FSAM RESOLUTIONS FOR FMA MEETING

Dear Friends and Colleagues:
I seek your comments, critique and suggestions regarding both resolutions:


FLORIDA MEDICAL ASSOCIATION HOUSE OF DELEGATES


Resolution:

Introduced by: Florida Society of Addiction Medicine

Subject: Repeal of Certain Provisions of the Uniform Individual Accident and
Sickness Policy Provision Law (UPPL)


Referred to:



Whereas, in 1947, the National Association of Insurance commissioners (NAIC) adopted the UPPL (Uniform Accident and Sickness Policy Provision) as a model law. The law states that health insurers would not have to reimburse patients for costs incurred when an accident is a result of "the insured's being intoxicated or under the influence of any narcotic” unless administered on the “ advice of a physician,” thus allowing insurers to deny payment for treatment of alcohol-related injuries; and

Whereas, forty to fifty percent of injured patients treated in ERs are under the influence of alcohol or other intoxicant; and

Whereas, data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicate that emergency room physicians are significantly less likely to screen injured patients for an alcohol problem in UPPL states due to reluctance to potentially burden patients, even those drinking in a legal manner, with large medical bills caused by denial of coverage under UPPL; and

Whereas, there are over 40 studies evaluating the use of brief alcohol interventions in health care settings, including ERs and trauma centers, that document effectiveness in reducing subsequent alcohol intake, DUI's, alcohol-related traffic infractions, alcohol-related arrests, and injury-related hospital readmission;and

Whereas, denial of coverage under UPPL also has a potentially large financial impact on emergency rooms; and

Whereas, our American Medical Association support state and specialty medical societies and the public heath associations in their efforts to secure repeal of laws and state insurance codes which allow for the denial of insurance payments for the treatment of injuries sustained as a consequence of the insured person being intoxicated due to alcohol or under the influence of narcotics; therefore be it

RESOLVED, that our Florida Medical Association supports and endorses legislation intended to repeal the Uniform Individual Accident and Sickness Policy Provision Law, thereby allowing for insurance payments for the treatment of injuries sustained when the insured person is intoxicated or under the influence of narcotics.

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FLORIDA MEDICAL ASSOCIATION HOUSE OF DELEGATES


Resolution:

Introduced by: Florida Society of Addiction Medicine

Subject: Parity for Mental Health and/or Substance Use Disorders


Referred to:



Whereas, substance abuse and/or dependence , also commonly referred to as “addictions,” are components of a “brain disease,” not unlike any other brain disease such as Parkinson Disease or Depression; and

Whereas, such a brain disease can be successfully treated involving pharmacological, behavioral and psychosocial approaches; and

Whereas, most health plans do not provide equal access and coverage for mental health and addiction treatment modalities compared to other medical and surgical benefits; and

Whereas, the Florida legislature has not enacted comprehensive parity legislation which eliminates discriminatory co-payments, deductibles, and annual and lifetime caps; and

Whereas, the Florida legislature has not enacted comprehensive parity legislation that include coverage for substance use and addictive disorders; and

Whereas, our AMA reaffirmed its support for parity in treatment coverage for mental illness and substance use disorders at the 2006 Interim meeting of the AMA House of Delegates in Las Vegas; therefore be it

RESOLVED, that our Florida Medical Association supports and endorses legislation mandating that a health plan provide both equal treatment limits and financial requirements for all conditions listed in the DSM-IV, as compared to medical and surgical benefits under that plan; and be it further

RESOLVED, that any such legislation require any health plan to provide the same level of out-of-network coverage for mental health and addiction treatment as for out-of-network benefits for medical and surgical treatment.

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FLORIDA MEDICAL ASSOCIATION HOUSE OF DELEGATES


Resolution:

Introduced by: Florida Society of Addiction Medicine

Subject: Support of Screening and Brief Intervention Measures


Referred to:



Whereas, today there are over 20 million Americans who meet the medical definition of abuse or addiction to drugs and alcohol and over 94% of those Americans are unaware that they need help and have not sought treatment or intervention from health care professionals; and

Whereas, by encouraging health care professionals to identify at-risk populations and by early intervention programs, we can significantly reduce the abuse of alcohol and addiction to drugs among Americans; and

Whereas, substance abuse screening and intervention (SBI) programs are cost-effective and successful strategies in regard to reducing substance abuse and other health problems associated with drug use; and

Whereas, The Federal Government has established in seventeen states (including Florida) a demonstration program entitled “ Screening, Brief Intervention, Referral and Treatment”(SBIRT); and

Whereas, As of January 2007,more than 460,000 patients have been screened as part of the SBIRT demonstration program and a six month follow-up review of patients showed significant declines in substance abuse after the brief interventions; and

Whereas, since January 2007 doctors can bill Medicaid for drug and alcohol abuse screening using "CMS codes” approved by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services; therefore be it

RESOLVED, that our Florida Medical Association supports the development and promotion of CME programs instructing physicians on how to conduct screening and brief intervention modalities ; and be it further

RESOLVED, that our Florida Medical Association supports any legislative efforts to mandate health plans to reimburse doctors for screening and brief intervention modalities.