government
Former AAFP president to chair Louisiana Medicaid panel
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Jan. 11, 2010
Michael Fleming, MD, has been named chair of a renewed Louisiana Medicaid advisory group called the Medical Care Advisory Committee, according to a Dec. 23, 2009, announcement by Louisiana Dept. of Health and Hospitals Secretary Alan Levine.
Dr. Fleming is one of 12 physicians and 25 appointees on the panel. He is chief medical officer of home health care company Amedisys and past president of both the American Academy of Family Physicians and the Louisiana Academy of Family Physicians.
"We always try to get feedback from the affected stakeholders before we implement policy, and this committee will provide us with good continuity and expertise," Levine said. The group -- which has not met since October 2003 -- will offer specialized advice to the state's Medicaid program and establish a two-way channel of communication between the program and those who receive, provide, and/or pay for medical care and services.
Federal law requires the state to have the advisory committee in place, according to Louisiana health department spokesman René Milligan. It will meet Jan. 20 to update its bylaws and create an agenda. The 13 nonphysicians on the advisory committee represent other health professionals, patients, hospitals, pharmacists and insurers.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2010/01/11/gvbf0111.htm.
