WisMed appreciates Wisconsin physicians on National Doctors' Day and beyond!

On behalf of the Wisconsin Medical Society (WisMed), we extend our warmest wishes on Doctors' Day to Wisconsin’s beloved healers! Your compassion and expertise have profoundly impacted the lives of Wisconsinites. We deeply appreciate your steadfast dedication to the well-being of Wisconsin this Saturday, March 30, and every day.

We also value your commitment to WisMed through your membership and the various leadership roles you fulfill in your practice, community and profession. You make it easier for us to fulfill our mission of improving the health of the people of Wisconsin by supporting and strengthening physicians’ ability to provide high-quality patient care in a constantly evolving environment.

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Health & Harmony event news

Registration Info, Raffle Reminders and Presidential Scholar Award

Tomorrow (Friday, March 29) is your last chance to register for Health & Harmony, the Wisconsin Medical Society’s (WisMed) medical education, Foundation fundraiser and annual business meeting, will be held April 5 and 6 at the Monona Terrace in Madison. The education conference will focus on the importance of physician wellness and the Foundation event will celebrate outstanding health professionals, the inauguration of the WisMed President and musical entertainment.

Plan your weekend for Health & Harmony, the WisMed Annual Event:

• Foundation Fundraising Event - April 5, 5 p.m.
• Medical Education Conference - April 6, 8 a.m.
• Annual Business Meeting - April 6, 12:15 p.m.

Register here for all or part of the Annual Event for just $150!

Raffle reminders for Health & Harmony Foundation event

We are so excited for everyone to join us on the evening of Friday, April 5, 2025 at Health & Harmony’s Foundation event. There’s still time to register, so get your tickets today here!

The raffle on Friday evening will include Packer tickets, romantic getaways, golf outings and more. Every raffle prize is valued at more than $400! Tickets are $5 each or $100 for a wingspan. You’ll want to arrive early enough to pull one of the fabulous bottles of wine that were donated. Each wine pull is $20 and there are multiple bottles worth more than $100.

You will also want to make sure you enter the Golden Ticket raffle during the dinner for a chance to win a trip to Bali or Italy! Each Golden Ticket is only $100 but you must be present to win. We will also auction an amazing trip to the Bahamas!

All proceeds will support community health grants to improve health equity and access in Wisconsin.

We look forward to seeing you at Health & Harmony! Please reach out to Elizabeth Ringle at [email protected] if you have any questions.

Presidential Scholar Award to be presented in honor of Sandra Osborn, MD

The Wisconsin Medical Society Foundation will present the Presidential Scholar Award to University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health (UWSMPH) student, Laurie Lapp, in honor of Sandra Osborn, MD, at Health & Harmony on Friday, April 5, 2024. Lapp is a student at UWSMPH applying for OBGYN residencies with a desire to practice medicine in Wisconsin. She has a goal to help medical students tap into their passion for advocacy, hone their advocacy skills and prepare them to be effective physician-advocates for their patients.

The Presidential Scholarship was established to recognize future medical leaders, who will be entering their final year next fall and who exemplify the attributes, skills and desire to become a medical leader in Wisconsin. In addition to general scholarship eligibility, applicants must show active involvement with the Wisconsin Medical Society or a County Medical Society, including activities and ties to Wisconsin. In his letter of support for Lapp, Wisconsin Medical Society President, Don Lee, MD, writes, “I am so very impressed by her extraordinary dedication and untiring efforts to engage medical students and physicians in the process of developing sound health policy both at the state and national level.”

Doctor Osborn was a true champion of both the art and science of medicine. In addition to helping establish the Presidential Scholar Award, she was extremely supportive of students, sponsoring white coats, volunteering at Operation Education and even going back to medical school to mentor the UWSMPH class of 2006. There is no doubt Dr. Osborn would be proud to recognize the outstanding student leadership exemplified by this year’s recipient, Laurie Lapp. 

Physician wellness CME at education conference

The Wisconsin Medical Society is hosting its annual Health & Harmony event April 5 and 6 at the Monona Terrace in Madison. The event includes an Education Conference, Foundation Fundraiser, and Annual Business Meeting. The Education Conference will offer up to 6.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ and focus on the importance of physician wellness with breakout sessions to customize your learning experience.

The Wisconsin Medical Society and Foundation are committed to supporting a strong physician workforce. Physician well-being is vital to maintaining an effective and equitable health care system. Workplace culture and environment are key factors that affect overall health, happiness and professional effectiveness. Clinician well-being efforts require both individual-focused and systems-level interventions. Click here to view the full Education Conference details. We hope to see you there!

Purchase an Education Conference ticket for just $150 and get one free Foundation event ticket. Register here for part or all of the Health & Harmony event.

Interested in sponsorship opportunities? Click here for more details!

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Reminder: Elections on Tuesday, April 2

Wisconsin’s spring elections are next Tuesday, April 2. While the highlight is the Presidential preference vote for both the Republican and Democratic primaries, a perhaps more meaningful set of questions are at the bottom of the ballot: two statewide referenda questions pertaining to Wisconsin’s election process.

Amending a state’s constitution is not easily done: the state legislature must first pass a proposed amendment in two separate legislative sessions. Then the question is put before voters for the final say. Like so many other areas of policy these days, opinions regarding the two proposed amendments are in diametrically opposed partisan camps – so it’s likely worth your time to review multiple sources describing the questions in order to make an informed decision:

• The broadest gathering of opinions on both sides of the argument can be found via the online resource Ballotpedia, which has summaries of Question 1 and Question 2.
• The UW Law School’s State Democracy Research Initiative has published this explainer.
• The conservative Wisconsin Institute of Law and Liberty (WILL) is recommending a “Yes” vote for both questions. On the other end of the spectrum, ACLU Wisconsin calls for “No” votes.

Ultimately, your vote is up to you. You may also have elections in local races, such as school board, judges and other referenda. You can preview your ballot at https://myvote.wi.gov/, which also includes information on where you vote.

Contact the Wisconsin Medical Society’s Heidi Green and Mark Grapentine, JD with any questions.

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Change Healthcare cybersecurity attack resources and survey

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) created these resources to assist physicians, pharmacists and hospitals with the aftermath of the Change Healthcare cybersecurity attacks in February and resulting system outages.

The American Medical Association (AMA) and other advocates told HHS on a number of occasions that physicians were having difficulty securing information from health insurers about the availability of assistance with payments, flexibilities from administrative requirements and additional contact information for troubleshooting due to the Change Healthcare cybersecurity attacks. HHS responded by assembling the linked resources from health insurers. Please note that the resource document contains a national contact person for each plan, though HHS urges physicians, pharmacists and hospitals to reach out first to their health insurer’s regional contact. If these contacts do not respond to inquiries, please contact [email protected]. 

The AMA has urged federal and state regulators to support physician practices with financial assistance and flexibilities in administrative requirements. To assess the current level of workflow disruptions and financial impact on practices, the AMA prepared an informal, 11-question survey. Please complete the survey by Friday, March 29. The survey results will be used to inform the AMA's ongoing advocacy efforts on this issue.

The AMA will continue to raise physician concerns to the Biden administration and payers. For more information, please visit the AMA webpage dedicated to this topic. 

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Protecting your most important asset can be a daunting task

What is your most important asset? It’s your ability to earn an income. When choosing disability programs to protect your income, there are a number of different companies and benefits to consider. It’s often a task that takes time and research, along with several discussions with an insurance agent. Sometimes, the biggest challenge is finding an agent who is willing to work with you at the times that you’re available. Many of the people I work with are surprised when I respond to phone calls, emails and text messages after 5 p.m. and during weekends. I know the schedules for students, residents and physicians can sometimes be challenging, so I try my best to accommodate them.

A resident I recently worked with scheduled several meetings with me after 6 p.m. so we could discuss the different benefits available in the quotes I had shared, how they worked and the different costs. As we worked out the best benefits, the premium still came in a little high for his budget. The insurance provider I worked with offered an option to pay a lower premium in the beginning, then increase it over time with an option to level out the payments after he started his fellowship and increased his income. He was very thankful that we were able to get him the benefits that were important to him with payments that were affordable.

I once had a client tell me that I don’t act like an insurance agent because of the way I try to explain things. That was the best compliment I’ve ever gotten. I try to explain things in a way that I would want them explained to me.

Our goal is not just to sell you a policy, but to provide guidance in helping you find solutions for you for now and for the future. The greatest gift we have to offer is the gift of education.

Reach out to Lisa Koerner or the WisMed Assure team at [email protected], complete this quick online form or call 608.442.3810 for help with your insurance needs.

Originally posted in the Antidote December 6, 2023

Note: This article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as insurance advice related to your specific policy or situation. Please consult with a qualified insurance advisor or professional before making any policy decisions. Full disclaimer and contact information.

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Digital marketing discount for WisMed members

You can get a digital marketing or TV campaign tailored specifically to your needs and customers with the Wisconsin Medical Society’s (WisMed) preferred media vendor, WMSN-TV in Madison. Digital marketing is hyper-targeted and more efficient than ever. Discover the ways your practice can get in front of the perfect new customer.

As a WisMed member, there are no production fees – for a TV commercial, that’s a $2,500 value, including creative design and expert advice from health care industry marketing professionals.

Examples of campaigns:

• PSAs (vaccinations, community health initiatives, etc.)
• Clinic Advertisement (new location, services, etc.)
• General Awareness

Email Jim Lorence to take advantage of this offer.

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