Topics

• Medicare Seminar: Features New Medicare Carrier for Missouri
• Legislative Update
• MSCA Membership Has It's Advantages
• Legal Consultation Guidelines
• Convention Sponsorship Opportunities Available
• Nominations Being Accepted
• Calendar of Events
• Your MSCA Leadership

Friday, April 18, 2008
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Medicare Seminar: Features New Medicare Carrier For Missouri
Thursday, May 8, 2008

Calling all doctors, office managers and CAs! If you have questions related to the new Medicare carrier for Missouri, Wisconsin Physicians Service (WPS), you won't want to miss this seminar. Thom Ryan from WPS, along with nationally recognized coding and documentation expert, Kathy Mills Chang, will present the latest news related to Medicare and the implementation process of WPS.

                             
Featured Speakers

• Kathy Mills Chang, National Coding Expert
• Thom Ryan, Wisconsin Physicians Service

The MSCA Medicare Seminar is scheduled for Thursday, May 8, 2008, at the Truman Hotel and Conference Center in Jefferson City.

Register Today! 

The cost is an affordable $65 for the first attendee from any MSCA member office, and $35 for each additional attendee from the same office (non-member rates are $95 and $45 respectively). Go to www.mscainfo.com for registration forms, or call 573-636-2553.

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Legislative Update
Friday, April 18, 2008

This week saw some positive movement on two of our bills. HB 2116, which keeps carriers from classifying chiropractic care as specialty care, was voted "Do Pass" out of the House General Laws Committee with only one no vote by Beth Low, D., from KC. We will now try to find a potential vehicle for Dr. Portwood to attempt to amend it to. HB 1971, which adds chiropractic care to MoHealth Net, was passed out of the House Health Care Transformation Committee unanimously and was added to Rep. Dr. Rob Schaaf's omnibus health care bill. 

So we are still in the game and fighting for victory.

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MSCA Membership Has It's Advantages
Friday, April 18, 2008

Doctors who join the MSCA have a definite advantage over those who remain outside the association. Members, who take advantage of the many benefits offered to them, find extra support and more resources available to them as a result of their membership. The MSCA is on call to address members’ questions and concerns. It directs members to valuable resources including insurance, legislative and legal contacts. The MSCA offers discounts on seminars for continuing education for doctors, and discounted office management training for staff.

From doctors who take advantage of their member benefits, we hear positive comments. They see and appreciate all their state association is doing for their practice and their profession. They take pride in supporting the MSCA.

Please, help us, help you. "Join Today!"

Membership application at www.mscainfo.com .

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Legal Consultation Guidelines
Help Protect This Valuable Benefit

One of the MSCA's most popular and most utilized membership benefits is the availability of our attorney for a one-on-one phone consultation. To ensure the continued availability of this invaluable benefit, please take note of the following guidelines when utilizing this service.

• This benefit is for members only and not available to non-members.
• Call the MSCA central office in Jefferson City (573-636-2553) for a referral. In some cases, frequently asked questions can be answered without legal counsel.
• Legal counsel is available to answer non-complex legal questions, via the telephone, that do not involve legal research or document review.
• Any opinions expressed by counsel are advisory only due to the limited scope of the contact.
• There is no attorney client relationship created; and, thus, copying MSCA legal counsel on correspondence or other documents to third parties should be avoided.

This benefit is provided as a courtesy to members; and there are times when legal counsel cannot respond right away; thus, if an immediate response is required, members should consult their own legal counsel.

Thank you for your assistance in protecting this valuable benefit.

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Convention Sponsorship Opportunities Available
2008 MSCA Summer Convention

Suppliers can take advantage of five (5) new levels of sponsorship at the 2008 MSCA Summer Convention, July 31 to August 2. Three levels are "exclusive" sponsorships which offer the supplier one free booth at convention as well as an opportunity to introduce themselves and their company to the doctors in attendance. All levels are listed below:

• Opening Reception Sponsor  (1 @ $2,250 already taken) -- Exclusive sponsorship, includes 1 free booth
• Luncheon Sponsor  (3 available @ $1,500 each) -- Exclusive sponsorship, includes 1 free booth
• Breakfast Sponsor  (3 available @ $1,000 each) -- Exclusive sponsorship, includes 1 free booth
• Break Sponsors  ($250) -- Joint sponsorship with other suppliers (booth not included)
• Golf Hole Sponsor  ($100) -- Sign with company name placed at golf hole (booth not included)

For more information, call the MSCA at 573-636-2553, or email Kathleen at mscaaction@embarqmail.com .

Also, ask about other one-day sponsorship opportunities available: Open Forum scheduled for March 29, and Medicare Seminar scheduled for May 8, 2008.

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Nominations Being Accepted
Deadline: June 2, 2008

Please read the following information if you are considering running for office, nominating someone for office, and/or voting for these offices, whether in person or by absentee ballot.

2008 Election Process
MSCA Bylaws will be followed to protect the integrity of the election process.
Send in Your Nominations by June 2, 2008

The MSCA is taking nominations for two (2) positions on the MSCA Board of Directors: Secretary and Treasurer.
                         
Secretary
Eligibility Requirement: Nominees must be MSCA members in good standing for at least one (1) year immediately preceding nomination, and must be licensed and practicing in Missouri.

Treasurer
Eligibility Requirement: Nominees must be MSCA members in good standing for at least one (1) year immediately preceding nomination, and must be licensed and practicing in Missouri.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Any officer of this association who, during a term of office, may become a member of the Board of Directors of a chiropractic school or college, or who may become a member of the Missouri State Board of Chiropractic Examiners, automatically loses his elective office.

Nomination Guidelines:
1)   Nomination letters must be filed with the state office no later than Monday, June 2, 2008.
2)   Nominations must be accompanied by a letter from the nominee accepting the nomination.
3)   Nominees will be put on the ballot alphabetically.
4)   Elections will be held on Saturday, August 2, 2008, at the MSCA Summer Convention at Tan-Tar-A Resort in Osage Beach.
5)   There will be no floor nominations at Summer Convention.
  
Voting Eligibility:
· MSCA members must have their dues paid in full or have paid the preceding four (4) quarters of their dues to be eligible to vote at summer convention.
· Associate, student and honorary members shall not be entitled to vote or hold office.

Absentee Ballots:
· Any member who will be unable to attend the summer convention may request an Official Absentee Ballot from the State Office at any time prior to Tuesday, July 1, 2008.
· Official ballots must be returned to the State Office no later than, Wednesday, July 16, 2008.
· Ballots will not be opened until the summer convention general meeting.

For more information, call the MSCA at 573-636-2553.

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Calendar of Events
Look for Seminars in Your Area

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Your MSCA Leadership
Monday, February 25, 2008

Here is your slate of officers for 2007-2008. Contact information can be found on the MSCA website at www.mscainfo.com. Call one of your MSCA district officers today and plan to attend your next district meeting.

MSCA President, Dr. Edward Hengel
MSCA President-Elect, Dr. L. Russell Matthias
1st Vice President, Dr. Charles Maurer
2nd Vice President, Dr. Margaret Freihaut
Secretary, Dr. Jeffrey Ness
Treasurer, Dr. L. Russell Matthias

Dist. 1 President, Dr. Michael Finley
Dist. 2 President, Dr. Ronald Manfredi
Dist. 3 President, Dr. William "Hank" Hammons
Dist. 4 President, Dr. Loren Smothers
Dist. 5 President, Dr. Jeremy Thornton
Dist. 6 President, Dr. David Plum
Dist. 7 President, Dr. John Dennehy

Dist. 1 Representative, Dr. Robert Arnone
Dist. 1 Representative, Dr. Mark Holland
Dist. 1 Representative, Dr. Quinn James
Dist. 1 Representative, Dr. Gerald Wertel
Dist. 1 Representative, Dr. Raymond Wiegand
Dist. 2 Representative, Dr. Gary Carver
Dist. 2 Representative, Dr. David Cosner
Dist. 2 Representative, Dr. James C. Gray
Dist. 3 Representative, Dr. James Scott
Dist. 4 Representative, Dr. Michael Michel
Dist. 5 Representative, Dr. Micheal Miller
Dist. 5 Representative, Dr. Jack Kessinger, III
Dist. 6 Representative, Vacant
Dist. 7 Representative, Dr. L. Shane Hart

By-Laws Committee, Dr. Paul Foster
Insurance Committee Chair, Dr. Margaret Freihaut
Legislative Committee Chair, Dr. Quinn James
Long-Range Planning Committee Chair, Dr. Edward Hengel
Membership Committee Chair, Dr. Michael Finley
Public Relations Chair, Dr. Robert Arnone
Centennial Celebration Committee Chair, Dr. Paul Foster