Letter to Members

Letter to Members
September 2008 Dear AMCNO member: Election Day is right around the corner – and again physicians are faced with myriad issues. Whether you agree with me or not, it has been my experience that many health care issues and medical care options are decided by the legislature and government entities. The way I see it, we have two choices – we can either get engaged or leave it to the legislators and government to set our agenda. I believe you should get engaged in the process. I realize that most physicians do not want to drive down to Columbus and talk to legislators about health care issues. And for the most part most physicians do not want to interact with government entities. If you are one of those physicians, there is another way you can help set the agenda. I want to introduce to you an important organization connected the AMCNO: NOMPAC, the Northern Ohio Medical Political Action Committee. NOMPAC was established to provide a mechanism for the AMCNO members to use the “PAC” model in support of legislators who support your perspectives and your patients’ perspectives during the election process. Without NOMPAC’s voice, our patients and physicians in Northeast Ohio would find themselves less represented at crucial times when decisions are made that significantly impact both. It is well understood that a strong NOMPAC requires significant revenues to have an impact during important election campaigns. We must support candidates who have been supportive of issues important to patients and physicians. The AMCNO relies on the Northern Ohio Medical Political Action Committee (NOMPAC) to impact issues relevant to physicians at the legislature. The AMCNO is an independent organization that represents the physicians in Northern Ohio. Our lobbyists represent YOUR interests - they work with legislators to affect changes that will benefit patients and physicians while achieving a balance that will assist physicians and patients throughout the state. NOMPAC is our political action committee. There are many special interest groups who are working very hard and stepping up their lobbying efforts to line up against organized medicine. We need every physician to contribute to NOMPAC in order to continue to support legislation and legislators that work on behalf of physicians. NOMPAC will help to ensure a strong voice for physicians in Northern Ohio at the Statehouse. NOMPAC works to identify concerns that will best address legislative and regulatory issues affecting physicians in Northern Ohio. We need your support and contributions in 2008. We need your support in 2008 because once again we face the challenge to ensure that the justices on our Supreme Court interpret the law and do not legislate from the bench. The AMCNO’s Political Action Committee (NOMPAC) believes that in order to make certain that this occurs, we need to keep Justice Maureen O’Connor and Justice Evelyn Lundberg Stratton on the court. These individuals are dedicated to further establish and preserve the principles of judicial fairness. The AMCNO’s Political Action Committee (NOMPAC) will be very active in this campaign. Physician support of NOMPAC provides a medical voice with legislators who share health care concerns and will be supportive of medicine. If we do not keep this voice loud and strong we will not achieve the goals of organized medicine at the Statehouse. NOMPAC relies on financial support from you, the practicing physician and member of the AMCNO, to bring about positive changes for patients and the medical profession. It is true that physicians are trained to focus on the care of the patient. And, it is true that physicians are trained to place medical care and the patient outcome above all else. But the welfare of your patients and the medical care environment has eroded and decayed due to the outlay of funding by other special interest groups. Physicians MUST meet this challenge head on – if you do not contribute to your regional political action committee – the Northern Ohio Political Action Committee (NOMPAC) there is no chance of winning the fight in Ohio. We must be active in the Ohio Supreme Court race as well as the other legislative races taking place in Northern Ohio. You want to affect change in the legislature? PLEASE SUPPORT AND CONTRIBUTE to NOMPAC. All contributions to NOMPAC are voluntary and MUST be made by personal check. Ohio law prohibits corporations from making financial contributions, although contributions from limited liability companies and partnerships are permitted under Ohio law. Contributions to NOMPAC are not deductible for state and federal income tax purposes. Enclosed you will find a brochure for NOMPAC and a return envelope. Contribute now and have your voice heard during this critical time for medicine. If you have any additional questions or require more information, please call (216) 520-1000 and ask for Elayne Biddlestone on ext. 100, or go to www.nompac.com. Sincerely, John A. Bastulli, M.D. President, NOMPAC