2024 Maine Legislative Session Report:

by Patrick Connolly MD

It was a short but busy session in Augusta this year. It began with a huge push for gun safety measures in the aftermath of the Lewiston Massacre. On the first day of the Legislature the State House was packed with people, myself included, brandishing orange ribbons in support of common-sense gun safety measures.

We proposed four pillars of gun safety:

1 - universal background checks

2 - 72 hour waiting period for gun sales

3 - a ban on semiautomatic weapons

4 - red flag law to take weapons away from people who are at risk to themselves or others.

MAFP Members Advocate for Family Medicine in Washington this May: 

by Patrick Connolly MD

The MAFP was well represented by Drs. Pat Connolly & Cortney Linville who attended the AAFP Family Medicine Advocacy Summit in Washington May 19-21. Here's what Dr. Connolly had to say:

"I was pleased and privileged to attend the AAFP Family Medicine Advocacy Summit again last month and represent our state. The Maine delegation was comprised of Dr. Cortney Linville, who has an independent practice in Wiscasset, and myself" (Dr. Pat Connolly - I practice in the Portland area).

We met the health legislative aides from the offices of Senator Susan Collins, Senator Angus King, and Representative Chellie Pingree. In addition, we were able to talk to Senator Collins in person as part of her weekly constituent coffee.

AAFP Helps Students - Stay on Track with the 2024-2025 Match Season!

The Electronic Residency Application Service opened its 2025 season June 5. Students planning to match in 2025 should register for that service and get their ERAS tokens. You can help students by letting them know that Strolling Through the Match, the AAFP’s step-by-step guide to the process, has been updated for 2025, and includes tips and information related to ERAS, as well as a timeline and checklist to help them stay on track. Students can access a free copy of Strolling Through the Match on the AAFP website. 

MAFP Supports Interest in Family Medicine through Medical Student & High School Student Programming!

May 17th there was another Doc4aDay program for high school students at the Hannaford Center for Safety, Innovation and Simulation. 

Doc4aDay is a community outreach program provided through the Maine Medical Center Department of Medical Education. It is a half-day program designed to spark an interest in a career in health care by targeting historically marginalized high school students who show academic promise.

MAFP has funded this this opportunity hoping to encourage young adults in communities under-represented in medicine to become physicians (and hopefully family physicians!).

Read More HERE

CPT Code G2211:

Private Payer Coverage of G2211: A Large Health Insurer Reverses Its Policy

UnitedHealthcare has announced it will stop covering the new G2211 add-on code for certain lines of business effective Sept. 1. The code is meant to reward the complexity of the longitudinal patient relationship. See the AAFP’s updated G2211 payer matrix.

Other Resources from AAFP:

RSV Season Debrief: What should Family Docs know?

AAFP Updates Give Members New, Improved Cognitive Care Resources

"Coding for Vaccine Administration"