Thursday, June 15, 2017

Mississippi State Medical Association lobbied for Board of Medical Licensure.

 "we have now what we have always needed, real partnership with the government"

The Mississippi State Medical Association represented the Mississippi Board of Medical Licensure for two years as a lobbyist.  The Board paid MSMA $30,000 in fees for its services.  The Board is the regulatory agency for physicians in Mississippi. MSMA calls itself "the largest physician advocacy organization in Mississippi, representing nearly 5,000 physicians and medical students."

The Board voted at its January 2014 meeting to hire the Mississippi State Medical Association as a lobbyist.*

Board President Dr. Randy Easterling "advised" the board to hire the MSMA to push the Board's legislation and monitor other bills as well.   The contract term was for one year but the board voted at the January 2015 meeting to renew it for another year.  The Board paid MSMA $15,000 per year for the two years.  MSMA registered the Board as a client each year with the Secretary of State as required by law.  The Board did not renew the contract in 2016 but did hire the Clay Firm last January. 


The Mississippi Board of Medical Licensure also pays the Mississippi State Medical Association $175,000 per year to administer the Mississippi Physician Health Program.  MSMA defines the program on its website:

The MPHP is a confidential first line resource for physicians and other licensed health care professionals who suffer from potentially impairing conditions such as substance use disorders. The MPHP coordinates effective detection, evaluation, treatment, and aftercare monitoring of physicians with addictive disorders and other psychiatric illnesses. Our primary focus is on intervention and recovery, with long term, intensive monitoring.
It claims a 90% success rate as well:

Physicians receiving advocacy of MPHP practice medicine safely and actually have a lower risk of adverse outcomes, which helps to guarantee a healthy Mississippi physician workforce. Over 90% of MPHP participants have confirmed stable recovery and return to productive medical practices.
 The Medical Board provided the following grants to the program and its predecessor under the MSMA:

Fiscal Year
2017: $350,000 (MSPHP)
2016: $250,000 (MSPHP)
2015: $250,000 (MSPHP)
2014: $250,000
2013: $250,000
2012: $250,000
2011: $200,000
2010: $200,000
2009: $200,000

The Board has paid nearly $2 million to MSMA to support the program over the last nine years. 

*Board Members Dr. Randy Easterling (President), Dr. Virginia Crawford (VP), Dr. Larry Aycock, Dr. Claude Brunson, Dr. Rickey Chance, Dr. William Jones, Dr. William Mayo, Dr. Philip Meredith, and Dr. Charles Miles were present.

Kingfish note: Read the post again.  A regulatory agency hired the trade association for the industry it regulates to lobby for said regulatory agency.    The Board also has the worst website for reporting disciplinary actions against doctors. But there is nothing to see here, move along. Is this a case of regulatory capture, incest, or nothing at all?

In case anyone thinks otherwise, this website is not criticizing substance-abuse programs for doctors.  Such programs are needed.  If a program can help a physician earn his way back into sobriety and regain his life (the key word being earn), then that program is a good thing.  Better than just locking them up and throwing away the key. 



20 comments:

Anonymous said...

Damn. I don't know what all this means but this is some serious reporting. Some people within these organizations are no doubt scrambling right now.

Anonymous said...

Government kickbacks at its best.

Anonymous said...

Should Drs. Brunson and Easterling be permitted to vote on finacial interest at the Board of Medical Licensure that directly enhances the bank account of the Mississippi Medical Association?

Anonymous said...

The Clay Firm does a phenomenal job representing a diverse client book. They are engaged and aways on top of the issues. They do a great service representing this professional Board. All my Best,

Anonymous said...

@ 12:24, I think that the minutes above say that Brunson recused himself from the vote.
They were smart to get away from State Med and hire the Clays. Should have hired them or Capitol Resources (Blake).

Anonymous said...

Thanks, 12:26 PM (AKA The Clay Firm's Summer Intern). I just checked out the website and they do pretty well for a solo practitioner.

Anonymous said...

Incest at its best.

Anonymous said...

Terrible. What is worse is that if one does not have a lobbyist at the legislature, they are SOL. Gotta pass some cash around along with some expensive dinners and drinks if you want anything there.

Anonymous said...

I guess the medical board was immune to the last two years of budget cuts because they gave medical association 70% more money. I think that is a little fishy.

Anonymous said...

KF - I'll donate if you will stay after the MSMA.

Anonymous said...

and this is how doctors that got fired from one hospital for overdosing while on call still get hired again by other hospitals in the area...

Anonymous said...

I'm sure someone will be able to help you understand the nature of your your misunderstanding.

There is no way that the type of situation that you are alleging on this muckbreaking blog would be allowed to happen in the banana republic of Mississippi. Nepotism and self dealing would also be present.

Since you apparently can't report the names of the inlaws, cousins and dullard sons and daughters whose beds are feathered by the taxpayer dollars by whatever you seem to think might be going on in this overly long post (tldr anyway) it stands to reason that you must not have a full understanding of the details!

Anonymous said...

The fox (rather large and plump) guarding the hen house.

Anonymous said...

June 16, 2017 at 1:18 AM = Right hand or left hand?

Anonymous said...

MPCN is a joke. Easterling uses it to go after my friends who practice medicine who has a personal issue with.

Anonymous said...

Lot of comments being filtered about certain lobbyists.

Kingfish said...

Alot of comments with unsubstantiated allegations. Guess you missed the other day how quickly MSMA's lawyer sent me an email. Go back to Lord Snow.

Anonymous said...

These people on the board go after phycisians and Pa’s that they have a personal issue with!!! They don’t give a damn how much damage they cause to so many people ! Especially to the people who have invested years to get to where they are to help people!!!!I know for a fact that a banker with Bankplus who has a personal vendetta against my doc hubby is close friends with 2 members of the state board of medicine and have gotten them to attack his spotless career!!!! But there is no recourse!!! The state medical board needs to be held accountable!!!! They have even gone after physicians who have recently sat on the State Board of Medicine themselves!!!! These people need some oversight and need to answer to another authority!!!!

Anonymous said...

What happened to my statement????

Anonymous said...

Please don’t let this storyline go dormant!!!! There is a serious problem here! On one hand....they cover up and protect physicians that should be disciplined big time!!!! And more so.... they attack physicians that are good and serious about caring for their patients!!!! Physicians who practice real medicine and do not allow a “board” to dictate how the practice medicine that is best for the patients! The board acts according to the influence of friends and business associations!!!!



Recent Comments

Search Jackson Jambalaya

Subscribe to JJ's Youtube channel

Archives

Trollfest '09

Trollfest '07 was such a success that Jackson Jambalaya will once again host Trollfest '09. Catch this great event which will leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Othor Cain and his band, The Black Power Structure headline the night while Sonjay Poontang returns for an encore performance. Former Frank Melton bodyguard Marcus Wright makes his premier appearance at Trollfest singing "I'm a Sweet Transvestite" from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." Kamikaze will sing his new hit, “How I sold out to da Man.” Robbie Bell again performs: “Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be Bells” and “Any friend of Ed Peters is a friend of mine”. After the show, Ms. Bell will autograph copies of her mug shot photos. In a salute to “Dancing with the Stars”, Ms. Bell and Hinds County District Attorney Robert Smith will dance the Wango Tango.

Wrestling returns, except this time it will be a Battle Royal with Othor Cain, Ben Allen, Kim Wade, Haley Fisackerly, Alan Lange, and “Big Cat” Donna Ladd all in the ring at the same time. The Battle Royal will be in a steel cage, no time limit, no referee, and the losers must leave town. Marshand Crisler will be the honorary referee (as it gives him a title without actually having to do anything).


Meet KIM Waaaaaade at the Entergy Tent. For five pesos, Kim will sell you a chance to win a deed to a crack house on Ridgeway Street stuffed in the Howard Industries pinata. Don't worry if the pinata is beaten to shreds, as Mr. Wade has Jose, Emmanuel, and Carlos, all illegal immigrants, available as replacements for the it. Upon leaving the Entergy tent, fig leaves will be available in case Entergy literally takes everything you have as part of its Trollfest ticket price adjustment charge.

Donna Ladd of The Jackson Free Press will give several classes on learning how to write. Smearing, writing without factchecking, and reporting only one side of a story will be covered. A donation to pay their taxes will be accepted and she will be signing copies of their former federal tax liens. Ms. Ladd will give a dramatic reading of her two award-winning essays (They received The Jackson Free Press "Best Of" awards.) "Why everything is always about me" and "Why I cover murders better than anyone else in Jackson".

In the spirit of helping those who are less fortunate, Trollfest '09 adopts a cause for which a portion of the proceeds and donations will be donated: Keeping Frank Melton in his home. The “Keep Frank Melton From Being Homeless” booth will sell chances for five dollars to pin the tail on the jackass. John Reeves has graciously volunteered to be the jackass for this honorable excursion into saving Frank's ass. What's an ass between two friends after all? If Mr. Reeves is unable to um, perform, Speaker Billy McCoy has also volunteered as when the word “jackass” was mentioned he immediately ran as fast as he could to sign up.


In order to help clean up the legal profession, Adam Kilgore of the Mississippi Bar will be giving away free, round-trip plane tickets to the North Pole where they keep their bar complaint forms (which are NOT available online). If you don't want to go to the North Pole, you can enjoy Brant Brantley's (of the Mississippi Commission on Judicial Performance) free guided tours of the quicksand field over by High Street where all complaints against judges disappear. If for some reason you are unable to control yourself, never fear; Judge Houston Patton will operate his jail where no lawyers are needed or allowed as you just sit there for minutes... hours.... months...years until he decides he is tired of you sitting in his jail. Do not think Judge Patton is a bad judge however as he plans to serve free Mad Dog 20/20 to all inmates.

Trollfest '09 is a pet-friendly event as well. Feel free to bring your dog with you and do not worry if your pet gets hungry, as employees of the Jackson Zoo will be on hand to provide some of their animals as food when it gets to be feeding time for your little loved one.

Relax at the Fox News Tent. Since there are only three blonde reporters in Jackson (being blonde is a requirement for working at Fox News), Megan and Kathryn from WAPT and Wendy from WLBT will be on loan to Fox. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both and a torn-up Obama yard sign will entitle you to free drinks served by Megan, Wendy, and Kathryn. Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required. Just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '09 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.


Note: Security provided by INS.

Trollfest '07

Jackson Jambalaya is the home of Trollfest '07. Catch this great event which promises to leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Sonjay Poontang and his band headline the night with a special steel cage, no time limit "loser must leave town" bout between Alan Lange and "Big Cat"Donna Ladd following afterwards. Kamikaze will perform his new song F*** Bush, he's still a _____. Did I mention there was no referee? Dr. Heddy Matthias and Lori Gregory will face off in the undercard dueling with dangling participles and other um, devices. Robbie Bell will perform Her two latest songs: My Best Friends are in the Media and Mama's, Don't Let Your Babies Grow up to be George Bell. Sid Salter of The Clarion-Ledger will host "Pin the Tail on the Trial Lawyer", sponsored by State Farm.

There will be a hugging booth where in exchange for your young son, Frank Melton will give you a loooong hug. Trollfest will have a dunking booth where Muhammed the terrorist will curse you to Allah as you try to hit a target that will drop him into a vat of pig grease. However, in the true spirit of Separate But Equal, Don Imus and someone from NE Jackson will also sit in the dunking booth for an equal amount of time. Tom Head will give a reading for two hours on why he can't figure out who the hell he is. Cliff Cargill will give lessons with his .80 caliber desert eagle, using Frank Melton photos as targets. Tackleberry will be on hand for an autograph session. KIM Waaaaaade will be passing out free titles and deeds to crackhouses formerly owned by The Wood Street Players.

If you get tired come relax at the Fox News Tent. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both will entitle you to free drinks.Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required, just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '07 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.

Note: Security provided by INS
.