February 29, 2024
Since November, UCA has been working with our lobbyists in Washington to ask members of Congress to sign a letter to CMS to influence them to prioritize Urgent Care. We are happy to share that we have succeeded in achieving this first step of our Advocacy plan.
The letter, led by Representative Kuster, has been signed by 26 bipartisan members of Congress (including House Majority Leader Steve Scalise) and has been delivered to CMS Administrator Brooks-LaSure. The letter calls for policy changes that will promote better access to Urgent Care. This is a significant achievement in our Advocacy work for fair reimbursement for Urgent Care, and we owe it to our members’ support. We appreciate your efforts in meeting with, contacting, and emailing your local representatives. The next step is meeting with CMS to explore various options to attain our objective. We will keep you updated every step of the way.
You can read the official press release from Representative Kuster’s office here.
Signatures include: Ann Kuster (D-NH-02), Bradley Schneider (D-IL-10), Darin LaHood (R-IL-16), Michael Burgess (R-TX-26), Don Bacon (R-NE-02), Aaron Bean (R-FL-04), Vern Buchanan (R-FL-16), Sean Casten (D-IL-6), Juan Ciscoman (D-AZ-06), Donald Davis (D-NC-01), Debbie Dingell (D-MI-06), Charles Fleischmann (R-TN-03), Jenniffer González-Colón (R-PR), Garret Graves (R-LA-06), Andy Harris (R-MD-01), Kevin Kiley (R-CA-03), Carol Miller (R-WV-01), Chris Pappas (D-NH-01), Deborah Ross (D-NC-02), Steve Scalise (R-LA-01), Adrian Smith (R-NE-03), Jill Tokuda (D-HI-02), Paul Tonko (D-NY-20), David Trone (D-MD-06), Jefferson Van Drew (R-NJ-02) and Joe Wilson (R-SC-02).
Special mention to these UCA Members for their help: Selena Gurley, Abe Prescher, Rob Mahan, Grant Asay, Jonathan Halpert, Lisa Mikkelsen, Cassanda Donnelly, Jonathan Thierman, Larry Kugler, Matt Maiorino, Alicia Tezel, Gerry Cvitanovich, Tracey Davidoff, Chris Chao, Michael Dunn, Sue Matricia, Rajesh Gupta, Eric Ellis and all of the members who visited with Congress during our Lobby Day in November.
Congratulations to the latest class of Urgent Care Award recipients! These outstanding individuals are commended for their contributions to the advancement of Urgent Care.
The winners, nominated by their peers and selected by the Urgent Care Foundation Awards Committee, will be recognized across five categories at the 2024 Urgent Care Foundation Celebration in Las Vegas this April: Advocacy, Quality & Safety, Rising Star, Humanitarian, Becky Burress Unsung Hero and Clinical Awards.
Advocacy Award: Ochsner and Premier Health Private Radiologic Tech (PRT) Program
The Advocacy Award Recognizes an individual, organization, or company for their outstanding contributions to the association’s grassroots, state, or federal Advocacy efforts. Nominees are not required to be a member of UCA.
Quality & Safety Award: Founders of UCA Certification & Accreditation Committee
The Quality & Safety Award recognizes an individual, organization, or company engaged in quality/safety-improvement initiatives that focus on improved safety or patient outcomes in the field of Urgent Care medicine. Nominees must be an active member of UCA.
Rising Star Award: Michael Kim, DO, FCUCM | Chris Nugent, MBA, CRA
The Rising Star Award recognizes the best and brightest under-the-age-of-40 newcomers to the industry. They have a proven track record of leadership, innovation, dedication to community and the Urgent Care industry.
Humanitarian Award: Graig Straus, DNP, APRN, FCUCM
The Humanitarian Award recognizes those providing significant medical volunteer work that has had a positive impact on a national or international cause or event.
Becky Burress Unsung Hero Award: Linda Trevino
The Becky Burress Unsung Hero Award was established to honor “Unsung Hero” Becky Burress, UCA’s very first staff member. Becky passed away suddenly in August 2019, and this Award serves as a permanent honor for all those exceptional front-line staff who work tirelessly and selflessly above and beyond the call of duty in the work they do behind the scenes at their Urgent Care center(s).
Sean M. McNeeley, MD, FCUCM Advancing the Specialty Award: Jasmeet Bhogal, MD, MBA, FCUCM
First awarded Spring 2022 to Dr. McNeeley, this award is presented to a College of Urgent Care Medicine member with five or more years in Urgent Care or emergency medicine who has made significant and sustained contributions to advancing the specialty of Urgent Care medicine.
Joseph Toscano, MD, FCUCM Inspiring Excellence Award: J.D. Zipkin, MD
First awarded Spring 2023 to Dr. Toscano, this award is presented to a College of Urgent Care Medicine member with five or more years of medical experience in Urgent or emergency medicine who has made significant and sustained contributions to the industry by inspiring excellence.
Check out these sessions and more at the Urgent Care Convention in April:
California AB 3129 is a bill that targets healthcare consolidation by private equity groups and hedge funds. Introduced by Assembly member Jim Wood on February 16, 2024, the bill would require these entities to seek approval from the Attorney General for any acquisition or affiliation with healthcare facilities or provider groups. It would also prevent these entities from making certain management services agreements with physicians or psychiatry practices.This bill is slated to be heard in committee on March 18, 2024.
According to partners at McDermott, “AB 3129 represents a continuation of the nationwide trend toward increased regulation over healthcare transactions. If passed, the bill would impose significant pre-closing requirements on private equity groups and hedge funds seeking to do business involving healthcare facilities or provider groups in the state of California.”
What You Support: By attending, you’re not only guaranteeing yourself a night of fun and connection but also contributing to vital causes within the Urgent Care industry:
Recognition of Urgent Care: The Dee Chapman Fund
We’re excited to share that we are re-dedicating the Dee Chapman Fund, thanks to the support of her family, friends, and past colleagues at Abbott. Contributions raised in Dee’s memory will exclusively support public relations and awareness efforts starting in 2025. In the years to come, UCF plans to continue to expand Urgent Care recognition opportunities.
Supporting Original Research Grants
UCF has teamed up with UCA and CUCM to focus on the following research priorities for 2024-2025:
Donations from both the silent and live auctions will help fund these special initiatives.
Supporting Special Initiatives
The heartbeat of the Celebration event is the “Raise Your Number” segment, where every dollar raised will enable the Urgent Care Foundation to continue supporting projects and research that serve to further Urgent Care medicine as a specialty, addressing known industry gaps and create pathways for continued industry progress and advancements.
The Urgent Care Foundation is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. Your support is 100% tax deductible accordance to the law. Tax ID: 27-4216985
Northwell GoHealth is the newest post-graduate fellowship education program to earn CUCM Fellowship Program Accreditation. The clinical leadership team achieved this distinction through demonstration of their educational content and an organizational disciplined approach of preparing the participants to urgent care medicine.
“It gives us great satisfaction to see these programs demonstrate such a solid commitment to preparing clinicians in the nuances of the services we provide. We are confident that many of these clinicians in these accredited programs will ultimately be the future leaders in Urgent Care Medicine. On behalf of the College Board and the Fellowship Program Accreditation Committee, I want to extend my most sincere congratulations to Northwell GoHealth and the clinical leaders who developed their program.”
-Jasmeet Bhogal, MD, FCUCM, Chair of the CUCM Fellowship Program Accrediting Committee
For information about accrediting a post-graduate fellowship program through the College of Urgent Care Medicine, email the College or Laurel Stoimenoff, PT, CHC.
The College of Urgent Care Medicine is pleased to announce Jackie McDevitt-Capetola, PA-C as its most recent clinician to achieve the Fellow, College of Urgent Care Medicine (FCUCM) designation. Jackie serves as the Director of Education for Hippo Education. She is also an active member of the UCA Board of Directors and serves as a valued Liaison to the College of Urgent Care Medicine’s Board of Directors.
She is also an Adjunct Professor at Hofstra University’s Physician Assistant Program. Jackie earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Maryland and her M.S. in Physician Assistant Studies from Hofstra University.
“It was exciting to see Jackie’s application come to the College’s committee. We have known Jackie as a strong clinical leader in Urgent Care Medicine. It is no surprise that she checked all the boxes to earn the distinction!”
-Tracey Davidoff, MD, FCUCM, Chair of the Fellowship Committee
Congratulations to Jackie McDevit-Capetola, PA-C, FCUCM.
Solutions.Webinar Thursday, March 7 | 11:00 a.m. CST
Join us for our upcoming webinar featuring Dr. Thom Mayer, a widely sought-out speaker on the healthcare patient experience, leadership and management, trauma, pediatric and emergency care, EMS/disaster medicine, and sports medicine. With experience leading medical crises like 9/11 and the Ukraine invasion, as well as serving as Medical Director of the NFL, Dr. Mayer will challenge you to ask the right questions about the patient experience and team leadership you are providing at your Urgent Care.
Learning Objectives:
Enjoy access to operational and clinical educational products specific to Urgent Care all in one place in the UCA Learning Center. From onboarding and ongoing education to deep dives, the new Learning Center offers you and your team comprehensive programs, expert insights, step-by-step approaches and more.
Urgent Care Association
1911 W Wilson Street
Suite A, #437
Batavia, Il 60510
