President's Message May 2017 May 25, 2017 General, President's Message Advocacy, Legislative Advocacy 0 MAY 2017 Political Advocacy…Your Practice and Future Depend on It Do you wish to continue to practice medicine and preserve quality patient care? If so, then I urge you to keep reading…. One of the most vital functions that we, as a local medical society, carry out for our SBCMS membership of 3,000 is that of political advocacy. This continual, behind the scenes communication to and with our elected officials and government representatives goes to the very “heart” of our pledge and responsibility to society to save lives and ensure that the delivery system is viable. Our ability to influence policy-makers to support our role as practitioners correlates directly to our facility in gaining their respect and attention, which leads to positive action on our behalf. One of the most impactful ways we can connect is by developing these relationships and giving them the opportunity to know who and what we represent as well as appreciate why our core issues are so important to our population. YOUR SUPPORT OF LOPAC (our local political action committee) allows us to attend local political events, meetings and presentations that foster direct interaction and education with our representatives. The more our officials and their staff members are informed about our challenges, concerns and pathways for care-giving success, the more likely they will be to support us at the legislative and policy levels. After all, we share the same constituency, and we mutually wish nothing more than health and well-being for all. This past year, for the 2016-17 period, we received a dismally low number of “LOPAC” contributions from our members. This is ironic, since we are in the throes of dealing with some of the most serious issues of our time, issues which can make or break a physician’s or medical group’s ability to remain in practice: preserving Proposition 56 Tobacco Tax funds as they were intended for Medi-Cal reimbursements and GME slots as well as the aftermath of our hard-fought victory to defeat Proposition 46 to ensure the cap on MICRA damages. Low contribution amounts severely limit SBCMS’ ability to participate in events with crucial one-on-one interaction and credible discussions with our representatives that will enlighten them. It is essential that we increase our donations going forward. I would like to ask you to consider making a donation to LOPAC today at any level ($25, $100, $500…). Please make your check payable to “LOPAC” or “Physicians Political Action Committee of SBCMS” and mail to: SBCMS, 1859 W. Redlands Blvd., Redlands, CA. 92373. You may also contribute online immediately: click here. Your contribution will be the catalyst that sparks action from our local legislators and Supervisors which will, in turn, empower us as a physician community to bring meaningful policy change for a quality health care system. Thank you for your serious consideration and your activism. Sincerely, Michael A. Sequeira, M.D., FACEP Comments are closed.
