Michigan’s Professional Development Committee is accepting presentation proposals for the 2022 Michigan Family Medicine Conference & Expo, being held in-person at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, July 7-10. Proposals are due by Oct. 18.

Register for MAFP's/Family Medicine Foundation of Michigan's year-long “Stay on Course: Your Ticket to Family Medicine CME” on-demand webinar package and receive immediate access to 12 webinars approved for 13 CME credits. Plus, several of the webinars meet the state's training requirement for medical licensure on the topics of ethics, human trafficking, and pain and symptom management. To earn CME credits, attendees must complete a survey after watching each webinar by July 17, 2022. MAFP staff will then report members’ credit(s) earned to AAFP and email them a CME certificate for their records.

Thirteen organizations have generously sponsored MAFP's "Stay on Course" package of on-demand webinars. Please thank them for their support and click the links to learn more about the products and services of these organizations and how they might benefit you, your practice, and your patients.

During AAFP’s 2021 National Conference of Family Medicine Residents and Medical Students, Mikita Patel, MD was elected resident alternate delegate to the AAFP Congress of Delegates. Dr. Patel is training at McLaren Oakland Family Medicine Residency and served as this year’s resident alternate delegate to National Conference on behalf of MAFP. "I chose [to run for] this position because I am passionate about making positive changes in resident wellness, preventive medicine, social determinants of health, and health equity. I am so excited about working together with residents to create a better future in family medicine. I am truly honored to be their voice to Congress," said Dr. Patel. 

Resident Delegate Faizon Memon, MD (Central Michigan University Family Medicine Residency), Resident Alternate Delegate Mikita Patel, MD (McLaren Oakland Family Medicine Residency), Student Delegate Amy Halder (Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine), and Student Alternate Delegate Saaranga Sasitharan (Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine) represented Michigan at AAFP’s National Conference, July 29-31. Among their duties was attending Congress business sessions to speak to, and ultimately vote on, resident- and student-authored resolutions. Interested in serving as a Michigan delegate to the 2022 National Congress and earning a scholarship to cover conference-related costs? The application is open until Apr. 1.

During the month of May, Anneliese Petersen—a rising fourth-year student at Wayne State University School of Medicine—took part in Family Medicine Foundation of Michigan’s (FMFM) 2021 clinical externship funded jointly by the American Academy of Family Physicians Foundation. Each year, through a competitive application process, FMFM selects a student member of MAFP to participate in the summer externship program. Over the course of her 4.5-week externship, Anneliese dedicated her time to Street Medicine Detroit, a non-profit organization affiliated with Wayne State University, which provides medical care and supportive services to those experiencing homelessness in Detroit.

Dr. Delicia Pruitt of Saginaw was featured in a MLive article on the rising COVID-19 numbers and her recommendations for staying informed and taking a “layered approach of preventative measures.” Dr. Pruitt is a family physician in Saginaw and an associate professor of family medicine at Central Michigan University College of Medicine.

Research led by Dr. Julie Phillips, professor of family medicine at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, found that educational debt of family medicine residents increased by 81% over a five-year period, with almost half of them racking up debt over $250,000. Residents with more debt do not perform as well academically, experience more distress, and make different long-term career decisions, compared to those with lesser debt, the study found.

If you missed MAFP’s virtual “Academy” Awards Celebration on July 24, available now is a recording of the presentation of the “Archie” Award of Excellence, Michigan Family Physician of the Year, Michigan Family Medicine Educator of the Year, Michigan Family Medicine Resident of the Year, and Outstanding Medical Student in Michigan. It’s not too early to submit award nominations for 2022.

The COVID-19 pandemic gave twins Lauren and Adriane Marchese, family physician members of MAFP, the chance to work side by side. As a result, they’ve chosen to go into practice together, opening a family medicine clinic in Commerce Township.

Do you have news to share about yourself, your practice, or a colleague? Email info@mafp.com.

Applications are being accepted this month and next for a variety of appointed student and resident national leadership positions. Among them are representative roles to partnering organizations, such as the American Medical Association, Student National Medical Association, AAFP National Research Network Advisory Group, and others. A MAFP member’s complete application requires a letter of support from MAFP. Please plan in advance to give MAFP staff plenty of notice when requesting a letter of support—email Dana Lawrence, MAFP Director of Communications & Member Services, at dlawrence@mafp.com.

Registration is open for the robust Family Medicine Midwest Conference, being held virtually Sept. 9-11. Included in the agenda are plenary sessions, breakout education sessions, a residency showcase, expo, and poster presentations. Registration closes Sept. 1. MAFP is a proud sponsor of the conference along with other Midwest partners.

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) announced it is investing more than $76 million in community-based primary care medical and dental residency programs in rural and underserved communities. This funding will support current residents in Teaching Health Centers (THCs), create new community-based primary care residency programs, and expand the number of full-time equivalent resident positions at existing and new THCs. There is currently one Teaching Health Center in Michigan, Authority Health in Detroit, which administers residency programs in family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, and psychiatry.

Please take this AAFP National Research Network survey to support the AAFP's physician payment advocacy efforts. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is seeking information to update Medicare payments for routine vaccine administration. To help improve payment rates and strengthen the AAFP’s advocacy, this survey includes several questions about what it costs to administer routine adult vaccines in family medicine clinics. Your responses will be used to support AAFP’s comments and policy recommendations to CMS. The survey closes Monday, August 9, at 9 am ET.

The Food & Drug Administration has authorized a 45-day extension (from 4.5 months to 6 months) of the shelf life for the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine. This decision is based on data from ongoing stability assessment studies demonstrating that the vaccine is stable at 6 months when refrigerated at temperatures of 2°C to 8°C (36°F to 46°F). COVID-19 vaccines that are authorized under an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) do not have fixed expiration dates, and their expiration dates can be extended as more stability data becomes available. Physicians are reminded to check the manufacturer’s website to obtain the most up-to-date expiration information for COVID-19 vaccines in their inventory.  

Following rare reports of Guillain-Barre syndrome in a small number of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine recipients, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recently heard information on the benefits and risks of the vaccine. Although the balance of benefits and risks varies by age and sex, data presented at the ACIP meeting showed thousands of hospitalizations are estimated to be prevented because of J&J COVID-19 vaccination and ACIP members reinforced the continued use of the vaccine according to current recommendations.

Effective Nov. 1, Abbott Laboratories will take over the state’s WIC infant formula rebate contract for the next five years. WIC formula benefits will transition from the current contract holder, Mead Johnson Enfamil product, to the nutritionally equivalent Abbott Similac product. Click here for the conversion chart.

The Center for the History of Family Medicine (CHFM) serves as the primary repository of information and resources on the history and evolution of general practice, family practice, and the specialty of family medicine in the United States. Each year, to help guide this mission, CHFM recruits candidates interested in serving on the CHFM Board of Curators. Nominees should be individuals with a recognized devotion to preserving the historical record of the specialty and be a willing and active participant in the proceedings of the Board. This year, CHFM is seeking one at-large member for 3-year renewable terms beginning Jan. 1, 2022. Applications are due Sept. 8.

August is National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM), an annual observance for highlighting the efforts of healthcare professionals to protect patients of all ages against vaccine-preventable disease through on-time vaccination. Physicians are urged to encourage their patients to schedule appointments to ensure they are up to date on annual exams and recommended vaccines. Research has consistently shown that healthcare professionals are the most trusted source of vaccine information for parents and patients. Below are resources:

Whether you are trying to implement medical home functions, streamline processes, or enhance the patient experience, AAFP TIPS resources make practice improvement faster and easier. The team-based tools are designed specifically for family medicine and free to members.

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency launched a new resource website geared towards stopping ransomware. Ransomware has grown to be one of the most popular forms of malware used by cybercriminals and has quickly become a bigger threat to small businesses than ever before.

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