10.10.2025 

Urge Governor Hochul to Veto Unbalanced Liability Legislation

New York physicians are facing another attempt by the Legislature to dramatically expand liability costs through S.4423/A.6063, a bill amending the state’s wrongful death law. This proposal, nearly identical to versions Governor Hochul previously vetoed, would exponentially increase damages awardable in wrongful death lawsuits. Crucially, it contains no balancing provisions to offset costs, leaving physicians and hospitals to absorb staggering insurance premium hikes.

The consequences go far beyond physicians’ bottom lines. Higher premiums and escalating liability risks will accelerate physician shortages, close hospitals and practices, especially in underserved and rural areas, and make timely access to care even harder for patients. Trauma, stroke, and cardiac patients could face longer waits for treatment, with life-threatening implications. 

Please use this link to contact the Governor and ask her to veto this legislation once again. Comprehensive tort reform is needed to reduce costs and preserve fairness, not one-sided proposals that worsen New York’s reputation as one of the most difficult states to practice medicine.

CMS Confirms IDR Process Active, During Shutdown

The federal government shutdown is sending ripples across healthcare, but some critical processes remain intact. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has confirmed that the Independent Dispute Resolution (IDR) process—a key mechanism for settling out-of-network billing disputes between providers and payers—will remain operational. Physicians can continue to submit disputes through the online portal, and licensed mediators will process them under existing timelines. However, CMS cautioned that a prolonged shutdown could cause delays in reviews and response times, given limited resources.  

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10.03.2025

Automatic Downcoding: Share Your Experience to Strengthen Advocacy

MSSNY is contacting physicians statewide to assess the impact of insurance companies’ automatic downcoding, a growing concern that undermines fair reimbursement and burdens physician practices. As of October 1, Cigna and Aetna are automatically downcoding claims.

Automatic downcoding occurs when insurers unilaterally reduce the level of a billed Evaluation and Management (E/M) service or procedure code without reviewing the physician’s supporting documentation. Instead, claims are automatically flagged and adjusted by internal algorithms based on coding guidelines or statistical norms. The outcome is reduced reimbursement, even when the billed service level was appropriate and supported by the medical record.

This practice has serious implications. For physicians, it means lost revenue, time-consuming appeals, and increased administrative workload. For patients, it threatens the sustainability of physician practices, particularly in underserved areas where margins are already thin. Automatic downcoding also raises broader concerns about fairness and transparency in claims adjudication, as it bypasses medical judgment and disregards the physician’s expertise.

MSSNY is actively advocating on your behalf and closely monitoring insurer policies.  By sharing your experiences, you will help MSSNY document the scope of this issue and determine whether further advocacy, regulatory engagement, or legal action is warranted. Submit your experiences here

09.26.2025

Women Physicians Leadership Academy Returns in November

• November 2^nd 9:45-1:15 – Advocacy & Changemaking – Worth the Effort
• November 23^rd 9:45-1:15 – Effective Communications – Communicating your Worth
• December 7^th 9:45-1:15 – Leadership – Dollars and Sense of Leadership

Check out WPLA.US for more information on the Women Physicians Leadership Academy!

The Medical Society of the State of New York is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

The Medical Society of the State of New York designates each live activity for a maximum of 3.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

 

09.12.2025

Governor Hochul Proposes Plan to Preserve Many New Yorkers’ Continued Enrollment in the Essential Plan

Governor Hochul, along with the New York State Department of Health (DOH), announced a plan this week to preserve continued enrollment in New York’s Essential Plan for more than one million New Yorkers following deep cuts in federal funding arising from the recently enacted H.R.1. The proposed move would end New York’s expanded Essential Plan which provided low-cost health insurance coverage for those with incomes of up to 250% FPL. Instead, New York would return to its Basic Health Plan Program, authorized by the ACA, which would preserve coverage for those – including legal immigrants – with incomes of up to 200% FPL, which is approximately 1.3 million people of the nearly 1.7 million currently enrolled in the Essential Plan. While the change will result in many losing eligibility for this program, the proposal, if implemented, will help to preserve coverage eligibility for hundreds of thousands who otherwise would have lost coverage as a result of the provisions of HR 1. It may also help to significantly reduce the lost federal funds that New York would incur.

MSSNY recently joined a letter with several other patient and healthcare provider advocacy groups expressing support for this concept to preserve coverage and funding.

09.05.2025

Physicians Advocate for their Profession Through Local Political Event

Numerous Physician Leaders recently participated in a campaign event for NYS Assembly Member Michaelle Solages (AD-22), Chair of the New York State Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic and Asian Legislative Caucus.  Joining Assembly Member Solages (first row center) at the event are Dan Haller, M.D., Thomas Lee, M.D., Michael Brisman, M.D., and MSSNY President David Jakubowicz, M.D. Also attending the dinner program were (back row, left to right): Margaret Lee, Benjamin Cohen, M.D., Sean McCance, M.D., Shahriyour Andaz, M.D., Daniel Choi, M.D., and Sarah Brisman.