News & Announcements
Benefits of Having a Family Physician Recognized During Family Medicine Week
02/22/2016
This week, February 21-27, 2016, is being recognized by Governor Rick Snyder, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, the Michigan Academy of Family Physicians, and the Michigan Association of Osteopathic Family Physicians as Family Medicine Week in Michigan.
MAFP Supports Governor Snyder's Federal Waiver Request to Expand Medicaid Coverage in Flint
02/20/2016
Governor Rick Snyder submitted a waiver request to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on February 14 that, if approved, would expand Medicaid coverage to approximately 15,000 additional Flint residents under the age of 21 and pregnant women who have been exposed to the city's lead-contaminated water.
CMS, AHIP Announce Alignment and Simplification of Quality Measures
02/20/2016
On February 16, the Core Quality Measures Collaborative—comprised of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), which represents most insurers in the U.S., and other stakeholders including the AAFP—announced an historic agreement to streamline and standardize quality measures of physician performance in support of transitioning to value-based care under the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA).
The American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM) recently announced upcoming changes to the Maintenance of Certification for Family Physicians (MC-FP) process. To ensure you receive the most up-to-date information and get your questions answered about these changes and how they will impact you, Joseph W. Tollison, MD, Senior Advisor to the President of ABFM will lead a session on Monday, July 11 at 12:55-1:35 p.m. during the 2016 Michigan Family Medicine Annual Conference & Expo.
Governor's Budget Recommendation Aligns With Academy's Priorities
02/12/2016
Governor Rick Snyder presented his two-year budget recommendation during a joint hearing of the Senate and House Appropriations Committees on February 10. The $54.9 billion budget is comprised of $10.2 billion in General Funds (GF), or state funding, and $12.5 billion in School Aid Funds. The proposed $24.71 billion budget for the Department of Health and Human Services accounts for the largest single share (45%) of the state's total budget. Of this amount, $14.27 billion ($1.82 billion GF) will go toward the state’s projected Medicaid caseload for physical health medical services.
Governor Snyder Proclaims February 21-27 Family Medicine Week in Michigan
02/02/2016
Governor Snyder has proclaimed February 21-27, 2016, as Family Medicine Week in Michigan! This is perfect timing, as Family Medicine advocates will be talking with their state legislators in Lansing on February 23 about issues impacting the specialty.
Family Physicians, Family Medicine residents and medical students - if you haven't registered yet for Michigan Family Medicine Advocacy Day, there's still time!
Family Physicians Helping Flint Community
01/29/2016
Upon learning of Flint's water contamination, the Michigan Academy of Family Physicians' leadership, membership and staff went into action, collaborating at the local and state level to provide wide-ranging aid. Read more to learn the latest news, connect to reliable resources, and hear what several of your fellow Family Physician colleagues are doing at the grassroots level to help their patients and communities.
New Data Shows Statewide Vaccination Waiver Rates Down, Immunizations Up
01/29/2016
On January 28, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services released new remarkable data showing that immunization waiver rates among school-age children plummeted by more than 39% statewide in 2015, with nearly 8,000 fewer waivers submitted than the previous year. Three MAFP member physicians spoke about the importance of immunizations and the importance of the new waiver rule at news conferences in Lansing, Grand Rapids, and Southfield.
Lead Testing: What Family Physicians Can Do
01/22/2016
Michigan Medicaid Early Periodic Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment (EPSDT) guidelines require children to be tested for blood lead poisoning at 12 months and 24 months, and between the ages of 36 and 72 months if not previously tested. Due to the enhanced public health issue of an increased risk for lead exposure in the City of Flint, Michigan Chief Medical Officer Eden Wells, MD, MPH, FACPM recently sent out an advisory to healthcare providers to follow enhanced guidelines for lead testing in children.
Flint Water Crisis a Focus of State of the State Address
01/22/2016
On Tuesday, January 19, Governor Rick Snyder delivered his 2016 State of the State address before a joint convention of the Michigan House of Representatives and Senate. Deviating from the typical address format, the Governor spent the majority of his speech discussing the Flint water crisis. He also addressed the urgency of the financial situation facing Detroit Public Schools, as well as economic and innovative initiatives to advance the state. MAFP was a proud sponsor of WKAR's broadcast of the adresss on public television across the state.