Uniting Efforts to Improve the Quality of Surgical Care in New York
The ACS New York Chapter is actively working to add the surgeon voice to the major legislative debates on issues including access to care, single payer health care, tobacco purchase, recreational marijuana in addition to many other bills. Visit the SurgeonsVoice Action Center to see a list of all of the active issues.
With your support, the Chapter is positioned to promote and represent the viewpoints of the surgeon community before State and Federal legislative, regulatory and executive agencies. The Chapter sends alerts and online tools to help you respond quickly to elected officials and educate them on the impact of their policies. Moreover, Chapter staff can assist you in developing personal relationships with elected officials as well as provide forums with Chapter leadership to uncover prevailing issues and address concerns.
2025 Priorities
- Support Reductions in Administrative and Regulatory Burdens
- Support Comprehensive Medical Liability Reform
- Oppose Inappropriate Scope Expansions
Current Calls to Action
Use our online grassroots advocacy center to directly email your elected representatives. A sample message is provided for you to send or modify. It should take you less than one minute to email each message.
Quality Assurance Protection S3242 / No current same as | Take Action
The New York chapter of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) is supporting Senate bill 3242 introduced to preserve the confidentiality of hospital peer review and quality assurance (QA) programs.
Automatic Preauthorizations A2352 / No current same as | Take Action
The New York Chapter is supporting automatic preauthorization approvals to ensure patients can access necessary procedures in a timely manner. Delays in obtaining preauthorization can lead to postponed surgeries, prolonged pain and discomfort for patients, and potentially worse outcomes. This legislation helps ensure that patients receive timely care without unnecessary delay
NY Bleeding Control Kits in Schools S309/A4242 | Take Action
The New York chapter of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) is supporting Senate bill 309 and Assembly bill 4242 introduced to amend the current education law to require the development of a bleeding control program and the installation of bleeding control kits in schools. Accidental injury is a leading cause of death in New York and remains the leading cause of death for people under the age of 44. Up to 56 percent of deaths occur before the patient arrives at the hospital. Uncontrolled hemorrhage is a leading cause of those preventable traumatic deaths.
Past Memorandums
Statements and Testimony
Statement on e-Cigarettes, Cannabis and Tobacco Use
Testimony in Opposition to Single Payer
2024 Chapter Advocacy Session Recap:The New York Chapter and the governmental affairs team at the ACS tracked and monitored 82 legislative proposals impacting the access, quality, and delivery of surgical care in NY. https://www.quorum.us/spreadsheet/external/QGjJBFIfORzJNAtlNvfp/
The Chapter worked with key policymakers to advocate for the inclusion of trauma funding support during this year’s State budget process, and while it was not included, has been invited to resubmit for the coming year. Chapter leaders also met with the sponsor of legislation that would inappropriately define the scope of practice for certified nurse anesthetists and educated him on the negative impacts the current version would have on patients and the delivery of surgical care in multiple settings.
The Chapter hosted an in-person Advocacy Day on May 7, 2024 in which 13 surgeons attended including two staff members from ACS. They participated in over 25 different meetings on 6 different priority issues. The NY State Senate recognized the Chapter during its proceedings when it adopted the Governor’s Proclamation to Acknowledge May as Stop the Bleed Month: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EcMKU30Q3is (starting at at 1:22:11).
The New York Chapter continues to participate in monthly meetings with MSSNY and the state specialty associations to monitor legislative and regulatory impacts on physicians. The Chapter also participated in a monthly multi-stakeholder workgroup to advocate against the passage of the Grieving Families Act. The Board of Directors sent multiple calls for resolutions to its membership and supported the involvement and participation of Arthur Cooper, MD to represent surgery during the MSSNY House of Delegates proceedings
Working with the Lawsuit Reform Alliance, the Chapter penned and successfully submitted letters to Times Union Editor regarding its concerns with the anticipated passage of the Grieving Families Act and the legislature's approach to an unbalanced expansion of liability reform.
https://www.timesunion.com/opinion/article/letters-18644855.php