New Hampshire American College of Surgeons

Meeting Minutes

1999 Chapter Meeting Minutes

GOVERNORS REPORT 2003

The Annual Meeting: June 1999

The Annual Meeting was held in conjunction with the Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Centre Department of Surgery CME Seminar on May 26th 1999. The meeting was held over dinner at the Hanover Inn . It was well attended.

Subjects discussed were:

The Young Surgeon Representatives' Meeting in Chicago, with a written report by Jeffrey Harnsberger M.D. (April 17th, 18th, 1999)

Summary:
Increasing communication skills, especially for the media

Encouraging visits to Legislative leaders in State and in Washington DC

Practice Management issues in declining reimbursement climate; coding; aggressive follow up with insurances, managed care plans..

Personal finance especially important to improve income in retirement.

Bottom line from Dr Samuel Wells(President of the College)... Be a Patient Advocate.

23rd ACS State Officers Seminar in Chicago, with a presented and written report by Clare Wilmot M.D. FACS ( May 13th, 14th, 15th, 1999 )

Summary:
New ACS Initiatives led by Dr Olga Jonasson

Candidates and Associates
  • will have their own Council of Residents Representatives (CRR) that
  • will FUNCTION similarly to the College's Board of Governors.

    A GME Committee to address minorities entering Surgery

    A Committee on Women's Issues in Surgery

    A grant to help train and support surgeons in New Technologies

    Dr Samuel Wells discussed

    the Clinical Trial Programmes in Trauma and Injury Protection

    The Clinical Trials in Cancer

    Supporting medical Necessity Bills

    Supporting medical Record Confidentiality

    Enhancement of electronic processing of Scientific Information ( members must communicate their needs)

    Dr Henry Desmarais from the Washington DC ACS Office will keep weekly membership up to date on the ACS News Scope sent via email

    Legal Issues as presented by a Chicago Lawyer for the Protection of Non profit Status of individual Chapters of the ACS.
    1) Protection from being sued:
  • Incorporation
  • Volunteer Protection Acts
  • Director's & Officers Liability Insurance( Ins. cost vs. cost of legal defense)
  • Follow the By-Laws

    2) Tax Obligations:
  • Check State filing status:
  • Non-profit 501c/3 or 501c/6
  • Tax exempt when promoting a "cause" eg education/ Participation/Dues not tax exempt when making money from a regular ( >x1 per year)eg a dinner dance, even if spending the proceeds on a charitable cause.
  • Taxable income is after 1st $1000, and deducting expenses.
  • Taxed on profits > $1000
  • < 50% of revenue gained qualifies as "tax exempt"
  • Must price goods and services correctly to take into account the 15-35% tax
  • Tax exempt if >85% work done by volunteers
  • If you file a 1099, the IRS will check website against the form.

    3) Corporate Associations:
  • Corporate sponsorship not taxable unless advertising or a quality judgement about their product is made.
  • Sponsorship on the website allows use of their logo (1999)
  • Acknowledge sponsorship in plain text on programme or website.
  • Must Disclose Sponsorship to avoid Fraud and Abuse Laws

    4) Websites:
  • Links may be considered taxable if promotion and money making is occurring

    5) Lobbying:
  • 501c/3 has lobbying as deductible if < 20% of revenue is from lobbying in a small non profit organisation.
  • In a larger organisation like ACS <5%, if purpose is education and legislative
  • 501c/6 is for purpose of trade and professional activity where up to 100% of revenue from lobbying can be tax exempt.
  • Must predict % of revenue that will derive from lobbying. If that % is exceeded , the difference is taxable at 35%.

    6) Antitrust Laws:
  • To avoid antitrust , Unions must employ MD's, so that the price discussion occurs without competetive intent
    HR1304 by Senator Tom Campbell is trying to push through a Bill to allow collective bargaining without ABILITY to strike.