The Medical Society of the County of Erie is deeply committed to advocacy on behalf of physicians and the patients they serve. Through strategic engagement at the local, state, and national levels, we work to ensure that Western New York’s physicians have a strong, informed voice in the policy decisions that shape medical practice, public health, and access to care.
Local Advocacy
The Medical Society of the County of Erie is consistently engaged in local advocacy to ensure that physicians in Western New York have a strong voice in public policy. We work diligently to build and maintain relationships with our local State Senate and Assembly delegation through regular meetings, ongoing dialogue, and participation in appropriate fundraising events. Our signature Legislative Breakfast, held annually, brings together physician leaders with members of Congress, state officials, and key local policymakers for candid discussion on the issues that matter most to physicians and patients in our community.
Legislative priorities include matters such as:
- Health equity
- Retaining physician talent in Western New York
Statewide Advocacy
Beyond our local efforts, Erie County physicians play a prominent role in statewide advocacy through active participation in the Medical Society of the State of New York (MSSNY) House of Delegates. The Western New York (Erie County) District 8 Delegation is recognized for its strong representation and consistent engagement each year. Experienced physicians from across Western New York collaborate with medical students to develop resolutions that are presented and debated before more than 350 physicians statewide. Resolutions that are adopted help shape MSSNY’s legislative and budget advocacy agenda, including:
- Prior authorization reform (greater transparency of formularies, longer treatment authorizations for chronic conditions, stronger continuity-of-care protections, and public reporting of denials).
- Extending telehealth payment parity through 2028.
- Supporting the appropriate use of medical assistants in immunization administration.
- Synchronizing immunization coverage with leading national clinical guidelines (AAP, AAFP, ACP, ACOG).
- Preserving funding for the Committee for Physician Health (CPH) and the Doctors Across New York (DANY) loan relief program.
- Increasing investment in Early Intervention services for children.
- Opposing new cost-sharing requirements for the Excess Medical Malpractice Insurance program.
- Opposing changes that weaken New York’s Independent Dispute Resolution (IDR) process for out-of-network claims.
- Opposing unsupervised practice expansion proposals for Physician Assistants after 8,000 hours.
- Opposing efforts to eliminate the role of county medical societies in vetting physicians for the Workers’ Compensation program.
- Opposing proposals to move oversight of physician practice incorporation from SED to DOH and to lengthen the time for auto No-Fault insurers to deny claims.
National Advocacy
Our advocacy also extends to the national level through close collaboration with the American Medical Association (AMA). Erie County has worked hard to secure a delegate to the AMA House of Delegates, ensuring that our region’s physicians have a seat at the table when federal policy is debated and developed. Resolutions originating in Erie County and advanced through MSSNY are sometimes taken forward to the AMA House of Delegates for adoption and action at the federal level, allowing local physician voices to influence national health policy and patient care.
