1. Surgical Advocacy and State Legislative Issues
Jon H. Sutton, MBA
Manager, ACS State Affairs
Kansas Chapter Annual Meeting
September 12th, 2010

2. Surgical Advocacy and ACS State Legislative Priorities
Trauma System Funding & Development
UPPL Repeal
Uniform Emergency Volunteer Health Practitioners Act
Medical Liability Reform
Scope of Practice

3. Other Issues Restrictions on Diagnostic Imaging
Laser Surgery Rules – Medical Boards
Office-based Surgery
Trauma System Implementation
Certificate of Need Reform
Injury Prevention
Bariatric Surgery/Obesity
Patient Safety & Quality
Medical Licensure/MOL
Fair Contracting

4. CQ StateTrack State Legislation Tracking Site
Available on ACS Web Portal
eFACS.org
Located under Advocacy tab
560 bills identified and monitored in 2010, out of 180,000

5. CQ StateTrack

6. CQ StateTrack

7. Kansas Highlights Supreme Court lawsuit – MLR in jeopardy
CR 5036 – constitutional amendment; legislature right to limit recovery – no action taken
HB 2447 – Nurse practitioners scope expansion; medical diagnoses, independent practice – no action taken
HB 2619 – CRNA scope; coalition bill -- passed
SB Naturopathic licensure -- passed
SB 374 – “I’m Sorry” – did not pass

8. UEVHPA
Uniform Emergency Volunteer Health Practitioners Act (
Model developed by National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws
Health care practitioners providing care during a declared emergency in states where not licensed to practice
2007: Colorado, Kentucky, Tennessee
2008: Indiana, New Mexico, Utah

9. UEVHPA 2009 Arkansas (signed by Governor)
Connecticut (working with Dept of Public Health – should go next year)
DC (introduced)
Florida (died in committee)
Louisiana (signed by Governor)
Mississippi (died in committee)
North Dakota (signed by Governor)
New Hampshire (retained in committee)
Oklahoma (signed by Governor)
Oregon (signed by Governor)
Texas (died in committee)
Vermont (died in committee)
Washington State (died in committee)

10. UEVHPA 2010 District of Columbia (effective date 7/1/10)
Florida (died in committee)
Georgia (passed Senate; failed House end of session)
Illinois (signed by Governor July 31)
Mississippi (died in committee)
Washington State (carryover from 2009; no action taken)

11. UEVHPA What about 2011? Alabama Mississippi Connecticut? Ohio Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Kansas
Maryland
Mississippi
Ohio
South Carolina
South Dakota
Texas
Virginia

12. StAR Program State Advocacy Representative Program
Goal: At least one StAR in each state
Eyes and ears of the ACS, on the ground
Valuable information-sharing role
Kansas StAR: Susan Mosier, MD, FACS; Jody Neff, MD, FACS; Gary Caruthers, MBA

13. Regional Advocacy Program
Hired Regional State Affairs Associate
Focus on chapters geographic region
Upper Midwest: Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa
Advocacy training, strategic planning, lobby days

14. SSLAC

15. ACS State Legislation Web Page

16. ACS State Legislation Web Page

17. State Grassroots Advocacy
Surgeons in excellent position to influence state elected officials
Experts in the profession
Great deal of respect
Day at the Capitol and other interactions
--Chapter grant program -

18. ACS State Affairs Jon Sutton, Manager
Charlotte Grill, State Affairs Associate
Alexis Macias, Regional State Affairs Associate