Upcoming Events
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April 24, 2025 12:00 PMTournament Players Club, Tampa Bay 5300 W. Lutz Lake Fern Dr., Lutz, Florida 33558
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May 06, 2025 6:30 PMCentre Club, 123 S. Westshore Blvd. 8th Floor, Tampa, FL 33609
March 2025 E News
Pertinent Information
HCMA Presidential Installation
Tuesday, May 6, 2025, 6:30pm
Centre Club
Dr. Nam Tran will be installed as HCMA's 122nd President, HCMA officers and representatives will be announced, and the Robert W. Yelverton, Sr., MD Memorial Scholarship will be awarded. Sponsors: The Bank of Tampa and Florida Blue. Exhibit and sponsor opportunities are available - call 813.253.0471 for more information. Click here to RSVP.
Are your 2025 HCMA dues past due? Unpaid members will be removed from the HCMA roster on March 31st.
If you have not paid your HCMA yet, call 813.253.0471 or email Asta at the HCMA to confirm your contact information and membership status. You can also pay online by clicking here.
LEGISLATIVE ALERT - HR#879
We need your support in a national advocacy campaign to fix physicians’ Medicare payments. The House of Medicine has worked tirelessly on this issue for years, and we are frustrated that physicians still are not receiving adequate Medicare payments to sustain their practices. The ongoing payment cuts have placed many practices, whether private or employed, academic or community, at increasing economic risk, as most payers are tied to Medicare rates.
Please join this campaign. Stop what you are doing today and call your U.S. representative every week, preferably Monday or Friday until we get this issue resolved. Even better, visit their local office in person to make a greater impact. However, a call is essential. You can find your representative’s contact information here.
When you call, ask your representative to support and co-sponsor House Resolution 879, introduced by U.S. Rep. Greg Murphy, MD. The bill stops January’s 2.83% Medicare cut forced on physicians and replaces it with a 2% payment increase to counter the rising costs of running a practice.
Remember to share a personal story about how the ongoing cuts have affected the sustainability of your practice and/or your patients’ access to care.
Examples include:
- Having to limit or close your practice to Medicare patients
- Difficulty finding primary care physicians for your patients
- Long wait times for appointments or specialist referrals
Stories that illustrate how these cuts affect patients are the most compelling and will resonate with lawmakers.
Thank you in advance for supporting this patient-focused grassroots campaign, which will help to move H.R. 879 forward. You can also click here to complete an email template.
Help us help you!
Your feedback is appreciated - please CLICK HERE to answer 6 questions that will help the HCMA better serve you.
Member testimonials
We are currently gathering testimonials from members to share the stories of why they have chosen to join the Association. Please take the time to share a few thoughts on your personal experience:
- What inspired you to join the HCMA?
- What has your experience been like so far?
- How do you feel about the community or mission of the organization?
- What do you like best about the HCMA?
Feel free to answer any or all of these questions. We’d be grateful for your perspective and appreciate your time! Thank you for your consideration.
2025 Foundation Grant Season is open
After each Charity Golf Classic, the HCMA Foundation Board members review grant applications and choose the recipients of the year's awards. The Board is now accepting grant applications, the deadline to submit is May 15th. If you are familiar with a local nonprofit organization that supports the health and well-being of the members of our communities, please encourage them to apply. Grant applications can be found on the HCMA website, by emailing Elke Lubin, or by calling the HCMA office at 813.253.0471.
Attention 4th-year medical students planning a career in OBG - Robert Yelverton, Sr., MD Memorial Scholarship - Deadline April 1st
The HCMA Foundation USF Health/Morsani College of Medicine Robert Yelverton, Sr., MD Memorial Scholarship, established in 2023, will be presented at the May HCMA Membership Dinner to a senior USF medical student who will continue their graduate medical education in obstetrics/gynecology and is based on financial need and academic achievement. Among his many notable accomplishments, Dr. Yelverton served as HCMA President in 1997 and as a Clinical Associate Professor of Ob/Gyn at the USF Morsani College of Medicine. Click here to apply.
There is power in unity, and there is power in numbers.
Throughout all the changes in healthcare, your HCMA has remained a strong leader and physician advocate. Encourage your colleagues not only in Hillsborough but surrounding counties to join the HCMA. Physicians outside of Hillsborough County can join as AFFILIATE members. Affiliate members pay a reduced annual membership fee but can take advantage of ALL HCMA benefits, including our Physician Wellness and Benefit Provider programs. Share this edition of Enews or direct them to our website to learn more about the HCMA and all the benefits we offer! They can also call the HCMA office at 813.253.0471 or email Debbie Zorian, Executive Director for more information. Your assistance is appreciated as we continue providing great benefits and services to members and our communities throughout 2025.
Work on 2025 Directory begins
For the eleventh year, the HCMA is partnering with E&M Consulting, Inc. to produce our Annual Membership Directory. The publication will be available in the Summer of 2025 in both print and digital formats. E&M will be managing the project, including advertising sales and layout/graphic design. They are highly professional and produce a high-quality publication. E&M will be contacting all members about the advertising opportunities available and we ask that you review their advertising offerings. The publication will be mailed to every member – a great opportunity to promote and give your practice additional exposure. To view the ad rates/options and sign-up online, please CLICK HERE. If you have any questions or want to advertise, please contact an E&M sales associate at 800-572-0011 ext. 0104 or email the ad team at: advertising@eandmsales.com. As always, your support is greatly appreciated!
Additional benefits of membership
- HCMA Executive Director, Debbie Zorian, is a Florida notary and offers HCMA members and their families complimentary notary services. To schedule an appointment, please contact Ms. Zorian at 813.253.0471 or CLICK THIS LINK.
- The deadline to renew a Florida medical license for those in Group 2 was January 31st. HCMA staff determined that 1,031 physicians in Hillsborough County had not renewed their licenses by January 9th. Of those physicians, 81 were HCMA members who received a personal email reminding them of the deadline. Renewing after the deadline is costly and time-consuming, and third-party payers can refuse to reimburse physicians for services rendered under an inactive license.
Spring forward!
Before going to bed on Saturday, March 8th, turn your clocks ahead one hour. DST officially begins 2AM, Sunday the 9th. Also known as "How Do I Change the Clock on the Microwave Day," DST will last for 240 days (until November 2nd) and has been in observance for 116 years.Connect with us!
Follow and connect with the HCMA on social media. Tap the icons on the left and also connect with HCMA administrative staff on LinkedIn:
Debbie Zorian, Executive Director and
Elke Lubin, Executive AssistantInterested in sponsoring an HCMA event?
Sponsorship opportunities to consider:
- Women in Medicine Reception
- Membership Dinners
- Holiday Social
- Resident Mixer
- Foundation Charity Golf Classic
From the Board of Medicine
The Florida Board of Medicine was established to ensure that every physician practicing in this state meets minimum requirements for safe practice. The practice of medicine is a privilege granted by the state. The Florida Board of Medicine, through efficient and dedicated organization, will license, monitor, discipline, educate, and when appropriate, rehabilitate physicians and other practitioners to ensure their fitness and competence in the service of the people of Florida.
The Florida Board of Osteopathic Medicine was legislatively established to ensure that every osteopathic physician practicing in this state meets the minimum requirements for safe practice. The Florida Board of Osteopathic Medicine is responsible for licensing, monitoring, disciplining, and educating osteopathic physicians to assure competency and safety to practice in Florida.
Physician Wellness
(PWP) provides a safe harbor for members to address difficulties, challenges, and work/family/life balance through counseling and coaching services, up to six sessions in twelve months. This complimentary and completely confidential benefit is available for all members, regardless of membership category.
The PWP relies on donations and the generosity of members in order to provide counseling and coaching services, at no cost. We want to be able to continue providing this valuable benefit to all HCMA members! Please consider donating to the HCMA Foundation PWP.
Personal News
HCMA Advocacy in motion...
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On February 19th, a group of HCMA members, led by Dr. Nam Tran, President-Elect and Chairman of the Government Affairs Committee, went to Tallahassee and met with our Hillsborough Legislators. The HCMA has excellent rapport with our local representatives and is currently assisting Rep. Susan Valdes in drafting a Bill addressing retroactive denials to be submitted during the 2025 FL Legislative Session. The HCMA contingency consisted of Drs. Damian Caraballo, Neil Manimala, Nam Tran, and Staci Wenk; also Mr. Jacob Hoekzema, a USF medical student. See all photos on HCMA's Facebook page: HCMA/Docs.
New Members
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Joining the HCMA is easy!
Do you have a nonmember colleague? Share this edition of Enews, direct them to our website, or scan the QR code to learn more about the HCMA and all of the benefits we offer!
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Spotlight on Savings
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Classified Ads
For information on how to place a classified ad in Enews, contact Elke Lubin at the HCMA or complete and return this form.
FOR RENT
Up to 1,800 square feet of office space on Platt Street with parking available to rent on Tuesdays PM and all day Wednesdays and Fridays. Contact Robin at 813/977-1361.
The Bulletin
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Click here to review the most recent issue of The Bulletin along with previous issues. If you or anyone you know is interested in advertising in The Bulletin, or marketing their services to HCMA members, more information can be found in the HCMA Marketing packet. New Bulletin feature - featuring YOU! "Is there a doctor in the house?" is a new feature in which HCMA members will relive an incident when they were in the right place at the right time, and assisted in the emergent care of a stranger. If you are willing to share your story, please contact Elke Lubin to receive the article guidelines to submit your experience.
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Benefit Providers |
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The HCMA’s Benefit Provider Program provides value to physicians with members-only products, programs, and services that far exceed the cost of annual dues. Click the logos below for more information about each of our valued partners. If you have any questions, please contact Debbie Zorian, HCMA Executive Director, at 813.253.0471 or DZorian@hcma.net. |