Why Dr. Rockower Believes Every Physician Is in Politics

Stephen J. Rockower, M.D., FAAOS
169th President of MedChi

I have been involved with the medical society since the 1980s. As a young doc, newly in practice, our county medical society was looking for authors for their quarterly magazine. It didn't have to be medical, so I wrote nerdy, computer related things and office management pieces. I criticized commercials for drugs. I wrote about my experiences as a camp doctor. The stuff caught on, and people always told me that they liked my articles. The Executive Director asked me to join the Board of the medical society, and I began to learn about advocacy on our state level.

In Maryland, our legislature is in session from January till April every year. When I joined the Legislative Committee, I learned to read how bills were written, and the nuances of the language. Each year there are hundreds of bills to be considered ranging from malpractice to public health, record keeping, insurance issues, and the intricacies of our Board of Physicians. We spoke with legislators. I got to meet our local legislators and learned how to advocate on our behalf. They now know me (many are my patients) and are happy to listen when I call or write. Some state legislators have moved up to the US House and Senate, and the relationship continues.

As I became more involved, I became a Board Member of MedChi. All the while, I continued in the advocacy work. It takes some work to get a Resolution passed at the county level, then through our State House of Delegates. Once it becomes policy of the medical society, we present it to the legislators to introduce it to the state. One of my ideas, a ban on "virtual credit cards" (payment by insurance companies via printed credit card numbers, thus costing the docs extra in credit card processing fees) was taken up by my local State Delegate and we shepherded it through and it became law. It took some twists and turns, and was watered down a bit, but the insurance companies now have to ask permission to send these kinds of payments.

So what is the advantage of working within medical societies? There are a number of old adages, "If You are in Medicine, You are in Politics", "One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors"(this one is very old, from Plato), and "If you are not at the Table, you are on the menu."

Our county and state medical society have similar aims. The AMA works in tandem with the local societies at a national level, but is more than happy to assist with Model Legislation to help push a particular bill through in your state capital. The AMA works on a national level to oppose consolidation of insurance companies (and Aetna-CVS) to keep the playing field as level as possible. The specialty societies do similar work, whether it is the Ophthalmologists working to keep Optometrists from practicing above their training level, pediatricians working for vaccine coverage, or everybody working to fight the inequities of MOC (Maintenance of Certification) requirements or Prior Authorization.

We all want to do what is best for our patients. There are a myriad of forces working against us at all levels. It is only by becoming involved and participating in the political to and fro that we can try to shape the medical environment that we have to live and practice in.

I believe that by membership in your Montgomery County Medical Society, and participating in the activities at any and all levels, physicians can maintain control of their futures.