Wayne V. Polek, M.D., St. Charles, was inaugurated President of the Illinois State Medical Society (ISMS) during its 2011 annual meeting over the April 15-17 weekend. He is a board-certified anesthesiologist affiliated with Kane Anesthesia Associates, S.C. in Geneva.

• Biography
• President’s calendar of upcoming visits
• Column Archives

The 2012 Illinois legislative season is underway, and I hope it will be as successful as the 2011 session, when we claimed many wins for Illinois physicians. To be as fruitful this year, your active support of our agenda is essential.

Here are issues and items topping ISMS’ legislative agenda, and where we stand with moving forward.

A major legislative item for ISMS will be the reintroduction of reforms to the state’s medical liability system. In 2005, with persistent grassroots support, we passed a comprehensive medical liability reform bill. However, the Illinois Supreme Court ruled the limits on noneconomic damages in the bill were unconstitutional. Because of the inseverability clause included in the legislation, the court voided the entire law.  ISMS believes it’s time to re-enact the tort reform components of the law that have not been ruled unconstitutional, including better expert witness standards and changes in the certificate of merit.

We expect to deal with legislation concerning the establishment of a Health Benefits Exchange as required by the Affordable Care Act. This Exchange will be a state agency by which insurance plans will compete for business. ISMS believes an actively practicing physician in a privately owned practice should be included in the governance of the Health Benefits Exchange. As far as funding of the Exchange, ISMS will strongly oppose any effort to tax physicians to fund its operation. 

A perennial struggle is the prevention of the expansion of the scope of practice by allied professionals in areas we believe must reserved for the skills of a physician. While we defeated direct entry midwives and naturopath’s licensure, ISMS expects these groups (and others) to try again. Only with the collective diligence and effort of all physicians can we stop non-physicians from practicing medicine by legislation in lieu of education.

Elections

For the first time in recent memory, we have three physicians running for the Illinois General Assembly. They are:

• Arie Friedman, MD (Highland Park, 29^th Senate District) 
• Mark Neerhoff, MD (Lake Forest, 58^th House District)
• Tom Pliura, MD (McLean County, 51^st  Senate District)

Electing these dedicated doctors is a top goal for IMPAC this year, and can make a big difference in ensuring Illinois’ physician voice is heard in Springfield. To be successful we must be involved in the political process. You can do this in several ways:

1. Donate to IMPAC. This is our Society’s Political Action Committee. None of your ISMS dues are used for political contributions to a candidate’s campaign. We need to finance candidates who will support our views.  Visit www.impaconline.org for more information.
2. Respond to ISMS’ legislative alerts. Often times we need you to make a phone call or e-mail your representative about a bill coming up for a vote. Please take the time to respond to these e-mail alerts.
3. Keep abreast of our legislative agenda by monitoring the Legislative Action Hub on the ISMS website.
4. Encourage your colleagues, staff and patients to become involved. Often    bills passed by the legislature will affect them as much as they do you.   
5. VOTE! The Illinois primary is March 20 and the fall election is November 6.

The key element in passing our legislative agenda is strong grassroots support from educated and engaged physicians. Take these five simple steps to ensure our success with sustaining a healthy environment in which we as Illinois physicians may practice – and in which our patients may thrive.