AMA launches new toolkit to help promote opioid education resources
To further bolster physicians' progress to reverse the nation's opioid epidemic, the AMA recently updated the education and training offerings on the AMA opioid microsite, added a new digital toolkit, and is actively seeking stories from physicians on their education and training efforts.
State and specialty medical societies can help promote their education and training resources designed to help end the nation's opioid epidemic through a new tool available on the AMA opioid microsite. The education digital toolkit has sample graphics, banners, messages for Twitter and Facebook, and other options for medical society use.
This toolkit is designed so that medical societies can highlight the education and training resources that are specific to the unique state- and practice-specific needs of physicians. There now are more than 400 education and training resources provided by medical societies. . If your medical society has information that would be helpful to include, please contact your state or specialty society to have those resources included on the AMA opioid microsite.
In addition, the AMA wants to hear directly from physicians and medical students how they are responding to the nation's opioid epidemic. These experiences will help inform AMA advocacy in our work on behalf of physicians and patients. Physicians and medical students can share their story here.
Virginia to expand Medicaid to 400,000 low-income individuals
On June 7, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam signed a new state budget into law that includes Medicaid expansion. Under the new budget, the state will submit a Section 1115 Demonstration waiver in the coming months to implement the program.
Once implemented, approximately 400,000 low-income individuals are expected to become eligible for coverage. With this action, Virginia became the 33rd state to approve Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act.
Maine court orders implementation of Medicaid expansion ballot initiative
Last November, Maine became the first state to expand Medicaid through a voter referendum. Voters in Maine overwhelmingly approved the measure with nearly 60 percent of the vote. Gov. Paul LePage refused to implement the program, however, citing budgetary concerns.
On June 4, a state court ordered the government to implement the Medicaid expansion program as approved by the voters. Governor LePage filed an appeal of the ruling on June 7. Approximately 80,000 Mainers are expected to become eligible.
