Wednesday, April 24, 2013

The American Board of Medical Specialties Gets Sued Over MOC

From Sermo this AM:
The Association of of American Physicians and Surgeons (AAPS) filed suit  in federal court against the Amercan Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) for restraining trade and causing reduction in access by patients to their physicians. 
According to the complaint:
"Defendent ABMS has agreed with 24 separate corporations, and acted in concert with the Joint Commission, to compel physicians to spend enormous amounts of time and money to comply with Defendent's proprietary ABMS Maintenance of Certification (MOC).©  There is no justification for requiring the purchase of Defendant's product as a condition of practicing medicine or being on hospital medical staffs, yet ABMS has agreed with others to cause exclusion of physicians who do not purchase or comply with Defendent's program.  Defendent's program is a money-making , self-enrichment scheme that reduces the supply of hospital-based physicians and decreases the time physicians have available for patients, in violation of Section 1 of the Sherman Act."
Read the whole complaint because there's more.  Physicians interested in supporting this effort should consider contributing to the American Health Legal Foundation.

-Wes

10 comments:

Dr Mary Johnson said...

It is ABOUT TIME somebody stood up to the American Boards of Medical Specialties. This whole MOC business is purely and simply a money-making scheme/scam.

I am all for CME - and I don't mind taking home-based computer re-certs in what little spare time I have. But this MOC garbage has gotten WAY out of hand. The "Part 4" and "patient satisfaction" stuff is just ridiculous. We're being forced to spin our wheels.

One you're Board certified, you should STAY certified - just alike all of the lucky older docs who are now grandfathered out of the process. You've done your duty, you've PAID your dues.

https://www.facebook.com/maryhelen.johnson.14/posts/163942187099068

Anonymous said...

Abuse and assault on doctors have got to stop. Everybody is fleecing doctors day in and day out. Now their own are in the same act and screwing up their own.

I ordered Chinese last night with House Special Soup at $4.50- only to find that the menu copy I had was 6 months old. The House Special Soup is now $5.50. That's an increase of 18%.

I went to my Barber today and his fee has increased from $8 to now $10. That's increase of 25%

I'm an internist and my income last year dcreased by 30%.

Stop fleecing doctors.

One of these days Atlas will shrug.

Medical Quack said...

Aunt Minnie website for radiology news covering this too with more reactions.

http://www.auntminnie.com/index.aspx?sec=sup&sub=res&pag=dis&itemid=103223&wf=5402

W.O.R.M. said...

Great public service announcement. The check's in the mail!

Ashok V. Daftary, MD, FACP. said...

The concept of recertification is either immoral nor inappropriate.
However, the means available to us are financially controlled and manipulated by ABMS and their component societies.
On each recertification I have not felt enriched but robbed

Anonymous said...

Science-minded physicians should hesitate to promote anything sponsored by the Am. Assoc of Physicians and Surgeons. They are a loony band of anti-vaccine conspiracy theorists. If you oppose ABMS requirements, I'd advise finding another way to express it.

Anonymous said...

MOC is a scam however until enough docs tell ABMS to go take a hike they will continue to rake it in.

Anonymous said...

ABIM is nothing else but business as usual, a private CO. This is nothing but scam, monopolized by this private company after bribing certain other groups for support i.e AMA Knowledge cannot be achieved by having this piece of paper, knowledge is an enrichment of years in practice. I followed the crowd as a young Physician, and certified but no more of this crap.

Anonymous said...

the whole thing is a scam draped with a thinly veiled cover of making sure doctors are safe.

It would be fine if these companies didnt make millions of dollars.

the government unfortunately needs to step in.

these monopolies have gone on to long.

they have lost sight of whats best for medical care.

Unknown said...

Here's my prisoner's dilemma: I'll give up my board certification if you'll give up yours. If we all refuse to play, there is no board.